The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1854-05-18

PHILADELPHIA, May 10, 1854.


Perhaps struggling echo of /" What
Cheer" from tho city of " BrOtherly
Love" may be agreeable, as, indeed
from the beginning of our history, Rhode
Island and Philadelphia have cherished
a strong family fellowship on the ground
of, not only social but also of civil and
religious principles. On this high ground
Roger Williams and William Penn were
as near as german cousins, or perhaps
as brothers. Penn taught and practised
the Liberty of LOre; Williams taught
and practised the Liberty of Law and
Lore. Penn held the spirit Williams
the spirit and the letter. Williams was
an exponent; Penn was an illustration.
I reached this friendly city by the
cheapest and also the pleasantest route,
in six hours from New York, via. South
Amboy and Bordentown; from New
York to South Amboy, 80 miles, by
steamboat, from South Amboy to Bor-
dentown, 80 miles by railroad, from
BordcntowH to Philadelphia, So miles,
by steamboat, In fair weather this is
by far the most preferable route, though
it occupies little more time yet it is
one dollar cheaper by the 7 A. M. trip.
The scenery now dressed in light bright
green, along the narrow winding channel
between Staten Island and the main
land, and again along the meanderings
of the fair Delaware river, is most varied
and pleasing, and the whole is heighten-
ed perhaps by contrast with the tracts
of darwf pines and oaks of New Jersey,
along portions of the line of the railroad
Along the whole route the fruit trees
are now in full bloom.
Of course I have seen the U. S.
mint where Uncle Sam gives form to the
envious dust, that form which makes it
current and legal. So it is with this
worlds fashion, pride and power, the
form gives currency, authority, legality
Last Thursday, for the first time, they
were striking off the new three dollar
gold pieces. On this coin the devices
are unique, beautiful and expressive.
The diverse represents an ideal head,
with the feathered cincture symbolic Of
America, and the word LIBERTY on the
encircling band, with the words United
States Of america, surrounding the
whole. On the reverse, in the center,
on three lines you read thus, 3 Dollars,
1854, and this is surrounded by an
elegant wreath composed of some of the
productions Of our country, viz, wheat,
cotton, Indian corn and tobacco. Both
sides are of course executed in relieve.
I have taken hasty view of the
world-renowned Gnard College, the
amplitude and magni6cence Of which
defes description except in the compass
of a volume. A rough idea, however,
may be formed from one or two facts.
The grounds embrace tract of forty
acres on the highest ground in this re-
gion of the country, and overlooking the
whole of Philadelphia and its suburban
villages. The sum devoted by the once
poor cabin boy (who was so kicked by
his captain as to lose one Of his eyes,, for
the erection and endowments of this in
stitution was So, 100000. But this was
only two-sevenths of his estate. The
Institution now contains 305 inmates.
The main building is grand in the ex-
treme, built of white marble and fire.
proof throughout. The colonade sur
rounding it is made up of thirty-six
massive white marble columns in the
pure Corintbian style, the labor on the
capitals alone being equal to the labor
of one man for one hundred and eight
years. The roof is tiled with finished
white marble slabs not less than four
inches thick and four by five feet square.
This is the imperishablc monument Of
the strange wealth and mournful inf
deity of Stephen Girard.
Next in point of beauty and grandeur.
and indeed perhaps first in point Of