The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-08-09
Old Liberty Bell at the Gen.
tenniaI CHARTERS.
The Iron Tongue That First Sounded
American independence.
IT'S EL1RLY HISTORY.
The First Fifty Years of q Free
Nation.
PHnApRLpmA. Auppst Q. liza,

back upon the past 1t is either when success has
crowned his efforts when. his heart Is 50 over
whelMed with misfortune that he can struggle no
more. This hour so sure to come in the history OF
an individual is also almost always to happen
In the history OF q nation. England and France
have experienced the moment, Austria Is now
wrapped up in its glory, and to America, younger,
brighter, sturder than them all, 1t is slowly but
surely approaching. When the doors OF the great
centennial building thrown open, when in Its
numerous apartments are stored the industries OF
every mart, when the inhabitant Of the dreayy
North shall grasp the hand OF the Oriental,
and when under an American nag OF
stripes and stars all humanity shall
stand in sympathy and peace, for a moment the
CHATTER OF our workshops will cease; the hum OF
our mighty Icons will die away; then will the pas
siOas, sentiments and emotions of every true
patriot be centred in the industries OF the present
and the recolectiOns Of the past. Within the
limits OF our territory will be grouped the tri.
umpns and trophiesof all others. At the sound Of
our cannon freedom will be Numbered to the
world, and at the Ginning of our Sabbath bells the
world will be summoned to an hour OF grateful
prayer. Surely the heart Of the Christian shall
swen with thanksgiving as he sees kneeling in our
corridors the representatives OF every people,
wOrshipping, in a land OF liberty, common and
UNIVERSAL GOD.
Then win he reject upon the PASTOR the present
was not bought without price. Indeed one OF
the most benencent results OF this exhibition will
be the train OF memories which it will awaken and
the extent to which 1t will lay open the silent
nHes leading back to the Revolution. Then perhaps
for the rst time in lives, will the herosm OF
patriots ding its impress upon our souls, until we
are fully aroused to the glory and grandeur Of our
fathers Then, for the first time, Will the dust be
swept from their tombs and its place supplied
with garlands Of living laurel All that We shall
then see, all that shall then think of-the in
siustry Of the present and the eternal glory which
must forever overshadow the passive shall find
proceeding from solemn hour Just century
remote, when the following mandate was an.
nOunced:-
to be read, proclaimed al tie State House city
The Instant on evs ooes OK noon of ISs s ams
day Of the the United
ccns,aSes city attend the readln s thereof
near the city, be ordered 10 meet at the COMMITTEES
chamber before twelve O'clock Monday 70 proceed TO
IS to he proclaimed.
Upon that momentous occasion all was as the
mandate had decreed. No carriage rumbled
through these thoroughiares. for business was
suspended and all the shops were closed. At an
early hour in the morning the people began to
gather in the neighborhood of the Court House,
and before ten O'Clock Chestnut street was cram
med TO sufocation. 1t was q human sea, above
which brooded silence as deep and awful as
that OF death No sound arose, cry rent the air,
no whisper was audible.
Then was the Declaration of American Inde-
pendence read. Then for the first time in the
worlds long history the people Of a country
announced as free and equal. During the reading
we are told, the people held their breath and
uttered no sound until the reader withdrew. The
mighty crowd bent Its head as II
AWAITING A HEAVENLY BENEDICTION,
and who can say that they waited IN vsinY Them
then A great sound went up from every
throat simultaneously like the sound OF cannon.
breakers, driven back for while by the wind, viii
suddenly, with impetuous fury lash the sand in
the ul OF calm. The air was filled with shouts
free from tears. The MANNED veterans OF the Rev
olution were carried aloft upon the shoulders of
az they bound their arms around their
gallant Husbands. ~, Little children com.
hour, ciapped their dainty hands, and joined
their musical voices, for no better reason than
tOns which they felt. but could not explain. such
were the scenes NOW historic) at the birth Of
American Independence, and under such auspices
did the infant Republic begin its career
LIBERTY BELL-THE IRoN-ToNGUED MESSENGER
But what was 1t that FIRST proclaimed the pill.
Trmage OF liberty What was it that gave the signal
Tor this general and vehement rejoicing2 That great
crowd could not hear. throughout its entire limits
reader was faint and only those Immediately
around him could eaten the words as they fell from
UNDERSTOOD q
Of the Court House bell liberty should be an-
bounced, and all men should be declared free and
equal" Hence it was this bell that first awoke the
enthusiasm which has ever since been Characters
tic OF the American people, and which has through
successive developments raised our nation to It's
present elevated standard and made its fame
worldwide. Hence this bell has a history, and in
the coming Centennial IL Will play no unim portant
S This s mo- 81 e rs e gq
70 Philadelphia, although first in respect to its
size, but IL has played an important part in
rtf Nm No
vember the LIST Mr.. Robert Charles was ordered
by the proper authorities 10 get good bell at a
conditions upon which this order given were
that II was to be cast by the best workmen, most
scrIitinizingy examined before shipment, and that
II was to contain Scriptura phrase correspond
ing with that found in Leviticus XIV, TO-
Proclaim liberty throughout all the land, to all the
During the month OF August 1882 the bell ar
r1veo, and upon behodtng II all expressed their
'sn.lae satisiacuon stun lew days after IT was
hung the superintendent heard that IL had cracked
IRON stroke OF the clapper, without any other
ivlo'ence, as II was hung up simply TO try the
ulda, had brought the bell over, and he had
previously brought over the bell OF old
and Franklin all three owned common pew
owing TO which fact whenever the Matilda would
arrive, the same bell would ring and cang for JOY
zt the prosperous voyage and the sale return
when the Committee requested Captain Budden to
ships cargo was entirely board, and the bell
could not possibly be taken back. Hereupon, in
the year 1913, the ingenious American workmen
agreed TO recast the bell, and did actually without
any previous experience whatever arrive at a
satisiactory result In tins same year the bell
hung up In It's regular place, and the bill Jor per-
forming this was as follows:-
PHILADELPHIA April H. 1883
The PROVINCE EpsuSD WooLEY DIR. -
For snndries advanced for raising the bell frame and
putting up the bell
A peek potatoes, 2s Sd. IL pounds beef at IS. 3d.;
Igammons IS pounds, at 3D., 1885, ..............E
Mustard, pepper, salt butter.
A cheese, Is pounds, at Cd. 6s. Cd. beef 20
pounds al 4d, los a peck OF potatoes D i'd. Ols
Iaa %s Of S.s al Isssy We Jones Is
Of D"chee, iss "a OIL
barrel OF beer, Of Anthony Morris. 01s
Total ........, Is IL 10
Errors excepted ED. WooIKy.
The names OF the parties who recast this bell
we're Pass and Stone, and these two persons are
orthv nj al tho honor r. the that