B.—Debate on the Expedition.
Source.—Diary of Lord Colchester, 1861. Vol. ii., p. 243.
[March] 30th.—House of Commons. Resumed Walcheren debate. At four in the morning divided four times.
I. To censure the policy, 227; against it, 275.
II. To justify it, 272; against it, 232.
III. To censure the retention, 224; against the censure, 275.
IV. To excuse the delay in evacuating it, 253; against that, 232.
Adjourned after seven o’clock.
The second division, the largest in this Parliament except that of June 1807, upon the address of the change of Ministry.
N.B.—It was the general opinion that the only resolution upon this business which was indisputably untrue was the unanimous vote that the failure was not imputable to any misconduct of the officers by sea or land.