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PROTESTS OF THE LORDS.

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← 103 1021 STEGHENT

DEC 29 24

Ritter

PROTESTS.

CCCXVII.

FEBRUARY 3, 1741.

6

THE augmentation of the forces which had been agreed to in the Commons, and in the form which had been given to it by the Administration came before the Lords on the 3rd of February. It was met by an address, moved—it appears from the Secker MSS.-by the Earl of Chesterfield, who urged with great emphasis that the object of creating these eleven new regiments, with 362 commissions, was bribery at the ensuing election. The motion was as follows, That an humble address be presented to his Majesty, humbly representing to his Majesty, that this House cannot conceive the intended augmentation of land forces to be necessary, either from the present situation of affairs in Europe, or from any lights they have received; such as have always been thought necessary by our ancestors, to justify the laying any extraordinary burthens on the subject. And most humbly to beseech his Majesty, that if he should however think so great an augmentation absolutely necessary, he will, at least, be graciously pleased, as well for the present, as for the future ease of his subjects, to order it to be made in the most frugal manner, by such an addition of private men to the present regiments, as his Majesty, from his own wisdom and knowledge of the practice of most other countries, may judge to be most proper for military service, and least dangerous to this constitution.' Lord Bathurst, in supporting the address, asserted that Jacobite principles were totally eradicated. It appears, however, from the Stuart papers that the Pretender was in communication with several members of both Houses at the time. In the course of the debate, the Earl of Ilay said the expression we cannot conceive, &c.' was the most indecent and disrespectful that was ever offered to the Crown, and bade the Lords remember that they are Peers, but not forget that they are subjects. The motion was lost by 67 to 49.

It produced the following long protest.

Ist, Because we conceive that nothing less than an evident and absolute necessity should prevail with us, to consent to any augmentation of our land forces, which in our opinions are, at present, fully sufficient for any good purposes, either abroad, or at home; being very near equal to the highest establishment,

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