Discussion on American Slavery
Overview
Robert J. Breckinridge: Presbyterian minister, politician, author, abolitionist, and champion of education. Known as the "father of the Kentucky public school system" for increasing the number of children in school ten-fold during his tenure as superintendent of public education, and for his staunch support for the Union and President Lincoln during the Civil War (unpopular in his native Kentucky), Breckinridge was a man who blazed his own trail despite the difficult obstacles that stood in his way.
Robert J. Breckinridge, a staunch anti-slavery Presbyterian preacher faced-off in a heated debate with George Thompson, a high profile British abolitionist that accused all American ministers of promoting slavery. The debate was held over five nights at a neutral chapel in Glasgow, Scotland. The conditions set for the debate were as follows:
- That the discussion should commence on a Monday, and continue until the matter was resolved to each party's satisfaction
- Each speaker received a half-hour to speak, alternately, though the debate was not to exceed three hours each night
- That admission was by ticket only, with a maximum capacity of 1,200
- That neither speaker should be interrupted in their speeches
- There were to be no questions or polls from the audience
This debate, which lasted five nights and sold out to capacity each time, offers a unique window into history and the abolitionist movements on both sides of the Atlantic.
Discussion on American Slavery contains Breckinridge's rich prose and fiery passion. With the Logos Bible Software edition all Scripture passages in Discussion on American Slavery are tagged and appear on mouse-over. This makes this resource more powerful and easier to access than ever before for scholarly work or personal Bible study. With the advanced search features of Logos Bible Software, you can perform powerful searches by topic or Scripture reference—finding, for example, every mention of "slavery" or "controversy."
- Notes by Mr. Garrison
- All Scripture references are linked to original language texts and English translations
Breckinridge has presented the ancient truths of salvation with a freshness, an unction, and a power which vindicate to them the real character of a Gospel.
—James Henry Thornwell
- Title: Discussion on American Slavery
- Author: Robert J. Breckinridge
- Publisher: Isaac Knapp
- Publication Date: 1836
- Pages: 102
Robert J. Breckinridge, (1800–1871) grandfather of Benjamin Breckinridge Warfield, was a politician, Presbyterian minister, author, abolitionist, and champion of education. Ordained in 1832, Breckinridge pastored the Second Presbyterian Church of Baltimore, Maryland before accepting the position of President of Jefferson College in 1845. Soon after, Breckinridge would return to his native Kentucky as a pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Lexington and as Superintendent of Public Education. Under his guidance, attendance increased ten-fold. As the civil war unfolded, Breckinridge was an outspoken abolitionist and supporter of the Union, a position not popular in his home state of Kentucky.