AREA HISTORY:  Fourth of July, 1788, York Borough, York County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis

Copyright 2006.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
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History of York County, Pennsylvania.  John Gibson, Historical Editor.
Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886.
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FOURTH OF JULY, 1788 – Page 552

To celebrate the adoption of the Federal constitution, the borough and county of York became 
patriotic, and, July 4, 1788, was a great and notable day in York, the progress of American 
liberty being appropriately celebrated by a grand procession and banquet, with speeches and a 
series of toasts of almost unending length.  The names of the orators have been lost in 
oblivion, but a copy of the toasts offered on the occasion has been preserved; and as they show 
the zealous spirit in which our forefathers enjoyed their new-born freedom we quote the entire 
list:

By the bearer of the flag of the United States – May our powers explore every inlet of the 
habitable globe, our flag ride triumphant on every ocean.  May impartiality wield the sword of 
Justice and impetuosity the sword of War.

Flag of Pennsylvania – The State of Pennsylvania – may she hold the federal balance, and become 
the arbitress of the continent.

Magistrate’s Flag – May Justice with the sword protect her scales, may nothing but 
righteousness turn the beam, and may she write on Sophistry, what convulsed Belshazzar, “Thou 
art weighted in balance and art found wanting.”

Farmers’ Flag – Perpetual laurels to the men who have “beaten the sword of civil dissension 
into a plowshare,” who have sown the seed of good government – may it spring up without tares, 
and may each revolving harvest witness its increase.

Masons’ and Bricklayers’ Flag – May the component parts of the Federal edifice be squared by 
the plummet of impartial justice, inseparably attached by the cement of citizenship.

Clock and Watch Makers’ Flag – May virtue be the mainspring of our Government; patriotism keep 
its works in order.  May the popular voice wind up its chain, and may its hand point to the 
public good.

Bakers – May an oven “seven times heated,” be the fate of him, whose only objects are the 
“loaves and fishes.”

Stocking Weavers – May he who first broached the formation of a new government, have a wreath 
of laurel twisted around his brow, and a garland of honorary flowers wove for his reward.

Tailors – May Fate with her shears cut the thread of that man’s life, Fame dishonor him with 
the name of Goose, and Society baste him, who endeavors to Cabbage from this country.   

Coppersmiths and Founders – May we be brazed together by a love of country, as by borax and 
spelter, and riveted by an energetic government.

Potters – As often as the wheel of time revolves this day, let gratitude tell of the heroes, 
who were proven as by fire; let a tear of remembrance fall for such as were cracked.

Rough Carpenters – May his head be divorced from his body with the broadaxe of Justice, who 
does not square his conduct by the rule of Right.

House Carpenters – The new political mansion – May its apartments be commodious; may three 
rafters be added to the ten which already support its roof; and may its lights be great and 
many.

Blacksmiths – May the thirteen States be welded into one united empire, by the hammer of 
conciliation on the anvil of peace; and may the man who attempts to blow the coals of discord 
be burned by the sparks.

Nailers – May our government be well pointed at and have a good head.

Brewers – May he be choked with the grains, or drowned in his ale, whose business it is to brew 
mischief.

Painters – The new Constitution in its true colors; neither caricatured nor flattered, and may 
the brush of investigation correct the glare of light given by its friends, and the profusion 
of shade thrown on it by its enemies.

Glaziers – May the Pane remain forever uncracked, that threw light on the subject of our late 
war, and may the rays of truth be drawn to a focus by the glass of genius.

Saddlers – A curb bit, and a transverse rein to the importation of foreign luxuries; and may 
the man who denies his encouragement to home manufactures, be stirruped round the world.

Hatters – May he who twangs the bow of tumult, be stripped to the pelt, then dipped into a 
kettle of blacking; may his head be brought to the block, and their union constitute his 
character.

Shoe and Book Makers – May we wax a great and happy nation; be bound by principles of mutual 
regard, actuated as by one soul, and may our prosperity as a people last until the end of time.

Breechers Makers and Skinners – May he be shorn against the grain, smoked and welted, who has 
not brains to know that the bands of the old government were loosed.

Tobacconists – May the leaves of anti-federalism be twisted together, and fastened by thorns, 
or be rolled into tubes, and end in a puff.

Wagon Makers – Three more spokes to our new wheel; a federal band for its tire, a willing 
people for its axis, political wisdom to set it in motion; and may its progress never be 
retarded by the lock-chain of opposition.    

Saddle-tree Makers – As we are chips of the same block, branches from the same tree, may we be 
glued together by a general efficient government.

Blue Dyers and Stampers – May Fame stamp immortality on their names, who have died for our 
country.

Tanners and Curriers – May every limb of that man be hacked, may he be leathered through 
society, and have his hide completely tanned, who is mean enough to curry favor.

Weavers – Forever honored be the names of those, who, rejecting even the thrumbs of the old 
web, have cut it out of the loom, and wove another to clothe the political nakedness of their 
country.

Tin-plate Workers – May the shears of liberality and extended policy cut away local prejudices, 
and may the late heat of political disquisition only tend to melt the cement that is to solder 
us together.

Scythe and Sickle Makers – May the sickle of industry be filled with heavy harvests, until 
Time, with its scythe, shall mow down empires and ages.

Butchers – As the matter is connected with the bone, or one joint with another, so let us be 
united, and may no cleaver ever disjoint us.

Gunsmiths – When the implements of war are requisite to defend our country’s rights, or resent 
her wrongs, may coolness take the sight, and courage draw the trigger.

Printers – May no government be so potent as to restrain the liberty of the press; or so 
impotent as not to be able to check its licentiousness.

Barbers – Hot curling irons and a dull razor to the wig they once took upon them; may they 
remain as they now are, in the suds.

Turners – May the anti-federalists be “turned from the evil of their ways,” and be held no 
longer in the vice of groundless opposition.

Coopers – May the new government prove a banding hoop to the States, and never suffer them to 
go to staves.

Brick Makers – The materials which compose our new constitution – may they sustain the heat of 
party rage without a crack, and come out more perfect from the kiln of faction.

Rope Makers – May the production of our trade be the neck-cloth of him who attempts to untwist 
the political rope of our union.

Mathematical Instrument Makers – The political compass, as it has been graduated by the finger 
of accuracy; may it prove our guide in the winds of legislation, and preserve its counterpoise 
however shaken by the storms of foreign invasion or domestic broil.

Joiners – The unanimity which augers that the hatchet shall soon be buried.

Surveyors – May the needle of the new government be magnetized by an honest love of fame, and 
make the applause of the people its pole; may the sight be taken by the pervading eye of 
genius, the course be sloped by integrity, and may there be no variations from national honor.

Merchants – The new constitution; may it prove 100 per cent better than the old one; may 
justice, mercy and wisdom, be found in the invoice of its excellencies; and may its net 
proceeds be in good order at home, and respected in the councils of Europe.

Lawyers – A mild judge, a believing jury, a blundering opponent, a good cause, a handsome fee, 
and a federal client, to every advocate of our infant constitution.

Physicians – The political physicians, who, in place of mending, have made a constitution; may 
it retains its health and vigor, with the aid of medicine, and may the quack undergo, at the 
same time, the double operation of cathartic and emetic, who prescribes bleeding.