37, which was a rebuke to Lord Palmerston's policies. However, the House of Commons did not proceed as the Lords. The MP for Sheffield, John Arthur Roebuck, an independent and sometimes contrarian member, proposed to reverse this condemnation, by stating "That the principles on which the foreign policy of Her Majesty's Government have been regulated have been such as were calculated to maintain the honour and dignity of this country; and in times of unexampled difficulty, to preserve peace between England and the various nations of the world." A debate ensued, which lasted four nights. Palmerston delivered a famous five-hour speech in which he sought to vindicate not only his claims on the Greek government for Don Pacifico, but his entire administration of foreign affairs. "As the Roman, in days of old, held himself free from indignity, when he could say, Civis Romanus sum, so also a British subject, in whatever land he may be, shall feel confident that the watchful eye and the strong arm of England will protect him from injustice and wrong." He was answered by Sir Robert Peel, in what turned out to be his last speech to the Commons, and by W. E. Gladstone. The Government won the motion by 310 to 264, a majority of forty-six, in favour of Palmerston's conduct of foreign affairs. Pacifico's settlement The claims of the British Government were settled by a Convention, agreed between Her Britannic Majesty and His Hellenic Majesty on July 18, 1850. The King agreed to make good to Pacifico any real injury which could be proved, after a full and fair investigation. Don Pacifico's outstanding claims were submitted to a special Commission, composed of the French, British and Greek ministers in Lisbon. The Commissioners met in Lisbon in February 1851. The Commission discovered in the archives of the Cortes at Lisbon a petition addressed by Pacifico to the Cortes in 1839, accompanied by voluminous documents to prove his claims. The claims had yet to be addressed by the Cortes. The Commission awarded Pacifico the sum of £150, owed by the Greek Government. Pacifico received a total of 120,000 drachmas and £500 in the settlement. See also History of nationality in Gibraltar Footnotes Hansard CXII (3d Ser.), 380–444, Retrieved 28 March 2006. Civitas Review, Volume 2, Issue 1; March, 2005 (pdf), Retrieved 28 March 2006. References Bibliography Hannell, David. "Lord Palmerston and the 'Don Pacifico Affair'