tution, and subjected to rigorous laws, from which every other
individual is exempt.

The principal of these laws, which all the rest are intended to enforce,
requires from every soldier an unlimited and absolute obedience to the
commands of his officers, who hold their commission, and expect
advancement, by the same compliance with the orders of the ministry.

The danger of adding to the number of men, thus separated from their
fellow-subjects, and directed by the arbitrary determinations of their
officers, has been often explained with great strength and perspicuity;
nor should I have taken this occasion of recalling it to the attention
of the house, but that I think it a consideration, to which, in all
debates on the army, the first regard ought to be paid.

Colonel MORDAUNT spoke to the purpose following:--Sir, the objection
which the honourable gentleman has raised, will be most easily removed,
by considering the words of the act by which the military authority is
established, where it is by no means declared, that either officers or
soldiers are obliged indiscriminately to obey all the orders which they
shall receive, but that they shall, on pain of the punishments there
enacted, obey all the _lawful_ orders of their commanders.

The obedience, therefore, sir, required from a soldier, is an obedience
according to law, like that of any other Briton, unless it can be
imagined that the word _lawful_ is, in that place, without a meaning.
Nor does his condition differ from that of his fellow-subjects by an
exemption from any law, but by a greater number of duties, and stricter
obligations to the performance of them; and I am not able to conceive
how our constitution can be endangered by augmenting an army, which, as
it can only act in conformity to it, can act only in defence of it.

[The question at last was put, that the new-raised troops be
incorporated into the standing corps, but it passed in the negative, 232
to 166.]

HOUSE OF LORDS, DEC. 9, 1740.

DEBATE ON TAKING THE STATE OF THE ARMY INTO CONSIDERATION.

The duke of ARGYLE rose first, and spoke to the following effect:--My
lords, as the present situation of our affairs may require an
augmentation of our forces, and as the success of our arms, and the
preservation of our liberties, may equally depend upon the manner in
which the new forces shall be raised, there is, in my opinion, no
question more worthy the attention of this august assembly, t