The National Register.
London, England, 1809-02-26 00:00:00

FRAUDULENT OFFICE, THREADNEEDLE-STREET.

• The CItANcELLou of the EYCcITEQUEn thought it would
be in the recollection of the house, that when the lion. Mem-
ber (Mr. Wardle) first brought his charge against the Duke of
York, he had mentioned that there was an office in the city, in
Thretidneedle,street, where preferments were to be obtained
through the inftueuce of the Lord Chat c 'for, the Duke of Port-
land, and, he believed, himself. lie continued, a gentle-
man accordingly had some interviews with the agents; and they
falling very readily foto the trap, he gave orders to the Solicitor
of the Treasury to supply the gentleman with any sum of money
that might be. wanted to be lodged as security at a banker':,.
The consequence was, that the transaction proceeded so far that
he parties have rendered themselves amenable to a criminal
roseention, and Me.srs. Coleman and Keeler, Mrs. Harvey, and
ganker in the city, had been indicted for the offence.
. Mr. IlirsKiSSoN stated, that Watson was the name of the
Vanker, and that he was a partner in the house of Mes3rs. Sikes,
Shaikh, and Co.

CAMPAIGN IN SPAIN.
Mr. PON' SONA, agrecably to his previous notification, ex-
patiated at largenne very ably, on the conduct of Ministers
with rirspect to Spanish Affairs. At that moment, (said Mr.
Ponsonhy) when .every other power had bowed submission
to the yoke- that country; Which France esteemed as
the firmest of her allies and Whom she deemed the most
4ubmisSive of her dependants, rose with unanimous consent
to repel the encroaching despotism, and Spain, so tong sunk
in apathy, made one last struggle to free herself from
/he usurpation of France, and applied .to this country for
assistance. No Ministers ever entered under such favourable
4ud such auspicious appearances on the .ext cation of their
pfficial tinges; party spirit was extingaished; and there was
pot to be found, throughout the country, a man who would
eipress. hut one opinion, namely, that the powers of
Lugland should be directed in the most effective manner to-
iyakds the service and assistance of the powers of Spain. But
it was their duty, before they applied the wealth or force of
their country for the prosecution of any project, to have well
understood the . real situation of Spain. Ministers were
responsible not alone for the means to be exerted fur the assist-
qnce of Spain, but also for the defence of England. They were
pot.alone responsible for the money to he expended, but they
were bound to take into their consideration the state of that
country ift relation to any other country in Europe, and to as-
certain if it was capable of resistance against the powers of
France, and in what its resources lay, And they were not to
*,eaken the means of their own country, unless they were sure
pf having the means of efferlizig the salvation of Spain. . Not-
withstanding a, British.foree found its way to Spain,. Mat:rid
flcapitulated to Joseph Bonaparte, who, a few days before, had
ed from it in disgrace. Do not these circumstances imperiously
call fur inquiry, why a British Army so applied, where it could
fie of no use to our Allies, and of no injury to our enemies, to do
nothing, bar raise what did not want to be raised, its own
eoararter for invincible bravery, Why after the Capitulation of
Nradrid to J. Bonaparte, was it deemed necessary for the British
army to advance to attack the French ? Was it in cousequenee
4, any other persons offering their interference, ordid she instrue-
tioes come from home ? Mr. Ponsonhy insisted upon the necessity
ascertql,:ing the causes which led to the countermanding of
the first retreat ; of tracing to their sources the misrepresenta-
tions made of the Spanish people ; and of obtaining returns,- as
for as possible, of the losses sustained by the British Army. Ile
pmcloded by pressing the necessity of immediate inquiry into
tite Muses, conduct, and events of the late Campaign in Spain.
front) CA;T LER 6u:ft.—Sir, why is a Committee of Inluiry
neerksary to decide upon any of the points which the Han. Gen-
tleman' has produced ''he Hon. Gentleman. has made a corn.
plaintto the "louse, that his Majesty's Ministers !lave no other
• .
oclnpation pat to keep the Tullis in the dark. I must trust,.
that the IlitifSe will never concur iii this notion of the:
116481ritbia path must doubtless he acknow-
Vti,gerr as the her Own war. The cause wag:
04( of in the fit'Sl iii;tanee, and in the first degree
!Ind of I.lll„•ritaiiii only- rela.tli,rl4; apapescea e,q • tier ~
inll%, Norap
tivag: th'af if wits in Hie power of Eligland, even by the eni-