as in private life, so in
political economy, the demands of necessity are easily supplied; but if
once the calls of wantonness and caprice are complied with, no limits
can be fixed, nor will any treasure be sufficient.

Whether the burdens under which the people are now toiling were all
imposed by necessity, I will not inquire, but I think, my lords, we may
readily determine, that whatever is not necessary is cruel and
oppressive, and that, therefore, since the expense of raising new
regiments appears, at least, not to be necessary, it ought to be
opposed; and how can it be opposed more properly or effectually than by
the noble duke's resolution?

Lord HERVEY spoke to this effect:--My lords, I do not claim any
superiority of knowledge in any affairs that relate to the publick, but
have less acquaintance with the military establishment than with any
other part of the government, and can, therefore, neither oppose the
resolution now offered to your lordships by such arguments as may
deserve your attention, nor agree to it with that degree of conviction
which the importance of it seems to require.

That the chief argument which has been produced against raising new
regiments, is less formidable than it has been represented, will, I
believe, appear to your lordships, when it is considered that the
officers are always gentlemen of the first families in the empire, who,
therefore, cannot be supposed voluntarily to give up their relations and
posterity to the power of any ministry, or, for the sake of their
commissions, to betray that constitution by which their own properties
are secured.

Whether every other argument may not with equal justice be controverted,
is not, without longer consideration, possible to be determined, and,
therefore, it cannot be reasonably expected that we should agree to the
resolution, which would be only to decide without examination, and to
determine what we don't understand; for I am under no apprehension of
being imagined to reflect unjustly on this assembly, in supposing that
many of your lordships may be strangers to the question, which, when the
last levies were made, was neither discussed nor proposed.

I therefore move, that the previous question may be put, which may,
perhaps, gain time sufficient for a more exact inquiry upon this
important subject.

Lord TALBOT replied to this purport:--My lords, if, in imitation of some
noble lords, I profess my ignorance of the subject on which