The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-07-25

againft 1t. j am quite ready TO declare, that
am torrY for the ihare / had in that meafurc,
| and experience cOnvinces ne, that it ought ne
yer again to be reiorted to. Other gentlemen
| have appeared, ard profeiied to be equally adj
verte 10 that meaiure, and their minds muft be
OF ftrGnGe character, if what they have obivrv-
cd is not iufiicient to difnade them from H. NO
thing can be more abfurd than to iuppoGe, that
If they perfifed in the old and fcandalous prac-
tice OF Crimping, all its attendant frauds and i'm.
petitions will not return; and it is equally ab-
iilrd to fancy, that only eight guineas bounty
will be Given.--Why not let the army ofreierye
20 on along with this new plan, whatever y may
be! ii officers are to run 4 race together for
rank, as underftand they are, for, although the
intention is not avowed in this Houfe by mini
iters, applications are known to be made to and
by feverai officers: why take away the comPie-
ton OF the army of referve.
L cannot conceive any thing more irrational.
When new mode o. rafting recruits Cor the
regular army is propoed it naturally brings to
my mind an opinion which is much difputed
and upon which, becaufe it is 70 diputed by
fome great military authorities, | cannot pre-
Tune TO PRONOUNCE decided fentiinent, mean
the propriety of rafting men for limited fervice
iii point, although ertainly llould think it the
more eligible policy, and beft calculated to rem
der the army Respectable and fiicient-How-
ever military objections as to the difficulty, if
fuch iytem exifed, OF fupplying our foreign
tations, muh be overcome before the fYitem be
attempted. AS to the plan for bringing the l.
riih militia over here, do not approve OF it un-
der exiting circumstances. No argument can
be drawn II favour of fuch plan at prefcnt,
from precedent which occurred in quite diff
ferent htuation OF, things. With refpe6t to the
interchange OF the militia of the two countries,
there are many phyhcal objections to it that
would render it ncafure very dilagreeable to
the officers connected with both rrlitias; and
here mutt notice rumour which has gone a.
broad, that applications have been lately made
TO the privates of the Wei Kent militia, with
out the knowledge OF their officers, to volun-
teer their ferviceS for Ireland this practice de-
ierves 10 be ftron2ly reprobated. What, TO try
10 prevail on men 10 quit their own coat with
IN half days fail of the enemy, to proceed 10
the dittance of Ireland The hon. mover of the
propohtion under debate has alluded in the
courfe of his fpeech to the power which in my
opinion belongs to the Crown, to call out the
population of the country in ;hs event OF an in
vaiion, as exprefieG in the preamble to the Gene
raj Defence Act. perceive, that the hon.
gentlenan's ftntinent differs from mine. do
not mean to difcufs this fIbjett at prefent: but
mutt obterve, that nothing appears clearer to
me than this propoition, that the fate has a
right 20 call on the people to defend it, and
that in the Crown, being the depolitary of the
power of the fate, is veited the right of 20 call
ing ont the people upon great emergency.
This right think, could flew from a ferries of
presidents, TO be recognized by the contribution
and cufom of this country; that il is right in
herent in the Crown to eXercife this power ac-
cording to the neceiIty of fuch cafe as may L.
rife, and TO be limited by that necefity. The
Crown, it muft be admitted, poGefes the pow
or ofputting any diGri6t of the kingdom under
martial law, in cafe of invaGonj fubject, how
ever, TO that responsibility to which minifters
would be liable for the abufe Of any fiIch pow
CT. The right hon. gentleman took Yiew OF the
propoEtion Of the hon. mover, refpeGting an ar
med peafantry. Of this meafure he approved,
but not numerically. If it were adopted in fome
counties on the coat, iuch as Kent, SufieX, Eff
fex, Suffolk, Devonlhre, part of Yorkshire, and
other places, which might be coniidered in the
propoied committee, he thought it would be
unneceilary TO refOrt To it in the inland counties
II was remarkable, be obferved, that no orders
had yet been fent to the Lords Lieutenants of
the different counties, to make out the clafif-
cation or enrolment of the feveral males capable
of bearing arms in their REFLECTIVE dltrGfs. This
furnlhed another inltance ofthe neglect of mini
fters. Aiterrecapitulating the different grounds
OF his objections to minfers, the right hon. gen.
tlemdn took notice of the fate of the navy. in
| which he obterved the vsy gun-brigs which he
recommended on former ocCafion, were now
bunQibg WIN All pOlHoIc QilpdtCn, although
when ne recommended them he was condemned
to fufIer fome obloquy and even rdicule, which
officers were brought from difant commands
to alIlt in promoting. "a cry of hearl hear!
from the oppoftion benches -jIe proceeded
to comment on The neglect of the Notifications
70 often pointed 0iit 10 ut triiary ON particular
parts of the coat, when the expenditure of a
few thoufand pounds might prevent the employ.
ment and fave the lives OF many thoufand men.
IN abiding to the negle6 he did sot with to be
undcrGood rs at all faying any thing of the com
mander in chief or the mac.r-gcncrdl of the
ordnance. lie dtfred to fpeal only OF the ca
bnet. with them refed the refponfibity-to
them attached the duty OF providing for every
part Of the pubic defence. iii conclulion, the
right hon. gentleman Gated that, Judging ofmi
nii}ers from what they had done and what they
had omitted to do--frow their nuwneis 10 adopt
and their incapacity to ad upon any vigorous
plan for the public dcfcrcc-trom The very long
confederation they rcgu.cd upon even the NOR
t.iGrg topics, and the very crude AID iii-tigcn-
cd ne7ta-es they, notwithstanding, uniformly
brought forwad--frOn all thoie considerations,
he felt himief urged by ftong ienie OF duty
~ the Houfc, his country and his fovetcgn, 10
vote for the appointment Of a committee 10 con-
Gder of deyihng lone efcSuIl means for our
protection, and for the ftcurity OF al that a