recovering from the distresses of the long war. The demonstrations were
not very elaborate, but they were intensely patriotic. In a newspaper of
February 17, 1784, we find an interesting account of this first public
celebration in New York:

"'Wednesday last being the birthday of his Excellency, General
Washington, the same was celebrated here by all the true friends of
American Independence and Constitutional Liberty with that hilarity and
manly decorum ever attendant on the Sons of Freedom. In the evening an
entertainment was given on board the East India ship in this harbor to a
very brilliant and respectable company, and a discharge of thirteen
cannon was fired on this joyful occasion.'

"A club called a 'Select Club of Whigs' assembled in New York on the
evening of February 11, and a brief account of the proceedings at its
meeting was sent to the _New York Gazette_, with an amusing song,
written, it was stated, especially for this occasion. The following
stanzas will serve as a sample of this effusion of poetical patriotism:

Americans, rejoice;
While songs employ the voice,
Let trumpets sound.
The thirteen stripes display
In flags and streamers gay,
'Tis Washington's Birthday,
Let joy abound.

Long may he live to see
This land of liberty
Flourish in peace;