Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-04-20

Richard Hoe, Samuel Bowles, and Manton
Marble. After the guests had assembled Mr.
Dickens entered, under escort Of Mr.. Greeley,
and WAS cordially received. Full justice was
then done 10 the excellent dinner which had
following toasts were given, and were respond
ed TO by the gentlemen named 1. welcome
Horace Greeley. p. .Our Guest"-Charles,
Dickens. 3 Tho New York Press"-Henry il
Raymond. 4. 1.-The Weekly Press--Geor&
William Curtis 5. 'sThe Monthly Press"C
William Henry Hurlburt. g. "The Boston
England Press"-yoseph r. Hawley. 8. .'The
Northern PTess"-George w Demers. g. "The
Western Press"-Murat Halstead. 10 "The
Southern Press"-Edwin De Leon. II. "The
Scientific Press"-E L. Youmans.
Mr.. Greeley said he was exceedingly happy
to welcome Mr.. Dickens, having been one Of
the number who, twenty five years ago, had
welcomed him to America. He well remem-
bered how, when he first took upon himself
the duties of the editor of a weekly paper, he
published story from then unknown writer
above the quaint signature of "Boz," and since
then he had had the pleasure Of publishing
many story from the pen Of the same gifted
who had done more for the English toni que and
for English literature than, perhaps, any man
OF his gPneration-one whose name was quite
as fayorIte in America as in England, and
whose literature was, in fact, an exposition of
the liberal democratic feeling of both countries
one who was of the people and drew his in
spiration from the people. He then proposed
the sentiment
Health and happiness-honorable and gener-
Gus, because just recompense to our friend
and guest, Charles Dickens.
When the applause had subsidized Mr.. Dickens
respOnd ed as follows
Gentlemen: 1 cannot do better than take my
cue from your distinguished President, and re-
Ter, in my first remarks, TO his first remarks in
connection with the old associations between
You and me. When received an in vitation from
private ssociatIon of working mem bers of the
press of New York to dine with them this day.
L accepted that compliment in grateful remen-
hrance OF a calling that was once my own, and
in loyal sympathy towards a brotherhood
[Applause.1 To the wholesome training of Sc.
we're newspaper work when i a very
young man l attributed my first su ccess in life
and my sons will hereafter testify of their
father that he was always persistently proud
OF that ladder by which he rose. And If il
were otherwise, they should have but a very
poor and mean opinion of that father, which
perhaps have not Applause and laughter
Thus, gentlemen. under any circumstances,
this company would have been unexceptiou-
ably interesting and agreeable to me; but where
as l supposed that, like the fairies pavilion of
the s.ATabian Nights" ii would be but a m re
handful. find it drawn out like the same
pavilion, capable of comprehendlng a multi
tude. SO much the more proud am I of thu
honor OF being your guest. For, YOU will
readily believe that the more widely Tepresen-
tatIye of the press IN America my entertainers
are, the more / must feel the good will and
kindly sentiments towards me of that vast in.
slitution. [Applause,l Gentlemen, so much
OF my voice has lately been heard in the land
tlaughieTi-and have for upwards of four
hard winter months so commended against what
L have been sometimes quite admirIngly assured
was q great American catarrh 1Creat laughter
a visitation which i have throughout hIghly
appreciate applause and laughterI though /
mig Int have preferred TO be naturalzed BY any
other social OF ply seal means FIaughterl l
say. gentlemen. so much of nv voice has lately
been heard in the land that / might have been
contenied not 10 trouble YOU any further from
my present standing point, Were X rot q duty
with which l henceforth charge myself not
only here nut on every suitable occasion what
eOeyer and whereSOeyer, 70 express my high
and grateful sense of my second reception in
America, and 20 bear my honest testimony to
the national generosity and magnanimty
tGreat cheering Also 10 declare how astounded
i nave been by the amazing changes that have
= en- around me on every side. Changes NOR
al, changes physical, changes in the amou Mt of
land acquired, and the people thereon: changes
IL the rise OF vast new cities, changes in the
growth of old cities grown almost out of recol-
lection, changes in the graces and amenities of
life, changes IN the press, without whose ad-
yahcement no advancement can take place
anyw here-lapplausel- NOR am /, believe me,
so arrogant as to suppose that in five and TWEEN
" years there have been no changes IN me- and
that had nothing 10 learn and no extreme I'M
presslons TO correct from when was here first;
and, gentlemen. this brings me- 10 a point upou
which i have ever since 1 landed here last
Move m Der, observed a strict silence. though
sometimes tempted TO break il, and which |
VIII, with YOUR permission, beg lea We 10 take
you now into my confidence. CApplause1
Even the press being human-Ilaug hterl-it
may BE- sometimes mistaken or misin formed
and rather think that 1 have myself on one
or two occasions, in some rare instances. had
TO submit that my information not per-
feetIy accurate with reference TO my own sub
Jecfs. Indeed, / have now and again baen
more surprised by the printed news 1 read of
myself now than by any printed news eve.
read IN my past state of existence-that the
ylgor and perseverance with which / have
for some months past been collecting ma
terial for and hammering at new book
"a md 10,
has been matter of much astonlshmen
10 me, inasnlech that all this time il
has been perfectly well known TO my pub
fishers on both sides of the Atlantic that / pcs.
iively declared that no consideration on earth
should induce NE TO write one. But what /
have intended and what / have resolved on
and this Is the confidence / am about TO place
In you is that on my return to England, in nv
own English journal, manfulIy, promptly and
plainly, In my own person. to bear for the
behalf OF my coUntTymen such testimony of the
gigantic changes in this country as / nave
hunted here tonight. [Great applauseJ Also
to record that wherever / have been, in the
smallest place equally with the largest l have
been received with unsurpassed politeness,
delicacy, sweetness, temper, hospitality and
consideration, and with unsurpassable respect
for the privacy daily enforced upon me by the
nature of my avocations and state of health
This testimony so long as l live, and SO long as
my descendants have any legal right in my
DOCKS, 1 snail cause TO be republished as an
appf ndix to every copy of those two books Of
my own in which / have referred to America
[Applause.] And this will do and cause to
be- done. not IN some love and than kin lness but
because i regard il as an act Of plain iustice
and honor. lApplause.l
Gentlemen, this expression of my own feelings
towar T.. and interest in America, and those of
the most of my countrymen, seems to me but a
natural one, whether or not it Is so, make il
an express object. i was asked in this yery
city, about last Christmas time whether AN
American was not at some DISADVANTAGE in
England az a foreigner? the notion Of An
American being regarded as a foreigner at all
OF his ever being thought of or spoken of i'm
that character-was so incongruous and alb.
surd 10 me that my gravity for the mo.
ment quite overpowered. fApplausel As
soon as IL was restored / said, that for many
years past i had hoped i had AS MANI Amer
lean friends and recei we'd as MANY American
visitors as almost any Englisman living fan
plausel and that my UNMARRIED experipncs for
uned by others, that ii was enough In England
TO be an American TO be received with the
most earnest respect and recognition apy-
where. Hereupon but half dozen people
suddenly spoke out When an American gem
tleman of cult ated taste for art, who finding
himself on certain Sunday, outside the wall
OF a certain historical English castle, famous
for its pictures, was refused admission there,
according TO the strict rules of the place on tina.
day, but by merely representing that he was
an American gentleman on his travels, and had
yet to see the picture gallery, the whole castle
was placed at his immediate disposal. IGreat
applause and laughter.l There was lady,
toe, being in London, aud having a great de-
sire to see the famous reading. OF the Brit