impressive eloquence, called upon 
the spirit of the British nation to 
rise, superior to the dangers which 
await it; and concluded, by cor- 
dially supporting the address. 
~ Lord Mulgrave complimented, 
in the highest terms, the patriotic, 
the manly, the soldier-like speech 
‘ofthe noble earl. He appeared to 
think the plan proposed by mi- 
nisters, likely to be efficacious, and 
expressed -the highest confidence in 
the strength and resources of the 
country. 
Lord Grenville declared, that it 
was not his intention to give any 
opposition to the plan proposed, 
being fully convinced that some 
plan was absolutely necessary. He 
was astonished, however, that mi- 
‘nisters had not sooner thought of 
‘some such expedient. The enemy 
had taken an advantage of our re- 
‘Missness, and had already, by the 
“conquest of Hanover, struck a blow, 
which this country must feel most 
severely. Ministers ought to have 
foreseen that blow, and guarded 
against it. He was of opinion, 
that a mere defensive war, hardly 
deserved either the name of de- 
fence, or of war; but was as dan- 
“gerous and degrading a condition, 
as any country could be placed in. 
As to the odium of recommending 
/compulgory measures, should they 
which he was content and proud to 
‘share. 
» After some observations from 
ther noble lords, the address was 
‘voted unanimously. 
' On the 20th of June, in the 
house of commons, 
“The secretary at war, presented 
eplan of government, for raising 
am additional force, both for the 
, ‘ 
_be necessary, that was an odium~ 
HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
- 
iss 
defence of the country and for of- 
fensive operations. Our prepara- 
tions, he said, must not only be 
referred to the strength and re- 
sources, possessed by the enemy 
for our annoyance ; but to the sin- 
gular character of that man, who 
wields, despotically, the immense 
power of France. The implacable 
animosity of the first consul to this 
country, had been so clearly evinc- 
ed, and his threats of sacrificing 
fleet after fleet, and army after 
army, to accomplish the ruin of 
this country, were so recent, that 
it was undoubtedly necessary for 
us to make preparations suitable to 
the power and the maligiity of our 
enemy. The force that govern- 
ment proposed to raise as an army 
of reserve, was 50,000 men, 34,000 
of which were for England, 10,000 
for Ireland, and 6000 for Scotland. 
Those men, though raised by bal- 
lot, as were the militia, would dif 
fer from them in this: that their 
services were, during the war, to 
extend to Great Britain, Ireland, 
and the islands in the channel, 
They would have another adyantage 
of the militia, in being commanded 
by efficers of experience from the 
line, from the half-pay list, and 
those who had already served, either 
in the East Indies, or as fencible 
officers. After stating that the 
ballot was to fall on those men be- 
tween eighteen and forty-five, he 
proposed his first resolution, which 
was, that an army of reserve of 
50,000 men, should be forthwith 
raised, 
Mr, Windham, opposed the mea- 
sure, as tending, inhis opinion, to cut 
up by the roots the present system 
of recruiting for the regular army, 
He then expressed his disapprobation 
of 
