The Harry Watkins Diary, Volume 11 [July 22, 1853–June 12, 1854]

22 February 1854

Wed (Wednesday) 22d —Washington's Birth Day [sic Birthday] —To think that there should now be wretches at work to destroy the Uniremove…slipon of theremovese states—that Union which He was so instrumental in effecting—Rehearsal A.M. walking and reading P.M. evening attended, by invitation a "merchant's banquet", given at the Madison house—It was a splendid affair. Nearly all of the principal merchants, editors, etc, of the city, were present Among the volunteer toasts I offered one which drew out the British Consul in a very fine speech. My toast was "The Flag of Our Union. May it never cease to wave over the United States: and may that wretch stand for age accursed who from the heavenly-blue removefr of its bright firmament would seek to blot a single star or sunder the chain that binds them into one harmonious whole, for it was forged by God-like patriots and its tenure should be eternal. " The Consul remarked that he was glad to see the toast so enthusiastically drunk, yet, being the representative of a foreign government, it could not be expected that should removedrink receive it with the same enthusiasm as removeAwould

Americans—He wished that the gentleman seated opposite to him,—myself—had joined the flag of Great Britain with that of the United states [sic States] , for in that relation he hoped the future would ever find them—He also gave a brief sketch of the causes which led to the Revolution, and endeavored to show that that war met with no sympathy from the great body of English people—it was the work of a removefaction faction—removebut whileexpand_less the people always believed the Americans were right in pursuing the course they did—The Consuls [sic 's] remarks were probably true in the abstract, but not as a whole. The removemay People may have thought the war was wrong on the part of the British government, removeyet that the war was of seven years durationexpand_less could not have shown much opposition to it to allow yet that the war removeof was of seven years duration is rather a strong fact that the People evinced but little opposition to it—The party broke up at midnight—I do not remember ever passing a more agreeable evening—