Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-07-08

previous TO the moment when the
Bell Ringers responded to the
shout of the fairhaired boy.
This is an old hall. 1t is not so
large as many q monarch's ante
room /; you might put a hundred
like it within the walls of st Pc
ter's, and yet il is a fine old hall
The walls are concealed in dark
oaken wainscotting, and there
along the Enclosed, the purple
tapestry comes dropping down.
The ornaments of this hall?
Over the head of that noble
browed man-John Hancock, who
sits calm aud serene in yonder
chair-there is a banner of the
Stars. Perched on the Banner sits
the Eagle With unfolded wings.
lis it not a precocious bird? Born
only last year on Bunker Hill,
now it spreads its wings, full
grown, over a whole Continent y
Look over the faces of these fif-
ty-six men, and see every eye
turned to that door. There is a
silence in this hall-every voice is
hushed, every face is stamped
with a deep and awful response
bility.
Why turns every glance to that
door, why is every face sc solemn,
why is it SO terribly still?
The Committee Of Three, who
have been out all night, penning a
Parchment, are about to appear.
The Parchment, with the Sig
natures of these men, written with
the pen lying on yonder table, will
either make the world free-Or
stretch those necks upon the glib
bet, yonder in Potter's field,or nail
these heads to the door-posts of
this hall!
That was the time for solemn
faces and deep silence.
AT last, bark! The door opens
the Committee appear. Who are
these three men, who come walk
ing on toward John Hancock's
chair?
That tall man, with the sharp
features, the bold brow and sand
hued hair, holding the Parchment
in his hand, is the Virginia Farm
er, Thomas Jefferson. The stout
built man with resolute look and
flashing eye? That is Boston
man-One John Adams. And tie
calm-faced man with hair Troop
ing in thick curls to his shoulders
that man dressed in a plain coat,
and such odious homemade blue
stockings-that is the Philadel-
phia Printer, one Benjamin
Franklin.
The three advanced to the table.
The Parchment is laid there. Shall
it be signed 0r not?
Then ensues a high and stormy
debate-then the faint-hearted
cringe in corners, while Thomas
Jefferson speaks out his few bold
words, and John Adams pours out
his whole soul.
Then the deep-tOned voice of
Richard Henry Lee is heard swell
ing in syllables %ofthunder like mu-
sic.
But still there is doubt, and that
pale-faced man shrinking in one
| corner squeaks out something
about axes, scaffolds, and a-GIB-
| BETl
"GIBBET I" echoes a fierce, bold
| voice, that starties men from their
seats-and look yonder! A tall,
slender man rises, dressed-al-
though it is summer time-in q
| dark robe. Look how his white
hand undulates as it is stretched
| slowly out, how that dark eye
| burns while his words ring thro'
the hall. We do not know his
name, therefore let us call his APP
peal
THE SPEECH OF THE UNKNOWN.
"Gibbet ? They may stretch our
neck On all the gibbets in the land
they may turn every rock into
a scaffOld-every tree into a gall
lows,every home into a grave, and
yet the words on that Parchment
can never dep
"They may pour u blood on a
thousand scaffolds, and yet from
every drop that dyes the axe or
drips on the sawdust of the block,
a new martyr to Freedom will
spring into birth.
"The British King may blot
out the stars of God from His sky,
but he cannot blot out His words,
words written on that Parchment
there The works of God may per-
ish-His Word, never!
"These words will go forth to the
world when u bones are dust.
To the slave in the mines they will
speak HoPE-to the mechanic in
his workshop FREEDoM-to the
coward king these words will
| speak, but not in tones of fattery !