The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-04-24

AND OTHERS.
About 9 o'clock the president (Mr. Greeley
rose and addressed the assemblage, concluding as
follows:
Friends and Feuosc Ld5oreys- We honor our
selves to night In honoring the most successful,
thoroughly successful, literary man OF our times
one who we may proudly say is not ashamed Of
having come up, as most Of us have come up,
from the lower rounds of the ladder of the press.
and though none of us have reached such height
as be- still say his success is a sign Of hope aud
yWncourage%hen. 70 every one OF as. tCheers)
each successful In seeing what he has DONE how
nobly, how worthily he has done taught the road
10 our own success. He has preached the gospel
Of humanity until even mobiles aud kings have
listened with admiration. We have in his sue.
cess, encouragement to every one of us 10 90 M
higher: for there has been created public lii
there was not, thirty years ago, a public, there
has been created publc) ready and eager to
listen to It. II Is the noblest and most harmonic.
ing thought which the best of us is prepared now
10 put before this public I
Friends and FeHotc Ldborers-As am 10 set
you an example tonight with short speech, 1
will, without further prelude ask you to join me
Health and happiness, honor and generous,
because just, recon pense TO our friend and ruest
Charles Dickens" (Great applause, and Three
cheers for Charles Dickens.''] T1 'llsI
dc MR.. DIoKESs's RESPONSE. lLe 81
Mr.. Dickens responded to the toast "Our
Guestn as follows: llt N n .sl.H ~
Genaemen-I. cannot do better than take che
from your distinguished president aud refer, 10
my first remarks, to his first remarks in conuec-
ton with the old associations between you and
me. When Ireceived an invitation from pri-
vate association formed Of members OF the press
Of New York to dine with them o.day I accept
ed that compliment as grateful remem brance Of
calling that was once mine and In loyal SYM
patty towards brotherhood. which, in the spirit,
l have never deserted. tApplaose.) To the
whole soul training Of severe newspaper work,
when was very young man. | constantly refer
70 my first success, (applause,) and my sons
will hereafter testify for their father, that he
was always proud Of that ladder by which
he rose. (Renewed appause.) II IL were
otherwise, | should have bat a very poor
and mean opinion of their father which perhaps.
upon the whole, have not. (Laughter) Thus.
gentlemen, under any circumstance this COM
pany would have been unexceptionably interest.
ing to me; but whereas supposed that, like the
fairies pavilion Of the Arabian Nights, il would
be but mere handful, find il drawn out ike the
same pavilion. capable Of comprehending null
ttnde. SO much the more proud Of being your
guest Tor you will readily believe that the more
widely the Representatives Of the press in America
my entertainers are. the more must feel the good
will and kindly sentiments towards me OF that vast
institution. (Applause.) Gentlemen, so much Of
my voice has lately been heard In the land laugh
ter) that have for upwards Of four hard winter
months 80 contended against what | have been
sometimes quite admirngly assured was a great
American catarrh-(great laughter)-a visitation
which have thoroughly. highly appreciated Zap
plsuse and laughter), though might have pre.
ferred 10 be naturazed by any other social or
physical means. (Laughter.) say gentlemen.
so much OF my voice has lately been heard IN the
land that / might have been content not TO
trouble you any farther from my present stand.
'ng point, were it not duty which henceforrh
charge myself, not only here, but on every suita-
Die occasion whatsoever and wheresoever 10 ex-
press my high and grateful sense Of nv second
reception In America, and TO bear my honest tes-
timony TO the national generosity and magma
ninlity. Great cheering. Also, 20 declare how
astounded have been by the amazing changes
that have seen around me on every side
changes moral changes physical; changes ia the
amount OF land subdued and peopled; changes
IN the rise OF vast new cities; changes in the
growth OF older cities; changes 10 the graces and
am mites Of life changes in the press, without
whose Advancement no advance can take place
anywhere. (Applause.) Nor am /, believe me,
80 arrogant as TO suppose that 10 i've and twenty
years there has been no change 10 me, and that /
had nothing TO learn, and no extreme imoressions
10 correct when was here FIRST (Thunders OF
spplsuse.i But gentlemen, this brings US TO
point on which have, ever since landed here
last November, observed q strict silence, though
sometimes tempted to breakit. And, in reference
TO Ii, will, with your good leave, take you into
my confidence. Great merriment, cries OF
. hear, hearwl ! ind the press being human,
may sometimes be mistaken or misinformed
but rather think I have, in one or
Two rare instances, known its Information TO be
not perfectly correct (rosrs of lsughterl with
reference to myself Renewed laughter) IL
Iced have now and again been more slr-
prised BY printed news that have read OF ny
'elf than BY any printed news that have ever
'ead In my present state OF existence. CAD.
olauee) Thus the vigor and perseverance, with
which have. for many months, been collecting
materials and hammering away at q new
work on America Qaughter), a. much as IL
night seem that all that time II has been per-
ectly well known to my publishers on both sides
u the Atlantic, that positively declare no con-
liberation on earth should induce me to write
laughter;) but what have intended, what have
esolved upon-and this Ia the confidence / seek