You have a right, therefore, to rejoice. You have just reason for the pride you feel in your fair city, for within its gates business thrift and industrial activity, municipal growth and individual enterprise, the joy of beautiful homes and the charms of an intelligent society, combine to benefit and to delight. As a citizen of Kansas I share in your pride; I rejoice with and I congratulate you. For I know that what you have already accomplished is but an augury of what is to be; is but the prophecy of a larger growth and greater influence in the years to come. SPEECH. At a banquet given the Mexican Editorial Excursion, Topeka, June 24th, 1885. GENTLEMEN: Until within the past five or six years, Mexico was, even to a well-educated citizen of this country, an unknown and mysterious land. Its government, its people, its cities, its resources and products, were regarded very much as are those of India—as matters of historical or critical interest, perhaps, but of no direct or material concern to the people of the United States. American journalists are generally as well informed as any other class of our citizens, and yet I doubt whether, among them all, there were a dozen who could name half a dozen Mexican newspapers. Yet here with us to-day, are a large number of Mexican journalists—men of education, intelligence and character, who have come to study, in the school of travel, the lessons taught by personal observations and individual exploration. The railroad, the modern diplomat, as well as guide and pioneer, has made the distant and unknown, near and familiar; has introduced neighbors who were strangers; has broadened the horizon of national view; has brought the United States and Mexico into more intimate and friendly relations with each other; and has conveyed you here, to be our guests and our friends. It gives me pleasure to meet and to greet you. I welcome you to Kansas. I hope your brief visit to our State will be to you an enjoyable one, and that you will carry with you, on your return to your homes, only pleasant memories of your journey. I greet you as journalists of a sister Republic; I welcome you as neighbors and as friends. And in thus saluting you, I am sure that I only give voice to the general sentiment of the citizens of our Capital city, and those of the State of Kansas. AN ANNIVERSARY. ATCHISON, KANSAS, November 2, 1885. REV. LINUS BLAKESLEY—_My Dear Sir_: When you so kindly invited me to be present at the anniversary exercises of the Congregational Church, I did not remember that Monday evening was the eve of annual election. I must, therefore, either forego a pleasure I had promised myself, or fail in discharging that highest duty of American citizenship, attendance at the polls on election day. I think you will agree that I ought to do what I have decided to do—remain at home until after election.