Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1885-04-11
Liberty Bell.

More than century ago the iron
throat of this historic bell proclaimed
liberty to America; it thrilled the
hearts of Americans from the rock.
ribbed hills ofMaine to the green sa>
vannahs of the Carolinas, and the new
nation heard the dirge of monarchy on
the shores of America, for the deep
tones of Liberty's Bell sounded its
death knell forever.
The chimes of the Bell of Liberty
have ever been to the American ear
musicals wild and sweet as that hal.
lowed anthem sent to hail the Shepherd
of Bethlehem, when Jordon hushed
its stormy waves and midnight watch
ed on the holy towers of Zion.
To-day, to the assembled represent.
atives of the nations of the earth, this
bell, the sacred emblem of American
liberty, in mute eloquence, relates the
grand historic past of our glorious coun-
try.
1t portrays one of the sublimest
pictures in the worlds panorama, that
of an infant nation, whose birth was
heralded by the thunders of hostile
cannons, and christened with humans
ity's most precious blood, the blood by
martyrs shed in the cause of human
liberty. Boldly assuming its place
among the nations of the earth, it cast
the gauntlet of defiance to the greatest
military power on the globe, and in
spired by an uncOnquerable determine
ton to live nation Of freemen or
suffer immolation on the affairs of liber-
ty, its grand voice was heard with awe
by the crowned heads of the Old
World and the New, as it reverberated
over mountain and sea, uttering the
words of holy inspiration, proclaim
liberty throughout all the land unto
all the inhabitants thereof" 1t por,
trays the nation faint and staggering,
girding on its armor anew for the
mighty conflict, as for seven long years
it followed in Liberty's wake-"its
pillar of cloud by day and its pillar Of
fire by nighf'-oft with Famine's wing
brooding over it and ever encircled by
the thunders of England's mighty
wrath, yet always overshadowed by
the protecting shield of the God o.
Battles, until at last its glorious crest
lowered aloft above the clouds of war
and was bathed in the sunshine O
Freedom forever.
Typical of liberty, this grand old bel
consecrates anew to freedom this his
toric battlefield, where, seventy year
ago, in the presence of Southern valor
England lowered her naughty crest
and the lion of monarchy, whose roaI
had awed all Europe, covered in de
feat before the American eagle of free
dom. AS the Hottest eyrie of tn,
mountains of the North is fit HON,
for the the eagle of freedom, the i'm
mortal plain of Calmette is a fit abod,
for this bell of liberty.
Gathered around this bell on thi
historic spot are many of those latel,
arrayed in fratricidal strife. Each o
their armies had its heroes in tn
struggle of the States, and whethe
they followed the nations starr
flag or the conquered banner, their
were deeds of American valor, whicl
won for them places side by side in tn
pantheon of American glory.
While the South garlands with i'm
mortelles the tomb of the illustriou
Christian warrior, Robert E. Lee
Whose sword leaps not at the long, loud cry
Nor starts and streams with the crimson dye
Who shouts no charge, nor the brave lin
leads,
For he lies in the grave of his glorious deeds
she turns with patriotic homage
Irvine the victor's wreath on the broN
of the great Captain of the North, .
S. Grant, at whose bed of affliciion tC
day stands a fearful nation, waitin
to bid mournful adieu to that grea
soldier on the eve of taking his solitar
march into eternity. And the South
invocation to Deity is that the sam
merciful generosity that the nation
hero extended to her in the hour of he