The National Register.
London, England, 1809-01-29 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

the honour to belong. The names of Moore, Hope, Ferguson,
&c. u ere now to be added to it. Reflecting on British merit,
he felt the cash in his pocket grow harder and heavier. There
could he no risk if able men conducted the national affairs.
Lord %VESTMO aLA N n replied in support of Ministers ; after
sc hieh the different Motion of Thanks were agreed to nem. dissent.
—Adjourned.

THVItSDAY, J.LN. 26.
Gregson's Divorce Bill was read a first time, and Lord Bor-
ingdon's and Campbell's a second time.

OVERTUTIES FROM ERFURTII.

The Earl of LI v rts Moot. rose for the purpose of moving an
Address of Thanks to his Majesty, for having communicated
the papers on the table. He was not aware that arty objections
would be made to the conduct of Ministers, in having received
the overtures from Russia and France in the manner they did.
His Majesty's Ministers, however, had laid it down as a prin-
ciple of their government to meet any fair proposition of
toe enemy, at any period of the war, with a frank and
ready answer. The relations that had lately taken place be-
tween his Majesty and the Spanish Government were uo secret
to France and Russia. His Majesty demanded to kuow it Spain
would be admitted as a party. What was the answer? Why,
the loyal population of Spain, fighting for the legitimate am-
narchy, the independence of their country, and every thing dear
to man, are stigmatised by the odious epithet " the Spanish In-
surgents;" and all pretensions, either for them or from them, to
become a party in the negaciatiou, scoffed at and ridiculed..
Under these circumstances, he could not conceive there could be
any difference of opinion respecting the line of policy which his
Majesty's Ministers ought to have pursued. They rejected the
proffered negotiation. His Lordship concluded with express-.
ing his deep regret that the Emperor of Russia could have
returned such an answer as he had to the communication front
our Government, and that he should have so far lent himself to
the passions and designs of France. His Lordship then read the
Address, towards the conclusion of which the wnrfnest approba-
tion was expressed of the conduct of Government, in basing re-
fused to treat unless Spaiu should be admitted as a party to the
negot
Lord t tt ISSI VI LLE said, he had before stated and he would
onw state again, that peace was not to be expected under the
circumstances in which that overture was made. The posses•
sion of Spain was of vita! importance to Bonaparte. It was,
perhaps, the greatest interest for which he bad ever contended.
Ile knew that two months would put Into his power that
country which Ministers wished to make a subject of negotia-
tion„knd was it then to be expected that IP; would give away,
by a stroke of the pen, that which remainded to he decided by
the force of arms ? He did not find fault with Ministers for not
abandoning the cause of Spain. but for having put themselves in
a situation not to be able to negotiate w it bout bringing in Spain.
Lord Elmo N. His Lorthhip could no! agree with the Noble
I3aron who spoke last, that Ministers should have considered
the Spanish cause as one of absolnte despair from the commence-
ment—that it was a struggle which could not possibly last above
two months. It was obvious, from the answer of both France and
Russia, that whatever peace might be made between them and
England,
d, Spain was to he surrendered to the former. and he
therefore thought the wisest, the most just, and magnanimous
policy on the part of England, was $o put an end to the negotia-
tion as soon as possible.
Viscount S wino UTII rejoiced that there was 130 sacrifice which
the country would not rather make than consent to abandon
Spain to the most foul usurpation that ever polluted the pages.
a history.
The Address was carried nent. con. and the House adjonrned.

110UbE OF COMMONS.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 21'.

A new writ was ordeteil for the election of a member for the
County of Kilkenny, in the room of the lion. Charles Butler,
who has accepted of the Chiltern Hundreds.

COMMITTEE OF PUBLIC EXPENDITURE.

The CH A NCELLOR of the,EXCHEQUER said it was a matter
of notoriety, mentioned by the Ch,►irman that their Reports
were very much retarded by the protracted discussions of the
Nembers who compOsed the Committee, a xi entertained con-
Way o}►iuious upuu the objects comtaitteds o their cousidera•

JAN. 29.

tion. The Committee which had been formerly appointed,
whereof Mr. flanks was Chairman, consisted of 25 Members,
and had been selected indiscriminately froni both Ades of the
house; he wished to reduce the number to 15, but by no means
to exclude those Members whose political opinions differed
from those of himself and of his friends. He, however,
felt it somewhat invidious to mention the names of such Mem-
bers as should be excluded from the Committee. The names he
wished to form the new Committee were the following :

Mr. Banks,
Mr. Hawkins Browie, Mr. Leslie,
Lord Henry Petty, Mr. Henry Thornton,
Mr. Grattan Mr. Calvert,
Mr. Dennisilrowne, Mr. P. Carew,
Mr. Diddulph, Mr. Wynne,
Mr. Ellison. Mr. Leycester,
Mr. Brogden, Mr. Jodderill,
On the question being put by the SrE Ktn,
Mr. BANKS said from the manner in «bich it would be corn-
posed, be did not conceive that its labours would give any sa..
tisfactiots to the public, and he should therefore decline having
any concern iu it.
Mr. PETER MOORE said, the establishment of the Com-
mittee had been a mere farce to delude the people, and its re.
commendations had never been attended to. In one report. a
suggestion.was made relative to an arrangement with the Bank
'of England which would save the country 200,000/. but by its
out having been followed up, the country was made to make the
sum up. In another report it was stated, that large sums of
,enouey bad passed through the bands of a :‘lr. Thomas Steele,
formerly a Member of that House, and that he had appropri-
ated 19.1001. to his own use from the public money, yet no steps
had been taken to recover it, or punish the delinquent, as ougiit
to have been done by the Attorney Gelieral. He said that he
.could prove that large sums of money, which were raised upon
the people, never came into the Exchequer at all, and he pro-
' mised to make it a subject of parliamentary investigation tin a
future occasion.
Lord HENRY PET'S If said, that he felt it his duty likewise

to take no part in the Committee.
- Mr. C. LONG said to them we were indebted for the. dimimi
tion of the Bank charges on the management of the funds ; be-
sides he could say, that all the regulations recommended by the
Committee had been adopted in the Pay Office; and he had
brought in a Bill last Session for the very purpose of enforcing
such of their suggestions as required legislative interference.
Every thing suggested with regard to that department had been
carried into etfect (Here 111 r. Moore asked, was Mr. Steele
prosecuted?) The Committee had not recommended any such
prosecution, they had only stated the facts; neither was it his
business to prosecute Mr. Steele. He could say, however, that
the whole of the money for which Mr. Steele was accountable,
had been repaid with interest.
Mr. Cit env Ks, observed, that that Gentleman had been de-
tected in the very fact of helping himself to about 15,000/. of
the public money ; and yet be was still continued a Privy Coun-
sellor, and had a sinecure of &opt 12 to 15001. a year. (hear !
hear !) Was this following up the recommendation of the Cora-
mittee ?
On the question being put on the List of Names for the Com.
mittee. Mr. Wit.n Elt ro RCE moved au adjournment.
Oa the division there appeared, against the adjournment,
121—For it, 62.
Another division took place on the appointment of Mr. Banker
as Chairman. for it, Ilia--Against it, 47.

WEDNMSDAY, JAN. 259

INSOLVENT DEBTORS.

. _
Sir THOMAS TURTON presented a petition signet by 2fil prk
soners in the King's Bench. The Petition was received,, read,.
and ordered to lie-on the table.
MONUMENT TO SIR J. IoIOOILE, AND THANKS TO TTIE CON•
• QUENLORS AT CORUN N. A.
Lord C ASTT.En EiGir said wehad to lament the fall of an indivi-
dual, whose death, from his distinguished-character, his military
exploits, his time of life, and his promise of future excel-
lence, was to be lamented as one of the gireatest national ca-
lamities ( Ilear 1. hear I) It was in some degree satisfactory
to know, that though wounded, and sensible of his approaching
dissolution, he retained his mental possession and strength to the
last ; that. he was .able to follow up the transaction he had•ss
ably planned to its close, and to learn that it liad been attended.