THE ARMY. Dum superest aliquid, cuneti coeamus et arma, [From the Morning Chronicle.] TO LORD VISCOUNT MELVILLE. CASA MY LORD, IT T has been stated in a Morning Paper, that you declared in the House of Lords, that thoughtless profligates, men who disregard life because they are insensible to the blessings of existence, make the best soldiers." I take it for granted, that such words were never used by Your Lordship; but, I think, Your Lordship ought to have informed the public, that the statement is false. Such words, at this time, ought not to be supposed for a moment, to proceed from any man who had ever been admitted into the Council of His Majesty, because the meaning they convey, is nothing less than that he who uses them, conceives that the only purpose of an army is to establish and defend tyranny; for "thoughtless profligates" must Sever be ready and prepared to cut the throats of the 1 people, and subserve the purposes of men as profligate as themselves. When the people of England contended for their privileges, their freedom, their houses, their firesides, in the time of Charles the First, sober well-educated men joined hand in hand, and soon proved to the commanders of profligates, that men, unes high-minded men, who know their rights, and value existence and freedom, are the best soldiers. The people of England conceive, at this moment, that they have something to defend; they conceive, that if the Emperor of the French were to subdue this country, they should suffer much; but if they are to be told that they are to be governed by an army of "thoughtless profligates," it will soon become a matter of indifference difference to them, whether that army be French or English. YMSA EHT enemies, and triump and armed her sober agriculturists, she established her freedom, and -the virtuous sons of her colonies formed a glorious her 25 constitution of liberty for themselves and their chil97 dren. We do not want, my Lord, an army of proJa fligates. No, my Lord, we wish still to call our houses 919 our castles (notwithstanding the Excise laws and the TO Property-tax); they may be humble, when compared 9df with Melville Castle, but we wish them to be secure; d we wish that he who labours, should eat his bread in vas peace; we wish that the helpless should be hedged To about with the law; we wish still to have something 21 which is properly our own, and therefore we dread Pour 29visan army of profligates. It is well for us, it is well for It is well for us, it is well for bas the Throne, that if ever such language as this, so Jan falsely ascribed to Your Lordship, should be used in sdf Parliament, there will be found of the Royal Family, stagione or more, who will spurn it with indignation and -105 contempt.13 AN OLD SOLDIER. Suis MR. EDITOR, STAM not so indignant as your correspondent seems od to be respecting the sentiments of a Noble Lord on odit the new mode of recruiting the army. afgesn Things I take this to be merely another branch of the new plot system of morality which is about to be established. dddol am not therefore surprised, and, to tell you the ait truth, 1 expect greater matters than these. I should 4 not even wonder if we were to be told, that Ministers of State ought to be chosen from the most unfit, rash, low, and tricking part of the community. As to the army, I see, or think I see, some advantages attending the Noble Lord's new plan. We shall be able at all times to supply deficiencies in reginrents merely by emptying the jails, and a commission of boyer and terminer will be a very wholesome mode of increasing our disposable force. The parties to be enlisted can surely have no objection, for who would hesitate between a halter and musket, especially when told that the best qualification for the latter is badness. of character? : n: What an inviting prospect!-Thieves, robbers,highwaymen, housebreakers, footpads, and pickpockets! Who more desperate? Who more fit for modern expeditions, for attacking the helpless, and for every speciesof plunder, than men who have been regularly bred to the art, and have taken their degrees at every Court of Justice in the kingdom?: Then think of the expense saved what an instance of economy, to strike off the whole Volunteer system at one blow; for the Volunteers, being in general com-posed of the moral, decent, and respectable part of the community, must of course be very improper men to carry arms. .. We shall get rid, likewise, of the whole establishment of regimental chaplains; for it would be ridiculous to retain men as reformers of profligacy, in a service where profligacy is the only requisite. I hope, too, that the Society for distributing Bibles and religious books in the army will take a hint and dissolve themselves,, or give their books to some personswho may not be injured by them... The new corps will have peculiar advantages in captures. They are of all men most addicted to taking things, and when compelled to fly, no men have a happier knack, in eluding pursuit. Besides, they have this this grand feature of the new moralists, that where they are set upon an object, they have no scruple as to the means, and success is always a complete justification. I would not, however, wish the gentlemen of the Taw to suppose, that their occupation will be interrupted by this mode of recruiting the army from the jails. Trials must go on as before, to prevent any innocent persons from getting into the army under false pretences. None but those who are tried, cast, and condemned," must be admitted. Nor need our jailors be alarmed for their business. The longer that any of the gentry fit to serve are kept in prison, the more they will be qualified to answer the description which has lately been given of persons who alone ought to compose the armies of a nation fighting for its religion. 02.0 I am, Sir, yours, A JAIL-BIRD. 3 THE following lines were dropped in one of the apartments, during Mr. Miles Peter Andrews's splendid fête last Wednesday; and are sent to you for your insertion, by your humble servant, I Temple, 31st March. SALTPETRE. ban dw Why didst thou wish a Senator to be?" ་ ་ ་ ON THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER'S MOTION, MADE THE I 1ST APRIL 1808, ENFORCING A Certi. SINCE time out of mind, O ye Snipes, 't was the way, · Rest assur'd that the Chancellor still meant the same, THE FACETIOUS SECRETARY. [From the same, April 6.] THE public may perceive, from some late transactions, that our Ministers are not quite so happy op so secure in their places as they could wish. And as they have not been able to conceal their mortifications, they have no doubt afforded as much cause of uneasiness to their friends, as of triumph to their enemies, if there are any persons weak enough to view them in that light. It is agreed on all hands, that they do not at present repose on that bed of roses which they deft, and that while they are not indisposed to fall out with one another, they are yet more willing, if they knew how, to fall out with those who put them in. Amidst all their dilemmas, however, they have an abundant source of comfort in the wonderful facetiousness of the Foreign Secretary, who having no busi➡ ness connected with his own department, and not one power in Europe who will exchange repartees with him, has turned the whole artillery of his wit against the Opposition, and when threatened to be invaded by law, precedent, authority, and argument, makes a diversion upon the risille muscles, and a most gallant retreat in a roar of laughter. |