Star.
London, England, 1818-04-29 00:00:00

trial. it was unnecessary to dwell on the hardship tires ; but it should sot be forgotten tele
of these cases. He might add, that many causes had Committees, they were chiefly g
been suffered to stand over for two years before they terest of Ministers, who composed the 0
were brought to trial. This had frequently been for the greater part, of their own friends. .
known in the Counties of Northumberland, West- were, and Tories would be after all ; and ,
moreland, and Durham. It might be said, in fact, probable they would take steps to affect the
that the business of these counties bad not been done in office. At first the Committee amended e .
at all. It had been found that, at York, of eight Officers of State. But afterwards, it ev:
Special Jury causes, six had remained untried, though served that Ministers had omitted what
the parties had been put to the expense of holding mitte suggested in several points, and I
themselves and their witnesses in readiness. He knew other matters under the head of comp*,
that he should meet with opposition on this subject, bounty warrants, and pensions for wetne
but was determined to persevere. It would be seen have been supposed that Widows pee
that the Committee humbly recomMended that the have been brought into coneeemeen
Northern Circuit should be divided ; but the Counsel enough ; but it did not : therefore he Ir.
were of opinion that none but the established Judges that the Committee had them not le t
of the land should be sent on that important Circuit. There was, it was true, a kind of gen
This was Urged in consequence of a report that had of renewing the consideration of then
gone aßroad, that it was in contemplation to send a It was clear that the Committee made
Commission dewn, consisting of a Serjeant at Law mendation relative to the widows' pen
and others, to transact certain parts of the business respect to the great sinecures, let t
be
of the Circuit. He hoped such a course would not e t Mieisters acted entirely on the pro:
be adopted, as he was confident a remedy to the ciple, and what they called the vest,
existing evil could not be thus supplied, and any ex- usage and practice. The Cemminee t:
pedient of the kind he must pronounce to be a delu- that as to Chelsea Hospital no steps sh
sion. He trusted the Report of the Committee would to reduce what was at present receivi
be acted upon, and that the evil in question would was, that the grievance having preva
be done away. If a remedy were not afforded, it and formed the subject of di.ceteeet a
was his determination to move an Address to the in the navy, the mode adopted of red:
'Prince Regent on the subject. He had now only to to inflict it upon the army. With regal
move that the Report should be printed. cific limitation of these grants, he was
Mr. CURWEN went along with his Hon. Friend such principle. The total amount dal
iria all he had said, and seconded the motion. tributed in the exercise of this :taunt\
The Report was ordered to be printed• the highest amount it had ever reached,
witrows' PENSIONS. when our military establishments had V
Mr. LYTTLETON said he was under some disad- an unexampled extent. It was icapz,s;
Ivantages from concessions which had been made, but the amount of saving produced ev
be felt still that the question stood
,not merely on more than a third of this ee:e. Lad
grounds of generosity, but of strict justice to the circumstances, this v. oold not. coca d
army. He had, therefore, not thought it right to ing of 15,000/. or 20,000!. Was
wave his intention of submitting a inc,tion. If a s-,-- 5- ducement for galling the fee:in-
tem-Of rigid economy was proved to be necessary in comforts of so respect~
all branches, he, for one, was very ready to agree to persons ? He did not mean to o
it—but if it went to shock the common feelings of ..s at present constituree, was :-.(1 ov
people, then what was not absolutely necessary was rence to the national resou:ces; but if
unjust. It was not the question whether they were were true, it furnished a geol. reason
to be generous to-the army, but whether government numbers, but none for ill treating wt.:
was to keep faith with it. After 50 or 60 year*, or expedient to maintain. The Noble Lot
perhaps near a century's practice, ought the terms gtiment for economy, appeared tc he
with the army to be altered in a way most galling gotten the recently proposed grants e
to the feelings of individuals? Was it not highly mily—grants which had been so ha:
'.desirable that good faith should be kept ? Before by the virtuous resistance of some Tire.
going into further particulars, he requested the that House. It was
exceeded forgottthen, that e
House to attend to the effects of a recent paper, by ditioual grants e whole
which an officer's widow, having, by other allow- saving projected by the regulation of
antes or by her annual income, double the amount planted. No instance could be addle
e( the widow's pension, might not be entitled to re- the civil departments to justify it. TI
ceive such pension hereafter. But he was informed never been recognized except in the:
-that it was intended now to apply- this principle to where it ought to.have been :doted,
(married officers now in the airily. The gross total of oftended to the military servicee
irr
the widow's pensions, including Ireland, was 98,000/• must necessarily be tn enceurag.
it held out to the officer an asserue
odd. The amount of the pensions to individuals was
'comparatively small. A General Officer's widow had gality or industry he po:eessed hi::-,
1201. a year. a Lieutenant-Colonel's widow 80/. of providing in some degree i(
a year, a Captai,:s widow 50/. a year, and an En- dreq, their claim on the pu 'Li:nil
sign's widow 351. a year; Thus, a General Officer's rendered. It opereeted, tlioneee, a
widow, according to the amount of her income, morality, dieinterestelrese and con]
~tnight forfeit her provision. How a gentlewoman of The consequences to whit-it it had a
~:: ~.1..
condition was to be considered as provided for, on after the death of the (ate:, z.
such a principle, he did not know. How strong the ration. The temptation to ;:e:irry
case must appear when a widow lady, having 2001. rendered very strong in the cas,:o::
a.yenr, was to forfeit her provision on her husband's incumbered perhaps with a large I,
death I It was notorious in the present circumstances stating her actdal Means to he wital
that the condition of a gentlewoman could Mat be prescribed, a pension might be of
• maintained on such a footing, and with so small a scarcely necessary for him to say that
sum. It was with the Noble Lord, unquestionably, of this nature were known to have
to offer his terms of service in future, as he might navy. lie was not aware in what i
think fit, whether handsomely or unhandsomely, to lation had orginated; but he did re
the army. But he must decidedly reject to any re-, either at the
Horse Guards or the '
trospective view of the subject. On that ground he . was sure that it could not have Teo
objected to the application of the principle to unmet.- bation of the dele.ving Prince who
Ivied men now in the army. Ile could mention spe. ded over the ihtereas of the army.
cifically, that there was a stoppage fund in the are cult to conceive that the opinion
tillery, which was supplied by officers, married or person might be opposed on such
unmarried, for the widows of efficers. The Colonel Majesty's :Ministers, as a sort of pt
Commandant paid £l3 9s. 9d. of which 41. 10s, dent they were of Royal halm
went to the widow's fund. A regular stoppage for whether the Noble Lord, the Seer
the fund was made, sanctioned by the king's war- concurred in the propriety of its .
rant, which applied both to the married and un- other times, such a circumstance w
married. He had not ascertained the isztent of similar his resignation. The pretence of ,
stoppages in other departments, but he would say, a bad appearance, when it was foul
that the faith of Government was pledged in the prac. respect was public economy consult
rice, though not in form. In many regiments a kind retrenchments were effected where
of benefit societies had been formed to secure annui- loudly called for. He felt confide
ties for officers' widows. He learned that there was the feelings of the army, but the se;
a similar system in the Corps of Engineers and that was opposed to the regulation: wi(
the payments were at a rate per pound. The Colonel therefore, he should accept no corn
if married, paid 9/. if unmarried 4/. odd, and so on. for its total and unconditional revo
He world not professno_be_ any great calculator of
He concluded by moving, that en
these annuities and provisions; but he would contend
seined to his Royal Highness Co
that the regulationnevhatever they .might be, should Praying him.to revoke,
be merely prospective. •
_From noble- motives many warrant for regulating the Pensi°'
officers made great sacrifices, by insurance of lives doors of military officers:
and other modes, to provide for widows. The sums General DALRYMPLE second:
which occurred by the savings of:officers might be cancel, a:
said, that provision for the widom
considered as economising for the country. Many army was of a very old date. It
marriages and settlements had been made by officers the 21st of Charles I. and the sec
em the principle of calculating on the widow's fund.
People must say, Good GOD ! is it possible that it is was issued on the subiect was in
tonally consulte
the officer's widows' fund that Government rely pithalf a century's standing in the
d with many offs
for the retrenchment of expenditure? Is this to form Pressed their
positive expectation--;
the odious contrast between the way in which the indeed, among them all as a matt
civil servants of the Crown, basking in Court favour, might confidently look--that p:
are to be provided for, compared with the mode of made not only for themselves upon the
provision for the defenceless widows of those brave from the army, but also for their wives: who
officers who have fallen in their country's hattles a--should be no more—(hear, hear.)
The reasons assigned for the regulation appeared to They h" Pee;
it, unless it was preceded by other important la-
him to be no reason at all. There was no ground for have Justly deemed extravagant, if this Co'
chased their commissions at prices which theylci. '_
dons in the first instance. When it had been said had not entered into the contract; and
rna'Y're'e
comenittee, he had desired the Noble Lord to make
that the measure was recommended by the finance- upon their wives at their mar.iege: but the ve;
had no other settlement, in consequence, to
u5.....1
widow's pension—khear, hear.) 'De aiscretwner,
The Noble Lord could not then, nor could he now,
that good by referring to the Committee's reports.— red in the Crown in the distribution of these fere Ar
spew it. He 4Mr. Lyttleton) did not think the sub- was not exercised until 170 S, when the war Jr.' ae
drawn up. He had been told, indeed, that a very the annual bounty directed that the otScers'ealae7_,
who claimed the bounty should make eith thatot7,
_.',
jest was before the Committee, when the report was
and almost irnaginary cae., as to limitation of widow
respeetable member of the Committee had put a high way an income sufficient for their maintenance-
e 3
had no pension from Government, nor in any ae'No
Dowager of Northumberland claiming the pension Posed that,
pensions; as, for instance, in the case of the Duchess
e particular notice appeared to have been taken_ 1a.....
cf the army of Flanders; but it could net takes
'l'!".
of a General's widow. Such cases would be of no the battle of Blenheim, their services were totala tics
part of the pension-fund. He expressed, not in a Par-
service, in fact they would not amount to a 1000th gotten—(hear, hear.) The next urdcr whicl,l
~e
at a time which was only four year`:,'".-;
the Committee proceeded oa the purest and best mo- " aihd4vit) "jug
liarnentary sense, but his own individual opinion, that made on the Bounty Money omitted pareasely ed
words, " or other maiutenance; and onl) icr,l2;:s
that the ,lainiant IvAs Ai'. '.

..ble and a

lead

Lt, like 04 widOtel)
ws in
.. was Tell°
5...
~ the
ottraittcL . 010411 so
Tories ti„,, the House
Id it so-a%.--',O, tinuance o
their friends Hewas fa
wtheBn: - stri
Was to be .ho 601
let the cc._ ,
on
do ism
I had gonee
raSli Gzate Es. cose now
nds: it t..; ,g.:. title to t
75'113 about s
tight
' )-1.11
tr.i".ttestion t
ere"
il &mi... -,,..e.... • aloe any
!ner'l Pc...n.:.11 , ey Were
:se 52.7,..xv..... i . He
de r.:l te.., 'ortintissi
nude ;s w....,, 0. The
,_
e retienlbt.i -tole, bec
Dr,ev.7.,:t pri,. .f the pt
rid riglts r •id coral
too LI-L:7Q - by tl
10'.',Id 6-::art hande
'6l• 'F.e f.. a I
iously tai •••w ices. I
and e)mr4....,,, e vatic
dressing it vi ~ittee,
at d to any ."....?. .mnieu
s averse to 5.., 1 , : rimy
the acne, 4 hich 11
:v was .oiet --er na
d, at Cte pew , . wet
. .
been carried a . latch i
Bible to ester::?' . 'lase t
is rep
~,0,, a were ex
[der the Eris~: so do w:
the pidry cc. Haute.'
s a sufEcir::. is, bleed tr
r irapairirg :I" dot the
fceless ~.• ile.3 d snendat
tdthc: •,..)•ro, ;A Dance (
rervaid. in re,!•••• Array,
Lithe r...17....n,ft army
i for re, . ;eine its old lih
.at nu. .sa;:anti heer)—
LorJ, in his a:- funds i
lave mire.... fr.:. ti,m---;
to tho Rol F, Mr.
typilv ebi=c..ti of otfil
.07 M—,4,-; ~ would
: mne of ...r.c,e k. the ho.
o amount of the ton of
of a hich he ccos their a
uced from anti were p
fife priaciple lial is a
case of the ry, fused
racy,
Mr.
, il:cad of se...-.4
The ed..o! I mi.:tee
in gut
-,-.71.0,:i,.;e:•.et , :•.:
e. tiat it Iv: frk (Bea
. . , . &Wart
N. '..; of we =us
,i% i.....,w Ind c--'. betwc
:lay n:7. :, be ...:- iect.
r, a ..0.7.,..: sit a terve
iu,.,ai :,,11,....... None
a te:-.de:- 7- tli.L.l h
er
wer.
desen-a .e: s: ;.-...
ciiffet
: 2.11 e. C 7..... c 1.3
the a
2 he'ple., -,,;:2;.3
differ
1.,.mi'.7, when. by
11.1 W V
:Ili ri t:-.e limitation
vest:
obtalned. It 7is
and
hat mane in,-.,,:i'es it w:
re occurred in is of se
quarter IL.: itga.
exist,
not believe :: vas
Lore
e War OCe. Fe
arise
eceived the a-2r.
ram
.o at present cr-::.,..
It was irt diE:- ject
mitt
of that illustn,as
L
h a subject by bl
subj
feeli
ha el
T3lll
Mil
sre!Pnr:octarye.
plitioaire:;..iliCr...l.:::.L.'''.i.:di.
would hare led to
thn
economy made bat
MO
lund that in no other
to 1
ulted. and that as
ell
re they were most
wis
lent, that not onli the
set.se et the pubht, the
its regard to ,aia,
art
npronuse, butane
ovation Occr,iyar, , Se
an
m Add.-e. 4 he yrt•
liC
10 Prince Regel. tit
and annul the lax
,ns doe to the si• E
..,
led the moticr. Re
co
;s of officers cf -.L.e
all
: was commence?. it
TO
:ond warnat s.:L.--.4
re
1647. Helutdll7; as
[firers who Imre og at
amp, and tha a' tc
o--it VAS tuiderstoo4
ho
after to w'zlcli 11-el si
knnPtivithsiCiir rwe°tiurelrild rlttle