sly, to establish a similarity between the enquiry proposed by
Mr Roebuck and the enquiry in a Committee of the whole House into the
conduct of the Walcheren Expedition when the operation was over and
the Army had returned to England. Mr Vernon Smith declared that his
confidence in the Government had been confined to three Members--Lord
Lansdowne, Lord John Russell, and Lord Palmerston--and that it was
greatly diminished by the retirement of Lord John Russell. Colonel
Sibthorp,[9] Sir John Fitzgerald, and Mr Knightley[10] followed, and
Mr Disraeli having said that his side of the House required that the
Debate should be adjourned, an adjournment to Monday was agreed to;
but Viscount Palmerston, in consenting to the adjournment, expressed a
strong hope that the Debate would not be protracted beyond that night.

Viscount Palmerston regrets to say that the general aspect of the
House was not very encouraging.

[Footnote 7: His first letter to the Queen as Leader of the
House of Commons.]

[Footnote 8: M.P. for West Surrey.]

[Footnote 9: Sibthorp, whose name is almost forgotten, earned
some fame as an opponent of the Exhibition of 1851, and
remained faithful to Protection, after Lord Derby and his
party had dropped it. His beard, his eye-glass, and his
clothes were a constant subject for the pencil of Leech.]

[Footnote 10: Mr (afterwards Sir) Reginald Knightley, M.P. for
South Northamptonshire, 1852-1892. In the latter year he was
created Lord Knightley of Fawsley.]

[Pageheading: THE DEBATE]

_The Earl of Aberdeen to Queen Victoria._

LONDON, _27th January 1855._

Lord Aberdeen presents his humble duty to your Majesty. It is probable
that your Majesty may have heard from Lord Palmerston some account
of the debate in the House of Commons last night; but perhaps your
Majesty may not object to learn the impressions which Lord Aberdeen
has received on the present state of affairs both in and out of the
House.

There can be no doubt that Lord John Russell has injured his position
by the course which he has pursued. His own friends having remained in
the Cabinet, is his practical condemnation. He made a very elaborate
and dexterous statement; but which, although very plausible, did not
produce a good effect. It had been decided that he should be followed
by Mr Gladstone, who was in full possession of the subject; but at the
Cabinet yesterday held before the meeti