The Sun.
London, England, 1803-03-17 00:00:00

.and that he did not doubt but the Militia of this
Country and Ireland, would beat the French, when-
tver. they met.
Mr. Nett(' said a few words in favour of the
Bill.
Sir EYRE COOTEstated, that he considered the
question before the House was, whether the bounty
for the Militiaman should be two or four guineas ;
and as he had said on a former night, he was of
opinion the mode of giving a small bounty was
preferable to a ballot at this time, when it
might be prejudicial to Ireland : he was now- more
confirmed in that opinion by a farther communica.
Lion with many Gentlemen around him from• that
Country.. Respetting part of. the Troops which
formed the Expedition to Holland, alluded to by the
bateßigbtHon. Secretary at War, and which were
in a great measure composed of Volunteers from the
English Militia, he had only to observe, that upon
all occasions they behaved with much gallantry, and
were even brave to a fault. When exertions were
pecessary, he was. certain that every man .would step
forwatd and prove to the Enemy, that, notwith.
standing his boasted threats, single and alone, un-
aided by- any Ally, we could by. British valour
resist and repel any encroachment or insult that
might be offered to us. . .
Geveral MiIITLAND made several observations
on the Militia of Ireland, and concluded with say.
Ing, the , measure should have his support, as he'
thought.theestablishment of a Militia Was of,the
first importance to the two Countries.

• WIL BrR FORCE said, at a. period when
PtibliC Safety Was endangered, it was certainly
highly necessary to - consider of the most efreaual
Means of providing for that•safety.,. If any-Hon..
Gentliman•theught that the' present was such a.pie-
i‘ind,J.thn it was their-duty 'to propose whatever
swans the;- thought the most effeaual forprovidlng
for that safety. Tisere was: .a period, .however,
when we had to Corsomd against the whole'force of
France -•and..Spaiti„. when. the Militia. was increased
syl!hone.any objeelion being made by his Hon.
Friend (Mr...WiX-DIIMA),. which enabled him to
plead his Right-ROM. Friend's authority against him.
t'elf. The Militia was. the proper Constitutional
Force of the Country, and formed that which
Ar'e.,ought to have, a large Defensive Force, No
Inan.could• -look upon a Standing Army with more
constitutional, jealousy - than himself, but perhaps
Ilon. Friend (Mr„WiNottroo) had a great love
for Expeditions, and therefore thought that a.Mi.
litia Force was not so immediately applicable for
those purposes. If .a' Standing Army were to be
raised in Ireland, instead of the proposed Militia,
it must necessarily be inexperienced, 'and th“efOre
those who.opposed the :Militia had no- right to make
use of the tr:goment• of inexperience against it.
Something had been said by his-Hon.:Friend, as if
'majesty's Ministers were to set themselves
above the Opinion of the People, but he thought,
in a fi.ce•Countty like this, that popular. opinion,
to-teeertain degree, was the best regulator of the
contitid of:Government, and: ought to be consulted.
.•. Meso4i.4X.4,VD.ER defended the System 0f..1141..
Brig Laws in'lreland, and observed, that Gentlemen
of Rank and Fortune could not •be expeded to enter
as 'Volunteers into the Regular,Sery ice ; they could
best defeod their COnntry at the head of the' Militia.
EL L 10T adverted to the point of older
and said, it appeared. to him to be a new question,
that when the House were called upon to vote an
additional Boenty like the present, they should not
he • allowed to go into the general question.- He
objeaed. to theprnposed Bounty, because would
tend to injure the Recruiting Service in Ireland.—
The Constitutional mode of obtaining a MilitiN was
by •Ballot ; but he was answered, that in Ireland a
134110 t• Cifiliti not he effdted—ohis ist his mind was
an ohjeaioo against the .Establishment of a Militia.
This measure went to. raise a Force in Ireland. on
the principle of the Yeneibles ; it would 04. longer
be-°a but a Fencible Force of the worst
Species. lie had been told on a preceding evening,
by the Allots. t/Fy.GttqltAL of Ireland, that- .he
voted in. the House of Cimanons in Ireland for
Militia Force:

Mr. P.,,IGW.ELL spoke to order, .observing,
that ale Right. lion. Gentleman tvas'referring to
argument n4%.1 on'a former evening by a Gentleman
not then in the House.

Mr. ELLIOT proceeded. 'When he was iii office
in Ireland, be, said, the Militia were not only em.
bodied but: encamped, it would therefore not have
been a very safe measure 40 have proposed at that
period to dissolve it. What was the case now, when
the Militia was disbanded ? The question now was
as to its revival, and he objeAed to the policy of
the measure. He did not wish to excite alarm,
but if any measure-was calculated to excite alarm it
was one like the ilesent, which went to lay the
Cootitry prostrate at the feet of its enemies. With
resped to the ittual danger: of. the Country, he
hoped it would not. be led into a War in-darkness
and obscurity, bet he should even- think a War in
any shape preferable to a continued series of sub-
missive and pusillanimous condal:
Lord C ASTLEREAGH said, the question before
the House could. nut justify. the Hon. Gentleman in
going into charges against His Majesty's Ministers,
for submissive and pusillanimous -conduit. He was
not surprixed at a disposition being evinced to dc.
bate the present .measure,.as it arose out of a subject
which, was dear to the Community. If his. Hon,.
Fiiends thought the defence of th-COUntry would be
better maintained by -a Standing Army .than by a
Militia Force, they. were certainly :perfeeily juhti.
fled in making objedions to the latter,., -He differ.
ed whit them: however in, toe; he was perfettly,
satisfied that it wasimpossible to-(lave a better de_
feaceihan a Constitutional Militia Force, Balloting
was undoubtedly the cOnstitutiimal mode of provid-
ing that Militia ; but. if, the question was as to the
injury clone to Recruiting, there could he no doubt
that the niode of .ballot was the most injurious..,—
ilicre- were contrivances. in this Country. to render
tbe.Ballot les* onerous by means of ratiTh Subscrip.
dons present was only a mode of making:the
County subscribe, as at Body, to raise the Men
which it was called upon to provide.. -ffe was Sa-
thAed that Ireland could. not 'be considered 45 in a
P •
erfea state of security,' if it was trusted to the de.
fuzee if ;tea regular Troops alone,
Lori .CQLE' contended, that the measure pro-,
posed was fare best means
,of raisin an et etiive
togoi -

Colonel BAG WELL said, the Militia Were of
great service in recruiting for the Line.
Mr. HUEY ADDINGTOPT said, the argument
which had been used, that the present measure would
he injurious to the Recruiting Service, had hero
conclusively answered by his Right Hon. Relation;
and by the Noble Lord (1...0rcl Cot,r) near him.
In fact there 'was a conclusive-answer to it in the
nature of things, as it was well known that many
persons would prefer a larger bounty and enlisting
for life, whilst many alto would prefer a small
bounty and a limited period of service. He had
held a pretty high situation in a Fencible Regiment,
part of which he had himself raised, and he did not
know one individual amongst them, who from good
will towards him, would have enlisted into the Re.:
gular.Service ; and even • when it diShanded,
not one fifth of the whole became regular Soldiers:
With- respea to the. Militia, he would ask a dis.,
tinguished Officer (Sir ETKE COOTE) who had
spoken in this Debate, whether, could a whole Re.,
giment of Militia have been sent to Holland, in.
which there was a mutUal attachment and confidence
between the Officers and Men, it would not probably
have•served with as much courage and discipline',
as any other ?. The Hon. Gentleman (Mr. F.t.a.
as well as his Right Hon, Friend (Mr. Wt NDHANI)"
had taken a comparative view of the -Militia and.
the Regulars, but in such' a _way as to give all
the merit to the latter ; and he confesssd some:
comments had been made upon, the Militia, which
excited uneasiness in his mind. If the present was,
as.had been stated by a Right Hon. Gentleman, a
period of greater danger than any during the late
War; why depreciate one of our best supports ? He ,
could not help thinking that they shewed a want of
consistency. The Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr.
WINDHAM) had thrown out, a charge against I lis
Majesty's Government, of a want of prospelive
wisdom, and another Hon. Gentleman (Mr. ELL' o
had charged them with submisii veand pusillanimous
=dud : he defied those Hon. Gentlemen to pro_-
duee a single instance to prove those charges, and
till they did that, such charges must be considered
as mere random assettions, both by that House and
the Country.
Mr. Et.t.tor explained. •

Mr. WICK/IAM said, it would- he still open
to the Colonels of 'Militia, or the Lord Lieutenant,
to continue the Bounty as it was before this
measure, or to lower the present Bounty. There •
was no intention at present of granting the whole
Bounty mentioned in • the Resolution.
Mr. NV Inuit Am, in explanation, said, he did
not distrust the loyalty or-the- spirit of the
tia ; but he still thought them inferior to Troops.
of the Line.

r. DA Int) N thought it whimsical that the
present measure hhould be opposed only by the
late Secretary at War fir England, and the late
Secretary at War • for Ireland. The-Irish Militiai
he said, had put 'down. Rebellion, and had mate-
rially contributed to repel Invasion. •

'file Resolutions were then agreed to, and a
Bill ordered pursuant thereto. •
TheSictsTAity at WAR brought up the Militia Officers
wliiwl► was read a first time, and ordered to be read 4
second time to-morrow, and to be printed.
The %firth. families Ili read a second time, and
committed to a Selea Committee.
Mr. CoR Y brought up tlia Irish Bank Rcstri6tion
which was read a first tune, .and ordered to be read a second
time to-morrow.

w K n hrought up the Irish Militia Pill, which
Was mid a first time, and ordered to be re*i x 4,-.1;14 time to-
.
morrow.

The Comtnittees of Supply and Ways and Mans, were de-
ferred till ‘Vednesday.
The Expiring Laws Bill was ordered to be react a third time
to-monow.

Adjourned at a Quarter pair Nine tilt tomorrow.

MA I LS,

DUE. ARRIVED.
rrench
liamburgh 7

THE SUN.

101.t.14 Q,UI4 nicßity 41.1 um AUDEAT ?