They had all confessed that such slaves as the White traders refused to buy were put to death; and yet that these, traders, knowing that this would be the case, had the barbarity uniformly to reject those whom it did not suit them to purchase.

Mr.Matthews had rejected one of this description himself, whom he saw afterwards destroyed.

Mr.Penny had known the refuse thrown down Melimba rock.

Mr.Norris himself, when certain prisoners of war were offered to him for sale, declined buying them because they appeared unhealthy; and though the king then told him that he would put them to death, he could not be prevailed upon to take them, but left them to their hard fate; and he had the boldness to state afterwards, that it was his belief that many of them actually suffered.
[Footnote A: This was also the case with another witness, Mr.Weaves.

He had given me accounts, before any stir was made about the Slave-trade, relative to it, all of which he kept back when he was examined there.] [Footnote B: Being a religious custom, it would still have gone on, though the Stave-trade had been abolished: nor could the merchants at any time have bought off a single victim.] These considerations had the effect of diminishing the prejudices of some of the council on this great question: and when this was perceived to be the case, it was the opinion of Mr.Pitt, Mr.Grenville, and the Bishop of London, that we should send three or four of our own evidences for examination, who might help to restore matters to an equilibrium.
Accordingly Mr.Falconbridge, and some others, all of whom were to speak to the African part of the subject, were introduced.