Star.
London, England, 1805-02-22 00:00:00

'once than, on "bids lit was able to call the attention
of the Houk to the fubjed. The motion which he
flsould have the honour to fubmit to the Houfe would
be very much the fame as that of his Honourable
friend (Mr. Fox), though in Tome (lender parts there
would be a difference. His Hon. Friend had moved
for a Committee to revile the fcveral ads for the De-
fence of the Country, and to confider of meafures
for rendering the force for the National Defence
at once complete and permanent. His motion
fbould likewife be for the revifion of the ads, and
alfo to confider of the means heft calculated to
render our force complete and permanent r and
that thefe queftioas might be confidered in a Com.
mittee of the whole Houle. If thole Gentlemen
who fupportcd the propofition for a Committee fait
scflion, were not totally bereaved of juft confidera-
tion and feeling, they would either. adept the pre.
pofition of a Committee now, or (hew why they deem-
ed fuch a proceeding not called for by the (tate of
the country, and the fituation and nature of its pub-
lic force. If be argued with thofe Gentlemen, he
Should expel that they would acquaint the Houfe
of what bad happened (lace laft Seflion, that ren-
dered a Committee not neceffary and would ex-
ped to find them prepared fo to balance the account,
as that the weight of the reafons would decifive-
ly fall to the fide of their diffent. They would be
expelled, too, to balance the account of the ac-
tual or relative force of this country and the enemy,
front which they inferred our greater fecurity and
the inutility of fuch a Committee as the one for which
it was his intention to move. On the other hand, if
it was thought that the danger was leffened, it would
be incumbent on thole who thought fo to evince the
grounds of their belief. But if the danger was not
removed, if our Situation was impaired, and theirs
(the enemy's) improved, the neceffity for a Com-
mittee could not be denied. The danger to be con-
fidered was not a temporary and momentary dan-
ger, but. on the one band, one not likely to return,
or on the other, fuch a danger as was imminent,
and would be likely to endure. He was of opinion.
that our force was totally inadequate to the demands
of the cries. Yet Gentlemen of various feotiments
would have different notions of this matter. Several
would perhaps think a Committee unneceiTary. But
if they tell the Route, that from the importance of
the Volunteers we have both an adequate force, and
that our danger is materially ditiaiuifiied, be muff be
neverthelefs of opinion, that the Rate of the Volan.
Leer Force did not alter the cafe, unlefs for the vrorfe.
What was to be confidered was, the general Rate of
oar military eftablifhments as they were connected
with the general fecurity. One thing would occur
to alt, that with refped to the late Defence Ad,
thole who did not think that fufficient would vote for
the Committee. He could only talk of that after
forme, for to his apprehenfion it had not produced
any thing of a force to conftitute it at all an efficient,
or in any fence an efficient meafure. He had ever
thought the Defence As incapable of producing that
good to the Rate which its authors fiud it would.—
bitch who thought otherwife, would guide their vote
accordingly. If there were thofe who thought the
Rata of the National Defence not complete, at the
time when the Committee of tall Seffion was moved
for, and who thought the fyftem wrong then, and
who think it right now, they would give their rea-
Sons for their change of opinion, and demonftrate to
the Houk why, when nothing had been done to bet-
ter our fituation, they refuted to go into a Commit-
tee to invelligate the preeife condition of the national
force. It would be quite whimfical to think that a
Committee was not neceffary, on account of the ef-
fed produced by the Defence A. That Aft, toge-
ther with every thing which had been done to co-
operate with it, had not only not improved our &tui-
tion, but bad made it much worfe : the fyftem was
radically a bad one. In regard, however, to the
detail of this fyftem, it was far from his intention to
deny, that there might have been fome parts, not
in all views exceptionable, had the notions of the
framers of them not been thwarted by vices of ma-
nagement. Indeed, a great part of the objection to
the fyffem itfelf refulted from a confideration of
errors, which did not belong to it, as to the men
who were appointed to carry it, into execution.—
Many things which had Seemed to him to require
amendment, he bad pointed out in the courfe of
thofe long debates, on the Subject of our military
defence, which every Gentleman would recoiled.—
He had never (aid, that railing men for rank, or
railing men in Ireland and Scotland under the pro-
vifions of certain Statutes was, in itfelf
or unwife. The objection he had made was, that
by fuch modes men were railed under great difad-
vantages to the regular army, the recruiting for
which was at once impeded, and rendered inefficient,
by the high bounties given to men railed for rank.
Still it was far from him to blame the laudable am-
bition of men of family and fortune to enrol them.
(elves among the defenders of the Country I and, in
many refpees, but molt afforedly not in any military
Seale, their profufion might have falutary effects. He
would not fay, that a man who was an heir to a large
effete was wrong in railing money by annuities, for
there might be good rufous for his fo doing ; yet it
was the worn way of railing money. And this might
be Paid of men railed for rank. As to the army of re-
feree, which it would probably be attempted to hold
up as a bulwark, or as a great and efficient fource of
military Strength and regeneration, his objeftio% was
not, that it had not railed men, but that it had not
railed men to the extent it propofed. Molt of the
force the Minifter has' 'is, however, from that quarter:
yet, unlefs what he has received diminifhes the objet.
Lion to the eftabliflnent, the army of referee, as a
fyftem, *as not lets than every other expedient to
create an adequate force, inefficacious, vague, and
objectionable. Without.doubt, this was the arriesso.
tag ad hominess ; for the queftion laid between him
and the Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Pitt) over•
againSt him. The Right Hon, Gentleman fupport-
ed the motion of his Hon. Friend LIG feffion now
he thought that nothing whatever had been done to
ameliorate our condition, in point of military ef-
fective force. The Right Honourable Gentleman
had denounced the late, or mull he call them the.
late—now—the prefent blinifhi, as weak and Inca.
pable ; now he thought the late miniStry incapable,
and had no reafon to confider the prefent hang.. At.
that time the Right Hon. Gentleman was in a mow.
city ; be had hoped that his minority would have
grown by this time into a majority but it was, tube
tore, to be remarked, that with an UtCOIIUNOGOd•,

day of mixture, if the minority had not grown to a
majority. it had become almoa a new mmiltry.—
Gen-

Some of the meafures which the Right Hon.
deman bad fince adopted, had failed, and fome had
fucceeded. The Right Honourable Gentleman and
his friends might accordingly tell us that we ought
to wait the refult of fuch meafures as had not yet
been fully tried. vremight be told that no meafure
ought to be given up without the evidence of ma-
tured experience to ;stove its infufficiency. But if
Gentlemen fhonld hold this language, it was fair to
require of them not to look at the period paffing be-
fore them as a mere moment of time, bat to caft for.
ward their view to diftant profpeas, to confider the
fituation of this and all other nations, to revolve the
Rate of the world, and with the belt and wifea fore-
fight they could poffibly have of the future, to ap-
preciate meafures now of doubtful efficacy, or of in-
determinate chamfter. We thould then be required
IT/lather our army was complete, and could be ren-
dered permanent ; or whether we had as army ne-
w/tory so preibree our exigence 1 We could not be
jail to onrfelves, wilds going farther, we did not
examine our whole pofition ; and alcertain whether
oar fituation is not very moth that of the feudal
times, whenever; hour was an hourof uncertainty and
alarm, when men flops with their arms ander their pil-
lows, or the workmen went into the fields arrayed for
battle. Military queßions, and thofe among the reft,
were difcuffed in great detail lall Sefton. Vat
changes bad taken place fince then. Our fituation.
indeed, refembled, in one fenfc, that of France. that
has turned heel:ditties:a of Finance, and Minifters of
grate, her men of letters, and the whole varieties of
her diainguiffied men, into Generals and Colonels.—
But thefe petty alterations did not make a fy Ran,
and leaf of all did they contlimte any thing bor-
dering en a wife, ltrong, and efficieot organization ?
—What, therefore, was material to be afcertained
was, whether we bad fuch an army as was adequate
to the neCeffity of the country, as was well organ-
heed, of a fens in proportion to the efforts it coil
us, and to the money expended in its formation
As a part of this queftion, it would be requifite to
enquire whether, if the Pyftem for recruiting the ar-
my, now purfued, yields men comparatively enough
for its wants, it yields them in the belt Mann' ?
And, foppofing all this, does h fiend on a footing
long to maintain dell, and to provide for its perma-
nent eminence ? Unita this could be anfwered in the
affirmative wilds it could be proved, that our mill.
tary eftablilltment is good and comprehenfive in pro-
portion to our exigency, in the degree in which it hat
been and is expenfire. unlefs we can el on its dura-
tion, there is a neceffity for enquiry. • Anottar quef-
tion occurs as immediately the refult of this latter
confideration, which was, that if we have an fumy,
and if that army be not pennaoaft, bow (hall we be
able effe&ually to render our army permanent ? And
this quellion is of itfelf one which Would warrant,
the inquiry he amid propofe. But what was the
charafter of our army 1 It broached out under four
different heads. There were the Volunteer fyßens,
the Militia, tie Army of Referee, and the Regular
Army. One of his fira objeaions to our army was,
that we had fuch a variety of force. They were all
different fpecies of troops; fit Only for different fer-
vices. It did not coollitute the Volunteers an army
that they wore red coats ; but as forming'a slight&
fpecies, they were y to be confidered as a -
pante army. Or, pr
edVolunteers & were as good as
any other troops, why bad we not all Volunteers ?
But certainly nobody would fay that all thofe de-
fcriptions of forte were alike valuable. Troops for
' foreign fervice could not be the fame, in point of &it
cipline and qualifications, as thole for home fervice.
Or if one porpore include the other, why not fend
the Volunteers on foreign fervice, and Ration the Re-
it home The faft was, however, that the
Re-
gulars
derived all their confecreoce, 'as a mili-
tary body, from the impaired and impoverithed fate
of our Regular Army. Yet it would perhaps be
Paid that this was not fo material, as the great hole
would prevent the lefii from being fo much noticed.
The little hole in the charalter of our arm/ occafion-
ed by the deficiency of members and not by the defi-
ciency of spirit or talent in our Regular Army,would
not be perceived fo as to dee ourrredit or reputa-
tion, while the great hole it; the Volunteers remained
as a contra. This argument might be thought a
good one for him, but it would be a bad one for Mi-
nißers to tile. It wairthe confolation the man offered
himfelf, when he Paid aloud that the great hole in
his great caffock hid the little hole in his little cal%
fock. But, in order to go into the queftion of the
fulficiency of oar force, he was aware that be ought
to examine feverally More four regular armies, as
they bad been called, the Volunteers Army of Re-
feree, Militia, and Regular Army. In doing fo, it
would be neeeffary to confider, whether they were
filch as would anfwer the purpofes of prefent defence,
as would give the greaten force out of the fame num-
bers, how far they interfere with each other, and how
far they were in nature filch as would permit of con•
eert of fyßens, and unity and iptegrity of iaion.—
This view of thole fubjeas, he was not unaware,
would carry him far. He would be very glad if, in
the confideration of them, he could pall by-the Vo-
lunteers altogether. An infeality of our fituation,
was that remaining part of our military eftabliament.
they could not be put out of fight in military difeuf-
lions ; though, in reference to the organization of
legitimate fyllems of efficient military defence, they
were anomalies. Volunteers were -not foldiers, be-
cede they were dreffed like fuch, any more than'
the militia was an army, becaufe its Field-Offi-
cers moUnted horfes like thole of the regulars.—
As to ebe general view, however, which be thonld
take of the queftion of our force, its fufficiency or in:
fufficiency, and of the Volunteers in particular, he
would rather Rate opinions, than go into arguments ;
and leave to the recollettion of Gentlemen thole
which he and otheri had employed LIR Sefficm. Not
one opinion which he held then was changed fince.
He entertained his opinion unaltered on reflation;
and from experience. Yet what be thought of the
Volunteers as a fyttem, did by no means-reflea od
the Volunteers as the people of England, armed in
• defence of their Kin* their country, their laws,
their liberties, and their religion ; perfealy.ieady to
'clO what was their belt, and if they had not-done their
bell, it was the fart 4 of thofe who ought to have
pointed out to them the only fit fphere of their ;eal,
wore,. and devotion.—(4 cry of hoer /leer .12—In
staltuning the changer of this force, its -Alia ption to
the ends of its Inßitutioa, its capacity of improve-

meet, and title to form a part of our permanent (yf
tem, he fhould confider it in the three-fold view of
military, civil, and political. Viewing them as a po-
litical body, if they pars over without inconvenience
to a (tate of (Lability, to give them a prolonged poli.
tical exidence would be dangerous. The political
danger was to be apprehended not as liable to occur
in fettled, but in unquiet times. If ever fuch times
thonld arrive, which he trolled never would, he was
fearful that difcontents would be found to fly natu-
rally to the people from the Volunteers. We have
not yet had a general election (ince the formation of
the Volunteers, but until we had, we could not
know what danger would refult from a forced and
prolanged political exiflence of that body. The
civil effect was as it would operate on the general
manners and habits of the people. It deftroyed the
relations of life. It filled men with conceit, arrc•
gance, and vain and idle pretentious. It contributes
to bring down the high and exalt the low. He was
as little as any man difpofed to clad humiliating
fubmilfions from one clafs to another ; yet, if im
overbearing aritlocracy wouhil be odious, it would
be found that the fubordination of the claffes, in al/
the relations of fociety in the country, was not more
requifite to the high than falutary to the low. In
the hiflory of one of the ancient commonwealths,
we read of one who kept an attendant conftantly
near his perfon to remind him, when his pride grew
immoderate, that he was only a man. The fame thing
happens, but more extenfively and :lore beneficently
in our nation, when, during our general elections,
the higher and the lower orders intermingle almoft
indifcraninately, which is the happy effect of the form
of our government, and that the whole is balanced
and adapted to general ends and purpofes of honour ;
fecinity to the rich, and comfort and fecutity to the
poor. But in there times, the fyftem of throwing
men together, without diftindion of rank, of mixing
..the noble with the menial, liable to the confute or
the praife (which is the fame thing as the refection)
of men who cannot efiimate their feelings,and will
not ' recognize their tuperiority, is loch a fydem as
threatens the conftionion of 'things with a dreadful
revolution. ' How ungracious the circunsflance, of a
fet of men, of the lowed habits and molt contracted
views, fitting in judgment on our high fpirited youth,
men of rank, the flower of the riling generation, and
heirs of the titles and domains of our nobility, and
of the &ft and molt honourable orders of the (tate.
There ii belonging to loch charaaeri astride a fplen-
dour which demands admiration, arid dignity which
calls for reverence. Our country is the foremoft in
the world to bellow jail confederation on Mud:ions
defcent and noble aaions. NO people are more ready
to pay the homage- due to rank ; but not to rank as
fuch, but to fuppored wind's, and if the virtues worthy
of rank di not oairt, it is the fault of rank, and not
of thofe who pay them in advance a gratuitous ho-
mage, as the :need of their Imaginary. virtues. But
this is that fort of homage which fhould be cultiva-
ted, and not the unrefleaing, undiftinguithing ato-
ciatioh of the high with the low, where the tormer
difcriminat9trie of their rights, antrthe littir none
of their Midis. It was not thus when ibe gifts of
the noble youth of former times were valued by
v./leaky, not it the boon of belt, but as a mark and
a tokinrof envious cosidefeenfion. In thcife times,
the purity of the heart was poured forth in fon&
in admiration of the genuine virtues of birth and
rank. This reminded hint of a verfe of theilsets
beginning '
Cam list's non mitt des
Sed data.
The man that gives only nearks of attention rotted to
his sank produces the happieft effeas 'on the military
fpirit of the country ; and fyftems (hotild be made tO
aim at the promotion of that gallant, but molt deli-
cate exercife of the virtues. It is what infpires cond.
deuce. But the Volunteer fyftem, fo far froth being s
teriire of confidence, is i fervice of din er. If it was
meant to make are °filth as troops . the lice (and
without difcipline were given them et retold bus,e
ufelefs) thep' that certainly one defence would be
tenderest a ferilce of danger I it would be in hoods
utterly intompetent to its fupport. Many different
reports were'pren. of the mime and litelit y of this
force. Tim reminded hint of voyages Where the wri.
termay jell you ii great many things that are falfe,
and many things that are true, but the one is a cau-
tion not too 'readily to adopt the other. He derived
a caution from thofe reports to view the Volunixeri
as an unfafe force, to be ufed as troops of the line.--
Abfkraftedly, it might be raid, that a pidol was a
more efficacious weapon than a bludgeon ; but if the
powder were wanting, the flints out of order, and the
hand 'unpradifed, a bludgeon was fuperior. Red
caps, and cheering with military mufic, would not
rade an army. 1 o form an army, men mud both
be well difciplined, and haye feet; much fervice.—
There is nothing fo like a than, as n good pis ure
of a man. There is nothing fo like a painted army,
that with which children delight themfelves, as a
dread-up tribe' of VOlunteels. An army, properly
fo called; is a faaitious thing: In this country we do
not procure an sonny by compulfion ; yet the military
habit is com_pulfory, the offspring of a rigoroiis dila-
pline. Rutfia, thiunark, Sweden, and even Aufiria,
taste their armies by compulfory means ; but in Eng-
land fervice is fcarcely elle than voluntary; and, un-
til lately, correaly without bounty ,• for, till lately,
the bounty was only a guinea, which was no induce-
ment. However, this was a tydem which infured a
fupply to the army. The preterit loofe varieties of an
almoft nondefcript force, enfured no fupply at all. In
adopting a (yawn in part, we lore the advantage of the
whole. Surely a free country had not lefs means of
defence than an arbitrary country. Why mig;it no,
wk raife a fufficient army, in a legitimate way? ForeiAr.
defences were necelfary to our domettic fecurity ; but
we' had not a difpofable face, which was what lie
wentedto give the country. But there mutt be :rue
difcipline of foldiers. Dreffing and difcipline was
the foul of an army. Plumbs and batter and egos
and fugar were good things in themfelves, but mi x.,l
up by a careful and fkilful hand, they become that
pretty excellent thing we call a pudding. There was
reafon, fenfe, and pnilofophy in this. As to the se-
smiting ferried it had undergone remarkable altera-
tions. Not long after the American war the bountv
role to ten guineas; at the beginning of that war it
was but a guinea and a crown. In the year 1772, an
Officer (and he could himfelf remember the circuni.
fiance) was threatened to be difmilfed, for hiving
given two guineas and A half bounty. At the iilne
so( du American war the bounty got up to three