deserve success. Whatever
they did should be done meekly, and in the spirit of the gospel; they
should not press the principles of the gospel with the spirit of a
demon, but with all the sweetness and gentleness of the gospel of
peace. These were the principles which he intended to endeavor to
impress upon their minds by details which he would adduce in the
course of the discussion. It was nothing more than just to the
audience that they should know, that they should understand it
distinctly, that as far as regarded his opponent, he neither was nor
could be any thing more to him or his countrymen than as an individual
who had identified himself with certain parties and principles in
America. Neither he nor the Americans could have any object in
underrating or overrating him. America could have no desire to raise
him up or to pull him down. It is not, it cannot be any thing to
America what any individual is, or may be, in the eyes of his own
countrymen. The King of England is known to America only as the King
of Great Britain; if he ceased to be the King of that kingdom, he was
to them no more than a common individual. Let it not be supposed that
either he or America had any wish, even the most remote, to break down
or injure the well earned or ill earned reputation of his opponent.
They looked upon him only with reference to his principles, and had no
personal motive on earth in reference to that gentleman. Let them not,
therefore, think that in any remarks he might make, or charges he
might bring forward, he had any intention of implicating his opponent
as being solely responsible for these results. He called in question,
not the principles of a particular individual only, but those also of
a party in America, to whom he would have to answer when he returned
to that country. Having said thus much, he would now proceed to the
question before them, but would previously make a few preliminary
remarks, which he thought necessary to enable them to come to a proper
understanding of the subject. He did not think it necessary to trace
the progress of the great cause to the present moment. For forty years
they had suffered defeat after defeat--yet these defeats only
strengthened their cause, even in this country, till they had arrived
at a given point. He would not wish to hurt the feelings of a single
individual now present, but he was sure he spoke the feelings of all
in America, when he said that the great day of their power