The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-06-12 00:00:00

AYLEtiRITRY ELECTION RILL.

Several witnesses were examined at the bar of the
ll.wse in support of the allegations of the Aylesbury
Eleition Bill ; Alter which Mr. Adam spoke at great
length on behalf of the Petitioners against the Bill.
The evidence was similar to• that given before the
Committee of the House of Common.
When Counsel had withdrawn, some explanatory
conversation took place between Lords AIoCKLAVD
and GRENVILIA and the Loan Cstaricst tom, rela-
tive to the number of voters in the Three Hundreds
of Aylesbury ; after which
Lord GRE.V.VILLE moved their Lordships that
the evidence this day adduced at the Bar of the
House, should be printed for their Lordships infor-
mation I and also that the second reading of the Bill,
which stood for this day, should be further post-
poned until Friday next.
The Motion was then agreed to, and the House
adjourned to to-morrow.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
The CalidonianSanal Bill was read a third time
andyasseit. _ _ _

1111% WM. DIINDAS (the S^eretary at War), Mr.
CANNING (the Treasurer of the Navy), Lord D-
L (a Commissioner of the Admiralty), and ano.
ther Member, took the oaths and their :eats.

A Petition was presented from Debtors confined
in the gaol of Co►entry, praying for relief.
On the Motion of Sir T. ME:MAI:FE, the sA-
c. ond roading of the Cotton Mantilla /hirers B:11 sras
pot off till Thursday.
Mr. Poss. R brought np a Bill to oxempt from ale
export duty, all linens manufaCtured in any part of
the United Kingdom. Read a first, and ordered to
bevead a second time to-ntormw.

On the !notion of Sir WM.-YOUNG, an Order
was made, that the Speaker do not issue a new writ
for the Election of a Member for Ayle,bury, until
this day three weeks.

The second reading of the Solway fishery Bill
was put off till the 20th inst.
The Misdemeanour Bill was commited ; and the
Report ordered to be taken into further considera-
ties est Wednesday._
_ _

The Attorneys' Indemnity Bill went through a
Committee. To be reported to-morrow.

LISKEARD ELECTION.

Mr, BOSS moved the Order of the Day for
reading the charge against Jobn Damon, Under-
Sheriff for Cornwall—and for calling him to the Bat
of the House; and this being done accotdinrly ;
John Damon, standing at the Bur, was asked by
the S what he had to say to the charge he
had heard read against him ? He assured the
House, that he had not acted from any corrupt
motives, and that it was the farthest from his in.
tention, to do an adt to violate the privileges of
Parliament ; that he could not have eked from par.
tiality, because he was not personally known to ei-
ther of the candidates at the late eleaion for Lis.
keard. He begged the indulgence of the House,
and assured thetn,that if he had acted wrong, he had
done so unintentionally. He then withdrew tiom
the Bar.

Mr. ItOSE said, it was not his wish to say any
thing in aggravation of the charge against Mr. Da-
mon—but he conceived it to be his duty to bring be-
fore the Honse the opinion of the Committee that
had tried the merits of the Liaison' Election, so far
as it related to the condua of that person. He must
acknowledge, that no evidence had come before the
Committee, of any direct• corruption; but it ap-
peared he had received some money from each of
the candidates ; he acknowl:dged himself, "he had
been handsomely paid fur his trouble." It was,
however, contrary to law, for an Under-Sheriff
to accept of any reward whatsoever, for his
trouble at an eleaion ; and so far Damon aged im-
properly. It was necessary that some punishment
should be inflided on him for what he had done
otherwise the same conduit might be practised by
others. This was nut an uninformed man ahe had
been bred to the law, he could not have ailed from
ignorance; and it was incumbent on him to do the
office he filled, in a fair and proper manner. He
then moved, that the Hausa should adopt the reso-
lution agreed to by the Commitr^e:—" That John
Damon, the Under SheriiF, at the late eledion for
Liskeard, aided contrary to his dirty, and in viola-
tion of the principles of Parliampat." He should
afterwards move, that Lair= into custody by
the Serjeant at Arms.
Sir WILLIAM LEMON hoped the House
would consider the great expence this young man
had already been put to, and not India a heavy pu-
nishment on him. He said, he had a letter from
the High Sheriff of Cornwall, giving a very good
charade/ of Mr. Damon, who would not MI any
account ad from improper motives: and if be had
been guilty of any miscondult, it mutt certainly
have been unintended on his. part. Besides the
House should bear in mind, that he had no know-
ledge of, or connediun with any of the patties at the
eledion.

Mr. GREGOR said, that the Under Sheriff har-
ing received a small sum of money, by way of fee
for his trouble at the election, was a proof that he
had isaed from corrupt motives. From the enquiries
he had himself made into this gentleman's charafter,
and the information he had received. he bel;erel be
aged sokly from error. Hz begged the Hoase to con
seder the injury he runs. smiler even in his proteAskus,
if it lutli.aud a heavy pi.aishment oa

Mr. HOLLAND spoke in behalf of Damon.
Mr. ROSE again contended, thatots this man
could not have abed from ignorant! (althoag(s
even that would be inexcusable), he most have had
some motive in his mind for what he did.
Mr. SHERIDAN denied that the Under-Sheriff
had the plain line of his duty laid down before bins ;
he was not bound, as a matter of course, to recvive
any return which the Returning.ollicer might make.
„.
It was a part of his duty to see that the return was
not an improper one.' In faft. it had been stated to
Mr. Damon, that the Mayor of Liskeard had mat • .
a false return ; and that was the reason he sent up
the two returns to the Clerk of the Crown. And
the. Committee. which afterwards tried the eleelion, ,
decided differently from the Mayor; they having
given it is their opinion. that the right of ell Lion
resided with the Mayor and Burgesses generally t
and t.heMayor having dechretfthe ri;ibt of ele9ion
to be in the Mayor, arid the cvp::a.' and firer Burgesses.
It was therefore a case, in which a man might be
misled, and must certainly tome been in error in
judgment. He was sure the censure of the House
Was as heavy a punishment ea ought to be intlißed
on this young man.
• The SECRETARY at WAR then gilt it a mere
joke to say that this man's understanding could be
nfisled.

Mr: BANKS paid, it appeared that Damon hal
received a fee-from both parties; and that would
not have happened, if he bad aot made a double
return.

The first motion was then pat and agreed to ;
and on its being moved, that Mr. Damon ;se taken
into the custody of the Serjeant ;
Sir WILLIAM LEMON moved. as an Amend-
ment, that be be reprimanded and &whined.
This Amendment was supported by Mr. Sheridan.
Mr. Pit/, and the Sec:ifCARY at WAR, cnratem'a
ed. that after the resolution the House had just.
agreed to, and which was to remain on their journals,
they could not, consistently with their duty, adopt
any proceeding less severe than that of o:dering this
person into custody. If the [lnure abed otherwise,
it world be a surrender of titeir dignity.
The motion for taking him into custody was
then agreed to, Sir Willism Lemon having pre-
viously withdrawn his amendment.
A Metsage from the Lords informed the Hasse.
that the Lords had agreed to four Enclosure, and
seven other private hills.

Sr. WE TRADE.
Mr. DEVERELL rose to move fot certain mete
relating to Slates imported into the ‘Vest Indies.
For these there was a duty paid of 41 nee cent.
His motion would be for the produftion of this duty;
and the objeli of it certainly was, to postpone until
lima Session. of Parliament, a Bill then b fore the
House, for the Abolition of the African Slave Trade.
He should' mare it appear from those papers, that
His Majesty had a personal duty on all negroes im-
ported into the West Indies; and, if so, th-se s
ought not to he infringed upon. Before dry other
proceeding ciuld be adopted in the Bill before the
House, it was necessary that His Majesty's consent
should be first obtained ; and when its oiled was to
destroy a great portion of our commerce, at ought tat
-have been introduced in a different shape from what
it had. He did not think the House justified in in-
troducing the measure without its having been first
recommended in a speech from the Throat. Here
the Hon. Member was called to order by
Mr. WILBERFORCE, who observed, that the

motion with which the Hon. Gentleman meant to
conclude, was simply for the produaion of certain
papers he could not, consistent with order, pre-
face it by a long speech on the merits of a Bill, which
he would have another opportunity of discussing.
He did net see why the time of the House should be
taken up with suck observations, particularly if no •
opposition was intended to be made to his motion.
For his own part, he did not mean to oppose the
motion.

Lord TEMPLE spoke to order. He thonght
the Hon. Gentleman perfettly right in prefacing his
motion by the observations he made ; and it was no
reason for the other Hon. Gent. who called him to
order, to say that he should not object to the mo.
tion. The withholding or granting those rapers did
not depend on him.

Mr. Witaintroact explained.
The SPEAKER said, that so far as the Man. /1
Gentleman's observations went to thew how the at- I
)uati he was about to move fur applied to the Bill
then twfure P.irliament, he was certainly in order;
bat he was not so, if be entered more at. Loge into
the question.
Mr. DEVERELL moved, " That there be laid
before the House an account ofshe Duties paid on
Negroes imported into the Wosendia Islands. from
.the coact of Africa, for three *bars preceding the
Ist of January last, together with an account of the
appropriation of the said duties." The motion wa,
agreed to.

IRI SH ACCOUNTS.
Mr. JAMES 112CiERA1.1) moved, that there
be laid before the Mouse, a return of the names of
the Commissioners appointed under en Acs t of the
Irish Parliament for granting allowances to persons
who had alight in certain Boroughs in Ireland, that
have ceased to send Members to Parliament in c on-
sequence of the Union ; for granting compeaaations
to those who lost their places by the Union; toge-
ther with the sums paid at those employed in the
execution of that aa. Also a return of the camper.
sations given to those whose offices were diminished
in value in consequence of the Union. Also an stk
count of the proceedings of the cotaTnissioners, the
days on which they put the claims that remained:un-
satisfied, and the times those claims were made. As
account of all offices granted by patent, from Jae.
nuary 1739, to June 1804 ; specifying the salarii
paid to them, and the funds from. wind" they were
paid. The several charges of the consolidated fund
of Ireland fit the same period. The salai ies pad
to officer, of the ordnance, and the several bounties
paid for the encouragement of iniand Layzation

"' ia 'rebid hs that period. All these motions were
agreed to.
' Sir WILLIAM PULTENEY moved, that there
be laid before the House an account of the sums of
money expended in maintaining the Cape of Good
Hope, from the time of the surrender of that Co-
lony to Cie British"' forces, until it was given up
again.; together with an account of the revenue
staramg to government from the same during that
period.—Ordered.
, the Motion of Mr. Rose, an order was made
An the proper officer do lay before the House a
. aopy of the appointment of a Member of that House
• •oS the office of Prothonotary to the Court of Com-
mon Pleas of illiDusby of Lancaster. Mr. Rose
said, it would be for the House to consider whether,
by4acceptance of this office, the member did not
his seat.
the suggestion of MT. PITT, Mr. H. LAS•
CILLES put off the Yorkshire Cloth Manufaaurers'
Bill till Wednesday.

DEFENCE OF THE COUNTRY.
,Mr. PITT moved the order of the day, that the
House resolve itself into a Committee on the Addi-
tie* Military force Bill ; and on the question,
that the Speaker do leave the Chair,
Mr. JEKYL rose, and said, he felt it his duty to
objea to this Bill. After what had passed so lately,
be felt it his duty to trespass shortly on the time of
the House ; and be could not help thinking, that
everyone" who felt as he did, was also bound in
duty to oppose this rneas-nre. A variety of plans
bad, fur sione time past, b.:en offered, with a view
of putting the empire in a proper state of de-
fence : all these wese disagreed to and re-
jefted. The Right Honourable Gentleman, on
. the other side of the Honse, had, before he came
into office, drawn an outline of a plan, many
pins ,C which were approved of, and which, on
the whole, was admitted to be a just object for dis-
cussion. From the well known abilities and talents
of that Right Hon. Gentleman, he hailed it as
one that might produce the happiest effelts ;
and hoped at that time, and perticularly since
the Right Honourable Gentleman became a Minis-
ter, that he may lay before the House a great mea-
sure, whish would be good in itself and be adopted.
But be was ntyr mast miserably deceived; after
seeing the outline of the scheme proposed in the
present Bill. There was not in it one single fea-
ture of novelty except one, and that was one which
the proposer of it could not, on a due consideration,
press in the form of a legislative a 6. He would sub-
mit it to the judgment of the House, that there was
but one feature of novelty in this measure. and
aim that was one which ought to be rejeded. This
mthe plan ci recruiting by means of parish
uses. The imp,,lic; of carrying into praaiee
web a meastue as tail, must be evident to
teetyy country Gentleman, who nes in the habit of
man parish odious, and of knowing the various
itbd [wavy duties they had to perform. And when,
imo all these, the duties of recruiting were superadded,
*wits evident that burthens, which the; were una-
ble to bear, were to be imposed on them. The
measure was not only unjust, but impolitic and 1113..
praaicable. It was unjust to make individuals pay
. Ames by parochial assessments, and to coml.el people
to find ...lbstitutes. It tines were to be paid by part.-
ehial assessments, then all the individuals in a parish
must contribute tnw.cnls them. A paper had been
that day put into his hands, which he would nad to
the 1-louse. It was the case of an individual at Liver-
pool, who had been balloted an 3 drawn to serve
the Militia. He paid 30 guineas for a substitute,
by which he thought himself exempt from all further
ballot or service -during the war, and that the faith
of Government was pledged to continue that ex-
emptimi to him. Rut if the present Bill was passed,
he must pay his share of ele parish rates in the
same manner as men who had not been drawn.

This he considered an injustice, and would be a
breach f ia;cl3 on the part of the Parliament. The
paper.also stated, that. many persons serving in Vo-
ltuateer Corps, and who had been exempted from
all other service, would now consider themselves

treated unjustly by being obliged, in common with
others, to pay parish rates towards raising a new
Army of Reserve. The impolicy of the measure
then was most evident ; for many of these Volun-
tars would resign. He was sure that the measure,
ifrwed into a law, could never be carried into
e_ , ; and on these grounds he would oppose it.
Mr. PETER MOORE said, when he looked at
the principle of this Bill, be considered it one of the
meet alarming and unconstitutional measures that
ever was entertained by that House, since the de-
testable times of James the lld. tie desired Gen-
dames to compare this measure with one that stood
on the Journals of that House ever since the reign
of that Prince. And if the House had since re.
Rained its constitutional liberty, he hoped the Mem-
bers would imitate the condo& of their ancestors
even at that time, and rcj:Et the present mea-
sure. Immediately after the suppression of the
Doke of Monmouth's rebellion, the King, in his
Speech, at the opening of the Parliament. laid down
principles similar to those contained in the present
All. Although the Militia and the army had done.
their duty dories the rebellion, the Kmg stated,
that the Militia melba sufficient for the country;
that nothing would answer but troops of the line,
ilds were to be kept in constant pay, and that
by these alone the country could be defend-
ed. This speech was delivered in November,
1655. He hoped gentlemen would look to the
fine which their ancestors had pursued at that
time. All they did. in compliance with the King's
wishes, was to grant a limited ripply proportioned
to a limited force; strongly reprobating the idea of
a large and permanent force. They also addressed
the King u dismiss those officers who had not taken
tha test oath ' • and instruatd their Committee to
bring in a Bill for establishing a Militia more suited
te the circumstances of the country. He saw the
Seine ground at present for the exercise of a similar
jealousy; he saw a measure brought forward, which
Hit a similar tendency to subvert the Constitution ;
and which the Members of than House, in imitation
of their ancestors, ought to repudiate. Let nor our
litia be diminished : if it was not competent to do
1111 duty, bt i rig
_in a Bill to make it se. But he would
tiontend the Nfilitia had sitne its duty; and prsclidetl
every idea that the force intended by the present
Bill was necessary. It was stated to be a perma-
is st additional force for the defence of the realm,
:al it was on this principle be ()Netted to it. But

the nate of the country did not require such a force;
either for home defence or for foreign service. The
country was admitted to be in a state of security ;
and so it was. We, had a military and maritime
force which at this moment amounted to 13e2,(XX)
men. All that was wanting was to organise it in
such a manner as to render it fit for aduatservice.
‘Ve hid an army in the North, another in the
South, another in the East, and one in the West ;
and they were all doing nothing, but they were
ready to do every thing. The force now to
be raised would help them to do nothing ; fur,
such was his reliance ou our marine force, that
so sure as the enemy ever attempted to leave
their own shores' so surely that would be the last
story they would have to tell. Now, suppose
we were to have a great disposable force, lie would
a.k where and in what manner was it to be em-
ploy ed ? For his part, he knew not on what part of
the Continent of Europe such a force could ad with
any prosped of -success. There was no occasion
that could call for such a force at present. We
were blocked out from the Continent at present ; and
th- inhabitants of the Continent, depressed
and degraded as they now were, did not seem
to require our aid or interference. He remem-
bered an arerdote of the Duke De Vendome
when he was carrying on a war in Italy against the
House of Austria. He asked an Italian peasant
what he wished to become of the French ? The an-
swer was, that he wished them all to be drow. el in
crossing the Rhine. When asked what he wished
to become of the Austrians, he said Ire wished they
might die laughing at the French. The same sen-
timents cf indifference appeared to prevail amon
the people of Europe with regard to the French
and English at this time. They might wish to six
the French all drowned, and did not care if we
died laughing at them. He concluded with giving
his hearty opposition to the Bill.
Mr M'NAGHTEN thought that the opposi-
tion made to the present Bill, could do no good in
the country ; he wished the opposers of it would con-
sider what effed their speeches must produce out of
doors among the public A standing army was
now talked of as a most terrible thing. But in
answer to this, he would maintain that a standing
army was at this time the only means of preserving
the Constitution of the country. and of meeting tire
the upstart Tyrant of France in another country.
He would ask Gentlemen what they meant when
they said, that it was to he permanent? Did they
ant know that a Mutiny 818 was passed every year,
without which that standing army could not exist ?
Had not the House the power to stop it at once, if it
was found dangerous ? The opposition to this
measure was at once vexatious and fatlious, and it
was a violent attempt to embarrass His Majesty's
Ministers. Here the Hon. Member was called to
order by
Earl TEMPLE, who said no Member was justi-
Eel in imputing improper motives to others.
The SPEAKER said. it was certainly disorderly
in any Member to do so.
Mr. 111,NAGHTEN said, he had made no per•
tonal allusion to any Gentleman ; and he was again
proceeding, when he was called to order by Sir
William Geary.

Sir WILLIAM YOUNG also arose, to speak to
a point ni order, when be was called to order by
Mr. Cuff.

Sr: WM. YOUNG contended, that he was justi-
fied in calling any Member to order, who applied
the epithet faelious to others, and who would take
away from Members of that House. the freedom of
debate, and their delibet ative capacity.
Mr. M.NAGHTEN then said, he shou:d not
trouble the House any more.
Colonel CRAUFORI) said, he so far differed
from an Honourable Gentleman on the same side of
the House, that he always wished to augment the
Regular Army : it was the only means of bringing
us to a state of solid security, because it would tend
to reduce the power of France. But although he
was a warm advocate for the Army, he must oppose
the mode held out in the present Rill for increasing it.
If that mode was adopted, the Army would be filled
by the most contemptible individuals. Tocrefore
he wished to save it from the disgrace of being re-
cruited by such persons as this Bill would bring
into it. He certainly gave the Right Hononr-
able Gentleman credit for abandoning that past
of his plan which weut to make ballots per.
manent. Yet this plan, such as it was, would pro-
duce a great deal of vexation and no benefit.
He admitted that in this country, which was dif-
ferent from all others on the Continent, it would be
a most difficult thing to compel men to enter the
Regular Army. Even a ballot for the army would
be the same as a military conscription. No com-
pulsion was necessary for keeping up the Regular
Army. But, considering the military conscriptions
that prevailed in France, and the violent means by
which great armies were raised there, we should
endeavour to be put on an equality with her
in that respea. We must have recourse to
some great plant but it ought to go no fur-
ther than to give the Crown the power of -ore.
polling every man in the country to be trained to
the use of arms : and in doing so, care should be
taken that His Majesty should not have the power
to degrade men by putting men in a rank lower
than what they possessed. No compulsion ought
to exist beyond this : and if a plan of this kind was
carried into effea without abuse, there could he no
real compulsion in it. Rut the propositirn held out
in this Bill of laying a punishment on parishes,
was a most vexatious proceeding : and one which
might fall with the greatest severity on those
parishes that deserved rewards instead of pu-
nishments. Those parishes which were so well
regulated. that few idle or disorderly persons
were to be found among them, would have the
gteatest difficulty in procuring recruits: on them,
of course, a penalty would attach, while those that
abounded with the lowest vagrants would be able
to make up their quota, and they would escape the
fines. As to landed proprietors procuring men, they
had very little influence among their tenantry, except
in remote parts of the kingdom. It was said that the
more recruiters there wore, the greater would be
the number of recruits; and, on that ground, the
Right Hon. Gentleman recommended parish offi-
cers as gond recruiters. But he would ask, why
might not Non-commissioned Officers be seat into
every parish for the purpose of recruiting, without
passing such a mains Bill as this With r :sped

to those persons sometimes called crimps, so far
from his wishing them to be abolidted, he wished for
a great many more of them ; but they shoteLl be
put under our power by proper regulations; they
should consist of non-commissioned officers subjea
to martial law, and strialy watched. They would
answer much better, and could get men much
more easily than parish officers. Crimps of
this description might be procured at a less
price than the reward that was to be given to
Parish Officers for procuring men. Now with.
respea to the use which was to le: made of
those men, whom the present Bill proposed to raise,
it was said they would enter into the regular
service, but he did not see how that could be
Jane without inveigling them into it. He strongly
objeaed to taking men from a limited service into
a permanent service. And also objected to
the plan of placing two different kinds of force, by
attaching the second battalion of men of this de-
scription to the Ist battalion of Regulars. Tbey
would be both in different site rtions ; a different dis-
cipline would be exercised tew.irds rete from that
of the other. This would produce mischievous
effisas in both kinds of force. Ilene were now in
the country 140,000 men enjoying all the honours
and distinCtions of a Regular Army without doing
of the duty. And this constituted one of the
greatest difficulties to get men into the Regulars.
the Right Hon. Gentlemantexpressed a strong hope
of deriving much advantage from the connea ion that
would exist between the first and second battalion ;
and the resourceof recruiting which:the former would
find in the latter. He should be induced to male a
conclusion the very reverse. The intercourse be-
tween the two battalions would expose to the second
whatever was disagreeable in the first. It the men
did not happen to like their Commanding Officer,
the first, if, in their opinion, he was too stria in
discipline, this would be communicated to the se-
cond. In a word, whatever could excite discontent
in the first (and such subjeas would exist in all
corps), would be known to the second. But a mote
important objection to the proposed connection be-
tween the two battalions remained behind. Sup-
pose the first to be sent to the Nett-Indies, where
the men often die at the rate of fifty or sixty in a
battalion in a month, and the whole dies sometimes
within a year; was it reasonable to expea the men
from the second to volunteer to fill up the fitat,
knowing this mortality? Reel ments hasing the whole,
or nearly the whole of thew men in those climates,
are recruited from the kingdom at large, because
the dreadful nature of the loss is not adverted to.
But will that be the case, when this species of con-
neaion, supposed by the Right Hon. Gentleman,
exists between the two battalions ? It such were to
be the fate of a country regiment, that it lost the
men in the way he had described iu the West In-
dies, it would be a decissive blow to recruiting from
its second battalion. As to the gradual reduction
of the Militia, as proposed by the Bill, he must oh-
: jeCt to it. As a means, of recruiting the Regular
Army, it would be better at once to call on die
Militia (to the amount that is to be reduced)
in a fair and honourable manner to enter the
regimeets of the line. He heard it objeasd to
I those who opposed the Bill, that they criticised
the measure without offering any plan of their
own. His Right Hon. Friend (Mr. Wiedharia)
had proposed a plan of the most perfea simplicity,
and of equal efficacy. Let ail competition in boun-
ties be abolished; let the conditiou of the soldier be
rendered more desirable : and let 11;1 service be for
a limited time, and not fur ;ar .1 din the AMU
will not want recruits. 'this qac c' e plan or his
Right Hon. Friend. This Bill put him in mind of
what be saw on the Continent formerly, and parti-
cularly in Germany. An automaton played on a
piano-forte, an itioneesa apparatus suirounded the
figure ; but it had nothing to do with the operation
of the automaton's playing, which was executed
on a simple principle; and this grand and formidable
apparatus was only designed to impress the spade-
tor with a false opinion of the means In which the
automaton touched the keys of the instrument. The
Bill was o?crose and complicated; but the real
means of raising recruits were not to be found in it.
He would say a word of some things, which he
conceived to be of the utmost importance, tho'
hi-
therto neglected. First, fortifications on that part
of our coast where it was probable the enemy
would attempt to land; secondly, the making one
or two strong places to prevent the enemy arriving
near the capital, before the whole force of the
country could be colleaed to encounter them; third-
ly, the surrounding our military magazines, near
the coast, with works strong enough to sand a
siege ; and, fourthly, to throw such works round the
capital, as to enable it to defend itself by its own force
for a time. In the last place, be would recommend
a real Army of Reserve ; men sufficiently trained
to fill up the ranks of the Line, who, without going
from their homes, might be prepared for this ser-
vice. And this was necessary, because the enemy,
in many severe actions, without defeat on our part,
and even with brilliant success, might reduce out
ranks, which, by those gleans. we ought to be pre-
pared instantly to fill. He was glad to hear the
Right Hon. Gentleman propose to augment the ir-
regular army; be hoped to see that etre-fled. But
the present Bill would not add one man to our
force, except by the most detestable means. He
should, for all these reasons, oppose it in every stage.
Mr. BURLAND wished the Bill to go into a
Comrnittee, hoping that its defeas might be reme-
died ill:ate.

M. LANGHORNE WAS of the samu

Mr. ROBERT WARD said, the I ;on Gentleman
who opened the debate complained that there was no
novelty in the Bill. It seemed to be the fashion to
make such complaint. However, there was the
novelty of abolishing the ballot. One, Hon. Gen-
tleman had contended earnestly tor the patronising
and increasing of crimps ; now, he believed, it was
well understood that crimp is one who keeps a
public-house, encourages men to run in debt with
him, and then takes the man as the payment of his
debt. The Hon. Gentleman talked of regulating
them. But how was that to be done t

Mr. JEKYLL said, in explanation, that he had
observed there was no other novelty in the Bill, than
that of the parish officers turning recruiting ser-
jeants.
Colonel CRAUFORD said, in explanation, that
there might be persons employed in raising men,
not military men, but under proper regulations.

Sir W. YOUNG opposed- the Rill, as bt4ng win it,
unconstitational. The inpetkors appnintA by it,
he said, would he neither, more or less than the
spiec of Government. He detailed the evils whit",
would result from the wish of parish officers to ea-
men ; tempting, as they would do, persons in
their power to commit faults from which it was their
duty to restrain them. He recommendeclan errand
peasantry', trained to a certain degree; and that
would be the best source ut recruiting for the army.
Mr. SHAW LEFEVRE contended, that the Nil
resolved itself into a dire& tax, and nothing ?awe;
and that a must obje&ionable tax. He was an ties.
my to the mixture of duties it imposed upon Pariin-
Officers, civil and military. He did not like to see
parochi.il taxes applied to general services, amour:;
etre& of the iii!l. He ei•livered his sentiments with
much pain, having a great respell for the Right
Hon. Gentleman; but he performed his duty.
wished the Government to recur to recr.ating, wait
some : of that system.

Eir WILLI 1M PULTENEY said, the liberty e
the country %Ad Seen preserved by the i. ilausy of
Commons against Standing Armies. .1 he safety a
the country was insured by its insular situation. and
our fleets. It was Jet possible for the enemy !„,
come suddenly upon ns. We were rot exposed at
the manner it sat the fashion to represent. He he.
lieved the alarm was created for the purpose of
raising an extraordinary standing army. It was he.
,acaing the fashion to attempt to carry all the tuts.
sures of the nation by a great military force. He
conceived the alarm of the enemy's power of at.
tacking us at home, as a bugbear, let this purpose..
The Rill involved a great constitutional question.
which demanded the serious arention cf the Rouse.
He disliked the Bill, as being most tiAitscr, a, to the
liberty of the country, and must raischtevons.ia its
c00...4u :nixes.

The Hon. Mr. RYDER said, it had been echoed
and re-echoed from the othes side of the House,
that the Regular Army was not large enouA ; . yet
this Bill was opposed, though expressly calculated
to increase it. There were, indeed, no topics on
which the Hn. Gentlemen agreed among them-
selves. tie believed the majority, and a great 111:,:n.
rite], of the House would agree with him, that i....!e
nay fear from a standing army was, that of the
200,000 or 300,000 men on the other aide of the
Channel. No man could say, that this contest VC h
France might not last beyond the life of the yoUnget
person in the House. Were we then to make i o
permanent preparation for it? Was this courdry to
suffer itself to be surprised ? If the meassre vies
not permanent, it was of no use. The Pali.-
ment could at any time disband the army by a
breath. An Iloaourable Gentleman had com-
plained of the mixture of 'duties, military aoa eis ft.
But this pervaded, and must pervade all cr. situa-
tions. What were the Volunteers ? In t • oce..--
nations, they were in a civil capacity. .'ire t:-, ~„
i
therefore, to renounce the milita.y they t-ie t...ea
upon theinselves, with such litniniir God for.
hid l Is ::ot the Honourable Gentleman him-
self in this d. &de capacity ? The, Sill did tx:e
things; it alaiiii had the ballot, al.!. it :educed the
high bounties. He dated not plc • so iieep a g1:71.•
as to IreiCet it; bet:AliSe; At lta.t, did sorni-thi:ig
towards increasing cot R..,-01.:r l' ce. If the El
in other respeis niiii.ated egainsc his gene: al opi-
nions, yet he dared not take upon himself tfie greit
responsiiiility c-f iej-iaing it. He contended th it it
did nut deal :o any vexations use pf the pr.,- t. uf
pm ish officers ; aral ore 17: at excelletre it the Cid
sea:, that it did not Luau:re with any 0t1.,.... mode 4
recruiting the army.
Mr. Saw Le Fives explained.
Sir JOHN NEWPOR P reprobated the Bill as
vexatious and unconstitutional.
The Hou%e divided on Mr. Pitt's Motica fat
the Sp e: • ..T'S le..ving the Chais :
Ayes 219—Noes 169---Majtizity 50.

When strangers were re-admitted, we found !dr.
Pitt or, his legs, and moving "That the blank fur
the deficiencies of the Militia he filled asp with the
number of 12,000 men annually."
This, from the conversation which passed after-
wards, we found was in consequence of the Mein
Hon. Gentleman's having proposed to ftll op he
blanks then, acd as thc opposite side of the ]louse
conceived, the Bill was to be printed with the blarks
filled up, and recommitted for 'I hursday. Mr_
Pitt thought, however, there would be no neceroky
fur re-committing the Bill, and proposed that rather
than lose so much time, they should tliJa proceed to
read the Bill pararraph by paragraph, and go--
through as much of it as they could that night.
and proceed .. ith :he remainder to-morrow, so as
to have the Bill reported on 'Thursday. pr?-
duced a very long and desultory cor.versation,
the course of which, Mr. Pitt, Mr. She, id.in. Mr.
Johnstone, Mr. Pox, Mr.W. Dundas, Mr.W. Smith.
r.Addington, Sir Gilbert Heathcote, sp. ke sect cal
times or, the point of order and regularity of pro-
ceeding. On the part of the opposers of the L 4
it was conttadcd, that in a measure of such cor.•is-
iittence and importance to the country, tile Bill
ought to Sc read paragraph by paragraph, and !Le
(idlest eonsirl •ratioa and discussion had up.:n
that there was not time to do this on the r.(•:eze
evening, and therefore their r.,ish was, that the
man should report progrc,-, and ask leave to te
again. Mr. Addington was appealed to as r-4"
praetice of the House, and he informed Cat
as the Committee had proceeded, they had .
leached the ninth page, without having he Fon •
read the Bill paragraph by paragrap!i, by sv;.ii ii
they were precluded from going back again ; and if
the Motion for the Chairman to report progress V.4*
carried or agreed to, the Committee, when the"'
met again would be in the same situation,ancl could
not proceed but from the page where they now
were. The only wry to get rid of the difficnlt,
would therefore be for the Right Hon. Gentleman
to fill up the blanks and agree that the Bill should to
re-committed. After a conversation of considerable
length,
Mr. PITT said, the discussion had taken up rn
much time, as to render it impossible to go throueb
the Bill paragraph by paragraph that evening ; and'
he would, therefor*, agree, that the Bill should be
recommitted on Thursday.

The Chairman then reported progress, and asked
leave to sit again.
The other orders of the day were then read ark.
postponed. Adjourned.