Richmond Enquirer, 8 July 1806
Alexander McRae (later Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, and prosecutor at the Aaron Burr trial), William Munford, and "numerous" other gentlemen celebrated July Fourth in 1806 with a series of patriotic toasts at the Washington Tavern in Richmond, Virginia, as reported in the Richmond Enquirer,[1] including one in memory of George Wythe, who died on June 8th.
Article text, 8 July 1806
Page 3
At a numerous meeting of gentlemen, who assembled at the Washington Tavern on the 4th instant, for the purpose of celebrating the Anniversary of American Independence,
- ALEXANDER McRAE, President,
- WILLIAM MUNFORD, Vice-President, the following toasts were drank.
1. The day. May it's annual return be forever hailed by freemen.
2. The people of the United States.
3. May the sacred principles which gave birth to this day be forever as dear to the people, as they are pure in themselves.
4. The patriot statesmen, who proclaimed the Independence of America.
5. The patriot soldiers, by whose valour it was established.
6. The first congress of the United States.
7. Thomas Jefferson the President of the United States, and author of the Declaration of American Independence.—9 cheers.
8. The memory of General Washington.—9 cheers.
9. The memory of those heroes who died in fighting the battles of their country.—9 cheers.
10. The constitution of the federal government; may it strengthen and perpetuate the union and liberty of the people.—6 cheers.
11. The people of Virginia; they have not lost and may never lose the spirit of 1776.
12. The constitution of Virginia; excellent, because it presents no object to excite ambition or party-spirit.
13. Agriculture and commerce: prosperity to the former, freedom to the latter.
14. Our fellow-citizen, James Monroe.—9 cheers.
15. The Yazoo speculation; may the virtue and justice of the next congress pronounce its sentence of death.
16. The state of Massachusetts; always united to her by respect and affection, we are now bound together by political sentiment—6 cheers.
17. The memory of George Wythe.
