that his failures were stated by his Advocates as any ground for continuing, ftill for increafing confidence in his Administration. It is fomewhat extraordinary, that at the prefent moment they fhould fo loudly call out for that unanimity. Minifters have, for thefe four fucceffive years, been carrying on a war, in direct oppofition to our opinion. We have never failed during the whole of that period, to fet before them the idle confequences of their perfifting in fo deftructive a career. In spite of all we have faid they have ftill perfifted, and now that they have brought the country into a flate of the most deplorable calamity, and upon the verge of ruin, they step forward and call upon us for unanimity. It may perhaps be deemed arrogance to differ with them, but let me tell thefe modeft Gentlemen, that when they come and ank unanimity from us, they demand infinitely more than they had any right to expect. "What does this modeft Gentleman propofe, who accufes me of arrogance. He thinks there are many points in the conduct of Minifters for which they were to blaine; but now we have a complete proof of their merit, it is patriotifm itself to confide in them now, for they have completely failed in every thing they have undertaken. I think this is afking a little more than thofe who complain of the arrogance of others have a right to afk. But it seems this is not a time when you should tell the people they have any grievances. This is a country in which every person can gradually become rich by the exertions of his own industry. The Honourable Gentleman who spoke last hinted that to be his own fituation by the exertion or his ancestor. But I apprehend that this preaching of the profperity of a few will not tend much to fatisfy the many; to talk of profperity to those who do not feel it is not the way to gain many converts. When you feel that the people are falling into a general defpondency; when you feel that you are approaching a dangerous crifis, for fo you are, it is folly to attempt to difguife it; is that a time for you to fay to the public, do not mind public bufinefs, mind only your own private concerns; confidence in that Executive Government that has brought upon you your prefent calamities, for they alone can fave you from utter ruin.' Is that a time to preach to them of the propriety of their indifference? No! It is a time in which you should call upon them to join in the public concern. You fhould therefore not contract the fentiments of the people, you should expand them. I am fure you will never fucceed by any theory, however ingenious, that has for its object the filencing of the public voice. The ftate of the knowledge of mankind will not admit of your attempting it. If it be your object to get through your prefent difficulty, you must give to the people the advantages of popular GovernNo. 39. 8 X ment ment in fubftance, inftead of attempting to amuse them with imaginary excellence. I did not intend to make these observations when I brought this fubject forward, but they became necef. fary in confequence of what fome Gentleman thought fit to say this night." Mr. Cholmondeley was of opinion, that to repeal those Bills during the prefent critical fituation, was to revive Sedition, which they confiderably tended to reprefs and extinguish, and confequently to fruftrate the falutary effects which they had already fo fortunately produced. The prefent Adminiftration had, in his mind, adopted no measures more timely, more prudent, more conftitutional, or more friendly to freedom, than the introducing and paffing of thofe Bills, to which he was bold to say we were indebted for the prefervation of our Liberties, our Conftitution, and our Lives; and viewing them in that light, he would give a decided negative to the present Motion. The queftion was now loudly called for, and the House divided on Mr. Fox's Motion. Sir John Sinclair faid, that early in the prefent Seffion he had brought in two Bills for Improving Wafte Lands: the object of one Bill was, to enable perfons to enclose Waste Lands by agreement; the object of the other Bill was, to promote the practice of enclofing, even where the parties differed as to the propriety of it, by enabling those who were inclined to enclose, to separate their property from the others. He found that the The first Bill had met the general approbation of the House. laft, however, was likely to meet with a confiderable share of oppofition, and the Seffion being now nearly finished, he did not think it proper to prefs it upon the Houfe, but would take an early opportunity of bringing forward the fame fubject in the next Seffion of Parliament. He moved, that the order of the day for committing the General Inclosure Bill be discharged until that day three months. Ordered. The Bill for enclosing Wafte Lands, by agreement, then went through the Committee. CORN BILL. The Order of the Day for refuming the adjourned debate on this Bill being read, Mr Mr. Ryder stated, that it had been thought proper to permit the exportation of Barley. A Claufe to this effect being added, the Bill was read a third time and passed. THE ARMY. The Houfe refolved into a Committee of Supply. Mr. Windham faid, that the Refolution he had to move related to an object which must have been under the confideration of Gentlemen, from the Eftimate of additional pay and allowance to the Army, which had been laid before the House. He believed it would be allowed that there was neceffity at this period of making fome additional allowance to the different claffes which compofed that fervice-- [Here Mr. Windham paufed and feemed much indifpofed. He retired for several minutes.] Mr. Windham, upon his return to his place, faid, that a neceffity exifted now, or in a period not far diftant would exift, for fome augmentation to the pay of the Army. Of this, Gentlemen would be convinced by recurring to the period when the allowance to the Army was fettled. Previous to the addi tion to their pay, which took place about five years ago, it was a matter of wonder to every perfon how the foldiers could poffibly fubfift. So evident had been the difficulty of fubfiftence, that his Majefty had recommended to the Houfe to adopt the allowance of Bread Money. Something had been done at a later period by regulation, and a more judicious application of pay and allowances, at the recommendation of the Commander in Chief. There had likewife been extended the foldiers fomet affistance during the late fcarcity, which was known under the name of extra-allowance, the nature of which was, an engagement on the part of the Government to grant, upon fuch a quantity as the foldier might confume, the difference between the current price, and the price fixed at the time of the engagement. Yet fomething was ftill wanted to make the condition of the foldier fuch as it ought to be. The neceffity perhaps was not so great as before the recent advances had been made. It might perhaps have been difpenfed with for fome time. But in this, as in other inftances, particular cafes determined it. Gentlemen would eafily conceive, that when one great branch of the military service had become the object of Parliamentary confideration, and when additional allowance had been extended to them, it would neceffarily happen that the other branch would reasonably expect that their condition fhould occupy the attention of the Legislature. And the Houfe, he was fure, would come to the confideration, happily free from the embarraffments which might arife from their attention having been directed to it, by an application from the parties themselves.-- 8 X 2 Mr. Mr. Windham here entered into an eulogium upon the conduct of the Army. He then referred to the Navy. The points which he had ftated were, he faid, in the recollection of all men; but there was one circumftance of which Gentlemen might not be aware, it was the diabolical acts conceived in the genuine fpirit of Jacobinifm, which having fucceeded too fatally in one fervice, were now endeavouring to work a fimilar effect upon the Army. It was with infinite pride that he could say, that these acts had not been attended with any effect. In fome inftances the foldiers had brought forward their feducers--in others, they had rejected their reprefentations; but in no inftance did it appear that they had made any impreffion. If, therefore, under fuch arts of feduction, the Army had remained fo true and untainted, furely the Committee would deem it an additional reafon for giving a ready and willing attention to any relief which could be afforded, and which it was poffible for the country to give. With this perfuafion he fhould with confi-, dence ftate his propofitions to the Committee, beginning with what related to the foldiers; and it was on this point only that he fhould trouble the Committee on this day; for though an eftimate had been laid upon the Table, refpecting the fubalterns, a very meritorious race of men, yet he should propose that it fhould be poftponed for the prefent, on account of fome details neceffary to be entered into, and whether alfo the eftimate fhould be extended beyond the fubalterns of the line, who certainly poffeffed the firft claim to the attention of the Legiflature, inasmuch as their fituation was the hardeft. Mr. Windham now entered into fome details; a foot foldier received at prefent, in pay and allowance, eleven-pence three farthings a-day, what was meant to propofe to allow him would amount to thirteen-pence halfpenny. This difference of threehalfpence farthing, would be found to amount to two-pence to the foldiers, but the extent of the charge which the country would thereby incur, would be no more than one penny threefarthings. Of the eleven pence three farthings now allowed to the foldiers the diftribution was as follows: the firft allowance of fixpence a-day was for fubfiftence. The next was twopence farthing under the name of confolidated allowances. The third was computed at one penny a-day each, for bread and meat. The fourth allowance was made upon an agreement refpecting the price which bread and meat was never to exceed. The lait allowance was beer-money, which was furnished at an expence of about three halfpence. In lieu of thefe expences, except the laft, the foldiers would receive one filling. The addition to the non-commiffioned officers would be in proportion, twopence halfpenny to the corporals, and threepence to the ferjeants.-- Mr. Mr. Windham concluded by moving the following Refolu tion: "That a fum not exceeding 224,000l. be granted to his "Majefty, to defray the additional charge of the augmentation "of the pay and allowances of the Non-commiffioned Officers, "Drummers, Trumpeters, and Privates, from the 25th of May "1797, to the 24th of December, making in all 214 days, de"ducting therefrom the charge of extra allowances.' Mr. W. Smith withed to comprefs what he had to say into a fhort compats, in order to avoid mifreprefentation. In the firft. pay of the place he contended, that no one could deny that the Army had hitherto been too fmall. But when the fubject had been brought forward the other day, he had fuggefted the propriety of laying before the Houfe fome minutes from the orderly book at the War-Office; to which it was replied, that there were no minutes. Now, though it was true that no minute upon the fubject exifted in the orderly book, it was certain that a direct official communication had been made to the Guards on Monday fe'nnig t in the following words : "Brigade of Guards, May 14, 1797. "The non-commiffioned officers will explain to the men, "that, in confequence of their uniform good conduct, it is at "prefent under confideration, at the particular recommenda❝tion of his Royal Highnefs the Duke of York, to make their "condition more comfortable than it has hitherto been; and "that of the non-commiffioned officers will be duly attended to "at the fame time." Whether, therefore, the minutes had been entered on the orderly book or not, made not the leaft difference. The Secretary at War had stated this to have been done on account of the uniform good conduct of the military. Of the good conduct of the men he had no reason to doubt, but his cónfidence in this respect ftrengthened his opinion that there could have been no barm in waiting till Parliament might have conferred that increase of pay, which by fuch an order was in fome degree promifed. Parliament might have been previously asked to declare that they had it in contemplation to make the condition of the foldiery more comfortable. Minifters, by fuch a proceeding, took upon themselves the merit of every act of favour, and feemed only to confider Parliament when they had to ask for a confirmation of their own resolutions. He held this to be a meafure of the most dangerous tendency, and a queftion of the highest constitutional importance. Nothing could look more like arbitrary power than the appearance of fuch things, when coupled with the measure of cantoning the troops in barracks throughout the country. It feemed like teaching them to look for every fa vour |