th, as he had promised to attend the meetings of the privy
council during the examinations which were to take place. I found, in
the course of our conversation, that Mr. Grenville had not then more
knowledge of the subject than Mr. Pitt; but I found him differently
circumstanced in other respects, for I perceived in him a warm feeling
in behalf of the injured Africans, and that he had no doubt of the
possibility of all the barbarities which had been alleged against this
traffic. I showed him all my papers and some of my natural productions,
which he examined. I was with him the next day, and once again
afterwards, so that the subject was considered in all its parts. The
effect of this interview with him was of course different from that upon
the minister. In the former case I had removed doubts, and given birth
to an interest in favour of our cause. But I had here only increased an
interest, which had already been excited, I had only enlarged the mass
of feeling, or added zeal to zeal, or confirmed resolutions and
reasonings. Disposed in this manner originally himself, and strengthened
by the documents with which I had furnished him, Mr. Grenville
contracted an enmity to the Slave Trade, which was never afterwards
diminished[A].

[Footnote A: I have not mentioned the difference between these two
eminent persons, with a view of drawing any invidious comparisons, but
because, as these statements are true, such persons as have a high
opinion of the late Mr. Pitt's judgment, may see that this great man did
not espouse the cause hastily, or merely as a matter of feeling, but
upon the conviction of his own mind.]

A report having gone abroad that the committee of privy council would
only examine those who were interested in the continuance of the trade,
I found it necessary to call upon Mr. Pitt again, and to inform him of
it, when I received an assurance that every person whom I chose to send
to the council in behalf of the committee should be heard. This gave
rise to a conversation relative to those witnesses whom we had to
produce on the side of the abolition. And here I was obliged to disclose
our weakness in this respect. I owned with sorrow that, though I had
obtained specimens and official documents in abundance to prove many
important points, yet I had found it difficult to prevail upon persons
to be publicly examined on this subject. The only persons we could then
count upon, were Mr. Ramsay, Mr. H. Gandy, Mr. Falco