The house having, in pursuance of the order of the day, taken into consideration the Report of the English Militia Enlisting bill, several amendments were made in the Committee.
The Chancellor of the Exchequerproposed two new clauses, one for adjusting the mode of ballots, in those counties in which the greatest and least number of men should enlist; and another to prevent serjeants and corporals of the Militia from volunteering as serjeants and corporals of Artillery; both of which were agreed to.
§ Mr. Bankessaid, that though it was thought proper to put the ballot out of sight in the present bill, yet it was not the less in existence, and that for the sake of uniformity in the recruiting, both for the Regulars and the Militia, it was necessary, in his opinion, that a clause should be inserted, enacting that when vacancies occurred, instead of obliging a person to find 161 a substitute, the men should be raised by a small bounty paid by the parish. Having moved a clause to this effect,
§ Sir Robert Buxtonseconded the motion. The parish, he said, was already obliged to pay half the bounty given by an individual for a substitute, and a small addition, he thought, might be sufficient to release the individual altogether.
The Chancellor of the Exchequerobserved that he agreed with the hon. gent. as well as the hon. bart. as to the unavoidable necessity of recurring to the ballot, but, in doing so, he acted in strict conformity to the opinion of the house, which was, that When the militia should be reduced to its quota, the custom of balloting ought not to be given up. He could not accede, therefore, to the motion of the hon. gent.—After a few words between Mr. Wilberforce, in support of the clause, and Mr. Canning and sir James Pulteney against it, the question was put from the chair, that the clause be brought up, which was negatived without a division.—Adjourned.