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DEBATE ON SLAVERY:

HELD IN

THE CITY OF CINCINNATI,

ON THE FIRST, SECOND, THIRD, AND SIXTH DAYS

IS

OF OCTOBER, 1845,.

UPON THE QUESTION:

SLAVE-HOLDING IN ITSELF SINFUL, AND THE RELATION BETWEEN MASTER AND SLAVE, A SINFUL RELATION?

AFFIRMATIVE: REV. J. BLANCHARD,
Pastor of the Sixth Presbyterian Church, Cincinnati.

NEGATIVE: N. L. RICE, D. D.,

Pastor of the Central Presbyterian Church, Cincinnati.

CINCINNATI:

WM. H. MOORE & CO., PUBLISHERS, 110 Main Street, between Third and Fourth.

NEW-YORK: MARK H. NEWMAN.

1846.
H.

UNIVERSITY.
A16028

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1845, by

WILLIAM H. MOORE & CO.,

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Ohio.

CORRESPONDENCE.

CINCINNATI, July 3, 1845.

REV. N. L. RICE, D. D.-The undersigned, believing with yourself, that the full, free, and kind discussion of grave and practical questions tends to benefit the community by diffusing light-and holding views of the teachings of scripture, on the subject of slavery, different from those which you are accustomed to inculcate-respectfully ask whether it will suit your convenience soon, to debate with some respectable and competent minister of the Gospel, who shall maintain the views commonly taken by abolitionists, the question:

Is the practice of slave-holding in itself sinful, and the relation created by it a sinful relation?

Provided it may suit your convenience to take part in such a discussion soon, we shall be happy to make the necessary arrangements.

GEORGE MCCULLOUGH,
JAMES CALHOUN,
WILLIAM BIRNEY,

G. BAILEY,

THOMAS HEATON,
C. DONALDSON,
J. MCCULLOUGH,

AND W BENTON,
S. P. CHASE,

H. S. GILMORE.

MESSES. HEATON, DONALDSON, &c.

CINCINNATI, July 5, 1845.

Gentlemen-Your letter of the 3d inst., inviting me to a public discussion of the claims of abolitionism, with some "respectable and competent minister of the Gospel," is before me. Though unaccustomed to give challenges of this kind, I do not feel disposed to decline yours. It is, therefore, accepted, on condition that the debate be reported by one or more competent stenographers, to be employed by the parties, the copy-right immediately sold to a publisher in the city, and published as soon as possible after it closes. I prefer the following modification of your question-Is slave holding in itself sinful, and the relation between master and slave necessarily a sinful relation? The time of holding the debate I am disposed to fix as early as previous engagements permit. On this subject, as also concerning the other preliminaries, I shall be pleased to confer with you at your earliest convenience. I shall expect to be informed, without delay, what minister you have selected. Respectfully,

N. L. RICH.

The gentlemen who sent the challenge agreed to the following modification of the question proposed by them-Is slave-holding in itself sinful, and the rela tion between master and slave, a sinful relation? REV. J. BLANCHARD was selected to represent their views.

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CERTIFICATE.

We have revised the following sheets for the press, and corrected them in the proof, and have no hesitation to authenticate this book, as a full and fair report of the arguments presented and authorities quoted, by us in our late discussion held in this city. J. BLANCHARD, -N. L. RICE.

Cincinnati, Nov. 24, 1845.

STEREOTYPED BY E. SHEPARD.

ADVERTISEMENT.

THE Publishers commend this work to public attention as a learned, spirited, and thorough discussion of the great moral question—whether the relation of slavery, divested of all circumstances not necessariy connected with it, is sinful. The debate grew out of the proceedings of the last meeting of the (O. S.) General Assembly of the Presbyterian church, in regard to slavery, in which Dr. Rice was a conspicuous actor, and the author of a series of resolutions, touching this subject, which were passed by that body. He was soon after invited to a debate, by some gentlemen of this city, and Mr. Blanchard was chosen as his opponent. Their respective friends regarded these gentlemen as their most able advocates, and each party, confident of success, relied on the skill and logical power hitherto exhibited by them, on similar occasions. The discussion was held in the Tabernacle, the largest room in the city, and was listened to by a crowded audience of great respectability, during the whole of the twenty-four hours it occupied. It was conducted on both sides with constant reference to publication, and everything pertinent to the subject was urged in as concise a manner as the mode of debate would admit. Two reporters of eminence, A. J. Stansberry, Esq., of Washington city, and Edward P. Cranch, Esq., of Cincinnati, were employed. The report was written out by them, revised by the parties, and is here given with a complete index prefixed. In short, nothing that could, in their judgment, increase the value of the book, has been withheld by either authors or publishers.

There is no subject at this moment receiving a greater share of the attention of christendom than this-none certainly involving more important consequences to our civil and ecclesiastical institutions. It employed the energies of the first minds of Great Britain for nearly half a century. We are at length called on as individuals, as States, and as a Nation, to examine the arguments, and to renounce, or defend and ameliorate the system, as we shall or shall not find it consistent with justice and truth. Diversity of opinion concerning it has already divided several of our largest and most influential churches, threatens others, and is influencing in a greater or less degree the political affairs of every State in the Union. Is not then a calm, truth-seeking, exhausting discussion of this question, a thing which should be welcomed by every lover of truth, of the State and the church? Such being the topic and character of the discussion, the publishers, with confidence, anticipate a large sale for this volume,

Cincinnati, Dec., 1845.

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PERSONS AND PAPERS QUOTED OR ALLUDED TO BY MR. BLANCHARD.

Aristotle, 21... Apelles, 42... Assembly Gen. of Free Church of
Scotland, 224..."American Board," 458... Abbe Greguine, 236...
Rev. R. N. Anderson, 164 Dr. Bailey, 15... Dr. Bullard, of St.
Louis, 167....Dr. Beecher, 274....Robt. J. Breckenridge, 363....
Wm. L. Breckenridge, 115...C. M. Clay, 270, 397...Judge Catron,
54....Judge Crenshaw, 45.... Dr. Cunningham, 222, 419... Dr. A.
Clarke, 456...Dr. Coke, 390. .Clarkson, 275, 297....Dulany, 22,
23.... Rev. Jas. Duncan, 42, 203.... Dr. Duncomb, 42.... Edwards
Pres't. Giesler, 231....Gregory the Great, Pope, 231....Heyrick
Elizabeth, 238... T. Kellogg, Prest. Knox College, 165...Dr. Jun-
kin, 182, 228... Professor Miller, 364.... Maimonides, 412.... Mon-
tesquieu, 364.... Moore Thomas, 49.... Charles Hammond, 49...
Charles James Fox, 15....Ignatius, 15, 230.... McGuffey, W H.
182... Rev. S. Steele, 165. .Prof. Thornwell, J. H. 181.... United
Brethren in Christ, 390....United Associate Synod, 223....John

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