nother trade, thanking me for my
interference in their behalf. But by this copy, which I have now in my
possession, it appears that care was taken by the captain's attorney to
render their future evidence in the case of Peter Green almost
impracticable; for it was there wickedly stated, "that George Ormond and
Patrick Murray did then and there bind themselves in certain penalties
that they would neither encourage nor support any action at law against
the said captain, by or at the suit or prosecution of any other of the
seamen now or late on board the said ship, and that they released the
said captain also from all manner of actions, suits, and cause and
causes of action, informations, prosecutions, and other proceedings
which they then had, or ever had, or could or might have, by reason of
the said assaults upon their own persons, or _other wrongs or injuries
done by the said captain heretofore and to the date of this
release_[A]."

[Footnote A: None of the nine actions before mentioned ever came to a
trial; but they were all compromised by paying sums to the injured
parties.]

CHAPTER XX

Labours of the committee during the author's journey; Quakers the
first to notice its institution; General Baptists the
next.--Correspondence opened with American societies for
Abolition.--First individual who addressed the committee was Mr.
William Smith.--Thanks voted to Ramsay.--Committee prepares lists of
persons to whom to send its publications; Barclay, Taylor, and
Wedgewood, elected members of the committee.--Letters from Brissot and
others.--Granville Sharp elected chairman,--Seal ordered to be
engraved.--Letters from different correspondents, as they offered
their services to the committee.

The committee, during my absence, had attended regularly at their posts;
they had been both vigilant and industrious; they were, in short, the
persons who had been the means of raising the public spirit which I had
observed first at Manchester, and afterwards as I journeyed on. It will
be proper, therefore, that I should now say something of their labours,
and of the fruits of them: and if, in doing this, I should be more
minute for a few pages than some would wish, I must apologize for myself
by saying, that there are others who would be sorry to lose the
knowledge of the particular manner in which the foundation was laid, and
the superstructure advanced, of a work which will make so brilliant an
appearance in our history,