The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-05-11
THE FATHERS OF ls,G.
PURE LIQUORS ONLY,

startling letters
THE FATHERS OF lS1G.
PURE LIQUORS ONLY.
TIE obviously true intent and meaning Of this
is that when the fathers took something, it was
Of an arproy ed brand.
Taking advantage to-day Of the Babe-like
confusion at the Exposition, and the fact that
the workmen needed all the room, l took an
excursion into the city. 1t calls for a ride Of
about three-fourths of an hour to reach the far
end Of Chestnut street, being nearly or quite
five miles from the Park. And yet it costs but
seven cents, which is the car fare everywhere
in the city limits. With resolve to where
the means of specie redemption is to come
from, | got off at the United States Mint, en-
tered the building and joined party that, es-
corted By courteous guide, made the rounds.
We We're shown smelling rooms, where the
gold, silver and nickel are worked over and re-
fined. and where glowing crucbes were full of
it in liquid state; rooms where ingots were
rolled into bars, and drawn into the exact
thickness of ribbon, from which are punched
the coin; rooms where shining machines were
fed with the smooth blanks, and fell beneath in
| glittering streams Of stamped coin. These
stamping machines were all fed by girls. We
were shown the treasure rooms, where heaps
| on heaps Of unconed metal were piled up like
paving blocks. 10 some, the most Interesting
portion of the mint is the room above, in which
are collected specimens of every known coin
numbering 5000, and no two alike. There are
also many medals and other curiosites. 1t is
avery interesting and valuable collection. Pre-
| senting my card to one of the custodians was
| rewarded by most interesting discourse upon
| the various curiosities. There was a specimen
| of the mite, the coin which the poor widow cast
into the treasury when the Savior spoke so APP
provjngiy of the act. Also Sheke!, or silver
| coin, for 80 of which Judas betrayed his Lord.
| The shele was worth 50 cents, so that the Ell
terprlse of Iscariot brought him about ST., re-
duced 20 Federal currency. But the particular
| sheke exhibited at the mint is worth $500, as
| rare coin are valued by those who are experts.
| [ was shown coin that were made 5000 years
| ago, and that were old and worn when the
| Savior walked the plains of Palestine. There
| are some Of these coins of gold, intrinscally
| worth $40, that are so old and rare as to read
| lily bring $4,000 i'll the market. There is one of
| the Washington pennies, bearing the head Of
| the first President, of which but a very few eX
| ist The history of this coin is very peculiar.
| immediately after the peace, some enthusiastic
| admirers of the General, secretly sent abroad
| and procured them a surprise TO the chief,
| But he was indignant instead, and demanded
| that the whole lot be at once destroyed, as
| piece of man-worshp obnoxious to him and to
| the new era that had ,lawned. A very few
| were saved, and these are valued at $50 each,
or at the rate of s3S,500 for dollars worth Of
pennies. \ specimen of the New York doub-
| loon, coined before the United States had q
mint, is valued at Sl000-melted and sold for
| Old gold it would bring about ST.. Here are
| kept the standard scales of the United States
| by which others are tested and corrected.
! They are very elaborate, the beam being hung
| upon knife blades resting upon agates, and are
| poised SO nicely that the one hundred thous-
andth part of An ounce will visible affect The
| BEAM | took the custodian word for it, and
| didn't ask him to throw in al eye-winker as a
| test.
| Passing down the stone steps. the visitor Iinds
| himself in the hustle and glitter of Chestnut
| street. one of the finest avenues in the world
| in the shops of which are displayed untold
amounts OF rich and beautiful goods. Those
| things don't affect me much, but the daily dis
| play there would be likely to seriously affect
| the average female mind Not that they are to
| be blamed for it, because it is woman's BUSH
| ness TO look attractive, and becoming clothes
are an important item in that business. But
| this is divergence.
| Having seen where Uncle sam makes his
| coin, it seemed proper to take look at the
spot where he himself received the stamp of
| Nationality. As the horse-cars ratified down
| the street, there came in view at the right Il
| little park, bright " it'll grass and waving trees.
Beyond it rose simple brick building, COM
| mon enough in lis outward appearance, but
| with a history grander than any other on the
| continent. 1t is Independence Hall. There
| met the men who signed the great charter OF
| liberty, which gave to the world new nation
who cast their all upon the turn Of the die,
| whether they should live honored and respect
| ed, or perish on the gallow>. We who enjoy
the fruits Of their labors and sutferings can
| scarcely appreciate their daring The Hall has
been restored as nearly as possible 10 its for
| mer condition. The identical chair is there in
which Hancock sat as President, and before it
| the table on which the Declaration was signed
| A brass railing protects these. Close to the
| rail is a massive safe, in which, behind sheet
of plate glass, is the original draft of the Decia-
| ration, with interlining in the handwriting Of
| Adams and Franklin. 1t is but a sheet or two
| Of yellow and times tanned paper, but what
| memories 90 with il! l noticed that every Wis
| itor who entered, even the most Indifferent,
| reverenty removed his hat. The very air
seemed full of the odor of sancttv, the insplra-
| ton of patriotism, and the place halIowed as it
We're by the invisible presence of the glorious
| dead, whose portraits look down from the
walls-Ben. Franklin in his half-Quaker garb,
| Sam. Adams of glorious memory, stout old
| Robert Morris, the tinancier who impoverished
himself in saving the country, and Hancock, as
| bold as his own signature.
| Another room Is devoted to Revolutionary
relics the principal Of which is the bell that
| from the tower above sent its peals abroad to
| announce the Declaration. 1t is now hung in
its ancient frame from the floor, where it may
be examined. Its battered tongue and Clipped
1
crack extends half way to the top. 1t is curious
that the makers of the bell, long before indie
pendence was thought of, should have cast up
on it this text from the 18th chapter of Levitt
cus-"Proclaim Liberty throughout the Land
unto all the Inhabitants Thereof" And it did
just that thing. There is the door of Chervs
house, which was pierced by bullets and bat
tered down during the battle Of Germantown.
There are muSkets, swords. pistols, uniforms.
drums, and thousands of relics which have q
| history in connection with the War of Indepen-
dence. This building is dedicated to its present
use, and will remain for all time an heirloom of
| the people, and shrine for pilgrims from all
lands.
| The Maine department of the Exposition is
getting on well, and will be ready for the open
| ing. A contribution from Gen. Tillson's quarry
at Hurricane Island, has just been placed in
position 1t is a beautiful glass case, containing