The New York herald., 1875-12-25
OLD INDEPENDENCE HALL,
How He Saw the Past Present and
Future Of America.
TT WAS NOT ALL A DREAM. .


am under special engagement with Brother Jonathan
to attend his lev6e at Independence Hail. In the city
of Philadelphia tAmerical Christmas Eve there
fore call upon all my trends aud the friends Of the
little ones TO releve me as far possible from my
ordinary Christmas duties; especially do / command
my cOadJutors who have wrought with me 50 well in
the past not TO forget the poor children TO whom Christ
mas is the brightest day Of the year when little fore
- 0'f''' - : D'NN' '"''" SANTA CLAUS.
copy of this letter sent to the HERALD in order
TO give notice Of Brother Jonathans evee enable
us to send reporter 10 witness and report the
When the HERALD representative arrived at the old
State House in Philadelphia he found everything in
the building exactly II 100 years ago. while II
was occupied by the Continental Congress 1t was i'm
possible TO look at the old building standing nearly
as it stood in 1875 and not feel with the poet
This is tho sacred tame wherein assembled
The fearless champions on the side Of Right;
Men at whose declaration empires trembled,
Moved by the truths immortal might
The Hall of Independence opened for the mystic
celebration and the reception of the mystic guests
The changes which and time have wrought are
few but said before, these were restored,
and tho Independence Hall Of which speak was the
independence Hall of l776 In this venerated chamber
sacred to memory and patriotism Santa Claus and
Brother Jonathan conversng Of the past the present
and the future Surrounded by hundred relics of tho
Revolution and seated in John Hancock's chair,
Jonathan's compacency only equalled by his vou-
hty. Bringing down his huge fists upon tho arms of
the old chair, he said, "Hancock always great
favorite with me, Mr.. Claus Hancock q gentle
man; you don't think SO all you have to do is TO look
at his handwriting. Nobody but gentleman could
sign his John Hancock signed his to the Decla
ration of Independence
'If you right, Jonathan answered Santa Claus
'poor old Stephen Hopkins must hold low place in
your estimation"
mot at all," said Jonathan ''After Hancock Hop.
kins has always been my special pet There is marked
individuality in his signature. Washington's sign
manual is another OF which / am very proud, because
1t shows the evenness of his temperament and his
patriotism But these things you but very
little, Mr. Claus. 1t TO talk of such trles that
asked you to here tonight, but point out to
you the growth and grandeur of my country aud ask
you in celebrating its Centennial in quiet
wayn
81 am much obliged TO you for this kind invitation I"
responded Santa Claus, land have in part devoved my
Christmas duties upon others in order that might
cept it see there is reporter of the HERALD here;
but there nothing remarkable in tnat since it is pro
verbal that there is HERALD commissioner every
where In my annual tours / find them all over tho
world. But are there to be no other guests :"
"Plenty of them, Mr.. Claus Pleasant as it would be
nghtlike this to enjoy the feast OF congratulaton
all TO ourselves, not DO treatment OF the
rest OF the world great company will be here by
and by but took that you should be the first
come you shall be the last to CO. because Christ
mas Eve you the accepted ruler of all Christian
countries Even in republic, my friend, we respect
the king OF the hour"
At this Santa Claus laughed heartily, and Brother
Jonathan poked his fingers into the ribs OF the Christ
saint and familiarity stroked Mr. Claus beard in
style which nobody except Commodore Tooker could
surpass. Just then the old bell tho State House
forth merry peal and halo Of glory shed all
over the hall The Continental Congress session
once more. John Hancock occupied the chair Every
member was in his Over all the Genius Of Amer-
can Liberty seemed to float in a sea Of
hight Santa Claus took off his cap to her
and greeted her as Dame Columbia while even Jona-
than was abashed and silent In the background
succession of pictures came and went the changing
scenes following each other with the rspidty Of
panorama of fairy land in a theatre Christopher
Columbus revealed himself and every eye saw
vision OF the New World Three Spanish galeons were
riding In tho phosphorescent waters OF the
tropics; John and Sebastian Cabot sailing
the Northern seas; De Soto padding the mighty
Mississippi OF Manahatta was the clumsy vessel which
brought Hendrck Hudson to the river which bears his
name; Sir Walter Raleigh showed himself for instant
In pride and honor; Powhatan looked with hate upon
the infant settlement at jamestown; Plymouth Rock
afforded a foothold for the landing of the Pill
grlms; Lord Baltimore and William Penn stood
side by side and seemed to say, "Let go
up and possess the land Quickly these pictures
faded and then there were visions OF unbroken
forests covered with and peoped by savages thick
as tho leaves of summer settlers hut was seen here
and there the edges of the wood, and occasional
corn fields heraded the advance OF civilization Then
tba of tha
ments the slaughter of the innocents in many un-
guarded home; the wars with the French and Indians
and the struggles with selfish and yrannca Governors
Soon, too, these visions changed, and 1t plain
that a new era was about to dawn Patrick
Henry was speaking immortal words in the vir-
gnia House OF Delegates John Hancock and
John and Samuel Adams fostering the
spirit Of opposition in Massachusetts, The destruction
OF the tea in Boston Harbor was quickly followed by
the Boston massacre Paul Revere was seen riding
from Cambridge to Lexington that glorious morning
when the grenadiers marched destroy the at
Concord and the yeomanry OF New England "nred
the shot heard round the world" Ethan Allen was
accomplishing his marvellous feat OF At Fort
Ticonderoga and Bunker Hill cleaning with shot
and shell in the sunlight Washington was taking
command OF the army under the old oak at Cambridge
and Congress stood up Trumbuls picture to sign
wonderful pictures OF all-pcturcs Of war and peace
pictures Of fields Of battle and OF fields Of corn pic
lures Of soldiers and statesmen and simple citizens
clothed with the panopy Of right and duty. Gle OF
great men, headed by Washington and jefferson and
ending with Lincoln and Grant, slowly passed, and in
II all Brother Jonathan and his companion
Saw the vision Of the world, and all the wonder that
would be;
Saw the heavens Gil with commerce, argoses OF magic
sails,
Pilots Of the purple twilight, dropping with costly
bales;
Heard the heavens oil with shouting and there raned
CHASTITY dew
From the nations airy naves graphing in the central
blue;
Far along the worldwide whisper Of the south wind
rushing warm,
with the standards OF the peoples plungng through
the thnder storm,
Till the drum throbbed no longer and the battle
flags furled
In the Parliament Of Man the Federation OF the World
When all this grand was over, when the vision
Of the Republic had passed away, was only 70 renew
1