the part of Ireland. There was not one article of British manufacture that was not fubject to this export duty. Her woollen manufactures, her glafs, her hardware, her pottery, all were fubject to this duty, except only cotton, and there the export duty was commuted into a duty on the import on the raw material. There was not a fingle article ufed in the British manufacture of linen that was not taxed on importation, except flax: afhes paid a duty on importation into England-they were imported duty free into Ireland; barilla paid a duty on importation into England—it was imported duty free into Ireland; brimftone paid a duty on importation into England, while it was imported duty free into Ireland; and fo through every article ufed in the manufacture of linen: every one of them paid a duty on their importation into England, and every one of them was imported duty free into Ireland. These were the advantages which the Irish linen manufacture poffeffed over the Englith one; and in addition to this, the right hon. Gentleman now proposed that when English and Irish linens were exported in the fame ship to the fame market, the English linen fhould pay 4 per cent. and the Irith linen should be exported duty free. He asked could this be contended upon any principle of juftice? He was forry to be obliged to make this ftatement, but the right hon. Gentleman forced him to do it. The right hon. Gentleman faid that the perfons concerned in the linen trade objected to this meafure; but it was not natural that the perfons engaged in the trade should view the fubject in fo extensive a manner as Parliament. He meant not to accufe or speak with the flightett difrefpect of the perfons engaged in the linen trade of Ireland; he knew they were intelligent, liberal, loyal men, and he was convinced they would not object to a burthen which was neceffary to maintain a contest with an enemy, whose object was the deftruction of the trade, independence, and happinefs of both countries. The right hon." Gentleman had endeavoured to hold him out as the first perfon who proposed a duty on the export of linen. It was not he that had done it, it was the neceffity of the empire, it was the preffure of circumftances that rendered these measures neceffary in both countries. It was not therefore right to hold up any individual, or even Parliament to cenfure, for doing that which could not be avoided, and which was neceffary for the falvation of the empire. With regard to the objections which the right hon. Gentleman had made refpe&ing foreign herrings and hops, he had VOL. II. 1803·4.. before

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before anfwered them. Upon the whole, therefore, he contended, that by voting thefe duties in the manner he had propofed, the interests of the Crown would be more effectually provided for, the public creditor would obtain greater fecurity, and the manufacturer would have as ample means of obtaining redress as if the duties were voted annually.

taxes.

Mr. Burroughs agreed with the right hon. Gentleman who moved the amendment, as to the propriety of allowing time to the Irish merchants, and other perfons interested, to inquire into and communicate their opinions upon the different This was the more neceffary as the schedule of those taxes was only printed and delivered on Tuesday laft, fince when even the Members of that Houfe had fearce had time to examine it. The general principle laid down by the right hon. Gentleman on the Treafury B nch, as to the justice of equal taxation upon the fame manufactures of both countries, he did not mean to difpute; but as it appeared to him, the question to confider was, how far the peculiar ftate of the manufacture in each country would juftify the House in acting upon fuch principle; and here it was material to be recollected that linen was the ftaple trade of Ireland.

Mr. Corry faid, that the fchedule of the taxes laid before Parliament laft feffion was very generally circulated among the merchants in Ireland; but he was ready to admit that there was fome difference between that and the schedule now before the Committee.

Lord Castlereagh recommended, that time should be taken to examine and compare the schedule now before the Committee with that of last year, which his right hon. Friend had ftated to have been circulated among the perfons interested in the taxes referred to; and if any fubftantial difference should be found to exift, he was fure that his right hon. Friend would be as unwilling as any Member of the House, to prefs the adoption of the bill until the Irish merchants should have full opportunity to canvas the merits, and to ftate their opinions upon every part of the fchedule: at the fame time he begged to call to the recollection of Gentlemen, that three years had now nearly elapfed fince it was known to be in contemplation to render thofe taxes perpetual, that is to fay, to affimilate the concerns of the Irish revenue to the practice which prevailed in this country; and to the foundness of the principle, he conceived, no objection could be offered, for either the propofed annual review of thofe taxes must be a

mere

mere parade, or the public creditor must be, in a great meafure, infecure. The noble Lord then moved, that the chairman should be directed to report progrefs, and ask leave to fit again.

Mr. G. Panfonby expreffed his hope that that poftponement was a prelude to the abandonment altogether of this obnoxious plan of taxation.

Mr. Fox faid, that if it was intended to render those taxes perpetual, notwithstanding all that had been urged to the contrary, the Houle might as well come to a vote on the fubject that night; but if the propofed delay was merely a temporary retreat from a conviction that it would be more decorous to give apparent time for the confideration of the schedule, and that the time of the Houfe was meant to be again occupied with the fame difcuffion, he could not forbear to condemn fuch an expedient.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer obferved, that no Gentleman was entitled to affume from any thing that had fallen from his noble Friend, that it was at all intended to abandon the proposed affimilation of the mode of taxation in Ireland, with that which exifted in this country. The only delay propofed in the progrefs of the meafure was until the next day, and the only motive of that delay was to give an opportunity to his right hon. Friend (Mr. Corry) to compare the two schedules for the purpofe defcribed by his noble Friend.

Mr. John Latouche preffed ftrongly for further time, from fenfe of duty to a great proportion of his conftituents, the merchants of Dublin, who were particularly interested, and whofe opinion ought to be confulted before fuch a bill were fuffered to pafs the Houfe.

The motion was agreed to that the chairman fhould report progrefs, and afk leave to fit again the next day. The Houfe refumed, and the chairman obtained leave accordingly.

VOLUNTEER REGULATIONS BILL.

The Houfe having refolved itself into a Committee on the volunteer bill,

Mr. Secretary Yorke, after propofing feveral verbal amendments, which were agreed to, called the attention of the Committee to an amended claufe, with refpect to the power to be given to commanding officers to difmifs any of the members of their refpective corps. No law upon the fubje had, he faid, given them that power, but that they pof

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felfed

feffed it there could be no doubt. A commanding officer had the command of the mufter roll, and could flrike out whom he pleased. He propofed, however, that no commanding officer thould poffefs this power, when the corps he commands are called out into actual fervice in cafe of invasion, or the appearance of invafion, as in that cafe the volunteers would be placed in the fame fituation as regular regiments, the public would have an intereft in their fervices, and no commanding officer ought to pollefs the power of difmiffing any one of thein. He alfo intended to propofe that this power in a commanding officer of a volunteer corps should be limited. He certainly thought that the exercife of this power ought not to be left to the caprice of a commanding officer, and he therefore confidered it neceffary to state some of the cafes in which that authority should be used, such as difobedience of orders, mifconduct whilft under arms, neglect of attendance, &c. adding likewife, or for any other fufficient caufe at the difcretion of fuch commanding officer. He was extremely averfe to the establishment of any court of appeal upon this fubject, because he did not with to fetter commanding officers of corps; but at the fame time he thought it neceffary that a door fhould be left open, by means of a provifion, leaving it in the difcretion of his Majesty to inflitute, through the medium of the Lord Lieutenant, a court of inquiry with respect to the difmiffion of any volunteer. It was likewife his intention to propofe, that where any rules or regulations for the government of the corps had been acceded to by his Majefty, nothing in this claufe contained fhould tend to abrogate thofe rules or regulations

On the fuggeftion of Mr. Sturges Bourne, words were inferted to prevent the power of difmiffion entrusted to the commanders of corps extending to any commiffioned officer.

Mr. Fox thought, that the claufe went to give a power to commanding officers of corps, which ought not to be intrufted to any man. Volunteers, it was well known, were entitled to certan exemptions: power was here given to a commanding officer to deprive a perfon on a fudden of all thefe exemptions; and not only that, but in cafe a volunteer was drawn (as he might be), and fet afide in the lift provided for that purpofe, it would be giving a power to the commanding officer to fend that man immediately into the militia or army of referve. It might be faid, that fuch a power would not be abufed; but confidering the number of volunteer corps in the country, they ought not to rely upon

fuch

fuch a fuppofition; on the contrary, they were juftified in fuppofing that private enmity might operate in fome cafes to drive a man from the ranks. As to the idea of a court of inquiry, it was fcarcely to be fuppofed, that a man thus difmilled could have fufficient influence to obtain a court of inquiry upon his commanding officer.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer agreed with the hon. Gentleman, that the claufe went to give a very confiderable power to a commanding officer, and yet, after confidering the subject, he was fatisfied that fuch a power could not. with propriety or fafety, be lodged elfewhere. He thould not, however, have confented to that claufe, if there had been no provifion for a court of inquiry. It had been faid by the hon. Gentleman, that an individual difmiffed had little chance of obtaining redress, but it was one of the happinesses attending this country, that injuftice could not be inflicted on the meanest individual, without his being able to obtain redrefs. A great number of the volunteers were enrolled in detached companies, to each of which there were no more than three officers; if an act of injuftice, therefore, was alleged against one of thofe officers, a court of inquiry, which ought to confit of three officers, could not be held in that company, whilst the members of it might probably object to being judged by the officers of another company: the only remedy remaining therefore was to leave in the hands of the Lord Lieutenant, the power of inftituting a court of inquiry with refpect to cafes of alleged injuftice in the difmiflion of volunteers.

Mr. Ward thought the amendment of "other good caufes" rendered the fpecifications which preceded them altogether fuperfluous.

Lord Caftlere gh confidered the mode of appeal propofed the best that offered. As to the principle of allowing commanding officers of volunteer corps the power of difcharging their men, the colonels of all the regiments in the army had a fimilar power, and it was effential to military difcipline that fuch a power thould be vested in them. If a volunteer commander fhould difcharge a man without juft reason, such man could have his redrefs.

Mr. Fox begged to fet the noble Lord right. The colonels of regiments had not the power, of their own fole will, to discharge their men without any previous trial or court of inquiry; at leaft it was a power that was never known to be exercifed. The claufe before the Committee, therefore,

propofed