scrape the bottom of the barrel刮桶底

Winds blow ships from Africa to the Indies naturally, as if the route were blessed by God. Another argument in defence of the trade is that the Newfoundland fishing industry is kept afloat by the fact that slaves in the West Indies consume that part of the fish which is fit for no other consumption. I do feel that if my honourable friend continues to scrape the bottom of the barrel for objections, he is in danger of getting splinters under his fingernails. Now, if I may continue with my argument... As representative of the great and flourishing commercial town of Liverpool, I must once again remind the House that we have no evidence that the Africans themselves have any objection to the trade.

風自然地把船從非洲吹到西印度群島，彷彿這條航線受了上帝的保佑。 為這項貿易辯護的另一個理由是：紐芬蘭的漁業能維持下去，全靠西印度群島的奴隸吃掉那些別人沒法吃的魚。 我真心覺得，要是這位尊敬的朋友還繼續把桶底刮乾淨來找反對理由，只怕木刺要扎進他指甲縫裡了。 那麼，請允許我繼續我的論證…… 作為繁榮興旺的商業重鎮利物浦的代表，我必須再次提醒議會：我們沒有任何證據表明，非洲人自己對這項貿易有任何反對。

My honourable friend, the member for Liverpool, seeks evidence of people's concern. In the past year, I and my itinerant clergymen friends have been gathering just such evidence. We have taken a petition calling for the abolition of the slave trade to all the great cities of this country. It has been signed by over 390,000 people. However, this petition is not yet complete. There is one more person who wishes to add his name.

我這位尊敬的利物浦議員，想找民眾關心的證據。 過去一年，我和我那些四處奔走的牧師朋友們，一直在蒐集的正是這類證據。 我們把一份呼籲廢除奴隸貿易的請願書，帶到了這個國家所有的大城市。 上面有三十九萬多人簽名。 不過，這份請願書還沒有完成。 還有一個人，想把自己的名字添上去。