They determined to oppose the bill in every stage in which it should be brought forward, and, what was extraordinary, even the principle of it.

Accordingly, between the twenty-first of May and the second of June, on which latter day the bill, having been previously read a second time, was to be committed, petitions from interested persons had been brought against it, and consent had been obtained, that both counsel and evidence should be heard.
The order of the day having been read on the second of June for the house to resolve itself into a commitee of the whole house, a discussion took place relative to the manner in which the business was to be conducted.
This being over, the counsel began their observations; and, as soon as they had finished, evidence was called to the bar in behalf of the petitions which had been delivered.
From the second of June to the seventeenth the house continued to hear the evidence at intervals, but the members for Liverpool took every opportunity of occasioning delay.

They had recourse twice to counting out the house; and at another time, though complaint had been made of their attempts to procrastinate, they opposed the resuming of their own evidence with the same view,--and this merely for the frivolous reason, that, though there was then a suitable opportunity, notice had not been previously given.

But in this proceeding, other members feeling indignant at their conduct, they were overruled.
The witnesses brought by the Liverpool merchants against this humane bill were the same as they had before sent for examination to the privy council, namely, Mr.Norris, Lieutenant Matthews, and others.

On the other side of the question it was not deemed expedient to bring any.