The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1805-02-22 00:00:00

of wealth and influence. That was not the
ground on which I opposed them, but because I
was thoroughly convinced that the exercise or
that mode ut recruiting, and of giving rank as well
as command to risen of no military knowledge ez
experience, must, by putting them over the heads
of senior and more skilful officers. proem ultimetell-
destruCtive to the service. I was one of those eau
objeeted to the Army of Reserve, 4ra the ground
that it woul,; ever do what was promised front it
and as the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite me op-
posed it likewise, he cannot consistently avail him-
self of that, as an argument against- a Committee,
if I spew that all the measures which be before ape
proved remain still in full force, and that the m,
sere he proposed as a remedy for every t! ,';
completely failed.. lam aware that all the
When arf ;amnion ad huminese ; but I wish to ape:
to the Right Hon. Gentleman's consistency, het:
some hopes,that though he voted then in a mini,'
might now, in the plenitude of his power and induers
be turned into a majority.. Many of the measitize
resorted to were still only upon trial ; eoree a ..
IA and others may succeed; but supp g
military position to be nearly the same eet.;...
year, do not the circumstances of the preset-tete
of Europe, and the accession of the Spanish w: ,
afford some alteration in the condition of this cue.-
try, as to give additional reasons for instituting a
Committee, when the whole military system is per-
featly open to us The first question that presents
itself is, whether the state of the country be such este
:make it a matter of policy not to revive those ineffec-
tual measures ? I for one cannot see that now policy
could oppose it. Ido not think the Ministers will
assert that we ate now perfealy free from all danger
of invasion. The number of men may perk:
be found of different descriptions ; but, supposi:; •
them ever so well disciplined, they can never beei•
plicable to the same purpose. They cannot defeat
us in every point where we may be attacked; nor
oppose our enemies in every quarter of the world.
It will be in vain to enumerate the number of sol-
diers enrolled in the regular serviee, a great part of
which can now be made applicable to our home
defence. The guards and garrisons cannot be taken
horn their present stations, andpiei suppose, ter
instance, that no man would now think of send-
ing any detachments from Gibraltar. In addi-
tion to the Regulars, we have another force,
under the name of Volunteers, of which 1 dint
have occasion to say something more hereafter. I
shall now only remark, that heretofore it was a
great objeation to war, that it took men from the
plough, and from their trades and oecupatioes,
to make soldiers of them ; and, the complaint
is now, that we take peaceful men from trades and
occupations. to turn them suddenly into Captains and
Colonels. I ask the Gentlemen opposite me, is
ours a well-formed military system, is proportion
to the money that has been expended upon it? 1.
there a sufficient provision made for striking it a
permanent one, by insuring to it occasional sq..
plies ? Or can it be as certain as if it was placed in
the outset on a regular and a permanent footing
‘Ve have at present tour d;stivat species at hame—
the Militia, Army of Reserve, Volunteers, and Re
gulars: but can these ever aft together as one arm, !
If they can, wlty not put them on a uniform mili-
tary establishment ? Why nut make them all alike!
If the Volunteers are a good effialve force, why
not have all Volunteers? If the Militia be fislieel
for every purpose, why not all Militia ? and the
same may he said of all the other Services. It should
also be considered. whether they are formed on
such a scale of military economy an to pie;
them the same force with equal numbers, whin
a regular army, such as they may have to con-
tend against, could produce?? This subjea hi,
already undergone en much discussion upon
former occasions, that I should be disposed to paei
it over for the present, if it was not of too much
importance to be sa disposed of. My opinion of that
kind of force remains the same that it has always
been. I mean not to disparage the Volunte.rs
themselves, nnr to throw any iefleaion on them.
—They certainly have done all that men could
do in such a situation'; but the system itself
was so radically defmaive, and so inadequate to its
end, that they could do but little. I think the sys-
tem bad, and even dangerous, in regard to the poli-
tical effeas which it may possibly produce. I know
it is said, and generally thought, if the war was at.
an end, and the danger over, they would lay de*
their arms, and again return peaceably to their ori-
ginal occupations ; and I am myself convinced.
that, ultimately, it must happen so ; but I CAR ea.i-
ly suppose a case, when, under political circum-
stances which are not impossible, they may think it
proper to keep themselves up longer than the t'
vernment may have occasion for their se: ei,
Such a conduct, no doubt, would be very its. iii-
sistent with our constitutional principles, which are
perhaps further endangered by the effedt this ir.•
tern may in future have upon gene' al eleaions. My
objeflions also go to giving theta a kind of forced
and unprecedented system, liable to be produaive
of an evil Area on the temper and habits of so gun
a portion of the people; a systeM that destroys the
civil relations of human life, which fills the lower
orders of Ile with vanity; arrogenc-, And presimie•
Lion, that brings down the higie and ..zalts the
1 do not bold principles ro very erietaerettc,
as to think that persons of rank 'should cot-sic.
the lower orders with contempt, as if they no. .
different race of beings. I do not wish them •
proud as, like a great monarch of ancient times, to
'esquire that an attendant should be constantly .1.-
minsLig them that they are men. But I cot:-
tend that the high should not be obliged to
stoop to the low, and that every man shoulsi
be in his proper place, and that the differeet
classes should be brought together so promie
cously, .as that the low should be enabled to pas:
vote. re' censure upon the high. lam no advocate
for making any man abject, or endeavouring to im-
press any class with a servile awe for those abort
them; but am convinced, that an habitual respell
for their superiors is amongst the natural virtues of
the people of this country. The man who pays the
homage of respell to charts ter and superior rank
only pays it to imputed virtues; but this system
of promiscuous Voluntems has a tendency entirely
to destroy it. I leer, also, its novel and ptehees
fatal etfea on the military spirit of the army. Th. r
Volunteers may, perhaps, in some indersces, ger"
you more force, but they cannot be depended 01:
If they arc intended to stet With regular troops, o'