"THE FEDERAL SHIP.
"Just launched on the Ocean of Empire, the Ship Columbia, GEORGE WASHINGTON, Commander, which, after being thirteen years in dock, is at length well manned, and in very good condition. The Ship is a first rate—has a good bottom, which all the Builders have pronounced sound and good. Some objection has been made to parts of the tackling, or running rigging, which, it is supposed, will be altered, when they shall be found to be incommodious, as the Ship is able to make very good headway with them as they are. A jury of Carpenters have this matter now under consideration. The Captain and First Mate are universally esteemed by all the Owners—Eleven[40] in number—and she has been insured, under their direction, to make a good mooring in the harbor of Public Prosperity and Felicity—whitherto she is bound. The Owners can furnish, besides the Ship's Company, the following materials:—New-Hampshire, the Masts and Spars; Massachusetts, Timber for the Hull, Fish, &c.; Connecticut, Beef and Pork; New-York, Porter and other Cabin stores; New-Jersey, the Cordage; Pennsylvania, Flour and Bread;—Delaware, the Colors, and Clothing for the Crew; Maryland, the Iron work and small Anchors; Virginia, Tobacco and the Sheet Anchor; South-Carolina, Rice; and Georgia, Powder and small Provisions. Thus found, may this good Ship put to sea, and the prayer of all is, that God may preserve her, and bring her in safety to her desired haven."
The Government had not been long domiciled in the City of Brotherly Love before parties became defined and party spirit acrimonious. The popular heart and hope and imagination were all on the side of revolutionized France in her unequal struggle with the allied kings. Conservative and "safe" men were more and more drawn into sympathy with the powers that were striving to maintain the established order, chief of which was Great Britain. President Washington, in maintaining the just balance between the two contending principles and powers, could not but give some dissatisfaction to both political parties, and, most of all, to the one in the warmest sympathy with France. In the dearth of pictorical relics of that period, I insert the parody of the Athanasian creed annexed, from the National Gazette of Philadelphia, edited by Freneau, and maintained by the friends of Jefferson and Madison:
"A NEW POLITICAL CREED FOR THE USE OF WHOM IT MAY CONCERN.
"Whoever would live peaceably in Philadelphia, above all things it is necessary that he hold the Federal faith—and the Federal faith is this, that there are two governing powers in this country, both equal, and yet one superior: which faith except every one keep undefiledly, without doubt he shall be abused everlastingly.
"The Briton is superior to the American, and the American is inferior to the Briton: and yet they are equal, and the Briton shall govern the American.
"The Briton, while here, is commanded to obey the American, and yet the American ought to obey the Briton.
"And yet they ought not both to be obedient, but only one to be obedient. For there is one dominion nominal of the American, and another dominion real of the Briton.
"And yet there are not two dominions, but only one dominion.