
Reading your letter over again—let me say—There was no solicitation whatever on my part—
Ingersoll and I were talking about you. I remarked that I was sorry his speech of last May was not saved.
Then your condition of health, and then he said, "Why not get up a lecture. The
results to go to Whitman," and
I said "you just
authorize me to proceed and the thing will be done. That's all. It's all right, you
may rest assured—
As to New York or Phil, I wish it might be here & if you could come over, we
would cram the Opera House. Could you come? If not, then Phil, by all means, but you
must be
present. Ingersoll is
enthused, and it will be a grand culmination—No one lives who will better
handle the subject or make it a great occasion,


