Footnote 4
Though the debate on this subject was continued till two o'clock in the morning, and though the opposition received additional strength, yet the question was not carried. The same ground of argument was soon gone over again, and the American war underwent, for the fourth time since the beginning of the session, a full discussion; but no resolution, disapproving its farther prosecution, could yet obtain the assent of a majority of the members. The advocates for peace becoming daily more numerous, it was moved by Gen. Conway that "a humble address be presented to his Majesty, that he will be pleased to give directions to his ministers not to pursue any longer the impracticable object of reducing his Majesty's revolted colonies by force to their allegiance, by a war on the continent of America." This brought forth a repetition of the former arguments on the subject, and engaged the attention of the house till two o'clock in the morning. On a division, the motion for the address was lost by a single vote...
The ministry as well as the nation began to be sensible of the impolicy of continental operations, but hoped that they might gain their point, by prosecuting hostilities at sea. Every opposition was therefore made by them against the total dereliction (i.e., abandonment) of a war, on the success of which they had so repeatedly pledged themselves, and on the continuance of which they held their places. General Conway in five days after (Feb. 27), brought forward another motion expressed in different words, but to the same effect with that which he had lost be a single vote. This caused a long debate which lasted till two o'clock in the morning. It was then moved to adjourn the debate till the 13th of March. There appeared for the adjournment 215 and against it 234. The original motion, and an address to the King formed upon the resolution were then carried without division, and the address was ordered to be presented by the whole house. To this his majesty answered, "that in pursuance of their advice, he would take such measures as should appear to him the most conducive to the restoration of harmony, between Great Britain and the revolted colonies." The thanks of the house were voted for this answer. But the guarded language thereof, not inconsistent with farther hostilities against America; together with other suspicious circumstances, induced General Conway to move another resolution, expressed in the most decisive language. This was to the following effect that, "The house would consider as enemies to his majesty and the country, all those who should advise or by any means attempt the further prosecution of offensive war, on the continent of North America, for the purpose of reducing the colonies to obedience by force." This motion after a feeble opposition was carried without a division, and put a period to all that chicanery by which ministers meant to distinguish between a prosecution of offensive war in North America, and a total dereliction of it. This resolution and the preceding address, to which it had reference, may be considered as the closing scene of the American war (emphasis added).
The History of the American Revolution, Vol. 2, Ramsay, 617-9.