.

_November 3._

Office at eleven to see Col. Houston.

Upon the whole the debate in the Commons was satisfactory. Peel was very
much cheered. O'Connell spoke well, and was heard in perfect silence.
Brougham made an ordinary speech; theme a bad one, violent.

There was much row in the streets yesterday; but all occasioned by attacks
upon the police, and attempts to rescue pickpockets. The Guards were called
out rather hastily. Colonel Rowan who commands the police has begged they
may be left to themselves. They are quite strong enough.

Cabinet dinner at Lord Rosslyn's. No House of Commons people there. The
Prince of Orange is come. He has written to the King, and is to see him to-
morrow. It seems there are 7,500 men in the citadel of Antwerp, which can
only hold 2,000, and has provisions only for two months. The forts of Lillo
and Liefkenshoek are ill-garrisoned; so is Breda, and so is Bergen-op-zoom.
The Dutch have not 4,000 men in the field near Breda. The question is,
whether the evacuation of the citadel of Antwerp would not be advisable for
the purpose of getting out the 7,500 men. It seems that if Flushing be
held, the Scheld is of no use. The Conference respecting Belgian affairs
meets to-morrow, Talleyrand being sole representative of France. The first
object will be to establish an armistice.

After dinner we had some conversation respecting the debate in the Commons
of last night. Peel is disgusted at not being supported by the three
Cabinet Ministers present, who knew the whole subject which had been so
often discussed in Cabinet--yet not one of them rose to answer Brougham.
The Duke is very angry with them, and says he shall take an opportunity of
advising Peel in their presence never to rise till Brougham has spoken, let
others be abused as they may. If the three mutes will not speak, it is
clear they will not remain in very long.

I consider a debate to be a battle, in which the chief should be able to
put every man into the fight, as he would every battalion, with a view to
the ultimate object; he himself being the reserve.

_November 4._

It seems Sir G. Murray did speak last night, but he went further than he
intended on Reform, and so rather damaged our position as a Government.

Office. Saw Mr. Sullivan. He seems a sensible, liberal man. His evidence
would be a death-blow to the government of the Company. He says the cotton
of Coimbatore is carried to Tinnevelly and thence to Madras b