The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-06-24 00:00:00

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ed. In this view he thought one of out principal
dock-yards was of more importance than the
measure then under vonsideration. Vl'hije we pre-
served our naval arsenals, and our fleets rade trium-
phant upon the ocean, the country could -not be con-
sidered us subdued. The country could not be sub-
dued until France should be able to pour her forces
into it with limit or restraint. The present force
Was not sufficient, because it tended to create a
fdse confidence, and led to the ;adoption of mea-
sures in tdequate to their object. It tended to de-
feat the patriotic and manly spirit of the country, by
teaching men. who would otherwise come forward
themselves, to look to others for their defence.
France, from its total disrveard for all feeling for
the lives and persons of individuals, or their civil
rights and liberties, might avail itself of the treat
masses of its population, but from the nature o our
habits and constitution, we could not avail ourselves
of the population of the country to the same extent.
Our chief reliance, therefore, could not be so much
upon the present system of volunteers, as upon ano-
ther kind of voluntary exertion. The mode which
he thought preferable would be for Government to
put itself at the head of the spirit of the country, and
to raise and extend it by every possible mode of en-
courageniela. The present mode would, on the
contrary, check, blight, and refrigerate this spirit,
and prevent more effeetual exertions. Ho should
rather prefer a conscription for augmenting regi-
ments of the line, with a limitation not to serve
abroad, and some other exceptions. But as defence
seemed to absorb all other considerations, he would
try the present measure by that rule, and even in
that limited view, it would be found defedive.
Supposing the men raised, how long must it take
until they should be used to their cloaths, until you
should have these young soldiers breeched ? (a
last;h ) These were the reasons which induced him
to condemn the present measure. There must be
an eternal difference between this force and the re-
gular army. It was not in the nature of things
that they could coalesce into one body, actuated by
one spirit and feeling. The intended force, more-
over, could not be raised, and brought to perfec-
tion as a complete machine, in full activity, for ail its
operations, within due time. If it should be said
that these objetions would apply to the Militia, he
should deny that he meant any reflection upon that
body. He did not despair of seeing the Militia per-
form the most glorious and distinguished services,
but his general opinion was against the present mea-
sure ; and therefore he felt it his duty thus openly to
express his disapprobation.
Mr. PITT, in explanation, said, that the Right
Hon. Gentleman rho had just sat down, seemed
to have misunderstood his argument. He seemed
to think that the plan only laid a foundation for
distant security, but was insufficient for present de-
fence. On the contrary, he contended, that it was
a more immediate meats of security than any other
that could be devised.
Lord CAS *LE It EACH “ This discussion
might perhaps been better deferred, but I, for one,
feel that discussions upon this great and momentous
question tan never come at an improper moment
until it shall have been finally and completely set-
tled. I agree that the °bird of our most implacable
enemy is Idle subjugatinn of the country, and that
nothing less will satisfy its ambition ' • but I differ
front the Bight Hon. Member as to the means of
safety and resistance. Nothing but a pusillanimity,
foreign from the nature of inglishmen t nothing but
*sisal want of energy, patriotism, avid spirit ; no-
thing but she abseils* of a manly feeling, and a to.
sal inditen nee to the blessings we enjoy; nothing,
I sat, but the want of every virtue and quality of this
description, a want of which I will not insult
the country by supposing it could be guilty, could,
even in the event of a successful landing, suffer the
enemy to advance far from the shore, so as to ef-
fed any of the vital interests of the country, so as to
induce the slightest apprehension for its ultimate
safety. I cannot, therefore, but feel indignation at
the colouring and tendency of the Right Hon. Gen-
tleman's spa:P.:h. He attempts to prove that the
raising of the force proposed must produce discon-
tent and diss.;:asfaftion in the country, at the -very
same moment that he recommends the raising of a
greater force.—(Near, hear.) It is curious enough
that he should so highly extol the force of La Ven-
dee, which no one can pretend to be equal to ours,
and at the same moment assert, that the force of this
country, as proposed, could not elk& much for its
security. These are statements in extreme, and do
not lead to any rational conclusion. I am satisfied
that I speak the feeling of the country at large, when
I say that the people will not grudge any expence
or exertion until the country is placed in a state of
peered security against the greatest possible attempts
of the enemy, and far beyond any effort on the part
of France, that could promise any prospect of success.
This, I am convinced, is the sense of the nation.
Ttuy people feel that they enjoy the blessings of a
free constitution—that they are enabled to accumu-
late riches and appiness to a degree, that has made
them the envy of the world ; and feeling themselves
rich and happy, they will make adequate exertions
to maintain the inestimable advantages they enjoy.
In the uncertain and unsettled times of our consti.
tutior., prejudices were entertained against a stand-
ing army, but these prejudices are now worn away.
The people feel their liberties perfeAly secure, un-
der the august Family now seated upon the throne,
and that they have no danger to apprehend but
from without. lam alway happy to hear the Right
Hon. Gentlemen, but in the present instance I must
confess, the leaning of their principle is to constitute
a force too strong for a time of peace, and too weak
for the commencement cf a war. Iftwi looking to
the interests of the country, I think it indispeasible
that our force should, at the commencement of a
war, be of two descriptions. There should be a
regular standing force, and there should be another
in a train or organization, to Le called gradually
into action.---Ono of the Right Honourable
Gentlemen to whom I allude, vrisbee to uphold the
Militia, but he would not have it exceed 30,000,
an anrountevidently inadequate to our safety. Dif-
fering then from him only in the degree, I do am
coneeivetiat the principle is pushed too far b! ad-
ding 50,000 to the 90,000 already in being. If this
be not too much, I contend that every other oh-
je6tion made by the Right Hoe. Centimes. (Mr.
Windburn,) falls to the grossnd. He wiesibiwish to
have a new force, which should be so $r le,
thatevery part of it should serve in Great or
Ireland-at crosser may mtuirel eimelhal
aided for by the present. NIL kariabt• be desirable
Cor this purpose to have two desoripdeas °tit hsemprg
CG'llaty j. out officered by the native gestry.- mulahor-
utiw orlisep wjaa mast jai At *alb. id !AD;

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might not feel any inconvenience to extend their
services to any part of the Linked Kingdom. I ad-
mit, locking up the spirit of the country in the Mi-
litia was matter of regret, as much of it must be
wanting to enter the line. The new description of
force is, however, exempt from that objeaion, be-
cause the men are at liberty to go into the, regular
Army. So fax then from injuring the recruiting for
the line, the present measure proposes to recruit for
it, and its whole tendency is that way. I think this
tendency is of such importance, that it is worth
purchasing at a heavy expellee. But the passion of
the Right Him. Gentleman (Mr. Windham) is so
great, it carries him to the other extreme ; for after
recommending a regular force, he proceeds to extol
the exertions made by the people of La Vendee.
Another objedion was made to the new force upon
the ground of incapacity of its officers. This is equal-
ly void of foundation. The Bill is not mandatory
upon Goveriini an to employ unfit persons ; it only
empowers his Majesty to employ officers of the line
and other part of our forces who maybe qualified by
service. I therefore think there is every reason to
presume that the regiments will be as good, and will
be disciplined in as short a time as if the Right Hon.
Gentleman's prescription for making an army was
adopted. Feeling, then, the necessity of a great
effort that should place the country in a state of per-
feel sec u . icy, without interfering with our regular
force ; feeling that no measure is more fit than the
present oae, and that the mode recommended in its
stead would expose the country to peril, I must ap-
prove of the present plan. The plan of the Right
Hon Gentleman would expose sthe country to peril
while it was going on, and, therefore, I disapprove
of it. Ido not thiak, moreover, that giving a mo-
nopoly in the market to recruiting for the line has
answered the general expeCtation. On the Contrary,
while that was the case, recruiting for the line was
less successful, and while recruiting fur the Militia
was carrying on, more recruits for the line were
raised, than when the whole recruiting markets was
open to he regulars. There is another circum-
stance, the moment a man becomes a part of any
description of military force, he acquires habits and
taste for a higher class of it, and thus by entering
the present force his-passage to the line is facilitated.
Thinking, therefore, that every channel should be
opened, and that the country should never sleep, but
sift every means of defence to the bottom, and
bring forward all the energy of the country, I
must approve of the present measure."
Mr. WINDHAM, in explanation, said, " If
we cannot have a sufficient force completely regular,
it may be useful to have a sufficient force complete-
ly irregular. This is the position which I illustrated
by reference to I.a Vendee.''
Sir EYRE COOTE hoped, that the present mea-
sure would lead to the produaion of a disposable
force.
Dodor LAWRENCE said, that the fate of the
country depended upon raising its spirit, and calling
forth its energies, and that such an effet was only
to be produced by discussions in that House.
The spirit that such discussions might excite,
would be more effedual than any measure. The
system now pursued, was the same that had led us
into our late situation, and it was only by the
country exerting all its energies that its objet could
be effeaed. Nothing had been said by his Right
Hon Friend (Mr. Windham) that looked like co-
louring, or an extreme case. His Right Hon.
Friend had advised that we should fire upon the
enemy from every house and castle, and that the
fate of the country should not depend upon the
issue of a single battle with the Army of Reserve.
Should this be the case, his Right Hon. Friend had
said, a battle lost would not amount to a conquest
of the country ; and as this was the meaning of
his reference to La Vendee, he could not see any
colouring or despondency in that allusion.—The
people of England were capable of any energy.
God forbid that, in the moral order of things, vir-
tue should not he able to bear as much for the
noblest end, as vice for the vilest purpose of am-
bition. Still, however, exertions must be made to
raise the spirit of the country, and that could only
be affeaed by making a force for effedive operations.
—He begged the House would indulge him by
hearing a few words which he had to state further,
respeaing Militias; he was convinced, that 50,000
men, raised as a Militia, would not do to go upon
regular service; he thought it possible to obtain a
regular force by other means than those which had
been already adopted. An illustrious Friend of
his (who was a soldier, a hero, a philosopher, and a
politician) had sent him a lttter, and shortly after
the arrival of the same, that illustrious Friend died ;
in that letter was described the total change which
had taken place with resped to the manners of per-
sons employed in providing for the defence of the
country, which, he said, might have no weight ; but
looking back on the past, he could perceive his con-
dua in public had not been irregular; and the duty
he owed his country ought not to be extinguished
by private concerns; his country was dear to him,
and would ever remain so.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
said, that he must be supposed naturally to feel the
highest degree of respea to the person who wrote
the letter which had just been read by the Honoura-
ble Gentleman. But he wished both him and the
House to remember what happened after those cir-
cumstances to which the writer had referred. Let
them call total:id, that soon after the glorious death of
the illustrious personage alluded to, the situation of
affairs was most materially changed, and in conse-
quence of the events which gave rse to it, the state,
not ally of this country but of Europe in general,
was materially improved. The name and mi-
Stary reputation of England received additional
glory,
and Egypt was wrested from the enemy
the vsloar of his Majesty's arms. Were
he asked what were the means by which Egypt
bad been conquered ? He would readily an-
lerq by means of that Supplementary Militia,
welsh seemed now, as well as on former occasions,
.to be the objet of complaint. In the present in-
stance seemed that the Right Hon. Gentleman,
. ) would be not only willing, but
even prefer the cbance of an Increase in the regu-
lars to all the advantages to be derived from the
powerful fem. It sots not the preference which he
would' give a similar addition of numbers to the
line that merits qmstion, but merely the chance of

greater "ambers of regular troops, and fhr this
mere chance the Right Host. Gentlemen would
,heersetirMsefin adds:ion* hfilitia intended' at an
tamp of Reserve. Fen himself; the Meister said,
that !uremia not set so high a. %%lineal& a chance,
a, chance also which vroplcclie the less. vislosshass as
the meawealsaiwooldAmalihattl ta esdistinta.the