Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1882-10-28
Letter From PHILADELPHIA.

phia has been at her best this week, in eel
ebrating the two-hundredth Anniversary of
her founding by William Penn. She has
left no stone untuned, and spared no ex-
pense, to make the very best impression on
the thousands CT visitors who have thronged
her streets, day and night, during the festi-
val. The outlay for decorations simply will
run far up into the thousands of dollars.
Some of the public buildings and places of
business have gone to great pains, and eN-
pended large sums Of money, in elaborate
garnishing. The chief feature, of the occa-
sion: however, that strikes the though
bcholder, is the remarkable advance made
III the two centuries in almost all industrial
appliances and forces, as illustrated more
particularly in the Trades display in the
imposing parade on Wednesday, requiring
four hours to pass given point.
On the 2Sth of October, 1852, William
Penn, with hundred followers, bringing
Royal Charter from Charles II, for the PROV
ince of Pennsylvania and frame of govern
ment for the colony he was founding, land
cd at New Castle, Del. He went on to
Chester Pa, and held Court there on the I'd
of November
The 'Framc Of Government" was en-
acted into the law of the Province, signed
and sealed at the Provincial Council in
Philadelphia the following April. This
charter established for the first time in
America, complete civil and religious liberty.
Europe had been clouded by stormy and
intoerant persecution for two centuries.
The only instruments of government and
so-called religious propagation were the
army, Jail, rack, fire, gibbet, block, the star
chamber and the execution. This seven
teenth century was one of great discoveries.
great men, great deeds, bringing to the
front such characters as Shakespeare, Bacon,
Raleigh, Clarendon, Arundel, Harvey Mil
ton, Bunyan Cromwell, Newton, Locke,
Fox, Peen, Sydney, and others. Dur
ing the century the nameless crimes of
Jetfres were perpetrated in the name of
justice: and John Bunyan was afforded an
opportunity to write that great book, the
Pilgrim Progress, in prison, where he was
placed because his conscience wanted free
dom; prisons were filled with non-conformists
who attempted to publicly worship God;
Sydney was executed by the axe; the edict
of Nantes was revoked by Louis XIV, and
half a million of French subjects We're ex-
lied: families and colonies were fleeing from
every part of Great Britain to escape perse-
cution. and emigrating to America At this
time, and under the inspiration of such
events as indicated, the "Holy EXPERIMENT.
Of William Penn took place The proprie-
ty of equal and impartial justice to all men
was denied i'll that day in the Old World,
and was not recognized in the New World
until Penn's colony proclaimed it in Penn
sylvania. Civil and religious liberty was
the fundamental constitutional law of his
frame of government, and has now come to
be accepted by the English peo-
pie of the world. 1t practically abolished
the old and sanguinary code, and out of
two hundred capital offences, reserved the
death penalty for only two crimcs-trca-
son and murder. 1t Incorporated many hu-
name provisions never before thought of
among men.
William Penn's peaceful methods Of deal
ing with the aboriginies, and Of acquiring
territory, and his establishment Of absolute
freedom Of religious worship to all denomi-
nations, make him one of the grandest
figures in American Colonial history The
State may therefore take just pride in
cherishing his memory, and in celebrating
his bi-centennial.
Within two centuries this City Of Brother
ly Love has developed into the second city
of the continent, and in many respects one
of the most important in the world. This
occasion afforded her a splendid opportunity
| Vi SlSllS Vi uCE NTGuI-
ness. The city covers an area of 130 square
miles, and contains more dwelling houses
than any other two cities in America COM
bined, with nearly, if not quite, a million
inhabitants. There are more than 750 miles
of paved streets, and 500 miles each of gas
and water pipes. 1t is lighted at nights by
$4,000 public gas lamps, and consumes
twenty-fiv thousand millions gallons of
water annually. There are 10000 manu-
factories, employing 200,0 900 hands, and pro-
ducng goods to the amount Of five hundred
and fifty millions of dollars annually There
are six miles of stores and shops on Second
street alone.
Fifteen great railroads centre in the city,
on which over three hundred and fifty pas
senger trains depart and arrive daily, carry
ing IS, 900 passengers. There are over three
hundred miles of horse railroads, carrying
two hundred thousand passengers daily.
Fairmount Park covers 700 acres, while Cen
tral, New York. has S43, and Druid Hill, Balt-
more, has only 800. The Schuylkill river flows
through the park for five miles. 1t contains many
attractive works of art, and large and remarka-
bly, full Geological Garden. The drive along the
banks of the Wissahcken is perhaps unequaled in
in its way, in the world.
On the site of Philadelphia cluster more stirring
events of constitutional national and historic in
terest than in any other place in America.
In August, 1871, the erection of new City
Hall was commenced, at the intersection of Broad
and Market Streets upon which work is still pro-
crossing. 1t is being built Of white MARBLE and
will be one of the handsomest and most costly
buildings of modern times, covering four and a
half acres.
l The places of instruction, of amusement, of re-
ligious worship, of interest in the city, almost
? innumerablc.
. It is estimated that there have been 500 O0C
visitors in the city this week. l can give you NJ
! idea of the brilliancy of Chestnut street. with
l its magnificent edifces, beautiful windows, dis.
play of bunting, arches spanning the street, gay
+ equipages, thronging pedestrians, &c. At night i
seems very fairy scene, when lighted up amos
like noon-day, with its hundreds of gas jets, ,ant
electric globes. In another letter ! will give yol
tnftl tl,n olof,ro