The Express.
London, England, 1852-03-30 00:00:00

but oily laps the fonneletion of a permanent arrangement,
which will coatings to be acted on in times to come.
(" 'fear, hear," mid cheers.) But it is said, if it is news'.
sexy to prepare fog the defence of the country, increase our
navyand our arm!. The right hog. gentleman the Secretary
for the Home Department has fully explained that point,
med 1 foresee that occasions may arise, on which it may
atec be said that we would not maintain a permanent regu-
late' army, adequate for the purposes for which a
Ear (ores is necessary. but this measure proposes to'
force of 80,000 men, periodically drilled, fora sum
would only maintain an addition of 8,1100 men to the
Millar army. Will any one any that 80,000 men drilled
equipped and called out for alleles, would not Le a
snore available force than 8,000 men, however superior they
might be in discipline and equipment? Another argument
which may be used in favour of tick plan is that, etippening
there was an augmentation of our regular army, and is
two or three year*, from motives of financia. policy or eco-
nomy, an alteration was again made, unit that additional
force was disbanded, the men would he dispersed (as we
undentood); but even were we to discontinue the training
of this militia force, we should still have the men enrolled,
and when danger arose we should leave the means of find-
ing 80,0di1 men to mid to our force, while, in the other
ease, there would be nu other means of eilitaining them than
by the ordinary process. (Hear, hear.) The plan of the
government seems to me to Ice ge in rally a very good one.
I have always thought that volunteer enlistmeni might be
substituted li,r the ballot. I think it right that a reward
should be given for voluntea tin:, and, as to dividing the
bounty into a monthly payment, although mrhaps the
majority would meter to r. ciev,i the whole immediate ly,
yet 1 think the plan of monthly payment would be a greater
security fur retaining the men. But these ore deteils which
may lie considered when the bill is berme the house. lam
bound to my that the plan is one highly deserting
the favour and sanction of the hoes.. (Chem, from the
ministerial benches.) My right hon. friend the member fur
Manchester says that I ought to find fault with the mea-
sure because it does not provide fur the defence of Scotland
and Ireland. I do not exactly know what the right hen.
gentleman the Secretary bir the Horne Dopartment stated
on that subject, but I suppose this force is to be raised
under the provisions of the Militia Acts, and if it is so raised
it is applicable to the defence of any pact of the kingdom.
(Hear, hear.) When the government raises a militia by
voluutary enlistment, which is to he trained in tim: of
pence and embodied in time of war, it is liable to serve in
any part of the kingdom. (Hear, hear.) So far from join-
ing with my right hon. friend (Mr. Oibson) to turn out the
government on this measure, I shall be happy to give them
every assistance in my power iu a matter of so much im-
portance to the defence of the country. (Loud cheers.)
(Jul. THOMPSON agreed with his lion.and gallant friend,
the member for Westminster, with regard to the govt imment
having " snubbed" the volunteers who had proposed to
enrol themselves; a force which deserved every Encourage-
ment, as a most important means of defence, nor could
he tell why the government should reject a force which
Was to pay for itself, and to create another which was
to cost 400,0001. a year. The reasons fur this ought to
be looked into, and they ought to be able to tell their con-
stituents what it was that made a militia bill nicess.,ry at
all. lie agreed with his right boo. friend the member for
Menchester that all further orotecilinge in this matter
should be postponed till they 'had ascertained the opinion
;of the constituencies of the country.
' Lord .1 RUSSELL (who was very imorrfectly heard)
said-1 am eine of those who think that the defences of the
country ought to be increased. It has never app sect to
me to be a satisfactory reason agidnst the increase of our
defences to say that ee ore at peace with all the world, and
that there is no immediate prospect of its being en-
dangered, for we know ly experience that though there
may exist no hostility with other nations,
_ and though there
may he no apparent prospect of any, that he two or three
months there may arise causes of hostility which it may he
difficult far the government to meet, and it may not be in
their power to prevent such a calamity. And this may
often not depend on the disposition of any particular go-
vernment. Ido not put the question of the necessity of
tieing prepared for defence on the existence of the present
government of France, or of any other. Wo have a right
to consider the present ruler of that country to be as
well dispescd toward+ us as any other has been; but he go-
verns a country imbued with a high feeling of honour and
of keen susceptibilities when it supposes itself to he injured.
While there are two such notions, putting aside all other
nati ma in Europe and the United States, influenced by
such feelings, it is impossible to say that no cause of hos-
tility is likely to arise. Five years ago, when everything
was tranquil and no one was dreaming of war, an injuty
was done to one of our consuls in the South Sea Islands.
Sir Hubert Peel, then Prime Minister,
.came down to the
house and stated that it was a wanton injury, and that re•
paration must be demanded. If the government of Frame
on that eceasion had said that no injury had been done,
and that no reparation would be given, a grave cause of
hostility would have sprung up at once. The government
of France, as this country only required a moderate repara-
tion, concede' it; but I believe that the Prime filinister of
France would have been more popular if he had not con-
sented to grant any indemnity in the case of Mr. Pritchard.
We never can say that no cause fur war is likely to arise.
Bat, agreeing as I do that our means tel defence
ought to be increased, I heard with pleasure the
very able statement of the right hon. gentleman the Secre-
tary for the Home Department. (Hear, hear.) At the
same time I cannot say,,that while he was clear and explicit
with regard to parts of the measure he proposes, there were
other parts which not Ix ing so agreeable I suppose, in con-
formity with the rule laid down by Horace, he was anxious
to avoid. The great difficulty in proposing a militia is the
ballot. (Rear.) The right hon. gentleman proposes to raise
80,000 volunteers, but if he does not obtain the whole
number of volunteers ho must resort to the ballot. I should
have wished to have heard some explanation with regard to
the mode of taking the ballot, whether it is to take place in
the unions, which are to he made districts for that pur-
pose, and what class of persons will be subject to :t. I should
like to have heard whether those who are urawn will be
allowed to have substitutes; and whether all the men—
whether thou who are leilloted for, or volunteere, aro to be
allowed to provide substitutes, who shall be liable to five
years' service in case of danger of invasion, so that if in
three months after they are enrolled, if hostilities were to
break out, they would be subject to five years' service.
This is a question to which it is important that we should
receive an answer, so that we should know what will be the
state of the law. For although the right hon. gentleman
seemed to be confident that volunteers would lc obtained,
' I have not a perfect persuasion that they will be forth.
coming ; fur although the payment of a bounty of If. might .
induce them to come out for it days' training, I sin not
sure that it would be equally efficacious for all other occa- '
slam. I think as regards the system of giving an option of
Ireceiving the bounty of 41. at once or by monthly payments,
Irztill run the risk which the noble lord tho member for
on has pointed out, and that the bounty of
1 el. will generally be accepted at once, but the
monthly payment will not bo so readily rewired.
The right hon. gentleman says that by spreading out the
bounty it will amount to half-a-crown a month, or one
penny a day, which, although it may be a fee which a
volunteer for the militia might accept, I do not think in
the Court of Chancery it would be considered • great
temptation. ("Hear' hear," and a laugh.) If you do net
obtain the full number of volunteers, or even if you should
obtain 50,000 in the first year, as the right hon. gentle-
man expects, yet if '20,000 or 30,000 are wanted in
the second year y -.0 would be obliged to resort to
the ballot. Ido not two that any act of parliament could
create any satisfactory mode of procuring such a number of
men without having recourse to the militia laws and put•
ting the ballot in force in some shape or another. It is
desirable that we should know in what manner the ballot
is to he adopted, and whether it will apply to particular
districts and to a particular class. I have formed but an
imperfect notion of the measure of the right hon. gentle-
man even after his very clear statement, but as one who
wishes that there should be immediate means taken for the
defence of the country, I think it would be mast unjust
were I to off:* any opposition to the introduction of the
bill. (Rear, hear.) For my part, for the remains I have
before stated, and for the reasons which the right hon.
gentleman has stated to-night, I prefer a large militia force
of this kind to any increase of the regular army. At the
Mae time, it is a matter not only for us, but tor the
senntry to judge of, and it there is su great a repugnance
in the country to this plan as seine persons would have us
think, that may be a reason for not adopting it, hot not for
an abandonment of all measures for the defence of the
Country ; although I should be sorry if it was found neces-
sary to have recourse to an increase of our regular Wiwi
gather than to the militia. lam glad that the noble lord
the member for Tiverton has expressed his ready approval
Blythe introduction of this measure, because when I brought
la a bill which only applied to England, he said that its it
gad sot extend to Scotland and Ireland, it was as if I had
mid " that all Seelthmen ware cowards and all Irishmen
Itraitors." (" Hem, hear," and laughter.) Now the right
hon. gentleman has proposed a measure of the same kind;
it is different in other respects, but it is the sent: in this re-
epee that it only raises a militia in England which may he
sent to any part of the United Kingdom, but it does not
propose a Scotch or Irish militia. (Hear, ear.) 1
am glad, therefore, that the objections of the fool& iord do
not apply to this measure. ("Hear, hear," and laughter.)
I ant glad that the nohle lord considers that the Scotch may
not torn traitor*, and that the Irish may remain loyal, t yen
though a militia be not called out in their countries.
(Cheers.) With regard, however, tee this propoeal i,...ii, I
hope that the right hon. guttleinan will give us Old
estimate, as nearly its he eau, as b, the exact expense; for
I own it appears to me that the expo nee will he eery lorge.
No doubt the right hon. ventleninn has gone through the
celeulations, and he will probably there-fore give us a satis-
factory statement. ear, hear.) 'there is one seeeneet,
connected as I thine-and as I am sure the hilliSt• will
think—with a bill involving increased expense s, upon w hieh
I hope soon to hear the determination of the government.
I refer to theouettion of ways:and means-the question es:to
the mode in which this meets'e is to be borate (Neer,
beer.) I hope that the right hon. gentle man the Chau-
wiler of the Exchequer will inform us speedily what he
intends to do with regard to the renewal of the income
tex. The income tax expires, as the hosise is aware, on the
Bth April next; and, unless the Ins is renewed nt once,
the dividends payable in July may he paid without any
deduction. (Rear, Lear.) I MU lent at all 'Atm!: for any
flit sic iol:stasement let yr...se iit ; I ant only e•xpeessing 5
hope that no long time will elapse before we receive deft.
nitirc information 116 to the views eel the government on
this poled.

Mr. WAI.POLF.—In mower to the ire.tions pot to
me. 1 hare tu Ntate that it X. propo..•d to take the registrar.
general's district u tlto division which i. to furnish the men,
in clolaCqUellllo of the convenience of rc'erring to the last
census of IS.iI, and because we could fix the quotas derive{
from the diftment divisions more easily by taking those ins-
triets than by taking parishes. With respect to the ballot,
it is ob v:ous that we mutt fall back upon that in owe of the