The
report of the privy council consisted, first, of calculations and
accounts from the public offices; and, next, of written documents on the
subject: both of which were just as authentic as if they had been laid
upon the table of that House. The remaining part of it consisted of the
testimony of living witnesses, all of whose names were published; so
that if any one doubted their veracity, it was open to him to re-examine
all or each of them. It had been said by adversaries that the report on
the table was a weak and imperfect report, but would not these have the
advantage of its weakness and imperfection? It was strange, when his
honourable friend, Mr. Wilberforce, had said, "Weak and imperfect as the
report may be thought to be, I think it strong enough to bear me out in
all my propositions," that they, who objected to it, should have no
better reason to give than this, "We object, because the ground of
evidence on which you rest is too weak to support your cause." Unless it
were meant to say (and the meaning seemed to be but thinly disguised)
that the House ought to abandon the inquiry, he saw no reason whatever
for not going immediately into a committee; and he wished gentlemen to
consider whether it became the dignity of their proceedings to obstruct
the progress of an inquiry, which the House had pledged itself to
undertake.
Pages:
588
589
590
591
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602
603
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611
612