On the evening of the 29th of April it was arranged that he should speak in Faneuil Hall.  The hall filled long before his arrival, and an incident occurred which deserves record.  The crowd amused itself by calling on persons present for speeches:  among others Senator Myron Lawrence was called for, who, after first refusing, stept on the platform and declared that he had some sins to confess.  He had been guilty of thinking Kossuth to be what is called “a humbug;” but he had seen him now, and thought differently.  He had seen the modest, truthful bearing of the man,—­that he had no tricks of the orator, but spoke straightforward.  Mr. Lawrence now believed him to be sincere and honest, and prayed Almighty God to grant him a glorious success.  This frank and manly acknowledgment was received with unanimous and hearty applause.

At eight o’clock Governor Boutwell, his council, and the committee of reception, as also the vice-presidents and secretaries, received Kossuth in Faneuil Hall.[*] When applause had ceased, the Governor addressed Kossuth as follows:—­

[Footnote *:  Faneuil Hall is entitled by the Americans “the cradle of American Liberty.”]

Gentlemen,—­We have come from the exciting and majestic scenes of the reception which the people of Massachusetts have given to the exiled son of an oppressed and distant land, that on this holy spot, associated in our minds with the eloquence, the patriotism, the virtue of the revolution, we may listen to his sad story of the past and contemplate his plans and hopes for the future.  And shall these associations which belong to us, and this sad story which belongs to humanity, fail to inspire our souls and instruct our minds in the cause of freedom?  Europe is not like a distant ocean, whose agitations and storms give no impulse to the wave that gently touches our shore.  The introduction of steam power and the development of commercial energy are blending and assimilating our civilities and institutions.  Europe is nearer to us in time than the extreme parts of this country are to each other.  As all of us are interested in the prevalence of the principles of justice among our fellow men, so, as a nation, we are interested in the prevalence of the principles of justice among the nations and states of Europe.

Never before was the American mind so intelligently directed to European affairs.  We have not sought, nor shall we seek, the control of those affairs.  But we may scan and judge their character and prepare ourselves for the exigencies of national existence to which we may be called. I do not hesitate to pronounce the opinion that the policy of Europe will have a visible effect upon the character, power, and destiny of the American Republic.  That policy as indicated by Russia and Austria, is the work of centralization, consolidation and absolutism.  American policy is the antagonist of this.