CONTENT S

PEECH of Wm Th-t-n, Efq; for

Smaking the militia ufeful

391 -Former ftatutes rendered ineffectual

THE

Gentleman's Magazine:

For SEPTEMBER, 1752.

Speech of W-m T-nt--n, Efq; to bring in a Bill to make the Militia more useful.

SIR,

ROM a thorough conviction of the neceffity of the measure which I am about to propofe, and according to my declaration in a late de- B bate, I rife up, in the integrity of my heart, to move this honourable houfe that fomething may be done to render the militia more useful.

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which were previously known to be fuch as would render them intirely uselefs. As this cannot be denied, I perfwade myself, that, after a very little A reflection, every gentleman prefent will concur in my opinion, that fome alteration is neceffary with refpect to our militia, either to commence now, or at a more convenient feafon, or at least at an eve of a commotion, when their affiftance fhall be wanted to furmount the danger which we would not prevent. If our militia is not to be frequently exerciled, let there be fome law, by which it may be more effectually railed: let us no longer acknowledge the importance of a militia in the preambles of many of our ftatutes, yet render this very militia ineffectual, by fuffering fuch deftructive claufes to remain, as will reduce the ftatute itself to a mere form of words and a dead letter, to the aftonishment of other nations, and the difgrace of our own. Let us, Sir, repeal all the prefent laws concerning the militia, we fhall then evidently perceive our nakednefs, and in what a delencelefs ftate, they will leave us; let us no longer be amufed with the appearance of a fecurity which they cannot give; nothing more furely than the difcovery of our danger is neceffary to put us immediately upon our guard; nothing more furely is neceffary to determine us to enact laws which fhall be in effect what the prefent laws are only in form; and, I hope, we fhall, upon this occafion, remember the great maxim of Cojmo de Medicis, from whom Machiavel derived all his political knowledge: Defer not till to morrow what can and ought to be done to y.

It is, indeed, with great diffidence that I take upon me fo important a concern in the prefence of fo many gentlemen of fuperior abilities: But, however weak my attempt, I hope that my intention will appear to be fuch as becomes a faithful fubject, and a lover of his country. I hope, Sir, that the being firit in arms, and first in the field to oppofe the late rebellion, at the D head of a fort of militia (for fuch they were) will excufe my being firft in a propofal for rendering the militia more able to defend their country, if the like emergency fhould again happen: and that the fincerity of my zeal will atone for the plainefs of my addrefs, and the E irregularity of my arguments.

I have endeavourd, Sir, as I thought it my duty, to make myfelf master of the excellent laws of our anceitors for regulating the militia of this country, and have fearched into the caufes which have rendered this militia weak and F contemptible. As thefe caufes will be cafily comprehended, and the faults in our laws, which produced them, may be easily pointed out, the remedy will not be either difficult or tedious. I muft not, however, omit to take notice that the militia laws have been fpoiled by defign, fome villainous claufes ha- G ving been artfully intruded into them,

A regulation, Sir, by which our country is to be defended againit fuperftition and flavery, against the fury of an invafion, or the rapine of rebellion, requires the molt mature and difpaffionate deliberation; fhall we, therefore. defer this regulation till we hear

392

The Neceffty of a well confituted Militia.

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dium of an enemy beat to arms? Shall
we deter it till every heart throbs with
apprehenfion, and every mind is con-
futed with anxiety and terror? Till
impatience for obtaining the end fhail
caule us to miftake the means? till a
time when an hypocritical zeal for the
falery of the publick, taking advantage
of the contufion, fhall bring us into
greater danger? Were not the very
claufes that have emafculated our fta-
tutes relating to the militia, introduced
in the time of publick and imminent B
danger, by defigning men who, under
a pretence of encreafing our fecurity,
took away what we had?

Let us then in this interval of tranquillity, when the mind is at leifure to examine and choote, let about changing thefe ruinous claufes for tuch as will be quite proper. Let us now eftablifh our fafety upon a firm foundation by paling fuch a law as will furnish this country with a militia equally effective, more eafily railed, and maintained at a lefs expence than that of any other nation in the world; let us no longer truft our liberty and our lives, our religion, our country,and our pofterity to a mercenary army that has no motive to defend us but its pay, and no concern for our liberties because they have given up their own.

Thefe confiderations, Sir, appear fo for cible to me, that I cannot think any gentleman will continue to oppofe, or even on any account to delay the meafure which they have induced me to undertake and recommend.

But, Sir, left any gentleman fhould doubt whether this mealure be practicable, I fhall obferve that the establishment of a militia in any country, where the people are numerous and induftrious, is not only practicable but eafy. Switerland and Germany, which are poor countries, thinly inhabited, have their militia notwithstanding the people must be neceflarily diffipated by the great extent of the lands which they cultivate. And is a militia, impoffible in England? A country that is remarkable for its fertility, and crouded with men, where a Clew acres afford a plentiful fubfiftence, and almoft every parith cou'd furnish a regiment?

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If it be objected, that this militia cannot be excrcifed without taking the hufbandman or the manufacturer from his labour, a circumftance, which cannot but be hurtful to a trading nation; I antwer; our militia may be exercised on holyday, according to the practice in Switzerland; but fuppofing that two days in a month were to be fet apart for this purpofe, it is evident that lefs labour wou'd be loft by 200,000 militia, who wou'd immediately return to their work from their exercife, than by 20,000 regular troops, who confider themselves as gentlemen foldiers, and every fpecies of incuitry as incompatible with their ftation, and indeed with their duty.

I would not, however, be thought an advocate for the total reduction of the army. I know that an army is neceffaFry, that there mult be guards, and fome troops at our garrifons; in Gibraltar and Portmakon, and a fufficient number of regular forces in Ireland, the islands of Scotland and the West Indies. But, I think fuch a reduction of the army is expedient as would caufe a faving, equivalent to the expence of 250,000 militia, and that enough would ftill remain for the above fervices.

If it frould happen, Sir, that a large military force thould be fuddenly wanted, at a time when the parliament is not fitting, and his majefty is abroad, E how is it to be fupplied? Will not the waiting for an act of parliament produce the most dangerous delay ? And will not the fame inconveniencies follow that happen'd in the year 1745? Inconveniences, which we now feel, and which will probably be long felt by our poterity. A well conftituted militia, Sir, at that time would have faved the nation 3,000,0col. and if it be admitted that fuch a militia would be attended with an annual experce to the whole nation of 10,000 7. and that there should be occafion to ufe it, but once in 30 years, which is the space between the two last rebellions, we fhou'd then have that fervice for 300,000, which has coft us 3.000.cco, and confequendly fave(which would be good occonomylinfiead of superfluous expence) 2,700,cool. upon the ballance. Bolides, thofe whom the want of this force might encourage to interrupt our tranquillity, may be deterred from their attempt by observing that a new regulation hah readered us fufficiently formidable; To vent is certainly fill better than to cure.

H

This number, Sir, of 260.000 for the militia was our antient contingent, and, as they are difpers'd through the feveral counties of this ifland, will effectually reprefs, if not prevent any invafion from abroad, and quell every disturb. ance that may be fomented at home. They will be always ready in every part of the kingdom to aflift the civil power, as well as to protect our coafts from

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A Militia preferable to any regular Troops.

from infult; coafts of fuch extent, that if the prefent ftanding army was doubled, it wou'd not be able to fecure the island from being plunder'd in fome part or other, by the daring crew of a Buchaneer, or a defperate affociation of fmugglers. And as it is our coaft that principially makes a military force of any kind necefiary, what must be our fituation, when without any force by which this coaft can be fecured, and with fcarce a fortified place in the kingdom, we are not able to bring together 6000 men for the defence of the capital upon a fudden and unexpected attack? The marthals Bellifle and Saxe both remarked that we must be easily over-run, and it is a common faying among the French, that England would be only a breakfast: and I fhould be forry if they fhould put us to prove the contrary before we have a militia eftablish'd. Need we have a better hint, or a stronger motive, to provide for our fafety? ex hofte doceri.

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393

auxiliaries may alfo be bought off by our enemy at the very minute we want them, or fent under reftrictions which will render them wholly unferviceable. There needs not, indeed, any argument to prove a measure to be impolitic, which has already incumbered us with debts that it is fcarce poffible we should pay, and has reduced our neighbours the Dutch into yet more deplorable poverty and diftrefs.

A militia which would defend us by men of property, whofe intereft is involved in that of their country, and who wou'd only circulate their pay, and not carry it abroad, must be our only refource. Such a militia, Sir, has been rejected by thofe who have had the management of this unhappy country, who have for reafons best known to themselves, fquandered the publick treafure in vain attempts to obtain from foreign and domeftic mercenaries what a militia only can fupply. Let us then interpole in the behalf of an injured nation; let us once more connect the civil and the military power, and direct their united efforts to the fame end. This, as it will give us ftrength at home, will give us reputation and weight abroad. This is advised by Marbiavel, as the fureft means of national greatness; this was fuccesfully prac tiled by the Spartans and the Romans of old, the Geths and antient Germans, and this is now the ftrength and the glory E of the Swiss, a nation, which however inconfiderable in its extent, no ambitious power has dared to moleft. I therefore humbly move that leave may be given to bring in a bill for the good purpofe that I have mentioned.

As to the difficulty of reforming our militia, if it be faid that experiment is against me, and that experiment is ftronger than argument; if it be alledg'd that former attempts to establish a mili- D tia have been ineffectual, it needs only be confidered, by what means these attempts have been made. They were made in confequence of thofe very statutes which, being perverted from their primary intentions are evidently felo de Je; fo that the militia, which was defigned to be a regular well difciplin'd body is degenerated into a mere mob: but even this mob has been known to do good fervice.

I will not trefpals, Sir, upon the indulgence of the hcufe by proving felf evident propofitions: it is fufficient only to ftate them. It is of abfolute neceffity we fhould have a military force fufficient to defend eleven millions of people, and it is acknowledg'd on all hands that our prefent force is not fufficient. There are but three ways by which this deficiency can be fupplied; firit, by a regular army of mercenaries; fecondly, by foreign auxiliaries; thirdly, by a militia. A regular army of mercenaries we can neither afford to pay for living in idlenefs, nor fpare from the trades in which they would otherwise be employed. The hiring of auxiliaries is attended with equal expence, and is

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This motion was feconded by Sir W-1--r B-k-t, and agreed to by the whole b-fe nemine contradicente, and a bill ordered to be prepared and brought in by W-1-m T-ni-n, Elg; Sir W-1-r B-k-t, Lieut. Grl Ot——————pe, Mr Fky, Sir J-s L-th-r, Mr N-th-y, &c. (See p. 420 A)

Some Account of the Hiftory of the fland of Minorca; y JOHN ARMSTRONG, Efq; Engineer in Ordinary to his Majefty. [See the account of epidemical difeafes in Minorca, by Mr Cleg born, (whom the author cails his learned friend) VoL. xx1. p. 291.]

work, tho' it is intitled an

yet lefs to be depended upon: for they HTHIS is a feries of 17 letters,

who may be engaged to fupply auxiliaries to us may, when we want them, be fcarce able to defend themselves, as was the cafe in the unhappy year 1745,

fuppofed to have been part of the author's epiftolary correfpondence with a friend, and not intended for the pref