reckinridge, and now
they were here met to enter upon the discussion. The Chairman then
read the regulations with regard to the conducting of the discussion
which had been agreed upon by the Committee. In addition to what they
contained, he might add that the chairman was not to be considered
judge of what was relevant or irrelevant, nor was the speaker to be
interrupted on any account. He would especially beg their serious
attention to the rule requiring the entire suppression of every
symptom of approbation or disapprobation. He trusted that his
interference would not be required, but if it were he would feel
himself called upon by imperative duty to enforce this regulation with
the utmost strictness. Mr. Breckinridge had heard from some quarter or
other very unfavorable accounts of the decorum of a Glasgow audience.
He hoped that their conduct on the present occasion would disabuse
that gentleman's mind of any unfavorable opinion he might entertain of
them on that score. In conclusion, he might repeat, that he placed the
most perfect reliance on the good sense and gentlemanly feeling of
both speakers. Let them both, then, be heard fairly. He solicited
favor for neither--he demanded justice for both.

* * * * *

MR. BRECKINRIDGE said, it was not easy to conceive of circumstances
that were more embarrassing than those in which he was placed this
evening. They had already taken for granted all that had been said and
done on one side of the question; their minds had been already made up
to oppose those conclusions to which it was his purpose to bring them.
Their affections and feelings had long been engaged to his opponent in
this cause; and all that he could say would necessarily have little
effect in changing what he would not hesitate to call those unhappy
opinions, which were long ago formed against him. Another cause of
his embarrassment was, that he would be rejudged of all he might say
here. What he said would be approved by one party in America, but
would be disapproved of by another. In the United States they were
differently situated from what the people were in this country. Here
the people seemed now united on this subject, but in America they were
split up into a great number of different parties, whose opinions and
feelings were arrayed against each other in as great a measure as it
was possible to conceive. Whatever, therefore, he might say in this
country, would be disappr