course of his introductory remarks: "It now becomes my pride and
privilege to ask you to join with me in drinking the health of my
distinguished guest, Mr. Phelps. I have invited you here this
evening because I felt it was my duty as Chief Magistrate of the
City of London to take the initiative in giving you an opportunity
to testify to the very high esteem in which Mr. Phelps is held by
all classes of society. It is to me a very sincere satisfaction
that I am able to be the medium of conveying to him, on the eve of
his departure, the fact that his presence here in this country has
been appreciated by the whole British nation. If anything were
required to give force to what I have said, it is the fact that on
this occasion we are honored by the presence of members of
governments past and present, of statesmen without distinction of
party, of members of both Houses of Parliament, and of nearly all
the judges of the land. We have here also the highest
representatives of science, of art, of literature, and of the
press; and we are also honored with the presence of neighbors and
friends in some of the most eminent bankers and merchants of the
city. I am glad to add that all the distinguished Americans that I
know of at present visiting this city have come here to show their
esteem for their fellow-countryman. It may be said that this
remarkable gathering is a proof not only of the fact that our
distinguished guest is personally popular, but also that we are
satisfied that, so far as he could, he has endeavored to do his
duty faithfully and well between the country he represents and the
country to which he is delegated. Mr. Phelps in leaving our shores,
I think, will take with him a feeling that he has been received in
the most cordial spirit, in the most friendly manner in this
country. I think he will feel also--at any rate, I should like to
assure him so far as I am able to observe--that he has greatly