One of the Lincoln-Douglas debates was held here in 1858.
Evidently accustomed to managing debates and to maintaining an argument, he began in low but distinct tones:
He lodged with Thomas Paine, and listened to the debates in the Convention.
The interest aroused by the debates of the first National Assembly suggested to him the idea of publishing them, conjointly with Mejean, in the Bulletin de l'Assemblee.
He does not, however, appear to have taken part in the exclusion debates at this time.