§ Earl Camdenpresented, in pursuance of a recent address of their lordships, accounts of the number of men raised under the provisions of the additional force act passed last session. The accounts were ordered to lie on the table, and to be printed.
Earl Darnleyobserved, that he still found it necessary to ask for further information upon this subject. He wished to know specifically, what number of men had been raised by the parishes; for which purpose he should now make a motion, to which he thought there could be no objection, for an account, distinguishing the number of men so raised by the medium of the parish officers, distinct from those raised by the ordinary means of levy. He did not wish to enter now into the general question upon the subject which he intended to bring forward on Monday next, but upon a very cursory view of the papers upon the table, he could not help observing, that he thought they completely justified the objections which were originally, made to the Addiditional Force Act, as it appeared to him, that out of the number of men raised, since the last session, very few had been obtained within the united kingdom. He should merely, however, now move for the production of the paper to which he had alluded, and he should then move that the lords be summoned for Monday, upon his motion respecting the army.
§ Earl Camdenobserved, he saw no objection to the accounts being produced, which his noble friend adverted to; but, with respect to the day upon which the intended proposition should be discussed, the same facility, in his mind, did not seem to obtain. There were, on the other hand, other papers and accounts, which, he thought, were necessary to be produced, and which it might not be practicable to get ready in due time; besides, there was a discussion of great importance 146 pending, and which, perhaps, circumstances might render it necessary to have postponed. He had rather his noble friend would fix upon another day; as, by possible contingency, that mentioned might interfere with the important discussion which he alluded to as pending.
Earl Darnleyexplained, and expressed himself desirous that no proposition coming from him should stand in the way of any other business of more importance. However, as the thing stood, he did not see what well-grounded objection could be offered to summoning their 1dps. for Monday next. He repeated some of his former observations relative to the inefficacy of parts of the act in question; and concluded by framing a motion for producing the farther accounts, as above described, which, after a few words from Earl Camden, was put and ordered accordingly.