The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-05-27
Prom Paper received at re office Of TIE Nor
.tok Ledger, BY tie nip Msrcbanf, Captain
Jobuion.
HOUSE OF COMMONS, 1lpra 8.
Defence of,be Cou1.ry.


bet and mott efficient means for providing for
its military defence. The following is correct
outline of the principal topics to which he add
verted. He began with obtervng, that it was
tubeet, which the iituation of public affairs
had daily contributed to render more important,
and while we were hearing 10 much of our prof
perity, he could not avoid, when connected
with this fubie6f. to ak of gentlemen to look
at the prefent 6tuation of Europe, and the
world. His buiineis was TO repair that dior
der, and to remove that falfe fate of things
which had, by various means crept in, aud
done 70 much mitchell. The Houfe was to con-
ilder how to put the military etabliihme mt of
The country upona better footing, and how to
provide not merely againit temporary, but a.
sa'nit permanent dangers. The great mifc hief
had exiited in the falfe view that had 70 long
been taken of a mott important iubieSt.--"Look
at the preient danger only, get rid of that, and
Jet futurity take its chance" This was only
laying In other words, " ufe the means of the
country, cut up all its rcfources, and provide
tor an exiting emergency, and care nothing a.
bout what is to happen in future" The tirf
great thing was TO create, or perhaps more
properly ipeaking, TO provide for the exiftence
and maintenance of what is called an army, a
pody ieparated from the ref ofthe community,
governed by laws OF its own, withdrawn from
ioclety to a certain degree, body that neither
tolls nor fpns, that profelies neither trade nor
protection but that of war, aud whole great OBJ
)ecs is to defeat o. deitroy the enemies of the
country, q therefore exempted from the other
public duties to which other fubieGts are liable
lie did not mean to fay, that the country had
not fuch an army already in great perfection in
many reipects, and in Comfortable Numbers.
Though the interef of this army had always
been itrongly exprefled in the protection of gen
t'ementn parliament, yet they had 70 acted as
either to make their declarations appear n,in-
cere, or to flow that they had no Jun and clear
idea OF the nature ofihe fubied. We had gone
on 10 Tong upon the old plan, that our heads
were h'ied with levies max, with armed CT
tzens, with armed nations, with nations of
100000 men IN arms, till we amoft forgot the
real character and importance of the Object we
Nihed to attain. we Thought only of sitting
a great number of men together in any way.
After iome further predatory matter, the hon.
gentlemen proceeded to fate the outlines of the
improvements which he was detirous to intro
duce INTO the regular tervice, and our general
fytem of defence. The frt Improvement
which occurred 10 him, was what he had fire.
qnently mentioned, that of limiting the period
OF iervice. Il was angular that this was the
cniy country IN Europe in which the enltmert
was ror ute. From the adoption OF the oppo-
bite mode, he expected an accefon of a new
defcriPtion of men, whom he fhouId further en-
courage by certain rewards, without weakening
the iytem of military difciplinc though by
thus having better fet of men, there would he
leis necefiity for eXerciing punflment either
Tor deiertIon or other offences Deiertion he
was purfuaded, in great meafire. Originated
IN the deduction of offering large bonnties. and
ut the contequcnt competition heween the diff
ferent recruiting parties. The efe9 of this
Inesi'ire, however, he was ready to admit, mrff
= Uffrty al pNf lie
be certain and permanently beneficial. II
would produce favourable change in the M
lions of the MATS of the people, as to ,hofe who
protected military life. They would no lon
ger LOOK upon the man who volunteered his fer-
wee IN the regulars as one going to the dogs.
On the contrary they would fee men, who had
been folders before they were born, old Tom
and Jack, living we'll, and not wrngine fcan.
~ pittance from the parih. When Young men
rejected on thsie circumstances, nothing would
deter them from entering. In the hi! which he
mould OTTER on this part Of his plan, he would
propoie to fill up the blank as to the period of
irrvice, in the frt inaancc, with the words
" ieven years" At the end of that period the
folder would, if he chofe, be entitled to his
dicharge. 1t he chofe to renew his f,rDicec
Fer iIm'iar period, ne ihOuld propo(e that h.
ihou'd have tmaIi increafe of paw, fuch az Cd
per week, or iofne other trifine advance
not morethan an equivalent to tee probable di
minutIon IN the value OF money during the ia
fermedlate interval of time. He would ALTO
propofe further ncreafe Of pay for a third re-
Dewai of enIiitment.-Thefr regulations would
apply only to the Infantry. For the cavalry
and artillery he would propofe periods of t.1.
.fT, and fine, years, at tie expiration of which
they would be entitled to their difcharpe. as in
the cafe OF The infantry. Thofe who had ferved
twentY-one years would he entitled TO the bioh
en- rank ut Cheliea, which would be RATED CON
hderably above what ii now was, brine only ono
fhlIliDg 4 day. Nor would any further can h..
made upon them for fsrvire With REGARD to
thoie embarked on the colonial frryice. tbev
would be kept for fix months after the rstihr,-
ton of treaty of peace, fed and mairt1ined
and lent home at the charge Of government.
when, according TO their reflective ciain,s
they would he nveited with the immunities al
ready particularifed. Thefe were tie r,riocipaI
features OF the alterations which he womb E'o
GET IN the condition Of The fodder. There were
others which were alto delirlhie, bnt into theft.
ne would not go, as they were not at nref4n,
mt tor Legislative proyiiioE. Oae ofthes1. how
ever, he ihou'd mention, aud he conceived il
was not likely TO BE- obeded 10. IL wasthst of
making an additional allowance 10 oGicers, ,yi-
dows. Small additions had already heen mad.
from tine TO time, and the prolecutiou of IN,
fyGem, with the advantages already enu,rer,,-
ed, would tend TO the better recrnitinp of ,be
army, as they would make tie fsryjce bonn,,,
IN itielf. But though iD law and eduitv The
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