This speech was delivered in honor of William G Goddard, a prominent businessman and philanthropist who played a key role in the development of Providence, Rhode Island. It provides a fascinating glimpse into the life of an individual who worked tirelessly to promote education and public welfare, and whose legacy continues to be felt to this day. The language is eloquent and heartfelt, making it a compelling tribute to one of the great figures of 19th century America. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.