The Sun.
London, England, 1866-02-24 00:00:00

Anniversary of Washington's Birthday.

The one hundred and thirty-fourth anniversary
of the birthday of Washington was celebrated on
Thursday evening last, by the American residents
of Great Britain, who gave a public dinner at
Willis's Rooms in honour of the occasion. The
beautiful and spacious hall was appropriately deco-
rated by a very grand and imposing array of flags,
banners, festoons of roses, portraits, etc. The table
washandsomely ornamented with fruits and flowers;
the decorations were particularly remarkable for the
manner in which they exemplified the unity of Ame-
rica and England—the Stars and Stripes and the
Union Jack intertwining their folds in all directions.
The company assembled to do honour to the
memory of Washington numbered about two hun-
dred persons, comprising nearly all the more distin-
guished Americans in England, several English
guests, and seventy or eighty ladies, who, instead
of retiring according to English fashion after the
cloth was removed, set an example which we should
be glad to see generally followed, and remained
till the close of the entertainment. The Hon.
Freeman H. Morse, United States Consul at
London, presided. On the Chairman's right sat his
Excellency the American Minister at the Court
of St. James, and on his left Professor Goldwin
Smith.

The company took their seats at half-past seven
o'clock.
The Rev. C. W. DENISON, chairman of the committee of
management, after the cloth was removed, read letters ex-
pressing regret at being unable to attend from several
noblemen and gentlemen. Mr. BRIGHT wrote as follows :
"4, Hanover-street, Feb. 20.
"Dear Sir,—l thank your committee for their kind in-
vitation to the dinner on Thursday. Unfortunately lam
so much engaged this week that I am afraid I shall not be
able to avail myself of it. The occasion this year will be of
unusual interest, and although not present I shall rejoice
with your friends and countrymen in the great triumph
which they witnessed and accomplished during the past
year. With many thanks for your kind remembrance of
me, I am, with great respect, yours very truly,

Join BRIGHT."
" Blackheath Park, Feb. 16, 1866.
" Sir,—ln returning my sincere thanks for the invita-
tion I have been honoured with to the dinner to be given
in commemoration of the illustrious man who took so
leading a part in the liberation cf the American colonies,
and in the foundation of the American Republic, I regret
that the great pressure of Parliamentary business compels
me to decline for the present all other evening engage-
ments, public as well as private.—l have the honour to be
your obedient servant, J. S. Mix."

The CHAIRMAN, in giving " The Memory of W ashing-
ton," congratulated his countrymen on the fact that they
met that night under very different circumstances from
those under which they met there one year ago. (Ap-
plause.) Thera was a great struggle going on at that time
at the other side of the Atlantic, but now they assembled
together with the recollection of the agreeable fact that
their country was at peace with all the world, and was
completing peace with itself. Their country was
now engaged in the work of reconstruction, and
of laying, in some respects perhaps renewing, the
foundation of the liberties of that great country. They
found that their country was now the country of freedom
indeed. (Hear, hear, and applause.) The shackles of four
millions of slaves had fallen from their limbs—(immense
cheering)—and he rejoiced to say that their country
was now without a slave. (Renewed cheers.) That, he
thought, was something to boast of. (Hear, hear.)
Their glorious banner would never more be sneered at as
the protector of slavery. They met there that night as the
representatives of a people completely free—(cheers)—to
commemorate the birth of Washington. (Cheers.) The
private and public history of Washington was so well
known that it was not necessary for him to sketch it. He
was the man of the age in which he lived. For wisdom
which made no mistakes—for calm, unbiassed judgment—
for pure love of country—for patriotism void of selfish-
ness—in short, for all those traits which go to make up a
good and a great man—the ages which had since rolled
away bad not presented a superior to Washington.
(Cheers.)
The toast was drunk standing and in silence, the band
of the Coldstream Guards playing "Washington's March."
The CHAIRMAN next gave " The Memory of Abraham
Lincoln." In all probability, he said, future generations
will give to the name of Lincoln a place side by side with
that of Washington himself, and it was meet and proper
that Americans should cherish his memory along with that
of " The Father of his Country." This toast was drunk
standing and in silence, the whole assembly seeming
deeply impressed with the solemnity of the occasion.
The CHAIRMAN next gave "The President of the United
States," and called upon Col. 'Griffin, of Chicago, to re-
spond. The speaker on rising was cordially received,
and, after a happy introduction, said that he had had the
honour of the personal acquaintance of Mr. JOHNSON for
several years past, and felt it to be a pleasure to bear
his testimony to the high and noble qualities of the Pre-
sident. He dwelt forcibly on the condition of the country,
and felt assured that under the present Government the
best interests of the United States would be promoted.
(Cheers.)
Mr. MASON JONES was called on to second this toast,
and in a forcible and eloquent speech descanted at great
length on the personal and political merits of the Presi-
dent, with whom he had the honour of acquaintance, and
enlarged upon the merits of the Constitution of the United
States, the results of the war, the high character of the
American Minister, and all the other topics of the even-
ing. Mr. Jones's speech was well received. He was
frequently interrupted in the earlier portions of his ad-
dress with applause.
The CHAIRMAN then gave " Our Guest, the American
Minister at the Court of St. James." The harmony which
at present exists between England and America he attri-
buted in a great degree to the fact of Mr. Adams being the
representative of the United States in this country.
(" Hear, hear," and cheers.) During the last four years
Mr. Adams had a difficult task to perform, and it was well
known that he had acquitted himself to the credit, hon-
our, and advantage of his country.
The toast was honoured with the utmost enthusiasm,
the whole assembly rising to their feet and giving three
times three for Mr. Adams.

Mr. ADAMS, on rising to respond, was received with
loud cheers. He said—l thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I
thank you, ladies and gentlemen, from my heart, for the
groat kindness with which you have received the extraor-

dinary expression of goodwill and of good opinion which
have been uttered by the chairman and the gentlemen on
the other side of the table. I also thank the committee for
the kindness which they have displayed in associating my
name with this toast, because it enables me to carry out the
resolution that I had made not to talk upon the subject
which the chairman referred to. The subject, however
much I may admire it, is not a very suitable one for
me to discuss in a mixed assembly. I would rather pre-
fer, on a day of this sort, to recur to the associations in all
our minds connected with the event of this celebration.
And on this occasion, more than all others, have we some
cause to congratulate ourselves in recollecting the last
greatest injunction of the great man, "that we should
bear in mind at all times, and in the future, to maintain
the preservation of our Union." (Cheers.) We have been
for the last four years undergoing a great trial ; and, after

hours of vicissitudes which have tried all our hearts, we

can meet each other on this occasion and say—" To the
great injunction of the chief of the country we have boon
true." I would, therefore, in connection with that idea,
simply propose to you a sentiment, and it is this, the last
charge of Washington—" The preservation of the Union ;
may the restoration be prompt and complete —tho true
foundation of happiness at home and of respect abroad."
(Cheers.)
THE CHAIRMAN next proposed the sixth toast of the

evening, " Our Whole Country."
Rev. CHARLES W. DENISON, who was received with
hearty cheers, on rising to respond to this toast expressed
his heartfelt pleasure in being honoured with the invita-
tion to speak for his country on such an occasion. There
was not an American or a citizen of any friendly Power
present but would join him in paying a tribute to the
nation we all loved so well. (Cheers.) The pre-
sent time was peculiarly a fit one for doing
honour to America, and, throughher, to the me-
mory of the great and good man whose anniversary we
were met to celebrate. We could speak now for our whole
country, as we could never speak before, and commemo-
rate with new devotion the principles that governed the
illustrious Washington. Henceforth we, as Americans,
have one country—from the North to the South, from the
East to the West—oceans and lakes, rivers and mountains,
plains and valleys, unite us all together in bonds of strength
and amity, that shall never be dissolved. We could now
lay just claim to a common constitution, the great Magna
Charta of our national rights, that had just stricken the
chains from four millions of bondmen. Thank God, an
American sun could no more rise or set on an American
slave ! (Loud cheers.) The historical fact is established that
our Union is that of an independent nation. We are no longer
to bo regarded as a confederation of republics, a series of
sovereign states, bound togetherby a mere treat) of alliance
and friendship, a firm of business partners, liable to dissolu-
tion at any moment. No ! We aro now a distinct and

consolidated nation, with one form of government, ono
flag, one body of the representatives of all the people at
home and abroad, one currency, and one army and navy—