§ On Mr. Buckingham, whose Motion relative to flogging in the army and navy stood for this evening, being called,
1230§ Mr. Ellicerose and said, that, before the hon. Gentleman proceeded to make his Motion, he wished to inform the House, that since the subject had been under discussion in the House, it had occupied the serious attention of his Majesty's Government, and that an order had been framed, he could not as yet say it had been issued, but, if not issued, no delay would take place in issuing it, restricting the practice of inflicting corporal punishment as nearly as possible to those cases specified in the Amendment moved by the hon. member for Middlesex on a former occasion, and which had been seconded by the hon. Baronet, the member for Westminster. Although he might mislead the House by stating that the Resolution in question had been couched in the very terms of the Amendment of the hon. Member; yet he believed it was nearly so; and of this he could assure the House, that his Majesty's Government were most anxious that the infliction of corporal punishment should be restricted within the utmost possible limits that were supposed to be consistent with the maintenance of discipline in the army. He hoped, therefore, under such circumstances, that the hon. Member would withdraw his Motion, and that he would not renew it during the present Session. it was most important that they should not have a discussion again upon it during the present Session, and he therefore trusted, that the hon. Member would be disposed to place confidence in his Majesty's Government, who were most anxious to do all in their power to restrain the practice in question, and that he would not renew his notice on the subject during this Session.
§ Mr. Buckinghamhad heard the statement just made by the right hon. Gentleman with very great satisfaction, and he was sure, that it would be satisfactory both to the House and to the country. To the right hon. Gentleman himself, in no small degree, was due the credit that attached to the conduct of the Government in this instance. He was willing to give a proof of the confidence which he placed in the good intentions of his Majesty's Ministers by withdrawing his Motion for the present Session, and thus giving a trial to the experiment which they proposed of reducing the amount of corporal punishment in the army. He begged, however, in doing so, to give 1231 notice, that if it should be found that the system which they now proposed did not work well, he would renew his Motion next Session for the abolition altogether of corporal punishment in the army.