t to ask him to preside at the
meeting. Mr. Forster, for whom the Prince had high personal esteem,
reminded him that his father had made his first public appearance as
chairman of a meeting of the Anti-Slavery Society. The Prince did not
need to be reminded of this, but at once most cordially assented to
preside from his own interest in the subject, and if Mr. Allen would
give a few necessary dates and facts he would do the best he could. With
this assurance the success of the meeting was secured.

The Lord Mayor, according to civic custom, having taken the chair for an
instant, then vacated it, and invited His Royal Highness to preside over
the meeting. The Prince then rose, amidst enthusiastic cheers, and
said:--

"My Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen,--At the express wish of the
Lord Mayor I am asked to preside on this auspicious occasion. I
need hardly tell you that in such a cause it gives me more than
ordinary pleasure to occupy the chair at so great and
influential a meeting as this. I confess I had some reluctance
in presiding to-day, feeling that others could accomplish the
task far better than I should. But I also felt that possibly I
might have some slight claim to occupy the chair on such an
occasion, as so many members of my family have presided over
former meetings in connection with Anti-Slavery movements. In
the years 1825 and 1828, my uncle the late Duke of Gloucester
presided at meetings of the Society, which were numerously
attended. The Duke of Sussex did so in 1840; and you are well
aware of the interest they took in promoting the objects of the
Society by bringing forward questions concerning it in
Parliament. In the same year my lamented father occupied the
chair at a very large and crowded meeting at Exeter Hall; and I
believe that occasion was the very first on which he occupied
the chair at any public meeting in this country. Let me say that
my excuse for standing before you to-day may be given in words
used by him forty-four years ago. They were these--'I have been
induced to preside at the meeting of this Society from the
conviction of its paramount importance to the greatest interests
of humanity and justice.'

"This is a great and important anniversary. To-day we celebrate
the jubilee of the emancipation of Slavery throughout our
colonies; and it is also a day which has been looked for