in the way propofed by the amendment: the cafe was fimilar to that of the public creditor, who relied on a continued and unaltered parliamentary fan&tion, as a fecurity for the intereft of his money; and it was preferable that the exemptions, fuch as contended for, fhould ftand on the ftatutes and rolls of Parliament, as the beft fecurity to the volunteer, and not to fuffer thefe regulations to be dependent on the feelings or future opinions of individuals.

It was contended by Lord Hawkesbury, the Lord Chancellor, and the other Minifterial Peers, that under all the circumftances of the cafe, it was preferable to let the clause remain as it ftood: the claufe had a two-fold operation, and applied to corps, &c. to be raised hereafter as well as to thofe now in exiftence. The amendment of the noble Earl would not therefore meet the object propofed; the impolicy of tying up the hands of the Legiflature in certain cafes was contended for: the honour and good faith of Parliament were, however, to be kept inviolate, and thefe were confiderations which muft have their due effect on the Legislature, when confidering of acts hereafter on the subject, fhould fuch proceedings be neceffary.

At length the amendment was pushed to a division, when there appeared

Contents 14-Non-contents 34.-Majority againft, the addition 20.

Lord Grenville then propofed, that the words excepting from the exemptions under the act fuch corps as in their offers of fervice had waved that privilege, fhould be omitted.

The Duke of Montrofe, Lords Grenville, Carnarvon, King, Bolton, &c. fupported the amendment, and contended that there was the groffeft injuftice and absurdity in allowing exemptions, as the act did, to new corps to be accepted of, and yet denying them to those who had honourably stepped forward without any motive but patriotifm. Exemptions were to be allowed to fuch additional corps as his Majesty might accept of. He might refuse their offer of fervice, but, if he did accept of them, he must grant them the exemptions.

The Lord Chancellor, Lords Hawkesbury and Hobart, argued in favour of the original claufe. They maintained that by the introduction of a word or two, excepting not only the corps who had already waved their exemptions, but those who might offer under that condition, one half of the objection would be done away. The other half they

thought

thought might eafily be got the better of in confequence of that understanding which muft be fuppofed to prevail between his Majefty and the corps already enrolled under the condition of waving their exemptions. They might, if they thought proper, fignify their difinclination to continue their fervices under their former offers; and his Majefty would naturally fee the propriety of re-embodying them without any fuch reftriction.

On this amendment the Houfe divided,

For the original clause, Contents 34-Non-contents 14Majority against the amendment 20.

Lord Grenville then moved an amendment on the next claufe, the fpirit of which was, that fuch volunteers as fhould hereafter be accepted, in addition to the prefent establishment, fhould not be entitled to any of the exemptions. In fupporting the amendment, his Lordship profeffed himself hottile to the extenfion of exemptions, and at the fame time against carrying the volunteer fyftem beyond its prefent establishment.

Lord Hobart could not help thinking, that fuch amend ments could have no other tendency than to lofe the time of the Houfe, as fhould they even be carried, they would effect no material alteration in the fyftem. He regretted the lofs of the fupport of the noble Lord, which muft certainly be an acquifition to any Administration; but the only anfwer that could be made to every thing that might be faid in oppofition to the bill was, the efficient force actually exifting, that had been raised by the measures adopted by his Majefty's Government. In this refpect, he would truft for approbation to the candour of the majority of the House.

Lord King was of opinion that, whatever truft his Ma jefty's Minifters might repofe in the candour of the majority of the Houfe, they did not poffefs the confidence of the country. Nothing, he thought, would give greater pleasure to the country at large than their difmiffion. The most brilliant victory could not be more welcome at the prefent crifis than fuch news; while nothing, he was certain, could be more feverely felt by the enemies of the country, who received additional ftrength in proportion to

their weakness.

Lord Hawkesbury replied with confiderable warmth. It was the duty of the Houfe, if they thought Minifters illqualified for their fituation, to prefent an addrefs to his Majefty for their difmiffion; but fo long as they were thought

worthy

worthy to continue in office, it was the duty of the House to fupport them, and to allow them that degree of confi dence which was abfolutely neceffary to carry into effect measures for the public fafety. He adverted pretty largely to the former Administration. They in general, had, fupported their meafures by pleading that the times were new and the exigencies of the country imperiously urgent: but the prefent times were certainly not lefs new, nor the prefent exigencies of the country lefs urgent. The measures relating to the volunteer fyftem, had been brought forward originally from the fpur of the moment, and, like other hurried measures, could not be expected to be all at once perfect. But all things confidered, the Government cer tainly deferved credit for what they had done, and was entitled to the approbation of the country for having done

fo much..

The Duke of Montrofe complained, that lo far as he was officially concerned in regard to the volunteers, he had been puzzled and perplexed with the different measures that Government had adopted, and had found it repeatedly neceffary, even to a troublefome degree, to apply by letter to the Secretary at War for advice and information, while he was no less distressed by writing letters in a fimilar manner for the information of others. The noble Duke was for the amendment, and thought many alterations neceffary to amend the fyftem..

Lord Harrowby fupported the amendment, and dwelt par ticularly on the incongruities of the fyftem.

Lord Carnarvon contended for the amendment, and made feveral reflections on the incapacity of Minifters, who did not poffe's, he thought, the confidence of the country..

The Lord Chancellor thought no noble Lord, whatever he might ftate as his own opinion, had a right to announce in that Houfe the fuppofed fentiments of the country. The noble Lord who had juft fat down, or any other noble Lord, might withdraw his confidence from his Majesty's Government; but it was certainly not parliamentary in any noble Lord to constitute himself the organ of the public, and to declare as a fact, what he might only conceive to be the opinion of the country. Allegations of this nature were unconftitutional.. The noble Lord deprecated the language held that night, in regard to the incapacity of his Majesty's Minifters, and which was too common, both in that House, and out of doors. For his own part he was willing to leave. his place, thould the Houfe point out any fet of men who would

would more effectually or more fincerely ftudy the public welfare. He would retire from every emolument of office, with a temper too ardent perhaps at times, but with a temper which had been broken down and fubdued by a course of public fervice. He thought, however, that before noble Lords were loud in decrying his Majesty's present Government, they ought to point out men that would be better qualified for the tafk affigned them, and then proceed in a regular manner by an addrefs to his Majefty.

Lord Grenville faid, he had never infinuated that the prefent Ministry were actuated by any bad motives, because he was ready to give them full credit for the purity of their intentions; but he contended that at fuch a crifis as the prefent, other qualities befides good intentions were neceffary for the Minifters of this country, which was now for the first time fighting for its exiftence; and he really and confcientioufly believed that his Majefty's present Ministers did not poffefs, talents equal to the government of the country at fuch an arduous ifis.

The amendment was negatived.

Lord, Darnley then moved, as an amendment, that no vo lunteer corps thould be entitled to exemptions who had not offered to ferve in any part of Great Britain in cafe of invafion. This was oppofed by Lords Romney, Winchelsea, and Egremont, who contended that it would be a breach of faith to the volunteers to narrow the exemptions under which they had been embodied.

Lord Darnley then confented to withdraw his amend ment, for the purpose of introducing another, the effect of which was to deprive all volunteers of exemptions who had not offered to serve in the military diftrict to which they be longed. This amendment was oppofed upon the fame grounds as the former, and after fome confideration, the noble Lord was induced to withdraw it.

The claufe was then agreed to, and the House being refumed, the Committee was ordered to fit again on Mon day, to which day the Houfe adjourned.

The right hon. Lord John Campbell (fon of the Duke of Argyll) took the oaths and his feat as reprefentative for Argyllshire, in Scotland.

VOL. II. 1803-4

3 B

Accounts

Accounts of the amount of the imports and exports of Great Britain, of the permanent taxes, and feveral other documents relative to the revenue for the year beginning on the 5th of January 1803, and ending at the fame period in the prefent year, were ordered to be laid before the House.

- Mr. Secretary Yorke prefented lifts of the Frish militią regiments and their officers, who have voted to extend their fervices to Great Britain. Ordered to be printed.

--The right hon. Member alfo prefented accounts of the expences incurred in, the fulfilling of the 7th article of the convention with the United States of America. Ordered to lie on the table.

Accounts of the different Exchequer bills which have been iffued within the year, were alfo prefented by the right hon. Gentleman; and ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Somers Cocks moved, that the order of the day for taking into further confideration the Liskeard election petitions be read. He did this, he obferved, with a view that the order might be fo fixed as tifat the witneffes, who were to attend at the investigation of the two questions refpecting that election, should not be at the expence and lofs of time of either waiting a long while in town, or else having two journies from Cornwall to London.

After a converfation refpecting the propriety of fixing the time for hearing each petition, the petitions were ordered to be taken into confideration on Thursday, the 3d of May next.

Lord A. Hamilton named Thursday next, as the day on which he thould bring forward his motion refpecting the payment of officers on the Irish establishment at par.

MAHRATTA WAR.

Mr. Francis expreffed a hope that a noble Lord oppofite to him (Lord Caftlereagh), would give fome information to the Houle, refpecting the origin or caufe of the great and important tranfactions which had lately taken place in India. At fuch a crifis as the prefent, it was far from being his intention to make any obfervations, or to prefs for a difclosure of any tranfactions, which could in the leaft tend to embarrass his Majefty's Minifters in the conducting of any branch of the public bufinefs. It was well known, however, that General Wellesley's army was in motion early in Auguft. Such a great operation as the march of

that