The National Register.
London, England, 1811-06-23 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL RF.GISTER.

given to the Catholics by the Ministers of the
" he the crime which might be imputable
should venture to make a pledge that the
adept any particular measure ?
To awicit urged the expediency and policy
minds of the people in gratifying their reap
It had been the fashion of late, to accuse
. the cause of the Roman Catholics, as Men
who did not understand the value of the interests of the Es-
tablished Church t he, therefore, felt himself called upon to say
a few words in reply to those unfounded and injurious opinions.
Hr considered the Roman Catholics as numerous and respect-
abie a body'of men as ever lived, and.in any other civilized na-
tion they would have been admitted to those rights which they
claim without any of that bigotry, distrust, and which
so unhappily existed in this country. He would refer choir
Lordships to the example of America, of the Austrian General,
at the head of a Roman Catholic Army, and to the edict pro-
mulgated by the late Emperor of Germany, and to compare
these with the conduct of this country towards the Ro-
man Catholics of Ireland. In those cases to which he alluded,
the Roman Catholics were admitted to high military appoint-
ments, without regard to any principles of religious opinions ;
but whit was our conduct towards the Roman Catholics of Ire-
land? Year after year petitions were presented expressing their
sentiments and feelings, which they could not controul, but
without effect. •It had been stated that he had incorsistently
differed from the great body of the Establi,lied Church upon
this subject—that he differed from those around him wai true,
that lie did it with sincere regret wa,, also most true, for no
man could willingly differ from those wise and good men who
were of the same profession with himself; it was sonic conso-
lation, however, :hat if he differed with them, be agr, ed with
inany of those great and wise characters who Wrre faVutll able
to the measure ; in their opinions he incst heartily coincidtd.
He conceived that a union of heart and hand was loudly called
for—that union which was the bond of peace, security and

prosperity.
The Bart of BociciNGUANISIIIRe opposed the nip' ion.
EaTI SPENCrx professed himself the anxious friend of the Pe-
tition.
The LORD CHANCELLOR and Earl CAMDEN opposed the
measure.
• Lord GREY supported it.
Lord R EDESDA LE said a few words in opposition to the Bill.
Lord HOLLAND in support of the question, asked whether
the revolution in 1688 was not a contest between the Crown and
the people, whether it was not then decided that the Govern-
ment baoliged to the governed, and not to the Governor f front
which. he contended that the granting of this motion would not
be a violation of the Bill of Rights. He warmlysupported the
motion.
Lord WESTMORELAND opposed it.
Earl MOIRA said, he certainly should support it on the
grounds which lie had formerly done. 'Hu.), had not come
now as they had done before, but thry have now come to de-
raancl their birth-right, a right which vraa acknowleged
by the Toleration Act, and, in his opinion, what they ought to
enjoy.
Lord •Doxououmoas briefly explained; after which the
fidusoe divided, when there apr.ired—For Lord Donoughmore's
motion,—Contents, ;
.Promes, 145—.62 ;4—,A;ainst the motion,
Non Contents, ; Proxies, s—.4l2l.—Majority against the
Motion, 50.-.... Adjourned at one o'clock.

WEDNZSDAY, JUNE 19.
Their Lordships met, according to previous adjournment, in
a Committee of Privileges on the Beckrhry Peerage. The So-
licitor-General proceeded to seini up tai•• general evidence which
had been adduced -in thaCcause, when the further consideration
wio postponed till to-morrow.
The Vote of Credit Bill were read the third time, and the
various Other 13:11s were forwarded.---14.)urned.

Tiit/RSDAT, VINE 20.

Their Lordships met at about two o'clock, in a Committee of
Privileges on the Berkeley Peerage'.
The Bills on the Table went through 'their respective stages,
and the House adjourned.

7111 DAY, juNr 21.
THE BERKLLEY PEERAGE

ition of the House this day, and hay-
eneral -iu reply, on behalf of the
Laimant, it was further adjourned to

'aths and his seat, having suc-

was read a second time, slid

Cour sel heard against it. It was ordeud, however, to be cons.
mittcd on Monday.
The Militia Interchange Bill was read a third time and pass.
ed.—Adjourned to Monday.

' HOUSE OF COMMONS.

TUESDAY, JUNE 18.
MILITARY CORPOREAL PUNISHMENTS.

- --- -
Sir F. Buerierr rose to claim attention to a bare statement of
facts on the existing mode of Military Puniihment. ft would
be remembered, that he had formerly made a motion. on the
mode of punishment in the militia, but he withdrew that motion
in order to make one which embraced, at a wide sweep, all the
punishments which awaited the armies iN the employ of Great
Britain. The circumstances of Taylor's case were fresh in The
minds of many, but he desisted from bringing only a portion•of
military grievance before the Commons, when he found that the
same, with aggravated circumstances, existed in the departments
of the line. Men of eminent literary abilities had believed that
the British soldiers were degraded by the severity of unmanly
punishment, and that the British service was made by it the
worst in Europe.—( No, no, no! Hear, hear ! )—lt was a motion
abrut which no man could hesitate, when he found that British
opinions were corroborated by the evidence of foreigners.
Sir M. Woof, interrupted the Hon. Baronet by saying, should
he persevere in such dangerous assertions, he would move that
the Galleries he cleared.
Mr. BROUtlit MAN said, did the Hon. Baronet (Sir M. Wood)
persevere in his inotho to clear the Galleries he would move the
adjournment of the House.
Strangers were ordered to withdraw; but when the Gallery
was nearly emptied, Sir M. Wood dropped his motion, for osi
instant re-ad ni is. ion we found the Hon. Baronet (Sir F. Burdett)
eagerly rc-isierting his former opinions, in which he had been
interrupted. He had held converse with British Officers, who
a'l expressed equal detestation with himself, on the severity of
flogging. The country had excellent and virtuous instances of
men, who knew how to conduct their regiments to discipline
and to glory, without the infliction of corporeal punishment; and
he was also sorry to say, that the country had instances of regi-
ments utterly spoiled, by uncharitable correction. He felt him-
self proud to nettlesome of those who had ameliorated the condi-
tion of their regiments, by acts of humanity. His Royal Highness
of Gloucester was a notable instance of moderation :Lod lenity;
he had brought his regiment :o that degree of obedience and
discipline, that for tlree years corporeal punishment had not ex..
isted. Sir Robert Wilson had intimated in his r amphlet, that
the present Commander I:1 Chief Milled to get el of the system
of flogging; and he was convinced that his Royal Highness the
Niece Regent had equal feelings to his brother, on the evil tene
dency of military nu nisliments.—(Heur, hear, hear! J The Hon.
liarostet instanced the regiment commanded by the Duke of
Grafton, which for nine years, during the command of Lord
Euston, never had a lash laid on the back of its soldiers.
These exan 'pies of lee; ty would do more with the House than
the flourish art orato-y. No doul-t the House expected him to
make inst ance of gross and strong :anise before that they stened
to his motion, and el. ry should !,.ive enough to sustain his cause.
As instances of punishments in abominable practice there was a
soldier who had a lefect in les sight, and who was really flogged
because he was blind ! The soldier was of the Isle of Wight, and
the surgeon informed him (Sir Francis) that he reported the
soldier's blindness to the Colonel, bet the chief surgeon had be-
lieved the soldier's blindness was si:uply a sham to obtain his dis-
charge. The chief surgeon's assertions were believed, though
another surgeon on cross-examination trade remonstrance against
it, and the poor man, for the crime of blindness, received one
hundred laslies—(No, no ! )--:l'hey seemed to disbelieve • the
surgeon was ready to attest the truth of what he asserted.—
( Nome him, name hint!)--If inquiry be allowed to be made, I
shall name him—(f-fear, hear ! )—Another instance of severity
occurred at Gibraltar, where two men, to procure their discharge,
'had chopped off each of them one of their hands, but instead of
being discharged they were unduly punished, and driven to drag
out their remaining days in penury and wretchedness. Another
mall, who had waxed grey-headed in the service of his country,
was severely flogged for being only a little in liquor, and who
had never before even been committed to the guard-room. He
bared thoie wounds which he received in his country's cause
but they appealed in vain; at the same time a boy of only 16
years of age was Clogged. Vain was the remonstrance because
of his youth, fur neither age nor youth had reverence nor lenity
shown them.—( Hear, hear I)—He hadwitnessed himself a man
flogged who had honourable wounds for the cause of his country,
of 27 years er.durance, and of another of equal length of service,
who had his skull pieced with silver, and because that he had .
tasted a little too much beer, he was-punished also. He con-
fessed) that he could never have bad any idea of the severity of

386
ilk/Adage had been giv
day; but what would
to any Minister who
Parliament should ad
The Bishop of Nu
of conciliating the mi
tunable expectations.
-thOge Who advocated

Again occupied the attention c•
ing beard Mr. SolicitOr-Genera
younger brother of the Clainm
Mon •)1 , „
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"uirrtAr Bill
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the measures pursued for obedience, unless that he had borne
witness himself to the instances which he had cited. Well could
be have wished the hills to cover him, and the earth to open and
swallow him up, to secure him from the endurance of such dis-
grace. The punishment was called one hundred lashes, but be-
ing inflicted with an.instrument of nine thongs, multiplied them
to nine hundred. The cord from which the instruments of tor-
ture were formed was not like the handsome cord with which
gentlemen touched their horses in a calash ; it was equal in
thickness to the piPce of cord (a piece on the Clerk's table) which '
lay befuke the House on the table.—(Hear, hear!)—ln regiments
regulated in discipline by that barbarous practice, there was
scarcely a petty crime, he had been informed, but what had its
punishment in li,hes and which created frequency of desertion.
A soldier had been flogged and deserted that same evening; his
honour was Injured and he had no better means of resenting it.
The returns of the Army in Ireland, for'lBll, evidently showed
bow fatal the system of chastisement was; the 37 battalions had
at the rate of nine to each of them flogged, and they all deserted.
A military gentleman had told him the effects which punish-
ments had on the East India soldiery, where mortifications and
frequent deaths ensued from the practice, and that at the Cape •
of Good Hope they suspended punishment from the mortality it
occasioned. It was the opinion of General Colborn that no man
ought to suffer more than one thousand lashes. But in inflicting
of these, men had to wear smock frocks to hinder the flesh and
blood from befouling them in the horrid execution.—( No, no
Hear, hear !)—He was happy to find the House was affected by
his true statement. He was assured from the humanity which
the House indulged towards the negroes, it would incline them
to feel for their own fellow subjects, who were liable to severer
puti;.shinents. Good God! never was such cruelty exercised on
a negro as on 'an English soldier.—(Hear, hear ! )—Were we to
treat a beast as we do a soldier we should have our brains beat
but by the bye-standers. While Frederick the Great of Prussia
considered man as a machine only to he moved by a stick, he
experienced in. his very first campaign 25,000 desertions. The
King then inculcated more humane sentiments, and his soldiers
proved in victory how much they valued his kindness. By the
articles of war,- a • man could be confined but for eight days,
yet two instances had come within his own knowledge, while
confined in the Tower, of this assigned period being overstaid.—
One individual was confined for sixteen, and another for thirty-
one days; and he could further state, that of the veteran batta-
lion which did duty in that fortress, individuals had received to
the amount of 55 thousand lashes, during a period of six years. He
had.secn an old man, worn out in the service, for some trifling
emisbion,." condemned to the hospital." It may be-necessary
to give some explanation to those who were accustomed to con-
sider an hospital as a place where the diseased were restored and
the indigent assisted. The Military Hospital in the Tower
was a place to which refractory or unskilful soldiers were sent,
and placed upon a diet consisting of a twopenny loaf, a pint and
a half of milk and water, and a pint and a half of thin gruel,
known by the name of skillygolee, per diem, for the procuring' of
which ten-pence a day was stopped out of their pay. lie had
seen the veteran, to whom he had alluded, 'following the corpo-
ral on whosefiut he was dependent, fruitlessly soliciting pardon
for his involuntary offence; and after the drill broke up, he was
present at a conversation which further enhanced the pain which
his feelings had sustained t one old man complained of a pain in
his side, another of a pain in his head, and they all looked a. if
they were much fitter fur the couch, than to be made the sub-
jects of an harrassing and useless duty. An observation of the
old man condemn :4.w asit(egolee sets particularly affecting . on
its being remarked by one of his comrades that they would have
got away sooner if it had not been for old Woolia,ton, he ex-
claimed" Well, thirty years ago, I could have done it as well
as himself (meaning his Judge, the young corporal)." He con-
cluded by moving,
That an humble Address be presented to his Royal Highnt ss
the. Prince Regent, playing that he would be graciously pleased
to take into consideration the practice of flogging now preva-
lent in the army, and that he would be pleaSed to give oral 0., to
the officers commanding' regiments, directing them to adopt
such measure", as they nii&lit deem most efficient for redr,.ining
and finally abolishing that ignorninioui mode of punishment.
Mr. 11,4. in N s SuT ro sr said, it had been directed that cor-
poreal punishment should be avoided in every case where it wig
possible. It imprisonment were an ado quate substitute, the
wishes of the Hon. Baronet had been in some degree anticipated.
The Hon. Barii let had a short time since brought before the
House the case of a Local Militiaman, who had been flogged.
He had instituted an inquiry tato thar'circumstt.nce, and a: the
lion. Bart. had cautiously abstained from am allusion to it, he
presumed that he was acquainted with the result. The facts he
ssou'al beg leave to narrate to the House. Previous to the taros
to which Taylor belonged being collected, reports had reac;led
the ears of the COlonei, that the bread prepared for their use
51st IPA CVjlSrgUCnCtti of which he sent fur the Con-

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THE NATIONAL REGISTER.