Mr. Yorke,pursuant to notice, rose for the purpose of moving for certain documents relative to the operation of the bill called the Levy en Masse bill, to which he understood none of his majesty's ministers intended to object; and when he stated his purpose, he trusted that the house would be of opinion it would be both desirable and necessary, that those documents should be before them preparatory to bringing forward, the plan of national defence understood to be now in the contemplation of his majesty's ministers, and which it was to be hoped would be brought forward at some period or other, in the fullness of time. By this bill, which had passed in the year 1803, it was intended, as one of the modes of defence against the menaced invasion, to call out so much of the population of the country as were capable of bearing arms; who were to be divided into three classes, and, first, to be enrolled; secondly, trained to arms, during every month of October; and, thirdly, rendered useful for any military purpose to which they might be respectively judged fitting. With respect to the dangers of invasion, he was persuaded that, if our navy continued those gallant and victorious exertions, the many eminent instances of which had been displayed of late, there was not much chance of an attack of that nature. Upon the former occasion, though the government had made some progress in availing itself of the powers by this bill vested, yet as it was. disposed to prefer a voluntary to a compulsory service on the part of the people, and as so great a number of men pressed voluntarily forward, beyond all calculation of expectancy, the government, therefore, preferred the services of the volunteers to a forcible levy en masse; not, however, totally abandoning the alternative of the bill, should it be necessary to carry its operation into effect. He had in his hand, a copy of the returns made from every quarter of the country, in the first year, of the number of men in each district, properly classed; and what he now wished to move for was, the returns of the years 1804 and 1805. He hoped his majesty's ministers had those documents before them, as they certainly would be important for the consideration of the, house in discussing the 561 plan of defence, whatever it was, now in contemplation, and for the explanation of which the public were extremely anxious, and particularly the volunteers, who were very desirous to be informed as to what was intended towards them. For it was extremely important, if the services of the volunteers were to be relinquished under the new arrangement, that not a single fire-lock or sabre should be taken from their hands until the country was assured of a more adequate establishment. He concluded by moving for the returns of men enrolled under the levy en masse act, in every district throughout Great Britain, in the last and preceding year.
Mr. Secretary Foxsaid, that so far was he from being averse to the production of the documents now moved for by the hon. gent. that he should support his motion. The subject was so very new to his own experience, that he knew very little indeed of the present state of the matter. However, as the bill had been passed now three years, and his majesty's present ministers had been so short a time in office, if any remissness or delay was chargeable in procuring those returns for the last two years, their share of the blame certainly was not the largest. He was pretty confident that the subject of the right hon. gent.'s motion would from a very principal feature in the plan of defence now in the contemplation of his right hon. friend, not now in his place, (Mr. Windham), who was certainly as anxious to bring his plan forward, and felt as much regret for the unavoidable delay that had occurred, as any other member of that house. As to the objects of his right hon. friend's plan, he should think it premature to say more at present; but he could assure the house, that no delay had occurred that was at all avoidable, and he hoped that in a very few days his right hon. friend would be able to bring his plan forward.
§ Mr. Sturges Bournehoped the right hon. gent. would not bring forward his plan without timely notice. Indeed, as it had not come forward sooner, and so considerable a number of gentlemen must be absent during the assizes, who would wish to be present at the discussion of such a measure, he thought it would be desirable to postpone it till after the recess.
§ Mr. Foxexpressed his hope, that his right hon. friend would be able, in his place tomorrow, to give notice of the day on which he should be ready to bring his plan forward, 562 and if not then, on Saturday, if the house should be disposed to sit on that day. But with respect to the suggestion of postponing the proposition of the plan until after the recess, he did not think that could be necessary, as it would be desirable to make some progress with the least possible delay and to bring forward any bills on the subject that might be thought necessary.—The motion was then put and carried.