Con-g-ss embark d on board the ship Constitution of America
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Con-g-ss embark d on board the ship Constitution of America
Con-g-ss embark d on board the ship Constitution of America bound to Conogocheque by way of Philadelphia. In July 1790 Congress decided to move the seat of the federal government from its original site in New York to Washington, with Philadelphia as an interim capital. The unidentified satirist gives a cynical view of the profit opportunity which this presented for Philadelphians. A three-masted ship with a smaller boat in tow sails toward a fork in a river. It is being lured by a devil toward the lower fork (eventually leading to Philadelphia), which falls precipitously in a rocky cataract, and away from the fork which leads to the Potowmack river. A devil beckons them on, saying, This way Bobby (referring to Robert Morris, the alleged instigator of the move). A man in the bow of the ship remarks of the figurehead, This looks more like a goose than an eagles head. Behind him another says through a bullhorn, Starboard your helm Coffer-- don t you hear your friend on the Rock. Another passenger waves a hat and shouts Huzza for Philadelphia. A man (possibly Morris) holding the helm says, I will venture all for Philadelphia. In the boat in tow the following conversation is in progress: Cut the Painter tow line as soon as you see the Ship in danger. I wonder what could have induced the Controller to sign our Clearance. Self gratification I suppose for it cannot be any advantage to the owner. If they had come round in the S. Union the constitution would not have been lost. They might have known that the Ship would have been in danger by comeing this way. Ay, Ay, I had best do it cut the rope now for I believe she is going to the devil. Below the falls, three men in a dinghy say, If we can catch the cargo never mind the Ship, Keep a sharp look out for a majority and the treasury, and Ay, Ay thats what we are after.. Date 1790. Con-g-ss embark d on board the ship Constitution of America bound to Conogocheque by way of Philadelphia. In July 1790 Congress decided to move
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Media ID 7368236
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EDITORS COMMENTS
In the summer of 1790, as Congress prepared to relocate the federal government from New York to Washington, D.C., with Philadelphia serving as an interim capital, a satirical print emerged that poked fun at the profit opportunities this transition presented for Philadelphians. The image, titled "Con-g-ss embark d on board the ship Constitution of America bound to Conogocheque by way of Philadelphia," depicts a three-masted ship, the Constitution, being lured toward a dangerous fork in the river by a devil, with Philadelphia enticingly beckoning in the distance. The devil, holding a sign that reads "This way Bobby," is referring to Robert Morris, the alleged instigator of the move. The man in the bow of the ship remarks on the figurehead, which looks more like a goose than an eagle's head. A passenger in the ship shouts through a bullhorn, "Starboard your helm, Coffer," warning of the impending danger. Another passenger waves a hat and cheers for Philadelphia, while the man at the helm, possibly Morris, declares, "I will venture all for Philadelphia." In the smaller boat towed behind the Constitution, two men discuss their plan to seize the cargo, with one exclaiming, "If we can catch the cargo, never mind the Ship." The other replies, "Keep a sharp lookout for a majority and the treasury." Below the falls, three men in a dinghy prepare to catch the cargo that may be lost. This satirical print offers a cynical commentary on the potential financial gains that could be made from the government's relocation, with the devil leading the Constitution toward the dangerous and rocky waters of Philadelphia. The men on the ship and in the smaller boats are focused on their own self-interest, with no regard for the safety of the ship or its cargo. The date of the print is 1790.
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