was necessary, he could give name and habitation. He quoted another instance, where a house, which was not solvent for years to the amount of 40,000l. yet supported itself by the facility with which the Bank of England discounted its paper. It was both for the honour and the interest of the Bank of England to give this scale of its discounts. It was true our paper malady might in time be cured; but unless the cure was speedy, a convulsion might arise, which would be fatal both to our public and our private credit.

Mr. Huskisson shortly replied. After which the House divided, when there appeared

1

HOUSE OF LORDS.

MONDAY, APRIL 8.

PRINCE REGENT'S MESSAGE.-AID TO THE PORTU-
GUESE.

The Marquis Wellesley rose, and stated, that he held a Message from his Royal Highness the Prince Regent to the House of Lords, which was accordingly handed up to the Woolsack, and read by the Lord Chancellor.

"GEORGE P. R.

"The Prince Regent, in the hame and on behalf of his Majesty, having taken into his serious consideration the accounts which he has received of the severe distresses to which the inhabitants of a part of the kingdom of Portugal have been exposed in their persons and property, in consequence of the invasion of that country, and especially from the wanton and savage barbarity exercised by the French armies, in their recent retreat, which cannot fail to affect the hearts of all persons who have any sense of religion or humanity, desires to be enabled by the House of Commons to afford the suffering subjects of his Majesty's good and faithful Ally, such speedy and effectual relief as may be suitable to this interesting and afflicting occasion.

"G. P. R."

After it had been read by the Clerk, Lord Wellesley moved, that it be taken into consideration to-morrow. Ordered.

HIS MAJESTY'S HEALTH.

Earl Grosvenor rose, and observed, that there was a Council held on Saturday, according to the enactments of the Regency Bill, for making a report to the Privy Council of the state of his Majesty's health. He wished to know from the Secretary of State, or President of the Council, whether it was the intention of Ministers to produce such report to that House.

The Earl of Liverpool observed, that the Report was by the Bill directed to be sent to the Privy Council to be inscribed on its records. If the noble Earl wished it to be laid on the table of that House, his proper mode of proceeding would be to move an Address to his royal highness the Prince Regent, praying him to order the Report to be laid before them, if he thought fit.

Earl Grosvenor said, that he should move an Address to that effect to-morrow.

MILITIA ENLISTMENT BILL.

The Earl of Liverpool rose to move the second reading of the Militia Enlistment Bill. He briefly noticed the be neficial effects which had resulted from the measures that had been adopted with the view of increasing and maintaining our military force. He made some observations on different parts of the system, deeming ballot to be an advisable practice, but to be resorted to as sparingly as possible.

The Earl of Rosslyn argued at some length against the principles of the Bill, which went to impair and ruin the Militia system, and to destroy that admirable and useful plan which the late Mr. Windham proposed, and which Parliament enacted during the last Administration; a plan which, during the first six months, produced no less than 11,608 men, and somewhat less the next six months.When that Administration was removed, that favourite plan of Mr. Windham's, which was, indeed, a great boon to the country, was transferred from the hands of its parents into those of its most deadly foes. They immediately endeavoured to obstruct it, and they had systematically continued their exertions for that end. The present scheme

was evidently defective on the face of it; as, in the supply it provided, it fell short by 2000 of the numbers wanted to keep up the army. The present state of our military affairs did not make it appear, that fewer men would be wanted than for the last few years.

Lord Viscount Sidmouth was a sincere friend to Mr. Windham's plan, and thought it ought to be adhered to.Rather, however, than have it adulterated by the present mixed conditions of service, he would go back to the original mode and terms of recruiting. It was only the indispensable necessity of bringing up the numbers of the army with the least possible delay, that operated on his mind in voting for this measure. His Lordship recommended to the attention of Government the establishing of an interchange of Militias of Great Britain and Ireland.

Lord Holland felt deep regret at the clause in the Bill, which went to complete the system of breaking in on the mode of enlistment for limited service, and which would, perhaps, prove its death-blow. That clause should not have his vote. It was not merely á temporary, but was intended as a permanent measure. It was to him, melancholy to reflect, that after all the imagery that had been lavished upón this subject by the late Mr. Windham-after all the pains and trouble of years which he had taken-after encountering difficulties and obloquy-after his final success-after but a short experience of the effects of his Bill, but though short, eminently successful-that after all the benefits likely to accrue from its continuance, it was, he repeated, melancholy to reflect, that the measure should be overturned by side-winds in temporary Bills, and this permanent Bill effectually done away. That measure, founded in true wisdom, was, till interfered with, progressively manifesting its utility. He remembered, when the alterations were first introduced, how the author of it was treated. He was hardly permitted to know his own intentions, and was told that the option proposed was in conformity with his owa principles.

The Earl of Liverpool spoke shortly in reply. He ob served, it could not be denied that the competition between the Militia bounties and those of the regular Army must necessarily affect the market for recruits. This was an evil which could not be avoided. But the question was, whether more men were not raised in the two ways, than could be obtained if the regular recruiting was alone in ope

ration. He thought that the present measure would produce that effect; and besides, there was this peculiar advantage attending it-that it was not intended to have recourse to the Militia ballot for two years to come, which would leave the regular recruiting in full operation for that period.

Lord Sidmouth wished merely to notice, in explanation, that the annual waste of the army was 25,000; there were raised by recruiting, and for the foreign corps, 13,000; and it was now proposed to recruit 10,000 from the Militia, which would exactly balance the annual waste.

The House then went into the Committee on the Bill, which was gone through, and ordered to be read a third time to-morrow.—Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

MONDAY, APRIL 8.

PRINCE REGENT'S MESSAGE.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer presented a Message from the Regent to the same effect as that delivered to the Lords.

HIS MAJESTY'S HEALTH.

Mr. Whitbread wished to know from the right honourable gentleman (Mr. Perceval), whether it was his intention to lay before the House any communication on the state of bis Majesty's health. By the Act which had been passed, a communication of this sort was required to have been made to the President of the Privy Council.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer said, that he had no objection to such a communication being laid before the House, although he had not intended to do it.

Mr. Whitbread then moved "an humble Address to the Prince Regent, praying that he would be graciously pleased to order a copy to be laid before the House of the Commu nication made by her Majesty's Council to the Privy Coun cil, with respect to his Majesty's state of health."

The Chancellor of the Exchequer said, that as he did not mean to object to the communication being laid before the House, he would not now object to the motion on account of its having been made without any previous notice. He

thought, however, that the honourable gentleman would have treated the House with more respect, if he had given notice of his motion, especially as it was for a communication, which, whether it was made to the House a day sooner, or a day later, could be of no consequence. He would not, however, place either the House or himself in the disagreeable situation of opposing the motion.

Mr. Whitbread said, that if he had brought forward his motion without notice, the right honourable gentleman had distinctly stated that he did not mean to oppose it. He must, however, remind the right hon. gentleman, that, at the time he made the regulation about orders and notices, he (Mr. Whitbread) had expressly stated, that he never would again conceive himself bound in delicacy to give any notice of a motion, but that he meant to assert the right be had, as a Member of that House, to bring forward a motion whenever he judged proper.

The motion of Mr. Whitbread was then put, and agreed to.

COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY.

Upon the question being put for the House resolving itself into a Committee of Supply,

Mr. Whitbread asked the right honourable gentleman (Mr. Perceval), whether he had made up his mind as to the sum that he intended to propose on Wednesday, for the relief of the Portuguese.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer answered, one hundred. thousand pounds.

Lord Folkestone said, that he had some observations to submit to the House on a matter which appeared to him of great importance. He considered it as undoubtedly the privilege of every Member, whenever a question of Supply came before the House, to make any statement that appeared to him to be in any way connected with the subject. This was a very valuable privilege, which he thought the present was a proper time to exercise. The subject to which he thought it necessary to call the attention of the House was the scarcity of small coin, which serves as fractional parts of a pound note. Every member of that House knew the difficulty that there was in getting change in London; and he had been informed by letters, that the diffi culty was still greater in the country. He had been informed, that at a fair there was no possibility of getting