Rhode Island American

DINNER IN HONOUR OF "THE NATION'S GUEST"

According to previous arrangement, a Dinner was given to General Lafayette, by the members of both Houses of Congress, on Saturday the first of January: At six o'clock, the company, in number exceeding two hundred, sat down to a sumptuous dinner, prepared by Mr. Williamson, the proprietor of an extensive establishment in Washington.

Mr. Gaillard, the President pro tempore of the Senate, and Mr. Clay, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, presided at the feast. On the right of the President of the Senate, sat the President of the United States, who graced by his presence, as a guest, the most memorable feast that has ever taken place in this country. On the left of the chair, sat the Nation's Guest, supported by several of his brethren of the Revolution, among whom were recognized General Samuel Smith, General Jackson, Mr. Rufus King, and Messrs. Chandler and D'Wolf, of the Senate, and General Udree of the House: The Speaker was supported, on his right, by the Secretary of State and the Postmaster-General, and, on his left, by the Secretary of War and Judge Thompson, of the Supreme Court of the United States. Among the invited guests were also recognized General Dearborn, our late Minister to Portugal, George Washington Lafayette, and the General's friend, Mr. La Vasseur-also, Generals Scott, Macomb, Bernard, and Jesup, of the Army, and Commodores Bainbridge, Tingey, Stewart, and Morris, of the Navy, with many other publick officers civil and military, of high rank in the various departments of our government. The hall was adorned with pictures and flags, arranged with great elegance and taste. The flags from the War and Navy Departments were obtained for the occasion, and contributed to revive in the mind associations dear to the heart of every American. After the cloth was removed, many patriotic and highly appropriate toasts were drank, accompanied by musick from the excellent band attached to the Marine Corps.

The following sentiment, was the third in regular order:

The President of the United States-Our respectability abroad, and prosperity at home, are the best eulogy of his administration.

When the above sentiment was proposed, the company rose with one accord, and seemed to pay him the homage, not merely of the lips, but of devoted hearts. The President was deeply affected by these marks of regard, and on the toast being drunk, he rose and said- "I cannot but be deeply affected by the generous sentiments which you have expressed in favour of my conduct, in the high trust which I have so long held from my country. In our respectability abroad and prosperity at home, no one can take a more profound interest than I do. It is to the virtue and intelligence of our fellow-citizens that we owe this success, and I see in it the most decisive proof of the excellence and stability of our republican institutions. That I have exerted my best faculties in a long course of publick service to support these institutions and to promote the welfare and happiness of our Union, is most certain. To receive this publick acknowledgment from so distinguished an assembly, on an occasion so highly interesting and honourable to the nation, affords me a gratification which I shall forever cherish."

The following was the toast eighth in order:

General Lafayette-The great Apostle of National Liberty, unawed by the frowns of Tyranny uninfluenced by the blandishments of Wealth, and unseduced by popular applause-the same in the Castle of Olmutz as in the active scenes of his labour, and the height of his renown.

[When this Toast was drunk, General Lafayette rose and said- "Gentlemen of both Houses: I want words to express the respectful and grateful sense I have of all the favours and kindnesses you are pleased to confer upon me. I hope you will do justice to the warm feelings of an American heart; and I beg leave to propose the following Toast:

"Perpetual Union among the United States: it has saved us in our times of danger: it will save the world."

After the regular toasts had been drunk, Mr. Gaillard, the President of the Senate, rose, and gave the following toast:

May every generous and gallant defender of a nation's rights meet with the noblest reward that can be received by man-a nation's admiration, gratitude, and affection.

Mr. Clay then rose, and after an animated address, in which he adverted to the glorious struggles of the Spanish American Patriot to obtain freedom and independence, he proposed

"General Bolivar, the Washington of South-America, and the Republick of Colombia."

As soon as this toast had been drunk, the President and the General retired, and the company soon afterwards separated, at an early hour, greatly delighted. The entertainment began and ended without the occurrence of a single circumstance to mar the pleasure of a celebration which, in all its circumstances can hardly admit of a parallel.

The preceding interesting particulars of this memorable civick feast, were selected from the National Intelligencer and are given for the most part in the language of the Editors of that journal.