House of Commons
Tuesday, April 17 1804
Minutes
Mr. Seccretary Yorke brought up a list of the farther regiments and companies of the militia in Ireland that had volunteered their services to the United Kingdom.—Mr. Vansittart moved, that there be laid before the house the accounts of the charges on the consolidated fund. Ordered.—A person from the office of the chief Sec. of Ireland presented an account of the Treasury bills outstanding for Ireland, on the 1st of Jan. 1804.—Mr. Ormesby brought up the report of the Dublin police bill, which was ordered to be engrossed.—The Sec. at War brought up the army estimates, which were ordered to lie on the table, and to be taken into consideration on Monday next.
Militia Officers
moved the order of the day for the 2d reading of the militia officers' completion bill. On the question being put,
objected to the measure, on the pound that it was the revival of a former act from which no benefit had been experienced. If it could be shewn that more officers had been raised for the militia by the operation of that act in suspending the qualifications constitutionally required of officers entering the militia than previously to that act, he should have no objection to its renewal; but if otherwise, he thought it very improper upon slight grounds to depart from the constitutional principles of the militia system. He objected also to the bill as it contained no clause to indemnify those who have received commissions in the militia under the operation of the former act, and who being unqualified, are liable to fines since the 25th of March last, when the act expired.—The bill was then read a second time, and ordered to be committed.