The National Register.
London, England, 1811-03-03 00:00:00

one fact that had been, or could be, contra-

diet( d.
Strangers were now ordered to withdraw, when the House
divided as foil/era :—Ayes 81;- Noes 198; iNiajority against the
Ifutiun 117.—Adjourned.

••••••I=l

TUESDAY. FEB.
Mr. Bus" isson gave notice of a motion for Friday, en the
comparative state of the Public Revenue and Lxpenditure.
• CASE OF ROBERT CURTIS.
Mr. WARBLE rose, accoring to notice% to bring before eae
Howe the case of Ro')ert Curtis, fdrmerly a Corporal in the
Oxfordshire *Militia Regiment. He expressed much pain at
being ehkged to speak reprehensibly of men who had hitherto
borne characters of undeniable excellence, but his duty, and the
feeling by which he Was excited to advocate the cause of an
injure and oppressed itidividial, demanded the developement
of all the c!rcumstances attending this case, which h.: conceived
t be of unprecedented cruelty. hi:. Wardle Etate3, that Curtis
had enlisted in the year 1806, into the Oxfordshire Militia ; in
)so he became a corporal; and in the month of June in hat
year he complained of abusfts ; the nature of this complaint was
tre improper detention of pay. "l'he Colonel of the regiment
said,in reply to this complaint, that he would have Curtis tried
for mutiny. After this conversation Curtis was brought to a
Court-Martial', upon a most frivolots charge, and sentenced to
be reduced to the ranks. He said he would appeal Loa General
Court-Martial, and decitired • that be had complaints to make
against the Quarter-Master of the regiment. This was refused
lin, and he was tried on three new charges. He was reused
11 communication'with his witnesses and counsel. The con-
ils'queness was that he istas 'sentenced to receive one thonsand
;Ashes. Two hundred of those, which had been inflicted in the
most hotrible in:inner, he etiaured, and he Was then told that
be must prepaee himself for Bt`o more, or iroliinteer to rot in the
West Indie:. Heschose the latter ; and in a letker to.a genple-
man stated; that his punishment .was rather thrashing than
flogging, his back beingin a dreadful state, and Yet he wished
that he was'ablc to bear the remainder of his sentence, in or,
derio avoiA the still !mote tremendoUs alternative of the West
incites. Mr. Waidte in-wed for the appointment of a
C.'clitnittec to In-quilt into the facti of the case of Robert
Curtis. formerly a Corporal in the_Oitfordshire Militia. •

Sief#.Akcis BvßbiDr seconded the niotion.
Chid (OK *LAN6VON. said, that he was Colonel of the
regiment in wtich Cards had enlisted,
:and declared in thp most
fervent manner, that hut f tTle Conduct adopted towards that
person,ruany.ol.the• militie would have been led into the ut-
most instabordination. asserted that such a motion as that
Just made W 715 eatcolated to as the foundation of the future
discipline attic army. The HO. Colonel then went over the
whole of the circumstances relative to the Court-Martial,
which differed very much froth the statement of Mr. Wardle,
and ~roved the fallacy of the complaints made by Curtis. He
been-51>. years in the service, and he could lay his hand on
11. s heart and gay, drat .be had never 'refused. to listen to ar.y
eomplaint-oft the part of a soldie.--that he had never refused
to Curtis any justiileation that the rules of the service allows.
Mr. MANNERS Su ETON, Lord CHARLES SCVNI ERSE E (Com-
Mander of the Sussex Disuict), Mr. Nue-0/AL, and others,
animadverted with much severity on the impropriety of bring-
ing forward such charges on grounds so unsupported.
Ilir.kaAN.e!s B.uPD3.:Tt supported the motion, more on gene-
gtittots than on the Merits of the present cas-2. He could
n 4 seethe danger' predicts d. to the service from inquiries of this
'tauter; on: cot;traty, he thought it must be a great conso.
latlon to the army, to think that there is a tribunal to which the
common tray look ttp •Wbeti ,offering underoppression.
Mr. WO nt.t shortiy replied, and the House divided, when
there appeured--Ayss, 1; /sl,-les.-91—Makrity„ 90.
The 4?„uly(c.:Lotlerrtau who- voted far the inquiry was Colonel
Got c Francis Burdett and.Mr.-Wardle were the
Talers.--Adjeii ned. • • • • •

• ,

• .8
Cirsoptitsvay, Fn. 27.
S. RoiditLy pit -.I signed by 40 persons
'Proftietors ,osf pkaching, .Griminii in the North of.lreland,
atatieg. that the }acv, it-at present stood; was incflectual for
the 2rotes•eAlo propel ty..and.praying, that the Att malt
(ion, a 131,..aching Cisounci,-a. capital :rime, might
be rerealed.--,Ordered to lie on tlic tafae.—lie also presented
Another Petition to the same •efn.ct, Ittrn the N'isster Calico-
Print“-s, in tite,rileighboarbood of London, who constituted 'a
Maic;rity of this trafier74. )rdered to lie on the table.—The Hon.
and te:trned dent Onan then gave notice, that .he xvould take
an (Aktit up-1101104i), to move f:x leave in:bring in a Bill. for the-
reoe4l of OA 4ti c;en, making it a capital felony to steal clots
ri'')lll,Efraching- pr.. ends, and*cia 48th. George 11. making it a
tapittlfairiy 1.0 steal to tic vUtta Of 10s. itr a Fulling-Hoube.
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