Toasts

Toasting was well established elsewhere when the United States became a country, but America gave its own twist to the custom of saying something clever when glasses were raised. During the American War of Independence, toasts tended in the direction of curses, such as “To the enemies of our country! May they have cobweb breeches, a porcupine saddle, a hard-trotting horse, and an eternal journey.” After the war, no official dinner or celebration was complete without thirteen toasts, one for each state. The thirteen-toasts tradition appears to date from the series of banquets held in honor of George Washington on his retirement. For many years, the thirteen toasts were obligatory at local Fourth of July celebrations. At such times each toast was followed by an artillery salute, three cheers from the crowd, and a song. Although they differed somewhat from locale to locale, the thirteen toasts were generally patriotic, proud, and nonpartisan. Those honored ranged from the holiday itself—”May it ever be held in grateful remembrance by the American people”—to the nation’s former presidents—”In the evenings of well-spent lives pleased with the fruits of their labors, they cheerfully await the summons that shall waft them to brighter abodes.” Invariably there was a toast to the signers of the Declaration of Independence.