Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1857-08-14
From 3)buaoelptta.
FuILAD, Aug. 10, 1857.

we have an hour 10 spare, let us dedrale II
20 you in retarn for your kintsness manifested
by the receipt Of your interesting paper once
week for the Chronicle is by good way
the best country paper we-know Of. and comes
with its good, moral and patriotic sentiments,
like bright green spot in this desert of vile
newspaper literature with which free press
has flooded the Land. Ours is very free
press; in fact, very loose press; and no low
er OF good morals, and sound sentiments can
contemplate without sickening Of heart, the
enormous amount of more than doubtful trash
which the weekly press sends forth,and which
constitutes the mental pabulum of a vast pro-
portion OF the popuation-indeed their sole
reading. The ilate prize fight, and the new
Cunningham affair, have been small fortune
to the Sunday press, and the disgusting details
have been read and canvassed until they are
worn thread bare.
Every yea, seems 10 increase the annual
exodus of the ciy's population, and as travel
is made so cheap that all may enjoy it, there
are very few who allow the opportunity to
pass. Isnppose !, is well, but as a people we
are very expensive.
The man who only earns five hundred
year tries to live Ike his neighbor who gets
a thousand, who lives 10 the extent of his
means 10 be as grand as his employer; and so
among all classes there is the most reckless
indifference to3the solid comforts of life, and
whole fortunes are lavished on that miserable
H., AL ~,
| tentment, and which is the curse Of any people.
| There has been a perfect s,agnaton in bu-
/ siness for many months, and money is as
! scarce as geese in the Highlands" but our
/ merchants are crowding in their stock making
ready for fall trade which may disappont
their hopes. If it does, there will he some
I trouble; for they hevc suffered through one
! season already, and another will ruin some.
! Building is not near so brisk as We saw il a
/ few years ago, but there are some iac improve
have been built on the Butler properly at
Eighth & Chestnut, and the cellar is being dug
for a magnificent ami extensive Hotel al the
corner of 9Th ST. Several hundred hands have
been working for month past, but the cellar
is not more than half dug yet, SO you can form
some idea of how long it will require to com
piete the structure.
! You made some inquiries about the old
State House Bell last week, which if vou have
not already had answered, cen possible en-
tighten you on.
The old Bel! with lis prophetic inscription,
Proclaim Liberty throus hout all the land &c
cast twenty three years before the Declaration
of Independence, is the most interesting relic,
10 my mind in the CITY. 4 short sketch Of its
history may be new to some of your readers
ported from England, and on its first trial after
its arrival, it was cracked.
1t was re cast by Pass & Stone Of Philadel-
phia in 1853 under the direction of Isaac Nor
ris, Esq, the then Speaker of the Colonial Is.
| ~~...Li,.
In l777 when the British army approached
Philadelphia il was taken down and hariod in
place Of safety, and on the evacuation OF The
city by the troops was replaced in the cupoa
the original steeple having fallen 10 decay. Il
was subsequently cracked and replaced by a
larger bell, and it hung in the present steepe
for many years in dark din.y room, whence
it was removed recently, and now occupies a
place on the floor of the room in which the
Declaration was signed, and where We trust
mauy generations may see it,an object Of ven.
Grafton.
Some years ago an attempt was made TO re-
store its tone by saving the crack which runs
from the Tip to the crown, wider; but il was
useless, and from tha, experiment has sprung
the inexhaustible quantity of relics which
grace cane heads and breastpins all over the
land, and will outnumber the toes of SLPeter
which the church passes, "all hollow" The
widows "cruse of OIL was nothing to that
crack.
The most remarkable thing connected with
the old bell is the variety of metals Of which
it is cast.
There has passed through my hands any
number of pieces to be engraved. among which
have seen not less than a dozen di6trent
compositions! An Interesting subject for an
tiquarians. There are, however, very many
geuine pieces extant, and we have the salts
faction Of possessing a signet ring set with
one we kno,U TO be such. Itis needless 10 say
that We prize it above gold.
Whenever it is broken up-the bell we
mean. Well see that you have piece. Will
you choose slice of tongue!
Yours, &c. S.HF.