HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
attered 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 
censure, and rendered him extremely 
uppopular. 
His statements, on this occasions 
were warmly controyerted by those 
in answer to whom. he had. made 
them. Members of parliament had; 
it was asserted, been placed at the 
head of the new raised regiments ; 
this was creating a patronage of 
the most corruptand unwarrantable 
kind, as many of the officers thus 
promoted were shamefully ignorant 
of their duty, and yet were allowed 
unconscionable profits. A variety 
of other objections was brought 
forward by the opposition, and re- 
plied to by ministry :, after which, 
the resolutions relating to the fleet 
and army, moved by lord Arden 
and Mr.. Windham, were put and 
Garsieds his AT jn 
Other strictures were then passed 
Upon the conduct, of ministry, in 
other particulars: that concerning 
the erection of barracks underwent 
the most remarkable censure. The 
expensive and unconstitutional na- 
ture of this measure. was asserted, 
by Mr. Fox, Mr. Sheridan, Mr. 
Whitbread, Mr, ,, Courtenay, and 
others ; and its propriety no less, 
vehemently supported by Mr. Pitty 
Mr. Windham, and Mr. Dundas. 
In the course of this discussion, Mr. 
Whitbread moved :to omit, in the 
estimate of necessary expences, the 
sums appropriated to the construc- 
‘tion of barracks: but the motion 
was negatived, by seventy-four to 
twenty-eight. ) 
This business was not resumed 
till the eighth of April following, 
when general Smith moved for a 
[si 
committee to inquire into the ex- 
penditure arising from the barracks, 
and upon what authority the erec= 
tion was founded);,.be aflirmeds that 
one million four hundred thousand 
pounds had, been» employed upon 
them, The patronage, accruing.from 
them to ministry,was the @ppoints 
ment of no less than fifty+six officers 
for their management, with» consis 
derable salaries. The, number of baré 
racks already constructed were sufs 
ficient for the reception of thirty- 
four thousand men}, which 'weré 
more than a peace-establishment iby 
fourteen thousand: Did not sucha 
measure-tend to. impress the clearest 
and stfongest conviction upon the 
public, that ministry were deter- 
mined, in the words of one of their 
principal members, to exert a vigour 
beyond the law? . yO"! 
Mr. Windham admitted, the ex+ 
pences of the, barracks to:be great; 
but the. importatice, of the objectin 
View required.,them :. .their-antent 
was to,exonerate publicans, and 
people of that, description, from the 
heavy charges, to, which they had)so 
long andsownreasonably beenliable; 
and of which they -had so often and 
so justly complained, The necessity 
of procuring public-houses for the 
reception of soldiers on their march 
occasioned sundry .,.inconveniences, 
which these bayracks were. calcu- 
lated to remove: they would afford 
shelter, and a temporary stay; when 
necessary, 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 requisite for the usual 
establishment ; but while the war 
lasted, the indispensible necessity of 
holding men im readiness, in such 
[E2] criti¢al 
