The Sun.
London, England, 1804-02-09 00:00:00

see any achtawpgthat could :coil: from the rnea.
stm- now before the House originating in a Cam.
miri.e. Every benefit wets on the contrary to he
derived from the present made, in which Ministeas
stated what they thought cught to be dune, and
which necessarily became the •subject of discussion.
Ddluch had beco ',aid about ;he present measure be-
ing a breach of faith, but he thought that the decision
upon ,he questien of resignation had got rid of all
danger of that description. It surely could not be con.
fenced that P‘oltament was to bind itself down to a
particular system without the power of altering it;
it was sufficient that the Volunteers, if they did not
like the new conditions imposed, had the power to
withdraw. With resped to the opinion he had
•given upon the subjett of resignation, it had been
decided to he wrong by the highest authority, but
betere it was altogether condemned, he would ask
a question as to what was the nature of a Volun-
teer's. engagement ?—because, if it was not an to-
gagerrient to come cut when the Enemy landed, it
amhunted to nothing. As to an alteration in the
terms of service, it was not a matter for considera.
ti m ;cthe ree ' t_rapt to resign.
Mr. STU R G ES explained.
Mr. T. GRENVILLE said, he agreed ir....the pro-
position for deferring the discussiton, but he could
oat go out of the House without expressing his
surprise at what he had heard. He was of opinion
that it would have been much better if the mea-
sure had originated in a Committee- of the whole
House, and he even thought now that any Mem-
ber would be justified in moving for a Committee
of the whole House to consider the subject. llc
. could not help remarking that the Noble Lord had
attended the principles of the. Right Hon. Gen-
tleman (Mr. Secretary YORKE) by stating, that it
would be prover, in some cases, to be relaxed, but
the Right Hon. Gentleman had denied the Amend-
ment, and adhered to his original principle. It
was absolutely necessary that they should know
what Ministers really meant, but when they saw
two of them disagree_ upon the subjed, it surely
could not be* complained of that they should wish
to recut to a Committee of the whole House.
Lord C ASTI. EREAGI-1 explained.
Mr. HOBRUUSE said, he could not see the ne-
ces.dty of a Committee of the whole House in the
first instance, and he could not help remarking that
three Bills relating to this subject were brought in
last Session, when the Right Hon. Gentleman on
the other side of the House did not propose any
Committee of that description.
Mr. T. GRENYILLE explained.
Dr. LAWRENCE said, it appeared to him that
the present measure, in addition to- enacting that
there should be twenty-four days attendance instead
of five, and a letter of resignation, merely proposed
to declare the law which had already been decided,
and to explain what had already been explained.
iVlt. Secretary YORKE explained.
The CII ANC ELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said,
he should take up but a very few moments of their
time : there were only two objedions made to the
measure proposed—one was, that it ought to have
been previously discussed in a Committee of the
House ; and the other, that it was wholly in.
sufficient. He did not know whether it was to be
found in the Journals of the House of Commons, that
any etoteition of a. nature similar to the present
hed originated in a Committee of the whole House.
Jr %V;l5 raid rite eteasere was most defedive ; his
Right Hon. Friend (Mr. Secretary Yoaxt), did not
profess to bring forward a measure to give perfec-
tion to- the Volunteer system ; his Right. Hon.
Friend was perfectly aware that such a system could
not be rendered petted in a short ob_
jet was to ebviaot tine inconveniences that had
arisen, a,.1 particularly with reaped to the Eledion
of Officers, the power of Committees, and the
Qetestien of Resignation. The power of the-Com-
mittees, it was stated, was to be limited to financial
arrangements. With respect to the Eleetion of OM.
cers, his Right Hon. Friend hid stated, that claiMi
of right from Corps to eled Officers, would be
entirely disenuntenanced, except in those cases.
where the Original compad entered into with any
Corps rendered it necessary, in order to prevent
breach of good faith, to 'suspend the effect of the
firincipie established by military regulations. He
b.• no means wished that they should attempt to
fever that free agency which was the life and soul
of the Volunteer System. And had not any opinion
been given by his Hon. and Learned Friend (the
ATTORNEY GENERAL) or by another Hon. Mem_
ber of that House, or any decision given by the
Court of King's Bench, he should still have been of
oeinion, that sound policy and good faith . left no
alternative to Parliament: They were to consider
questions of this kind, according to the bona fide
view which the cOntraaing parties had of them, and
Which he should have thought binding upon that
House. It was his Nish that they should- do every
tliieg to pre‘terve the confidence and the_affedions
of the Pe-ape ; and it was his desire that the Vo-
lunteers shouftl be considered at perfed liberty to
witl:draw from the Cores until called into actual
service; bur at the same time he must take it on anis_
Cher grdund, that 'a Volunteer ought not to quit his
Corps upon' slight grounds--he ought not to quit it
unless those 'circumstances had happened which
him scarcely an alternative. If he did, he
ought to be held tip to infamy, and consigned to
obovion. He was of opinion, however, that the
power of law ought not to be exercised, to chain
him to coraliti ris anti to fetter his choice. As
to what they hail been told of the insufficiency of the
present force of the kingdom; he had to reply, that
at this moment there was a huger number of Troops
in Great Britain and Ireland, than were ever before
assembled. 'He repeated, that this incasing: was only
intended to remedy detects, but not to carry the
system to perfeEtion : it must be. left in the hands
of the People to ~work nut eerfettion. Whatever
Gentlemen may wish to observe upon the subje3,
they would have an opportunity of doing in the
Committee/upon the Bilo
After a few observations from Sir Wm. YOUNG,
leave was given to bring in the Bill.
The SPEAKER reminded the House, that there
were two ballots to-morrow, and that he should have
to take the chair at half past three, and count the
House precisely at four.
The Continitrees of Supply and Ways and Means
Pr
were postponed till Friday,

The CHANCELLOR OF the EXCHEQUER post.
poned his notice respe&ing the Cotton Manufaturers
and their servants till Monday.---Adjourned at half
past ten o'clock.