The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-02-04
rHEExposIrIoN
At New orleans-The Weather-conditior
of the City-Liberty-Bell.

At new OflehnA-Euo NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Il of the oity-Liberty-Bell.
Correspondence efLss h.telli0eHoa.
NEw ORLEANS, Jan. 3o.-The weathe
here for the past week, has been anything
but pleasant, owing to the cold rains tina
have prevailed, which have had a tenden
cy to greatly dampen the ardor for sigh
seeing. The city, at the present stage O.
the Mississippi, is several feet lower thar
the river, and during these hard, frequent
rains, is nothing more than q vast slush
pool, If they were TO substitute canals
for streets, as in Venice, II would be de.
cided advantage; they could easily raise
the cityten or more feet out of the river,
as they did Chicago, making II in reality
the Queen City OF America.
Notwithstanding the rain and mud, the
Exposition becomes more attractive every
day. Additional buildings are constantly
going up, car loads OF articles daily arriv-
ing, and the number Of visitors every
hour increasing.
The event Of greatest interest to-day,
was the arrival OF the old Bell that on the
18th ofJuly, 1776, proclaimed to the world
the Independence OF the thirteen British
Colonies in America.
Its transportation from Philadelphia in
q special car, strongly guarded by special
committee, and the ovations given 1t in
Cincinnati, louisville and other cities
enroute, were on]ya prelude to the re-
ceptionlit received here. A large COM
mfttee composed Of Governor Bacon,
Mayor Guillotte and other distinguished
gentlemen were sent out on q special
train to meet the Philadelphia committee
and receive their precious charge. All
business in the city, by a proclamation OF
the Mayor, was suspended. Its arrival
was announced bya salute oftwenty.one
guns from the man Of war in the river.
Officers OF the United States Navy and
Army and the leading citizens OF New
Orleans turned out by thousands TO give
the venerable visitor a hearty welcome.
Eloquent addresses were delivered on the
occasion, and followed by along process
sion with bands Of music and waving ban
.ners the sphinx was escorted
TO the Worlds Great Exposition,
where 1t is. to remain as a relic
of the past till the exposition closes.
All the eveneration, display and expense
may, to some, appear very proper, but to
me, it seems to be q needless outlay Of
money, and TO SAVIOR strongly of the super.
stitious reverence of ignorant pagans for
their gods Of brass and stone. These idols
of the heathen are often mounted on
wheels and drawn from city to city by
their fanatical worshippers, some Of whom
have been known to throw themselves be-
meath the wheels of tho royal car, count
ing It a privilege to be crushed to death by
the idol they worship; as some Of tliee
cited, superstitious negroes would have
done to-day in this procession, had they
not been kept back by the police, sup
posing, n'their ignorance, that 1t was the
Liberty bell that had given them their
freedom.
once, in the jungles Of Bengal, saw
some natives worshiping a large cracked
cannon, probably left there by some in
vading army. When I inquired Of them
why they worshiped such an object, their
reply was, 20, it had fallen from heaven,
and was sure defense against their enc
mics" And it would seem, at least to the
ignorant multitude, from the guard on
duty day and night to protect the old bell,
from the reverence paid It at all places
and on all occasions, and from the oyations
and entertainments II has everywhere re-
ceived, that our Nation expected this
mute idol of brass to protect our Great
Republic from her enemies.
We accord It all merited honor. It is
memorable with age, and has rendered
good service in proclaiming liberty to all
speaking I and never likely to ring again
revolution, and l trust will be returned
safely to Independence Hall, Philadelphia,
where may 1t long be preserved as the
genius OF liberty, reminding generations
now unborn OF the noble and heroic deeds
otthe father Of our country. D. H.