The only persons we could then count upon, were Mr.Ramsay, Mr.H.Gandy, Mr.Falconbridge, Mr.Newton, and the Dean of Middleham.

There was one, however, who would be a host of himself, if we could but gain him.

I then mentioned Mr.Norris.

I told Mr.Pitt the nature[A] and value of the testimony which he had given me at Liverpool, and the great zeal he had discovered to serve the cause.

I doubted, however, if he would come to London for this purpose, even if I wrote to him; for he was intimate with almost all the owners of slave-vessels in Liverpool, and, living among these, he would not like to incur their resentment by taking a prominent part against them.
I therefore entreated Mr.Pitt to send him a summons of council to attend, hoping that Mr.Norris would then be pleased to come up, as he would be enabled to reply to his friends that his appearance had not been voluntary.