The Sun.
London, England, 1804-04-26 00:00:00

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.and which have, created somaterial an obstacle to the
recruiting of the Regular Troops,. cannot ,possibly
agree to its
.suspension at this time, especially. for
the admission of a System whichaso far from afford-
ing a greater degree of facility, ,aerves to render
the recruiting of the Regular Army more difficult
than ever. When they see a .proper occasiona
they can only,, in consistency ,with their duty to
their country and to themselves, urge, notathe
Suspension, but the total Abolition of the Army-of
Reserve ; -and none will be disposed to contend that
this is an occasion when this ought to be done. put ,
Still farther," should hope that even those who ()toed
to the system of ballotting, will concur with mein the
Measure which I mean toapropose in this respeet,
though it will not carry the grievances which result
from it .so far as thevare carried at present.
Though the ballot, is subjett undoubtedly t.o.a great
Many inconveniences,. yet it may besconvertest into
a *channel of supplying, the Regular Army; to which
even they may agree.. But I confeSs that • I am
not sanguine. enough to suppose that the plan which
I mean to atniebit to the House,. Will .h.e,entirely ,fiee
from many of the inconveniences, both-to individuals
and the public, with which this system is a:tended ;
but at the same time I Batter myself, that it will
soften, in a great degree, those inconveniences ; a,
and if .such a plan can be devised, all =St confess
that it is highly desirable. lit at present the ques-
tionsisas Whether, instead of suspending the Artny
of Reserve without another force , that can sup-
ply its place, :you are, to think, of improving it,
or destroying- it altogether ? Now, I only de.,
sire that. the Bill before the House should 'bis
- .stopped for a fortnight, or some short time,
in order to give me time for , the preparation ant}
introduaion of,that measure,' to which I have cer-
tainly, not without a great deal of labour and con-
sideration, turned. my attention. , This, Sir, can
be attended with no bad effsas ; for certainly none
can result from the temporary suspension of a mea-
.sure which is the most puerile (a laugh) that can
well be conceived, and which in fact points out
no mode of adding to our Force that can with any
shadow of reason ( Hear! Hear!) be considered as
calcUlated to produce any effeft. I shall now state,
in very :general terms; the outlines of that-plan
which I mean to submit to the House for augmenting
our Regular. Troops, and which 1 wish, if possible,
to be discussed before the measure now before the
House proceeds any farther. It is impossible at pre-
sent that 1 should state it in detail ; hut I shall
give the House a general view of its objea, and
the means by which that objea is proposed ,to be
attained. In looking at the state of civilized so..
ciety, as it is at present constituted—in looking at
the state of our commercial concerns, and the extent
' of our manufaaures—in lOoking at the nature of the
people, and the domestic policy of this Nation—l
think I may assume it as a fad, that the probability
is, that greater numbers, and more excellent men,
would enlist in a service that is- limited, both in
point of time and extent, rather than into a ser-
vice that confines them for life. Now, the ques-
tion is, How we are to avail ourselves of this pro,
.pensity of human nature) and gain the services
of those who, though they would shrink ',from an
engagement fur life, would feel no objeaion to
enter into the Army for 'a limited time ?
assume, from the same observation of human na-
. tare, and from experience, that for those Who en..
gage in a limited service, the transition is easy
to a service of another kind. This, Sir, will-al-
ways happen; while human nature continues the
-Same ; and . the causes are obvious.: those who are
.employed in-a 'incited service, have already acquired
the talents of soldiers, and while, by this nieani,
the transition from one sort of service to another is
less abrupt than enteeing at once upon a military
from a civil life; many inducements occur Which at
upon them in a superior degree to thatin which they
ad Upon those not accustomed to the manners of
a Soldier'. These inducements are partly the ar-
dour with which ' they are naturally inspired by
events which must sometimes happen in the course
of a War, and no War is without circumstances
that tend so excite this ardour, unless the spirits
of the soldiery are damped.by improper regniations,
the energies which .are roused in their minds' by.
alual necessity, the animaticn, the zeal, and the
ambition which they feel.not only for the safety,
but for the 'honour and glory of their Country,
and which are voluntarily called forth; which
burn with more ardour, if they are prepared be..,
fore-hand for the reception ,of , such sentiments
by judicious regulations. The Militia is certainly
not that species of force from, .which an easy transi-
tion to the Regular Army can he expeeteds 'Here
we have been obliged to try it : and experience of
their utility has served to reflect lasting honour upon
them, and their merits shall livein the remembrance
of their Country ; but it is a .trial which. proceeded
only from a peculiar emergency, and to which they
ought never again to be exposed on many accounts.
For this' reason then we ought to have a -different
kind of force,frorti which the Regular Army marfram
time to time be recruited. Another reason why we
should have a different sort of Force is,that the Militia
ought to be limited, and from its nature ought rrotto
be carried at .present beyond the extent -ot ot}-8,00,
the number 'of the old Establishment.
,The Militia
On never depend upon an adequate supply of proper
Officers, and it would therefore be.improper to carry
it beyond the appointed numbers. 4,What is wanted
in order to recruit the Line, is a sor.t of force that
may, be commanded by Regular (Accra,• who may
themselves be advanced to the Regular Troops, and
command those very men whom they may have b:en
at pains to train. Such a-force I .would propose tss
the House to establish ; but,. before I go farther, I
would. wish to remark, that this force would be ma_
terially different from the present Army of Reserve,
and that those who objet`) to the latter., may with'