This
motion, however, produced a debate and a division, in which it appeared
that there were one hundred and fifty-eight in favour of it, and
twenty-eight against it. The business of the day now commenced. The
house went into a committee, and Sir William Dolben was put into the
chair. Mr. Serjeant Le Blanc was then called in. He made an able speech
in behalf of his clients; and introduced John Barnes, Esquire, as his
first witness, whose examination took up the remainder of the day. By
this step they who were interested in the continuance of the trade,
attained their wishes, for they had now got possession of the ground
with their evidence; and they knew they could keep it, almost as long as
they pleased, for the purposes of delay. Thus they, who boasted, when
the privy council examinations began, that they would soon do away all
the idle tales which had been invented against them, and who desired the
public only to suspend their judgment till the report should come out,
when they would see the folly and wickedness of all our allegations,
dared not abide by the evidence which they themselves had taught others
to look up to as the standard by which they were desirous of being
judged: thus they, who had advantages beyond measure in forming a body
of evidence in their own favour, abandoned that which they had
collected.
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