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where his fame had long since preceded him. Whether 

 he comes as the peerless divine, the vigorous, gifted and 

 sympathetic author, or, better still, as the man of broad 

 and generous sympathies with all struggling for a higher, 

 better level of humanity, he is alike welcome to our hos- 

 pitality and good cheer. That he has chosen this city in 

 which first to present himself in person to the American 

 public is a matter of congratulation for us, and I feelthat 

 I can assure him a cordial welcome wherever he may go ; 

 and that his experiences in this country may be as agree- 

 able and useful as his recital of them hereafter will be 

 frank and honest is the best wish I can express for him or 

 for you who have come to know him. Again, sir, I bid 

 him welcome to Salem. 



Mr. Kingsley replied as follows : — 



I thank you and the gentlemen who have just sat down 

 for all your kindness. I will not trespass on you with a 

 long speech. I think you have heard enough of my voice 

 this evening, but I cannot sit down without expressing 

 the conviction which has already ripened, that my stay in 

 America is to be, by the blessing of God, a very pleasant 

 one. I have met with nothing but kindness ever since I 

 touched the shore of this land. My highest desire is to 

 be able to interest such Americans as may listen to what 

 I have to say, and that at some time upon the other side 

 of the water I may meet some of those who have been my 

 kind hosts here, and try to repay in my humble way the 

 obligation under which they have laid me. I do feel it 

 an honor to me that Salem should have been the point at 

 which I made my debut in this new world, and I shall 

 always cherish most grateful recollections of that which 

 has to-night brought me to feel that this is one of the 

 great little spots of the earth. Ladies and gentlemen of 



