THE TIME-PIECE & LITERARY COMPANION, New York, Feb. 14, 1798

* Very rare 18th century publication
* American Editor Philip Freneau
* Short-lived publication

A quite rare title by Philip Freneau which lasted from March 13, 1797 to August 30, 1798.
Beginning on page 1 & taking all of page 2 are various reports from: "Congress".
Page 3 has a great notice headed: "General Washington--To be Seen Every Day at the New City Tavern, Broadway". This is an advertisement to visit the: "...full length portrait of General Washington (large as life) represented in the position of address Congress the last time...painted by the much celebrated American artist, Mr. G. Stewart..." with much more on this. Admittance is 2 shillings.
The back page has a "Ten Dollars Reward" ad for the capture of a deserted soldier.
Four pages, nice condition.

background: The February 14, 1798, issue of The Time-Piece & Literary Companion serves as a vital artifact of the Federal Era, capturing a moment when the young United States was grappling with its identity and looming international conflict. Edited by the "Poet of the American Revolution," Philip Freneau, the paper’s dense coverage of Congressional reports reflects the hyper-partisan atmosphere of the late 1790s, likely dominated by debates over the Alien and Sedition Acts and the escalating Quasi-War with France. The inclusion of the advertisement for Gilbert Stuart’s "large as life" portrait of George Washington at the New City Tavern underscores the transition of Washington from a living leader to a national icon, offering the public a rare, visceral connection to the "Father of His Country" for the price of two shillings. Flanked by a "Ten Dollars Reward" for a military deserter, the document juxtaposes the high-minded political discourse of the nascent Republic with the gritty, practical realities of maintaining a standing army, making it a definitive record of the early American experience.