more enormous he found it, and the
more he felt himself compelled to persevere in endeavours for its
abolition.

One would have thought that a motion, so reasonable and so constitutional,
would have met with the approbation of all; but it was vehemently opposed
by Mr. Gascoyne, Alderman Newnham, and others. The plea set up was, that
there was no precedent for referring a question of such importance to a
committee. It was now obvious, that the real object of our opponents in
abandoning decision by the privy council evidence was delay. Unable to meet
us there, they were glad to fly to any measure, which should enable them to
put off the evil day. This charge was fixed upon them in unequivocal
language by Mr. Fox; who observed besides, that if the members of the house
should then resolve to hear evidence in a committee of the whole house as
before, it would amount to a resolution, that the question of the abolition
of the Slave-trade should be put by, or at least that it should never be
decided by them. After a long debate, the motion of Mr. Wilberforce was
voted without a division; and the examination of witnesses proceeded in
behalf of those who were interested in the continuance of the trade.

This measure having been resolved upon, by which dispatch in the
examinations was promoted, I was alarmed lest we should be called upon for
our own evidence, before we were fully prepared. The time which I had
originally allotted for the discovery of new witnesses, had been taken up,
if not wasted, in France. In looking over the names of the sixteen, who
were to have been examined by the committee of privy council, if there
had been time, one had died, and eight, who were sea-faring people,
were out of the kingdom. It was time therefore to stir immediately
in this business. Happily, on looking over my letters, which I found
on my arrival in England, the names of several had been handed to me,
with the places of their abode, who could give me information on the
subject of our question. All these I visited with the utmost dispatch.
I was absent only three weeks. I had travelled a thousand miles in
this time, had conversed with seventeen persons, and had prevailed
upon three to be examined.

I had scarcely returned with the addition of these witnesses to my list,
when I found it necessary to go out again upon the same errand. This second
journey arose in part from the following circumstances. There was a matter
in dispute relative