were to address the meeting; and also, with the most
perfect confidence in the good conduct and sense of propriety
possessed by the meeting. Had he not possessed such confidence, he
would never have thought of undertaking the present task. Had he
imagined that the present meeting would give way to similar
expressions of feeling as had taken place within these walls on some
former occasions, he would at once have declined the task, as one for
which he was totally unfit,--he was not fit to manage storms. The
parties on the present occasion were different from those to whom they
had listened at the time to which he referred. One of them, it was
true, was the same, and his character all of them knew. They knew his
sentiments, his zeal, his eloquence, his devotedness to the great
cause of which he was the fearless advocate. In reference to his
opponent, on the present occasion, he would not dishonor that
gentleman by naming him along with an individual who had stood before
them formerly in opposition to their eloquent friend. He felt it to be
his duty to introduce to them his friend--for he was allowed to call
him so--the Rev. Mr. Breckinridge. That gentleman had come to this
country, the accredited agent from the Presbyterian church--a large
and influential body of Christians in America, to the congregational
union of England and Wales. It was proper that he should state to the
meeting that Mr. Breckinridge was no advocate of slavery--that he
believed it to be opposed to the letter and spirit of the gospel, and
as a proof how far he was in earnest in his professions in this
matter, he had freely parted with a patrimonial estate so far as it
consisted of slaves. (Cheers.) Having stated this, it might be further
necessary that he should mention what gave rise to the present
meeting. They were all aware, then, he said, that since his return
from America, Mr. George Thompson had been lecturing in various parts
of the kingdom. In the course of his labors he was accused of having
brought extravagant and unfounded charges against the American nation,
and especially against the ministers of religion in that country. In
consequence of this, Mr. Thompson published a challenge in the Patriot
newspaper, in which he called upon any American minister to come
forward and defend his brethren, if he were able, from the charges
which he brought against them. This challenge, through the columns of
the same newspaper, had been accepted by Mr. B