Star.
London, England, 1811-06-19 00:00:00

*ere.)—He did not understand what the Right 1.h.p..
Gentleman meant by saying "hear," he could not
contradict the fact, although he might differ with him
in the opinion which he entertained respecting it—
Sir MARK WOOD here interrupted the Honour.
able Member, and observed, that from the mischief.
ous 'leniency of his arguments, and the length to
which he seemed inclined in carry them, he felt is bh
duty to move, that the Gallery be cleared.
Mr. BROUGHAM said, it the Honourable Mere.

ber persisted in his motion, he would move an ad.
journment.
The SPEAKER said, it was with the Honourable
Baronet (Sir M. Wood) to persevere in his motion c-
oot, as he thought proper.
Sir MARK WOOD then observed there Were

strangers in the House, end the Gallery was ordered
to be cleared ; but when nearly emptied, he dropped
his motion. On our instant readmission,
Sir FRANCIS BURDETT was eagerly reassert.
ing his former opinions, in which he had been inter.
rupted. He had held converse with British Officers,
who all expressed equal detestation with himself on
the severity of flogging. If any doubt should abide
with his Majesty's Ministers on the opinions which he
had then quoted, alt he desired was an assurance of
regarding his motion when he then could produce the
!videoce .of Officers, which might turn the scale cf
opinion ; but& assured the House that many Officers
bad expressed themselves in as strong terms of repro.
Cation and disapproval as he would use himself.—
The country had excellent and virtuous instances
of men who knew how to conduct their regiments
ttin discipline and to glory, without the infliction of
corporal punishment ; and he was also sorry to
that the country bad instances of regiments
utterly spoiled by uncharitable correction. It was
$n open truth, that the very mode taken to ensure
obedience and promptitude of discipline in our troops
had made them broken-hearted and dispirited.—
,He felt himself peoud to name some of those
who had ameliorated the condition oTtheir regiments,
by acts of humanity. His Royal Highness of Glou.
cester was a notable instance of moderation and le.
airy, and by his ability and charming exertion of
feeling, had brought his regiment to that degree of
obedience and discipline, that for three years corpo.
ral punishment had not existed.— He was glad, how.
ever, to say that the present Commandr-in•Chief
was friendly to the ferocity of punishment being too
derated. Sir Robert Wilson had intimated in hit
pamphlet, that the present Commander-in• Chief wish.
ed to get rid of the system of flogging ; and he was
convinced that his Royal Highness the Prince Re-
gent bad equal feelings to his brother, on the evil
tendency of military punishments. (Hear, her, hear.)
He felt assured of success, from proposing a mo-
tion, which was domestic to the feelings of many of
the most illustrious and valiant individuals in the
nation, and which would be received gratefully by
the nation. The Honourable Baronet instanced the
regiment commanded by the Duke of Grafton, which
'for nine years during the command of Lord Eus.
ton never had a lash laid on the back of its soldiers.
These examples of lenity would do more with the
House than the flourish of oratory, and he trusted
that the House would accord with his sentiments,
when they reflected the contentions which they had
made in the .Mutiny Act for the present year. No
doubt the House expected him to make instance of
gross end strong abuse before that they listened to
his motion, and they should have instances vigor-
ous enough to sustain his cause. Officers had in.
formed him, and on whose veracitylie placed depen.
dente, though he dared not to assert their information
was true, what he would shortly state to the House.
He did not mean to mention the naive of the parties,
lest harm should await them for the avowals whch
they made, but he would name them and bring them
forth in evidence, should the House deem proper to
sustain his inquiry. As instances of punishments in
abominable practice, there was a soldier eho 1 ad a
defect in his sight, and who was really flogged be.
cause he was blind I The soldier was of the Isle of
Wight, and the surgeon informed him (S;i Franc:s)
that he reported the soldier's blindness to, the Colonel,
but the chief surgeon had b .lieved the soldier's blind-
ness was simply a sham to obtain his discharge. 'Use
chief surgeon's assertions were believed, though
other surgeon on cress-examination maderemonstrance
against: it, and the poor man, for the crime of blind•
ness, received one hundred lashes. (N., so.) They
seemed to disbelieve ; the surgeon was ready to attest
the truth of what he had asserted. (Maas liar, sane
him.) If inquiry be allowed to be made, I shall name
him. (Hear, hear.) Another instance of severity oc•
curred at Gibraltar, where two mess to procure their
discharge, had chopped off each of them one of
wag their
hands, but instead of being discharged, they
unduly punished, and driven to drag out their re-
maining days in penury and wretchedness. Another
man, who- had waxed grey-headed in' he service of his
country, was severely Bogged fur being only a little
in liquor, and who had never before even been cone
mitted.to:the guard.rooni. He bared those wounds
which he received in his country's cause, but they ap.
pealed in vain ; at the same time ahoy of ouy 16
years of age was flogged. Vain was the remon 'trance
because of his youth, for neither age nor youth had
reverence nor lenity shewn them. (Hear. hear.)
tie
had v-itneseed himself a man flogged who had he-
(mumble wounds for the cause of his country, of
41
years endurance, end of another ot equal length of
service, who had his skull pieced with silver, and be-
cause that he had tasted a little too flinch beer, he
was punicied also. He confessed. that he could nese:
have had any idea of the severity of the measures put-
sued for obedience, unless that he had borne witness
himself to the instances which he had cited. Well
I could lie have wished the hills to cover hiic. and the
I earth to open and swallow him upp, to secure him from
the endurance of such disgrace. The punishm rat WAS
called one hundred lashes, but being inflicted .vith an
instrument of nine thongs, multiplied them o nine.
hundred. The cord from which the instruments o;
torture were formed was not like the ha,.. (al
, with which Gentlemen touched their horses in a
I calash ;it was eqeal in thickness I ' •
cord (a piece on the Clerk's table) which lay before
:
the , House on the table. (Hear, A.a
most humiliating circumstance to humanity W 25,
a surgeon was ordered to attend, not to restrict th
liction to the weight of the lashes, but to tell hoe
heavy the sufferer could endure tiew. i•
iginitionsoefitisted in the r
the poets nevaermcyreainte:lealsuicty. bpukinishe
firinmentff!
n ides as