Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1875-12-01

HISTORY OF A NOBLE BUILDING.

Independence Hall, erected on Chest
nut street, between Fifth and Sixth
streets, was commenced in l729 and
finished i'm 1874; was build by Edmund
Wooley from the plan of Robert Smith,
architect. The Continental Congress
first met in this building on the 10th of
May, 1775. 1t Is here that the represen-
tatives of the colonies met and, ''appeal-
ing to the Supreme Judge of the world
for the rectitude of their intentions, did,
in the name and by the authority of the
good people of these colonies, sOlemnly
publish and declare: That these United
Colonies are, and of right ought to be,
are absolved from all allegiance to the
British crown, and that all connection
between them and the State Of Great
Britain is and ought to be totally dis
solved" .---- f-.-
The work of restoring Independence
Hall to the condition it was in, i'm 1776,
and of bringing together again the scat
tered memorials of its history is ap-
preaching completion. This has been a
work of no common difficulty, inasmuch
as the interior has been reconstructed
since that time, and nearly the whole
original equipment removed. To the
Independence Chamber, since used for
many years as q courtroom, has been
restored the dais as it was originally
placed, and upon it are the Presidents
chair, with its celebrated effigy of "a
rising and not a setting sum-" the table
on which the Declaration of Independ-
ence was signed; the silver inkstand
used BY John Hancock and his Illus
trious colleagues for that purpose, re-
covered after disappearance of many
years; and thirteen of the members
chairs. The old wainscoting has also
been restored, and the panels Of the
chamber are enriched with authentic
portraits of ssthe signers" and others
whose actual presence had given them
some claim to be remembered there.
This collection of Revolutionary por-
traits is said to be unrivalled since Mr..
Peale first opened his museum there in
1902. OF the signers of the Declaration
ten never sat for their portraits, and
the committees having this work i'm
charge are i'm doubt how to cOmmemor-
ate them. They are: Matthew Thorn
ton, of New Hampshire; John Morton,
James Smith, and George Taylor, of
Pennsylvania; Carter Braxton, of Vir-
ginia; Cesar Rodney, of Delaware; !;
John Hart, of New Jersey; John Penn,
of North Carolina; Button Gwinnett
and Lyman Hall, of Georgia; and it is
feared Francis LightfoOt Lee, of Virgil
mia. Many of the portraits are originals; !;
the rest are copies by well-known artists
interested in the work. i.1sa- ..-
The National Museum, to which the
west or judicial chamber is devoted, is
growing in beauty and interest. The
celebrated painting (originaD Of 'Penn's
Treaty with the Indians by Benjamin
West, is permanently deposited there.
Here, also, is an original portrait of
George Ill, from life, by Ramsey, and
copies by the same hand Of the most
noted portraits of Queen Mary, Queen
Anne, and of the first two Georges. The
series is supplemented not only by
Inman's full-length portrait of William
Penn, but by head of the founder of
Pennsylvania, taken from the life by an
amateur artist named Francis Place,
after Penn's second marriage. Many
other portraits of great historical interest
and artistic merit adorn this rare collec-
ton. Many articles illustrating the
early history of Pennsylvania and the
country, besides these works of art, have
been added to the museum, to which
the gentlemen in charge hope to give
fnrther interest by contributions from
all the original thirteen States. Extra
ordinary measures have been taken for
their protection against robbery and fire.
Further on, towards the doors leading
to the square, is the Cracked Belr'
which "prOclaimed liberty throughout