Congress Embark'd on Board the Ship Constitution Bound to Conogocheque by Way of Philadelphia
Permanent ID:
12282Call number:
Bb 612 C76Date:
1790Image Description:
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 to Philadelphia. A three-masted ship with a smaller boat in tow sails toward a fork in the river. It is being lured by a devil toward the lower fork (eventually leading to Philadelphia), which falls precipitously in a rocky cataract. Robert Morris, who pushed for the move, is portrayed as the villain.The print was probably produced in New York.