So straightway they procession made,
Lord, how nation fine, sir!
For every man of every trade
Went with his tools—to dine, sir.
John Foster Williams in a ship
Join'd with the social band, sir
And made the lasses dance and skip,
To see him sail on land, sir!
O then a whopping feast began,
And all hands went to eating,
They drank their toasts, shook hands and sung—
Huzza for 'Vention meeting!
Now, politicians, of all kinds,
Who are not yet derided,
May see how Yankees speak their minds,
And yet we're not decided.
Then from this sample, let 'em cease
Inflammatory writing;
For freedom, happiness, and peace,
Are better far than fighting.
So here I end my Federal song,
Composed of thirteen verses;
May agriculture flourish long,
And commerce fill our purses.
Hot battles were still to be fought in some of the other states,—hottest of all in New York,—but by midsummer of 1788 all the states had ratified the Constitution, and it stood an accomplished fact.
THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION
Poets may sing of their Helicon streams;
Their gods and their heroes are fabulous dreams!
They ne'er sang a line
Half so grand, so divine
As the glorious toast
We Columbians boast—
The Federal Constitution, boys, and Liberty forever.
The man of our choice presides at the helm;
No tempest can harm us, no storm overwhelm;
Our sheet anchor's sure,
And our bark rides secure;
So here's to the toast
We Columbians boast—
The Federal Constitution and the President forever.