HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
‘experiment was now to be made, 
on an alarm, that ministers -have 
excited, to which, even the con- 
stitution of the country is obliged 
to give way. If the militia officers 
‘were to be disgusted, there was an 
end of all the services, which were 
to be expected from the institution, 
Lord Cawdor also, disapproved 
of the clause, and expressed a fear, 
that it was the intention of govern- 
ment now, as during the last war, 
to draught the men from the mili- 
tia, into other services. 
_ The bill was then ordered to be 
committed; but, on the day ap- 
pointed for the committal of it, 
Lord Romney rose, and _profes- 
sed himself to have been always, a 
warm friend to tue militia system ; 
the principles of which, he was sorry 
to see, constantly departed from ; 
he considered, that the clause 
which dispensed with the landed 
qualifications, would drive many 
1}3> 
sought the destruction of the mili- 
tia, because it was a constitutional 
defence, and not servilely in their 
power. As this clause dispensed 
with qualifications in officers, it 
left nothing but a force, unequally 
raised by ballot, or by rate, which 
fell exclusively on the landed inte- 
rest. He did not like the princi- 
ple, of introducing into this coun- 
try, the Irish militia, who are now 
to be raised by bounties, and com- 
manded by officers, not possessing 
qualifications. 
The duke of Cumberland sup- 
ported the bill; which, he thought, 
likely to give efficiency to the mili- 
tia, without disturbing its consti+ 
tutional principles. As for the 
draughting men out of the militia, 
for foreign service,that was only done 
in acase of extreme urgency, in 
the last war ; and it was not likely 
to happen again. 
The earl of Westmoreland, de- 
qualified officers out of the militia,_ fended the bill; and saw no more 
He thought the militia laws had 
been changing, from bad to worse, 
€very year; and he thought it 
would be better, to give up the 
system altogether, than continue 
it on its present footing. It would 
be better, that the nobility and 
fentry, should raise regiments, at 
their own expence, to reinforce the 
regular troops. 
_. The marquis Townshend, de- 
fended the bill; which then went 
into a committee. 
When the clause was read, al- 
lowing the lord lieutenants and de- 
puty lieutenants, to recommend in 
certain cases, the appointment of 
Unqualified officers, 
The earl of Carnarvon, strongly 
objected to the clause, as subver- 
sive of the militia system: he 
Wiought, that ministers had always 
Vol, XLY, oh 
reason, why there should not be an 
interchange of militia, between 
England and Ireland, than between 
England and Scotland. 
Lords Limerick, Radnor, Bol- 
ton, and Pelham, also defended 
the bill, upon general grounds. 
The marquis of Sligo, bore tes- 
timony to the generous spirit of the 
nobility and gentry, commanding 
the Irish militia. They did not 
wish to stay at home, at their fire- 
sides, until they were themselves 
invaded; but were always ready to 
stand, or fall with the empire ; and 
volunteer, where ever their seryices 
were most necessary. 
The bill was then carried through 
the committee; and, in a few days 
after, read a third time, and passed, 
without any farther serious objec- 
tion, or Paperiane Opposition. 
On 
