Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

claffes, numbers of the minifterial people agreed to diminish, by onethird, the ufe of wheaten bread in their families; a bill alfo was brought, in, by fir John Sinclair, to encourage the cultivation of wafte lands, purfuant to the recommendation of the board of agriculture, established for that purpofe, and the more effectually to obviate the evil of fcarcity in future.

After these confultations, in what manner to provide for the immediate exigences of the country, the next object that occurred in parliament was the maintenance of the fleets and armies, requifite for the continuance of the war. To this end, lord Arden moved, on the fourth of November, that one hundred and ten thousand feamen, including eighteen thoufand marines, 'fhould be voted for the fea-fervice of the year 1796, and Mr. Wyndham moved alfo, that two hundred and feven thousand men fhould be employed

for the fervice at land.

General Macleod took this occafion to cenfure heavily the conduct of adminiftration, in paffing by officers of experience, and promoting to rank and command youths and others who were not properly qualified for military employments. General Tarleton difapproved, at the fame time, the statement of expences laid before the houfe, as highly exhorbitant: from the year 1792 to the clofe of 1794, they had increafed, he faid, from one to eleven millions. Minifters were particularly reprehended, by the former, for their inadvertence in not furnishing the troops, fent to the Weft Indies, with a fufficient quantity of medical ftores, and for maintaining at prefent, without neceflity, no less than a thousand ftaff-officers. The numbers to which

8

the fencible cavalry amounted, he attributed to the minifterial plan of keeping the people in fubjection and dread; the regular cavalry, he faid, was equal to every juft and proper purpofe, without loading the public with fo much additional expence.

In answer to these, and other ftrictures, Mr. Wyndliam stated, that men of diftinction and oppulence had been preferred to commands, in their refpective counties, as more able to procure levies than others. The expences accompanying the fencible cavalry were confiderably lefs than thofe of the regulars, as neither bounties nor half-pay were allowed them. An ample fupply of medicines had been dispatched to the Weft Indies, but had unhappily fallen into the enemy's hands; an accident which was remedied with all poffible diligence. The great expences of the war had neceffarily been augmented, proportionably to the greatnefs of the national exer tions; and the number of staff-officers did not exceed that which was wanted for the duly conducting of the bufinefs of army and military affairs. To an obfervation made by general Smith, that the quantity of fubalterns had been out of all proportion in fome regiments, Mr. Wyndham replied, that the men being raised in the heat of the campaign, it had been found impracticable to provide a timely fupply "in the place of thofe that had been killed off."

This particular expreflion was taken up with violent acrimony both in and out of parliament: it was reprefented as denoting no fenfe of feeling, in the speaker, for the calamities of war, and the lofs of fo many individuals fallen in battle. This and fome other expreffions,

uttered

uttered in the warmth of debate, and produced probably by hurry and inadvertence, and not from a defect of humanity, however, drew upon this gentleman a heavy load of cenfure, and rendered him extremely unpopular.

His ftatements, on this occafion, were warmly controverted by thofe in answer to whom he had made them. Members of parliament had, it was afferted, been placed at the head of the new raifed regiments: this was creating a patronage of the most corrupt and unwarrantable kind, as many of the officers thus promoted were fhamefully ignorant of their duty, and yet were allowed unconscionable profits. A variety of other objections was brought forward by the oppofition, and replied to by miniftry: after which, the refolutions relating to the fleet and army, moved by lord Arden and Mr. Wyndham, were put and

carried.

Other ftrictures were then paffed upon the conduct of miniftry, in other particulars: that concerning the erection of barracks underwent the most remarkable cenfure. The expenfive and unconstitutional nature of this measure was afferted by Mr. Fox, Mr. Sheridan, Mr. Whitbread, Mr. Courtney, and others; and its propriety no lefs vehemently fupported by Mr. Pitt, Mr. Wyndham, and Mr. Dundas. In the courfe of this difcuffion, Mr. Whitbread moved to omit, in the eftimate of necellary expences, the fums appropriated to the conftruction of barracks: but the motion was negatived, by feventy-four to twenty-eight.

This bufinefs was not refumed till the eight of April following, when general Smith moved for a

committee to inquire into the expenditure arifing from the barracks, and upon what authority the erection was founded: he affirmed, that one million four hundred thousand pounds had been employed upon them. The patronage accruing from them to miniftry was the appoint ment of no less than fifty-fix officers for their management, with confiderable falaries. The number of barracks already conftructed were fufficient for the reception of thirtyfour thousand men, which were more than a peace-establishment by fourteen thoufand. Did not fuch a meafure tend to imprefs the cleareft and ftrongest conviction upon the public, that miniftry were determined, in the words of one of their principal members, to exert a vigour beyond the law?

Mr. Wyndham admitted the expences of the barracks to be great, but the importance of the object in view required them: their intent was to exonerate publicans, and people of that defcription, from the heavy charges to which they had fo long and fo unreasonably been liable, and of which they had so often and fo jufily complained. The neceflity of procuring public-houses for the reception of foldiers on their march occafioned fundry inconveniencies, which these barracks were calculated to remove: they would afford fhelter, and a temporary ftay, when neceffary, without producing trouble and expence to innkeepers, and others, who kept places of accom modation on the roads. In the event of a peace, they need not contain any larger numbers than would be requifite for the ufual establishment; but while the war lafted, the indifpenbfile neceffity of holding men in readiness, in fuch [E 2]

critical

critical times as the prefent, and the leffer expence, at which they were kept together, with much more comfort and convenience to themselves, and utility to the public, than by the former method of quartering them, were, he prefumed, fufficient arguments in favour of barracks; nor would he omit the propriety of removing foldiers from the danger of being contaminated by the feditious difpofition of the lower claffes.

It was obferved, in anfwer, by Mr. Taylor, that a total feparation of the foldiery from the commonalty, were it practicable, would obliterate that union of character which rendered military men citizens as well as foldiers, and endeared both claffes to each other: when confcioufly united in one common intereft, their reciprocal attachment would produce the moft fignal advantages, through the fpirit and confidence they would act with, and the continual proofs of good will that would mutually arife between them.

Mr. Fox argued, with uncommon ftrength, against the fyftem of barracks, as tending directly to inculcate the blindeft and most abject obedience in the foldiery. He explicitly afferted, that unconditional obedience was neither the duty of an English citizen, or an English foldier: the conftitution of England refted on the mixture of citizens and foldiers in all the habits and occurrences of life; to part them from each other, in the manner propofed, by lodging the troops in barracks, would be to divide them into diftinct people, who, from various caufes, would quickly become inimical to each other. True it was, that barracks had been erected in England before this time, but they were few and inconfiderable; not

3

conftructed, as now, with the manifeft intention of fecluding the whole army from the nation, and cutting off, as much as in minifters lay, all intercourfe between foldiers and citizens. To diffolve a con nection, fo indifpenfible in a land of liberty for its prefervation, was a deed wholly unjuftifiable, and fhewed, without the neceflity of any farther argument, the real designs in agitation.

Thefe affertions were, by Mr. Pitt, reprefented as totally unfounded. The fyftem of barracks was neither new nor unconstitutional; it was of long flanding, and only of late enlarged, on the mere principle of placing the troops upon a more convenient and useful footing. Parliament had given it a decided fanction; it had been carried on with all due diligence and economy, and could produce nothing that did not appear beneficial: foldiers would be better quartered, at a smaller expence, and kept in more order without confining them from fociety in any cafes but thofe of confusion and tumult.

Mr. W. Smith, and Mr. Courtenay, fpoke in very adverfe terms of the cafe in queftion: the former reprobated the fyftem of barracks, as incompatible with the genius and conftitution of the people of this country, and fit only to prove that was defpotically governed. The latter in a firain of humour and pleafantry, expofed all thofe circumftances relating to the business, which could render it odious under the appearance of ridicule.

Mr. Grey cenfured the fyftem with great feverity. He demanded whether an addition of thirty-four thousand men was to be made to the peace eftablishment in future, as the old barracks would contain

twenty

twenty thousand, and the new ones the preceding number. If the barracks were not to be filled in this manner, why had fuch an expence been incurred to conftruct fo many?

per cent. on the remoter relations, and ftrangers. Calculating the landed and perfonal property of the kingdom, as it flood at the commencement of the prefent century, previoufly to its union with Scotland, He was anfwered by Mr. Steele, its value amounted to thirteen hunthat, notwithstanding the exaggera- dred millions, of which fix huntions of those who affected fuch an dred were in land, and feven hunapprehenfion of barracks, the whole dred perfonal. From authentic doof them, when completely finifhed, cuments it appeared, that about would not contain more than one-third of the latter was deviled twenty-five thousand men; a num- by will to collateral branches, and ber fo little above the ufual comple- of the former about one-fifth. The ment of the army, that no man could, probable estimate might be formed,' with the leatt degree of ingenuouf by taking the fourth as a medium, nefs, infinuate that minifters har- which would give a tax of two boured finifter defigns. The money, hundred and ninety four thoufandTM. ftated to have been laid out on the pounds. From this fum, by debarracks, was alleged by the oppo- ducting the ftanding tax upon legafition, to be unfairly accounted for: cies; two hundred and fifty thoufand but Mr. Pitt replied, that no flaws pounds would remain. He nexte would be found in the statement of propofed ten per cent. on the althe expence on due examination, ready affeffed taxes," which would The debate concluded with a di-produce one hundred and forty thouvifion of ninety-eight for miniftry," fand pounds: one pound upon every and twenty-four against it.

On the feventh of December, Mr. Pitt laid before the houfe un eftimate of the expences of the approaching year. They amounted to twenty-feven millions five hundred thousand pounds, including a loan of eighteen millions. He gave a very favourable account of many branches of the revenue, particularly of the permanent taxes, which he ftated to be adequately productive to the extent of the funts expected from them. "The intereft of the loan would amount to eleven hundred and twelve thousand pounds, for the payment of which, he would propole the following taxes; two per cent on all legacies above a certain extent, to the firft collaterals; three per cent. on firft coufins; four per cent. on fecond coufins and fix

hofe kept for pleature, which would. yield one hundred and fixteen thoufand pounds and two hillings on every horfe kept for the purpofes of labour, which he computed at one hundred thousand pounds an additional tax on tobacco would produce one hundred and feventy thoufand: and another on printed linens would bring one hundred and thirty-five thoufand: a duty upon falt thirty thoufand: and the reduction of the drawback on fugar, one hundred and eighty thoufand The total of thefe various fums would amount to eleven hundred and twenty feven thoufand pounds, which was more than fufficient for the propofed intereft.S

Mr. Pitt took particular notice, at the fame time, that in the fourth. year of a molt expenfive war, such [E3]

was

was the profperity and opulence of this country, that it was able to command the immenfe loan in queftion, at no more than four and a halt per cent. He alfo affigned the reafon for his raifing it without having recourse to his ufual method of competition, which was, that the perfons concerned in procuring the laft loan, had not yet received the latter inftalments due to them upon it. He had, however, fo far confulted the good of the public, that the interefts to them, would not prove more than four pounds five fhillings and three pence in the hundred.

This affertion gave birth to a long and tedious difcuffion, uninterefting to those who were unconcerned in the bufinefs itself, or who did not think themselves authorised to call him to a strict account for his proceedings in this matter.

In reply to the elaborate juftification of his conduct, made by Mr. Pitt on this critical occafion, the principal speakers in the oppofition exerted themfelves to refute his arguments and calculations, with uncommon acutenefs and fervour. They controverted his various pofitions and inferences, and laboured with the utmoft induftry to establish their own. The point, at which they chiefly aimed, was to prove that he had acted erroneously, and even difingenuously, in putting the bufinefs of the loan into the hands of Mr. Boyd, to whom it had been given the preceding year, and that no fubftantial and valid reafon fubfifted for fuch a conduct, which they branded with many odious epithets, and reprefented in many of the circumstances attending it, as unwarrentable and corrupt.

In the course of the fatiguing and acrimonious debates upon this fubject, fevere animadvertion was paffed by Mr. Fox upon the affair of the Hamburgh bills. They had, it feems, been drawn not really in London, but fictitiously at the former place, by Mr. Boyd, to the amount of two millions five hundred thoufand pounds, on treafury-bills, for the fervice of government. Mr. Fox eftablithed on this tranfaction, which he defcribed as highly uncreditable, the preference and partiality, which he reprefented as having manifeftly been exercifed by the minifter in favour of that gentleman.

After altercations, marked with much bitternels and animofity, the queftion was decided in favour of the minifter, by a majority that paffed a vote of entire approbation, relating to his conduct on the businefs of the loan; and, on the twenty-ninth of the enfuing February, the affair of the Hamburgh bills was alfo approved of, by putting a negative on the refolutions moved against them.

The motives alleged in his juftification, by his friends and adhe rents, were, the very difficult circumftances that urged him to have recourfe to the afliftance of thefe bills, and the confequent propriety of acknowledging to important a fervice. The public in general was duly fenfible of the minifterial embaraliments refpecting both these cafes, and was willing to fufpend its leverity on the tranfactions themfelves, in confideration of the caufes that produced them, and that left the minifter a choice of difficulties, from which he found no readier a method to extricate himself.

« AnteriorContinuar »