§ Mr. Addington, in presenting returns of the Yeomanry and Volunteer Cavalry in Great Britain, said, he should take that opportunity of adverting to the statement of an hon. member (Mr. Wynn) the other night, in which that hon. gentleman had seemed to convey an imputation against that branch of the government to which he belonged, that it was not properly disposed to entourage the yeomanry of the country. He was the more surprised, as he and his noble relation were known to entertain the most exalted opinion of that constitutional description of force; of the zeal, promptness, alacrity, and public spirit with which they had attended the summons of the civil magistrates, and on many occasions protected the peace of the country. He had to state that since the beginning of October every effort had been made by the home secre- 782 tary of state to increase the yeomanry in all parts of the country, especially where the spirit of disturbance prevailed. For several months past it had been determined to revive part of the allowances which were formerly made for that service. He had sorely regretted their reduction at the time when public economy had rendered it necessary, and he should be most happy to use his best efforts to have them restored. He was convinced that on the yeomanry, the constitutional force of the country, its tranquillity mainly depended.
Mr. Wynnsaid, he had stated, certainly, that there was a necessity for government to give more than mere encouragement to the training of the yeomanry forces at the present day, as it must be obvious that the class of society from which this force had always been collected, was now materially affected by the pressure of the times, and could not, therefore, provide and equip themselves, as in better times they freely had done. He then alluded to the case of a friend of his who had raised an additional troop in one of the most disturbed towns on a former occasion, and had made an application to have three years allowance in advance, but had met with a refusal, and had consequently advanced the money out of his own pocket. He was persuaded that the influence of the yeomanry in repressing cases of popular disturbance was much greater than that of the regular force. The people would in many instances be deterred from violence by seeing those arrayed against them to whom they were accustomed to look up as their masters. He was glad to hear that there was a probability of the increase of their allowances, for unless that were done it would be impossible for them to maintain themselves.
Mr. Cokewished for a constitutional description of force, rather than for one of another description. He had for forty years uniformly maintained those principles which he should continue to maintain to his death,—principles of decided hostility to those on which for that period the government of the country had been conducted. He very much feared that there existed a disposition and a settled intention to produce a state of things in England nothing short of despotism; and he was anxious to put the House on its guard on the subject. He uttered this as his unbiassed opinion. He had nothing to ask either of one side of the House or of 783 the other. He spoke merely as an honest I man representing a great and important county [Hear, hear!].