LOCAL MILITIA BILL. (Hansard, 7 June 1815)

Lord St. John
rose, to state some observations and doubts with respect to this Bill, at the same time declaring, that nothing could be further from his intentions than to throw any difficulty in the way of the measures of defence and vigorous prosecution of the war which Government might find it necessary to adopt at the present crisis. The local militia had been found, he believed, a most valuable and efficient domestic military; which was in no small degree owing to the zeal and alacrity with which gentlemen of counties came forward as officers to assist in bringing this species of force to the utmost perfection of which it was susceptible, for the purpose of defending their own property and that of others. Nothing could be more impolitic, therefore, than to do any thing that might disgust these officers. But last year a part of this force had been? called out for the purpose of enabling the men to volunteer their services for forty-two days out of their counties, a bounty of one guinea being given to each man so volunteering. While this volunteering continued, the regiments were in a state of the greatest derangement, and scenes of riot and drunkenness were permitted, subversive of military discipline, and not very creditable to the service itself. He spoke from his own experience, having commanded a regiment of local militia, in 654 which these scenes had been exhibited to a very considerable extent. These things were apt to disgust the officers, and it was on this ground that he had doubts as to the policy of calling out the local militia for the purposes of this volunteering. He recollected also, that doubts had then been entertained whether Government had a right under the Act lo call out the local militia for this species of volunteering; the Act only giving power to call them, out for the purposes of exercise, or in case of invasion. He again repeated, that it was not his object to throw any obstructions in the way of the military exertions now making.

Lord Rolle
stated, that he himself marched into a place which he named, at the head of a thousand men, called out for the purpose of this volunteering, and that all the officers had encouraged the volunteering to the utmost of their power. The men at first thought there was some trick in it, but afterwards they were satisfied, and volunteered cheerfully.

§ Viscount Sidmouth
said, that nothing could be more fair and candid than the manner in which the noble lord had stated his objections to this Bill, or rather his doubts and observations upon it. He admitted that every thing ought to be avoided, if possible, which could give offence or disgust to the officers of this valuable species of force. Nothing could exceed the zeal and alacrity with which, the gentlemen of the country had come forward in behalf of their country, and the exertions which all of them made to promote the views of Government in this particular. Their lordships had to consider first, whether the same occasion now existed for this measure as had existed when it was before resorted to; and if they thought that an equally pressing occasion did exist, they had then decided, in a great measure, on the principle of this Bill: that an equally pressing occasion did exist he was sure their lordships would feel, and therefore he need say nothing further on that point. The reasons which induced Government to have recourse to a measure of this kind, for it was not exactly the same as this, at a former period was this:—In order to procure a large supply for the disposeable force of the country, it had been thought expedient to allow a volunteering from the regular militia into the line to an amount of about one-half of the whole number of the militia. The militia amounted to 655 70,000 men, and it was expected that about 30,000 men might be procured for the army. This, however, would trench materially on the domestic force; and as it was intended, if possible, to avoid the mode of filling up of the regular militia by ballot, it was resolved to invite a certain portion of the local militia to volunteer their services beyond their counties for 42 days. By this means 17,000 men had been induced to volunteer, and therefore the expedient in a great degree, though not to the full extent, had answered the purpose. It was true that a notion had spread among the men, that if they accepted the bounty of a guinea, they would be liable to serve for an indefinite time, and in any part of the country, instead of being limited to the adjoining counties: but they must now have been satisfied by the fact that such a notion was erroneous. With respect to the present measure, the militia had, at the conclusion of the late peace, been in a great measure disembodied. In calling them out again, it was desirable to avoid the inconveniencies and personal vexations of the ballot, if it was possible to avoid it. He had now to state, that great progress had been made in raising them by beat of drum, and it was hoped that the mode of ballot might be avoided. But this mode of raising the men by beat of drum must take up some time, the duration of which could not be exactly calculated; and, therefore, it had been thought expedient that Government should be empowered, in case of necessity, to accept the services of a portion of the local militia out of their own counties. The service was to be only for 28 days instead of 42 days, as in the former act, and it was not intended actually to resort to the measure unless it should be found necessary. Under these circumstances, he trusted their lordships would think it expedient that the Government should have the power to accept of these services in the manner in which it was modified. The masters would feel much less inconvenience in sparing the services of their servants for the 28 days, than they must have felt when deprived of them for 42 days.

Lord St. John
requested some explanation as to the power of Government under the act to call them out for this purpose of volunteering.

§ Viscount Sidmouth
said, that Government had the power to call the men out 656 for exercise, or in case of invasion; and the law officers of the Crown had given it as their opinion, that when called out, their services in this way might be accepted.