The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1808-07-01 00:00:00

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's-L• 4isiivat eful puttisliments than thosseof any other
it *bolt. I 'titter these circumstances, he should
..., ,
latagaii:ly take the sense of the House.
iLIMA CASTLERE•iiii expressed his surprise that
the Hon. Baronet slatitld have brought forward
such a motion at such a period, and upon such
groomle. •It did so happen. that the Hen. Baronet
took iu general such a different view of the in-
terests of the country, that it vves hardly possible
for him to !ism with him ninny one petut. Even
Dem the on. Baronet's own arguments, it was
ditlieult to see may proctietil betietit likely to arise
from this mottos. if inch abuses did exist, it
would not he easy for the hon. Baronet to afford
satisfactory reasons to the soldiers themselves for
having delayed so loug in bringing the matter
forward. It was a anottoti. in Ins opinion, of II
most mischievous tentleocy, and, when taken along
with former sentiments uttered by the Hon. Bet-
mast, somewhat resembled a regular systematic
purpose to bring the whole military. rode into qi.=
repute. and to create an impression in the army of
the country, that there was something hi that
dale that citUed for alteration. This was car-
' tainly not the drat time in which the Honourable
Bart. butt milled the attention of the Legislature
to the preference he gave- to the French, system of
military punishments ; as be had, upon** former
occasion, iinfortmintely made some allusion to the
cotiduct of the French troops iii Spain. - Now, there
Was actually no code of :military law so severe as
that of France, kr instead of utianstilunishments,
they generally proceed to immediate execution; and
men are upon the slightest oftener shot upon the
spot. Whereas in this country, no luau's life nor
property could be shakes by the arbitrary act of au
individual. Every court-duirtial that sanctioned the
hifliction of punishment, &del upon oath, and de-
cided upon the evidence addisced before therm,
which was also ultoa t•ath. This being the case,
the House would intl4e how the lion. Burt, waft
jUlitiikil in statiug, that the punishment of iii
tudividual rested upon the caprice or whim of
a Commanding Officer t In the particular instance
alluded to by the lieu. Baronet, perhaps he did
Dot advert to the circumstance that the number of
men iu that regiment might now Le double of
what vt. was before. It way surely a most injurious
inisrepresentstiou to state that the military code
of this country was harsh and severe, when the
British army hod long votitioued to nourish under
it, even daring the most try ing times. instead of
being of the deliased elistat•:.er the hots. Baronet
repro:vented, there was no .e.r.rin who at all knew
the sersice, could 'iesitate in deelering that the sol-
diers felt themselves ...intuited, happy, loyal, and
proud of their situations.
Sir GE.9111:11 WARNENDUS stated, that differing
u he did from the vlou. Baronet upon every one of
his military opinious, and disseutitio from what he
had said that ttii4t.t, he should detail' the House
but a short time iu adding a few ouserysitiolis to
those of the Noble Lord who had preceded him.
Lie certainly. upon a former ort.astin, did conteud,
that surd; a state of military discipline was not ne-
cessary for the 1..0401i Militia, principally upon the
ground of its being a hardship to which such men
were nuaccustometl, that it might be the means of
preventing the volunteer- from being iocorporated
with them. It was out 'thence, however, to be in-
ferred. that he in any degree, disapproved of the
present raihtary code ; on the contrary, be highly
approved of it, and thought that the- agitation of
such a question as the present one must always he
attended with mischi nnsequeitees, without
the smallest hearth being likely to be deriv.d from
it. The Hon. Bart. had been so completely answer-
ed by the Noble Lord. in regard to the allegation of
punishments being regulated by the caprire or whim
ofoffseeis, that it was unnecessary for him to enlarge.
He should only observe, that in all cases of inspection
of regimeuts, the iuspectora sot only have to ex-
press their opinions as to the Courts Martial that
had previously taken place, but ask every indivi-
dual soldier whether or not he had any thing to
complain of? With regard * the use of the
cane in regiment*, it was worthy of remark, that
there had only been nor solitary instance of that
mode of punishment coming under the cognizanee
of • Court Martial. Coon the trial of an ofti. cr.
it appeared, amongst other charges, that he had
used the cane, and, upon this being represented to
His Majesty, seders were immediately issued that
aay officer in future using the cane should inert
with marks of His Majesty's ilitylevoure. Without
imputing mischievous inotivos to the lionounsble
Baronet, is bringing forward such a motion, be
certainly could not help saying, that, in his (minion.
it was likely to have that tendency ; and, therefore,
it was highly proper for every 000 to make such ob-
servations as might tend to do away those evil cons
excess
Fistasrome said, he should certainly sop-
port this motiou, and his principal ground for doing
so was contained iu the concluding paragraph of
the Noble Lord's speech, 'which related to the
loyalty and meritorious conduct of the British
army. He could not COnteiVe hoe it could be
said that the object of the honourable Baronet, in
making such a motion, was to create discontent ;
it was merely one calling fur information, for the
withholding of which DO good reibile could be as-
signed. Ile could see no good reason for objecting
to the motion, unless it was the conviction that
military p shments were actually in a great de-
regulated by the caprice and whirs of officers.
was easy to prove, that the system varied und,r
different officers in diffevent regiments, and there-
fore some melioration ought undoubtedly to take
place.
Mr. Wsx exam thota• 'ht that such a return
would not put the House in possession of what
seemed to be wishrd by the Hon. Mover. The
degree and frequency of punishment must neees-
'only depend so much upou the characters, dis-
Positions. an conduct of men, under various cir-
cumstances, that die House could not, properly,
be enabled to judge of the eta; state of the ca-e;
and, therefore. such a motion as the present one,
would either he bringing forward no information
at all, or such as was improper, by leading to ex.
pectations which might not be gratitied. Before
as could consent to it, he must have a strong ear.-
rietion upon his mind that there were crying abuses
iu the punishments of the army, which ought to be
•ftetitied. He did n•vt believe that such abuses
did exist, and therefore he could not approve of
suers an imperfect poshavt7on ben.; curie. IA bat-

net regniatiene were adopted in regard to pnnieh-
ments an the army, still a great deal must neces-
sarily depend upon the habits, notions, and fashions
of men. These were things which could not be
regulated by Legislative interference, and therefore
some other mode of anielioratioo meat necessarily
be adopted. Countenance and favour might be
shewn to officers who by judicious mannement
and well-directed endeavours effected the discipline
of their regiments without frequency of punish-
ment. The introduction of his system of limited
service, in his opinion, would hive tended as moth
as any thing to lessen the necessity of suet, pu-
hishruents, and to correct the abuse complained of,
if any such abuse existed, had that thll been id-
lowed fair play. Lyon these grounds he should
recommend to the Hon. Ihironet to withdraw his
motion.

Earl TEM 'ma's priaeipal objection to the present
motion was, that at the present ttobinent it could
not do gond, but 'night do a great des! of harm.—
Suppoong the abuse complained of was one that
actually required a remedy, then the whole 'Lathe
simmer must pass without any thing lae;ng dame
by Parliament, and therefore it tended to bold out
to the atmy in general hopes and expectitima, iu
which they might ultimately be di-appointed.—
There might this advantage arise from tbs
talon of such a question, that it might be the
means of turning the attention of officers to the
subject, and lead them to consider whether there
might not be Some mode of lessening the frequency
of courts-martial.

Mr. LOCLHART • said, he was decidedly averse
from the motion, us totally inaulfscient for any good
purpose, but pregnant with every bad one. It was
u gitestton, the agitation of which might render
men leo disposed to volunteer into the army, or to
comply with the Local Militia Bill. Now, he did
not conceive that corporeal punishment was ore
that was likely ever to be upplievi to the Locni Mi-
litia. He should be ;lad to know where thc Hun.
liaronet hail read of this French system, whistle he
had much extolled ? For his part, lie knew, that
in the French army there was sometimes a greet
laxity, and sometimes a great severity uf punish-
ment; sometimes pillaging and marauding were
countenanced, and sometimes a Commander would
p h them with the utmost severity.
A division then took place, when there appeared.
Airsiost the motiim 77
Fur it 4

Majority 7.1
Upon onr return to the raillery, we found Mr.
Ctf.►viT waking hii notion relative to