The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-03-11
THE LIBERTY BELL.
History of the Casting that Proclaimed
Liberty Throughout the Land.

The philadelphia Neios gives some in
teresting particulars of the history OF
the Independence Bell now at
the New Orleans exposition az a
feature of the Philadelphia exhibit.
The order for the bell was given in 175l.
The state house of Pennsylvania in
Philadelphia, work on which had been
suspended for number OF years, was
then approaching completion. Inc
lower floors were already occupied by the
supreme court in one chamber, wnlle
in the other assembled the Freemen OF
the Providence of Pennsylvania, then
consisting of one body. a committee
was appointed by the Freemen, with
Peter Norris as chairman and empower
i. d to have a new bell cast for the build
ING The commission for the bell was
in the same wear awarded to Robert
Charles. of London, the specification
| being that the bell should weigh 1000
pounds, and cost f100 sterling. 1t was
| to be made by the best workman, to be
examined carefully before being shipped
and to contain, in well-shaped letters.
around it the inscription; by order OF
! the Providence of Pennsylvania for the
State House in the City of Philadelphia,
| 1852" An order was given to place I'M
derneath this the fateful and prophets
words from Leviticus, XIV, 10; Pro,
claim liberty throughout the land, and
| to all the inhabitants thereof.
The reason for the selection OF this
text has been q subject of much con-
lecture but the true reason is apparent
when the full text is read. 1t Is as fol
lows; And We shall hallow the fif-
teenth year and proclaim liberty
throughout theland and to all the in
habitants thereof" In selecting the
text the good Quakers had in memory
the arrival of William Penn and there
forefathers more than half century
before
| In August, 1852, the bell arrived, but
through in apparent good order, it was
cracked blythe stroke of the clapper while
being tested 1t could not be sent back,
as the captain of the vessel who had
brought it over could not take it on
board. Two skillfui workmen under
took to recast the bell, and prepared an
exceedingly good mold, which, on being
opened, revealed bell which pleased
very much. But it was also soon found
TO be defective. The original bell was
considered too high, and quantity OF
lCOpIGE Was dQQCd ~ tdN SO3A postum
but too much copper was added. There
were great many witticisms on ac'
count of the second failure, and the
ingenious workmen undertook to recasi
the bell, which they successfully did
and it was placed in condition in June
1853.
On Monday, the 9Th of.July mot the
4th). at noon, true to its motto, it rang
out the memorable message of Liberty
throughout the land and to all the. in
hahitants thereof"
For fifty years the bell continued tc
be rung on every festival and anniver
sary until it eventually cracked.
An Intellectual attempt was made t.
cause it to continue serviceable by en-
larging the cause of its dissonance ant
clipping the edges. 1t was removed
from its position in theftower to a lowel
story, and only used on occasions O
public sorrow, such as the deaths of ex
Presidents and statesmen. Subse
quently it was placed on the origina
timbers in the vestibule of the Stat
House. and in 1873 it was suspended il
prominent position Immediately be
meath where larger bell presented t.
the city in 1876 now Proclaims the pass
ing hour.