The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-03-11
ALEXANDER II, STEpiIENs
Etg AEEsCzEst5oIl to Pennsylvania His
tO-lSG1sy SS-EssagEess.
b S HAYDEN.


In the Hdeus C.ean-r Of Nav 18th, I pre-
seuicd some facts relating to the name Of
Pennsylvania in its provincial charter, aud
the origin OF the term Keystone" as since
applied 90 il. Ny attention has since been
called to au article credited ID the PhHgasL-
pAiu Telegraph, aud published in yasIuus
papers Of the State, cJntraaIctng and riGi-
cu.Ing the reason there gave why Peunsy-
vania was first called the keystone State, -
and setting forth pretended reason, entirely
different, for this appeI3aJicu.
That all who may fee, interested in this
question either as Que of curiosity. or oueuG
history, may more fully comprehend the
point at issue, wilI re-iusert ia this article
that part Of my former one which explained
the origin u; the term - Keystone as applied
20 our State and also the comments on nv
article by the Philadelphia Telegraph as
published in the Bradford Reporter OF June
10th, with the endorsement OF the editor Of
that paper.
Extract from the Athens Cleaner, May l2th.l
PENNsYLvANIA-wHY CALLED THE KEYSTONE
STATE.
The desiguation Of Pennsylvania as the
keystone State" originated IN the city of
ashiuc ton, near the close Of the last centu
ry early IN the present. When the seat OF
the Federal Government was by act of Con
Commissioners were appointed TO locate The
site Of a new city there, who employed a
French architect by the name Ot J. Eutaut, to
design and survey 10 cut Besides the multi
tude of streets which re mapped cut and de-
signated by the 4 b. C.'s, and / , 3s he
also planned "a number Of magnificent broad
avenues running diagOua Iy across them. The
three principal OF these avenues ran nearly par
aiici through the city from the East Branch
OF the Potomac, TO Rock Greek. rear George
town OF these the central ore was named
Fennsy yiyania Avenue, and the south OF it Yir-
2inia Avenue.
Pennsylvania Avenue, as is well known, be
came the great tLOFOug ghtare Of the city, where
IL was EXTENDED across Rock Greek TO George
town, "a stone bridge with a single arch was
erected, of stones Guased in building the walls
OF the Capitol. In constructing the arch of
the bridge, thirteen ring or arch stones were
exposed to view, on each OF which were en-
gravei the initials Of the name OF one Of the
thirteen TigIual States. nose forming the
north side Of the arch n. H, Mass, r
l., CT, n. y B., and n j.: and those on the
south side ere Ga, ) c., n. c., Va, Md,
and Del: while on the thirteenth, or keystone
Of lna arch, the initials OF Pcuusy lyauia- were
engraved so cOuspicuUusly as 10 be seen by all
who passed it. From thls circumstance, Penn
sylvaui4 obtained the name and has since been
widely known as ''the Keystone State" This
bridge has since been disrGyed and replaced by
MIA ceases to be known by the name she
qaired, when the keystone of this arch, IN the
cI,y of " Washington, bore her Initials.
Extract from the Bradford Reporter. June 1G.l
THE KEYSTONE STATE.
We notice foolish error going the rounds
of the press regarding The appe!iatiOn OF the
keystone State" ana how Pennsylvania came
to be SO called. IL would be an end,ess task
TO attempt to correct all the stupid mistakes
y,,5e nv uewspaDers, bur this error concerns
PENNSYLVANIA direcJly. According to the
acious historian whose account is before Us,
PENNSYLVANIA has no better or higher right to
be called the Keystone State" than this: that
when the city OF Washington was laid out, "A
certain bridge near Georgetown had its arch
fancifuily Inscribed with the names of the or
iginal thirteen States, and that Penusy ylVania,
having the celtral place in the arch, was called
The Keystone by the primitive citizens of those
times and has continued to be called ever
since. This IS putting the cart before the
horse with Il vengeance We do not deny,
c6utiuues the Telegraph, $50 much of the
bridge story as describes the formation of the
arch, but do say taud think it strange even
that 1t should he necessary for Us to say that
the device OF the architect was but taken from
a historical incident of very great Importance.
The name, in fact, was derived from the cir
cufnstauce that Pennsy lvania cast tie deciding
vote on the question of American Indepeud-
ence. In SanCerson' s olives of the SigHers,"
jt is stated that the vote was taken by the del
eoations of the 3 Colonies of them voted
In favor and SIX against the measure. The
delegations from all the Colonies, except one
member from Peausy ylyania had voted, and il
was discovered that they were equally divided.
Upon this simple vote depended the entire ques-
lion OF issuing the Declaration of independ-
ance The name of the delegate upon whom
ca much depended was John Morton, and it is