Wilberforce moved on the 4th of
February in the House of Commons, that a committee be appointed to
examine further witnesses in behalf of the abolition of the Slave Trade,
This motion was no sooner made, than Mr. Cawthorne rose, to our great
surprise, to oppose it. He took upon himself to decide that the House
had heard evidence enough. This indecent motion was not without its
advocates. Mr. Wilberforce set forth the injustice of this attempt, and
proved, that out of eighty-one days which had been given up to the
hearing of evidence, the witnesses against the abolition had occupied no
less than fifty-seven. He was strenuously supported by Mr. Burke, Mr.
Martin, and other respectable members. At length the debate ended in
favour of the original motion, and a committee was appointed
accordingly.
The examinations began again on February 7th, and continued till April
5th, when they were finally closed. In this, as in the former session,
Mr. Wilberforce and Mr. William Smith principally conducted them; and
indeed it was necessary that they should have been present at these
times; for it is perhaps difficult to conceive the illiberal manner in
which our witnesses were treated by those on the other side of the
question.
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