Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1867-03-06
A Presentation speech.

On Friday, February ODD, the anniver-
sary of the birth of Gen. Washington, the
State authorities formally presented to the
city of Philadelphia the " Declaration-of-
dependence-Table and the Hancock
Chair" to be placed in Independence Hall.
The presentation speech was made by
Hon. l.. w. Hall, and the reception speech
by Mayor McMichael. Other speeches
were made, but we have only room for the
SPEECH OF MR.. HALL.
HOROred and respected Sirs, Mayor of
Piat0deLOhi0, Gentlemen Of the Select
and Common Council Of the Corpora
ton Of FobHade{phi0.
l have been requested by the General
Assembly of Pennsylvania, acting thro'
a committee appointed by the Senate and
House of Representative, to present the
Corporation Of the city of Philadelphia
the chair in which John Hancock sat, and
the table on which our venerated fathers
50 many years ago signed orr Declaration
of independence. The object of this pre-
sentation on the part of the Legislature of
Pennsylvania, is that these venerated and
holy relics may be deposited for safe keep
ing in old Independence Hall.
1t is not necessary, sirs, that | should
refer to their history; it is not necessary
that l should more than refer to the fact
that these relics were temporarily loaned
by the Provincial Assembly of Pennsyl-
vania to the Continental Congress when
they were holding their deliberations in
Philadelphia; that the Provincial Assem-
bly, resumed their possession when Con-
gress removed to New York. When the
capital of the State was removed to Har-
riSburg these articles were taken along
There they have been from that time
down to this. That chair has been the
seat, almost all the time, of the Speaker
of the House of Representatives and this
table has occupied conspicuous place in
the public library of the State. The Leg
islature of Pennsylvania thought it was
fit and proper that on this day, the anni-
versary of the birth of the Father of our
country, in this place. in this sacred room
this room more loved by Americans
than any one spot on the habitable globe
this room, with all its happy associa-
tons of the past, with all its holy associa-
tions of the present-that here and now,
i'll independence Hall, these articles should
be placed in trust to remain forever.
Isit necessary, MIR. Mayor, that L should
refer to the band of patriots who stood
around John Hancock, and who osataround
this table? Is it necessary that should
refer to the Declaration they enacted and
adopted? Is it necessary that i should
refer to the struggle that follOwed-that
struggle that tried mems souls, that strug-
gle that ended in making America free?
[Applause. Hancock, the affluent citi-
zen, the accomplished statesman and ora
tor, and popular idol, as with bold hand
he signed his name to that venerable doc
ument! His name alone is sufficient to
recall to US his services to his country
Then a nation was born, and the infiu-
ence of that nation has been most happy
from that day down to this. Applause.1
Philadelphia should have these holy
relics she should preserve them well so
that in the future lovers of liberty coming
here may come as pilgrims to a sacred
shrine to pay homage to this holy place.
Applause
May we not hope that as these relics
are preserved, the principles they repre-
sent-the principles of religious and civil
liberty-may be preserved and our nation
ality made perpetual? The city of Phila-
delphia! fitting home for Independence
Hall; fitting place to put such relics as
these! What city in the United States
has so hOnored herself and so aided in pre-
serving this land as the city of Philadel-
phia? Applause. What city, and what
public and private citizens of what city
have contributed SO largely of their means,
and have raised so many regiments and
supported them when in the field, as did
Philadelphia during the trying time of
the republic? Applause What city
so kind to the soldiers in the field? What
city established such places for their COM
fort as they passed to and from the battle
fields of the rebellionl Proud is the State
Of her city, as she is proud of this hall
On behalf Of the Legislature, in trust, we
deposit these relics, well satisfied that this
is the time and this is the place they
should be thus deposited. [Applause.