Toasts for Lafayette’s Dinner, [ante–5 November 1824]
Toasts for Lafayette’s Dinner
[ante-5 November 1824]
Toasts suggested for the dinner to Genl: Lafayette1
+ The Guest of the Nation: no where more welcome than in Virginia.
She received his best services. He enjoys her best affections.
“To love liberty a nation need but know it: to possess it, but to will it.”*
—The Rights of man, the Gift of God: The powers of Government the Grant of the people.
The President of the U.S. (Monroe) the legitimate & beloved Chief of a loyal and happy people.
The Congress of the U.S: In reality what they are called a Representation of the Nation.
+The Memory of Washington, Greatest among the Great.
+The Memory of Franklin, the immortal Franklin. He wrested thunderbolts from the Clouds, and forged them agst. Tyranny.
The living Patriot (Jefferson) “who poured the soul of the Continent into the Declaration of Independence.”*2
— + The Heroes & Sages of the Revolution. Hallowed be the memories of the dead; happy the days of the Living.
“The Infant Hercules, who strangled the two Serpents at Saratoga & York Town.”†3
France. May her destinies be as happy as she assisted in making ours.
—The Phalanx of Republics from the Lakes of the North to the extreme South: Secure in their power; Just in their policy.
The Example of free Institutions on this Hemisphere: a beneficent return for the wrongs done it by the other
Greece. May she come out of the Furnace in which she is tried with a lustre worthy of her ancient Glory.
+The Press, the Fulcrum of Public Opinion; the Lever that moves the World.
Liberty & Learning: Each best supported when leaning on the other.
The above submitted for the dinner to Lafayette at O. C. House
The Divine Right of Self-Govt. & its immortal Champions4
The Liberty that chuses Virtue for its Guest.
Happy the people who have Virtue for their guest & Gratitude for their feast.‡5
The Press & the Post, the Palladium & the pabulum of public Liberty.
Ms (DLC).
1. The toasts rendered here in bold were given at the dinner for Lafayette held at Orange Court House on 19 Nov. 1824 (Richmond Enquirer, 30 Nov. 1824).
2. “Jefferson, who poured the soul of the continent into the monumental act of independence” (Ezra Stiles, The United States Elevated to Glory and Honor. A Sermon, Preached before His Excellency Jonathan Trumbull … [New Haven, 1783; 18198], 46).
3. For the Libertas Americana medal struck in 1783 according to Benjamin Franklin’s specifications, see Franklin to Robert R. Livingston, 4 Mar. 1782, Labaree et al., Papers of Benjamin Franklin, 36:644 and n. 9.
4. JM gave this toast at a dinner for Lafayette held at Orange Court House on 19 Nov. 1824 (Richmond Enquirer, 30 Nov. 1824).
5. JM gave this toast at a dinner for Lafayette held in the Rotunda of the University of Virginia on 5 Nov. 1824: “Liberty, which has virtue for its guest and gratitude for its feast” (ibid., 16 Nov. 1824).