Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1848-04-08
TWO SCENES IN INDEPENDENCE HALL.
pHfLADELp1iJi.

Nearly seventy-two years next fourth q
July-a band OF patriots were assembled in
what was then called Carpenters Hall, but
now better known as Independence Hall, in
the city of Philadelphia. The oldest of the
number verged on eighty and the Youngest
was not thirty years ofage.
Thirteen colonies, through their delegates,
were then in session-and for what purpose ?
To found mighty nation, and 10 show to
the world what "mcn determined 10 be free''
could accomplish. This assemblagcs was
composed of no common materials Men
were there-some iillers of the soil, others
from the pulpit, and many from the workshop
and the profession of the law-fnea who had
everything to risk in what they undertook
for: If unsuccessful treason was the crime and
gibbet the reward
They were not laggards or sluggards in
those days, for Congress met as early as eight
O'Clock in the morning. John Hancock, the
President, took his seat regularly atthat hour
and, after the roll-call, business commenced.
1t was about nine O'Clock in the morning
of the fourth of July, l7z6, when five men
advanced TO the chair Of the President, and
submitted a report.
Tha, very tall man is Thomas Jefferson
the next person, who makes a few remarks,
and every member inclines his ear to catch
their purport-in height not very tail OR short
but inclined TO corpuancy-:s John Adams
tho nll man ,v,,;rt, HE s,,o 10 ,bo r,,,
philosopher and patriot, Benjamin Franklin
the tall man, with a pleasant Puritanic face,
is Roger Sherman, of Connecticut, who was
in early life a shoemaker; and the las, men,
Der Of the committcc-a handsome, aristocra-
tic looking gentlemen-is Robert r. Livings-
ton, afterwards minister to France and Chan
cellor Of New York.
These men make their repor,--it is read
What is it? THE DECLARATION OF IxDlpES-
DENcE! Seperate from the mother country
to b. Independent! "No! No!n some cry
John Dickinson, of Philadelphia, rises and
opposes the report of the committee. Blu,
see! Jefferson touches John Adams on the
elbow, and the latter at once takes the floor
You can hear q pin drop. Adams com.
mcnccs speaking, Hark 10 the tones Of his
voice. He grows more ard more eloquent
an intense silence pycvals--all are anxious
to hear every word that falls from the lips o.
! the Massachusetts, advocate. Deeply do these
words fall upon attentive cars As Jefferson
said III long after times, John Adams, in hi.
famous speech upon the Declaration.rw was The
Colossus of Independence. He takes his sea,
amid murmur of arplausc-,hc vote i.
callcd-and we are declared forever separate
| from GREAT BnITAIN.
a few days ago dead body was resting
in this same hall, surrounded BY all the en-
! blems of mourning with which we honor the
distinguished dead. That remnant of mortal
! ty but a short time before contained a sou
endowed with patriotism, distinguished learn
ing, and an unsurpassed love Of country.
This body rested on the spot, where, sew
enty-two years before, the father of the deaC
advocated the cause Of his country. The thir
teen states had grown to Thirty, and a mour
ner from each stood beside the bier of The
son. Both had been Presidents of the Uni
ted States, and both died full of years anc
honors, lamentei by ali. Why say tha, "RE
PUBLIcs ARE UNGRATEruL !i-Noah's Nessen
ger