uices of his
ancient eloquence. He admitted a case which was urged, of seven officers
on half-pay, who, being taken in actual rebellion at Preston in the year
1715, had been executed on the spot by martial law, in consequence
of the king's express order. He candidly owned, that he himself was
secretary at war at that period; that he had approved of this order, and
even transmitted it to general Carpenter, who commanded at Preston;
but now his opinion was entirely changed. He observed, that when the
forementioned rebellion first broke out, the house presented an address
to the king, desiring his majesty would be pleased to employ all
half-pay officers, and gratify them with whole pay; and, indeed, all
such officers were voted on whole pay by the house of commons. They were
afterwards apprised of this vote, by an advertisement in the Gazette,
and ordered to hold themselves in readiness to repair to such places as
should be appointed; and finally commanded to repair by such a day
to those places, on pain of being struck off the half-pay list. These
precautions would have been unnecessary, had they been deemed subject
to martial law, and the penalty for non-obedience would not have been
merely a privation of their pensions, but they would have fallen under
the punishment of death, as deserters from the service. His lordship
distinguished with great propriety and precision, between a step which
had been precipitately taken in a violent crisis, when the public was
heated with apprehension and resentment, and a solemn law concerted
at leisure, during the most profound tranquility. Notwithstanding
the spirited opposition of this nobleman, and some attempts to insert
additional clauses, the bill having undergone a few inconsiderable
amendments, passed by a very considerable majority.

BILL FOR LIMITING THE TERM OF A SOLDIER'S SERVICE.

Immediately after the mutiny-bill had passed the lower house, another
fruitless effort was made by the opposition. The danger of a standing
army, on whose virtue the constitution of Great Britain seemed to
depend, did not fail to alarm the minds of many who were zealously
attached to the liberties of their country, and gave birth to a scheme,
which if executed; would have enabled the legislature to establish a
militia that must have answered many national purposes, and acted as a
constitutional bulwark against the excesses and ambition of a military
standing force, under the immediate influ