Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-07-10
PLYMOUTH, IND. JULY 10, 1856

Col. Henry Lee ofVirgina-"First in War,
First in Peace, and First in the Hearts of
his Countrymen."
In the centre of the Hall is suspended
from the ceiling the identical Chandelier
with its antique cut glass drops-which
Illuminated the room on the night of the
immortal Declaration" Here may also
be seen portion of that antique Christ
Churchs pew in which sat Washington, La
layette, and Franklin; and portion of the
stone step from which Independence was
proclaimed.
One of the most ingenious curiosities in
the Hall, is the Chair made in 1888, by or
der of the Board of Commissioners of the
late District of Kensington. 1t is. in fact
itself quite museum ofcuriosities. Among
the materials out of which it was construct
is portion of mahogany beam from house
bull. in 1895, for Christopher Columbus
he first house built in America by Euro
peans. The Chair also contains fragments
Of the Treaty Elm; Of PENIS cottage, in
Letitia Court; of the T. s. frigate Consti-
tuition; of the ship ofthe line Pennsylvania;
and one of the group Of walnut trees that
formerly stood in front of the Old State
House. There are also inserted in this in
genious piece Of furniture, portions of cane
seating from chair once the property of
William Penn, and lock of the late Chief
Justice Marshal's hair.
Near the center Of the Hall, elevated up
beau iful pedestal is the famous old
Liber,y Bell--lhe first to ring in jublant
and resounding tones, the glad tidings of
independence. The bands binding togeth-
er the lictor's rods, have upon them, in
raised letters, the names of the signers of
the Declaration Of independence. Around
The summit of the pedestal is an elaborate
ly carved representation Of the American
Flag, the Stars and Stripes being painted
in nat onal colors. Arourd the base there
Is a tasteful iron railing, and the whole is
surmounted by fine specimen of the
American Eagle. 1t is a singular fact that
his tell--the first set up in the steeple Of
the vencrated State House--should have
had for its motto, "Proclaim LIBERTY
throughout all the land unto all the inhab-
itants thereof" and il is also still more sin
gular, remarked by Watson, that. from
the situation Of Congress, then legislating
beneath its peals, 1T was also the first in
the United States to proclaim the news Of
the Declaration of Independence. The bell
was imported from England in 1852; but
being cracked in the trial ringing, it lost
It's fatherland tones. and by recasting, re-
ceived New World cadences The bell was
re- cast under the direction of the then
Speaker of the Colonial Assembly, Isaac
Norris, and to him We are no doubt indebt-
ed for the remarkable motto so indicative
OF It's future use. In reference to the re-
casting, flr. Norris says: They (Messrs.
Pass d Snow) have made good bell,
which pleases me much that we should first
venture upon. and succeed in, the greatest
bell for aught | know. i'll English America;
surprising, too, the imported one, which
was 100 high and brittle" The weight was
2O5 lbs. Sometime after it proclaimed,
IN merry peals, the glad tidings of Liberty
in lie United States, ii was fractured, and
it is placed, with appropriate surroundings,
in the venerated old Hall--a sacred me-
mento of the olden time.
A brief history of the maturing, passing,
and signing of the Declaration of Indepen-
dence will not be out Of place here.
On the 9th of May, 1916. John Adams
moved a resolution recomme ding the col
onies "to adopt such governments as would
in the opinion of the representatives of the
people, best conduce to ihe happiness and
safety OF their constituents, and of Ameri-
ca" After hard struggle, this resou-
ton passed on the 18th of the same month
and preluded Lees daring resolution of the
7th of June following, declaring the disso-
lu,ion of the connection with Great Britain.
On the ever memorable FOURTH OF July.
the Declaration of Independence. with but
few alterations from the words of Thomas
Jefferson, passed. Patrick Henry, it may
here be remarked, had predicted the scpa-
ration of the colonies from the mother coun-
try long before others even dared to think
of it-(aloud, at any rate )-and he was
also the first man who gave utterance to
the words, declaration OF independence"
But, 10 return To the Declaration in indie
pendence Hall. TIE committee chosen to
prepare 1t was composed of Thomas Jeffer
son, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin,
Roger Sherman, and Robert r. Livings-
ton. Mr.. Jefferson and Mr.. Adams were
depu;ed sub committee to draft the in
strument, and the former did SO at the in