[_Washington Banquet, Jan. 5th_, 1852.]
The Banquet given by a large number of the Members of the two Houses of
Congress to Kossuth took place at the National Hotel, in Washington
City. The number present was about two hundred and fifty. The Hon. Wm.
R. King, of Alabama, president of the Senate, presided. On his right sat
Louis Kossuth, and on his left the Hon. Daniel Webster, Secretary of
State. On the right of Kossuth at the same table, sat the Hon. Linn
Boyd, speaker of the House of Representatives. Besides other
distinguished guests who responded to toasts, are named Hon. Thomas
Corwin, Secretary of the Treasury, and Hon. Alex. H. H. Stuart,
Secretary of the Interior.
A few minutes after eight o'clock, a large number of ladies were
admitted, and the President of the Senate requested gentlemen to fill
their glasses for the first toast, which was,
"The President of the United States."
To this, Mr. Webster responded.
The President then announced the second toast:
"The Judiciary of the United States: The expounder of the Constitution
and the bulwark of liberty regulated by law."
Judge Wayne, of the Supreme Court of the United States, replied, and
after alluding to "The distinguished stranger" who was then among them,
said: I give you, gentlemen, as a sentiment:
"Constitutional liberty to all the nations of the earth, supported by
Christian faith and the morality of the Bible."
The toast was received with enthusiastic applause.