The National Register.
London, England, 1818-05-04 00:00:00

TTIE NATIONAL 11rOZST111.

feelings of people' then what was nut absolutely necessary
seas unjust. It was not ilic question whether* they were to
be generous to the army, but whether government was to
keep faith with it. After !in or 60 years, or perhaps near a
centery's practice, ought the terms with the army to he
altered in a way most galling to the feelines of individuals
Before guiog into further particulars, he requested the lloose
•to attend to the elleets of a recent paper, by which au 011i-
eel's widow, has ing, by other RII:M1111ITS or by her alums, 1
income, double the amount of tl.e widow's pension, might nut
be entitled to teceive such r unrio:is hereafter. Rut tie welt; in-
formed tit-it it was:intended uow to apply this principle to mar.
tied offset rs now its the army. 'flu. gross tonal of the w'idow's
'scissions, including Irelaud was trbANMI. odd. The amount
of the pensisai, to indi% idnals was comparatively small. A
Ge111!1'111 12!)1. a year, a Lieutenant Colo-
nel's widow iiol. a year, a captain's widow a year, and
an ensiell'S widow I:. I. :s «are From noble math us many
office's made gre•atsae nnPrc by insurance of li% es mid tither
modes, to provide for v idows. Many marttagts :11111 settle.
uututs hart L: en flu ide L efF:cers out the principle of c3lcu-
latiwz on the wduis's fund. 'People most say, Ourd ('oil is
it pos.ible that it is the offeers ,witlows' fond that govern-
ment rely on ter the icfren&lonent of expenditure? Is this
to futon the udions contrast between the way in whiels the
4.i% il servants of the Crown, -basking in Court favour are to
be prov ided fur, compared 0 ills the mode of prevision the
deleneelvFs widows ut those ltraye otiicers no ta:!en in
their comstry's• blt ties ? Tbe total amount of the money this,
tributed iu mite exercise of this bounty was 9,,,0001., the big''.
est amount it had ever reached, nt the period el.en ow. mili-
tary establishments had been carried to au unexampled extent.
It was impossible to estimate the a suotin t tit J:l% i sig in (oilseed
by this regulation at more than a third of thie sent. Coder
the present circumstances this woc Id out exceed the paltry
raving of 15,0001. or 3e'.ooUl. il'as this a sufficient induce-
ment for gallin4 the feelings or nepairing the comforts of ior
respectable and defenceless a class of pet sous? The pretence
of eeosionly wade bet a bail appeariuree, when it was found
that in no other respect was ',oldie ceetionly consulted, and
that nu retrenchments were effected, where they were most
loudly called for. Ile felt confident, that not only the feel-
ings of the army, but the sense of the poblic wasiopposed to
the regniation ; with regard to which, bereforerllll should
accept nu compromise, tnt move for its tetil and nneuudi-
tional !evocation. He concluded by moving that an :40111'11,./1
be presented to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent,
praying him to revoke, cancel,. and annul thelate svarrant
for regulating the pensiorn d::e to the widows-of military
officers.
CoIoneIDAI.IITMPLF se-ended the motion *nd entail not
avoid thinking that, at the close of an arduous and 'successful
war, the sovcrei-gn might have liiien spared the mortification
of interfering with the liberality of Isis Royal ancestors, sanc-
tioned and supported as it had been by 'successive acts of
the.whole,legislantre.

Mr. J. SMITU spoke in sapport.
Mr. F. I.v.wts opposed the Motion nn the ground 4if the
jealousy existing in the navyi nn at:counter the prefierence
'hewn by the existing regulation to widowsof militury officers
over thoseoffioers of the navy.

Lord PALMNPATON opposed the- +Motion. but observed that
the regulations bad been forced on she Government by the
calls wade by the opposition econnte: and retrenchment.
601011e1 ST tNHOPL it %%0;113 be snore consonant to the
character of a peat nation, which had been so ably detendod
by her soldiers and seaman to give the pension as a reward of
past services, and not to make the widow conic and plead in
Mama paupeth. Ile pei ketly agreed that economy was ne-
cessary ; but it was also necessary to provide for the defence
of the country, and it was due to our character and reputa-
tion to reward such cervices, Keonerny) no doubt, was highly
desirable ; but it was an econemy that should.diminish the
luxuries of the .great, and which never could contaminate
itself with the mites that fall from the table of the poor.
Mr. CHOKER was willing to admit, that it was a very com-
plicated subject, and one which merited some inquiry.
Mr. CALciturr said that he had- now the honour to be a
Member of the Finance Committee, und wasamtch surprised
to hear, that the country could not auppert the charge of
there allowan-lcs. Rut who were the persons that made
that • assertion i They were those—and the country
would not fail to notice it—that thought 50,0001. or 100,0001.
a year, if given to the Princes, was not more than the re_
sources of the nation could provide but nothing could be
given to those-brave and gallant heroes who had fought for
our protection, and whose valour, as Ministers themselves bad
frequently boasted, had secured the independence and
tranquillity of Europe.
Mr. Itrthaturtincst could net help encon:aging time hope,
that the Noble Lord (Palmerston) would and himself coin_
pellet! to accede to the Motion lie firmly believed the re-
sources of the country sere adequate to the aceomplish-
ntent of the measure now under the -eousideratieu of tins
•Ilonse.
The CHANCELLOR Of the Excuttettia observes!, that the
• regulations in question formed patt of the great system of
economy recommended by Parliament. It, however, it were
the wish of the Hume to adopt a more liberal line of conduct,
he might pledge himself, that disposition would be supported
by numbers.
After score conversation between ti.t• latter Gentlemen and
the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Motion was withdrawn
accordingly.