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
reexamine 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.
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