The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-02-04
SENTIMENT AND THE
OLD BELL.
SOUTHERN

The old Liberty Bell was received with
great ''ecIat" at New Orleans. 1t passed
into the Southern metropolis amid salvos of
artillery and the cheers Of the people. Canal
street, the Broadway OF the city, was
thronged with citizens and Others of various
nationalities. The reception was genuine,
patriotic and creditable. There is a class of
bloody-shirt organs in the North which do
not propose to have any good feeling be-
tween the sections so long as there is hope
of making any political capital by keeping
up a semblance of strife or disappearing
Southern position and opinion. Therefore
it was that the proposition to send
the old bell to New Orleans
wss received by these bloody-shirt
organs either by covert sheer or downright
opposition. When the Mayor of Philadel-
Phis took liberal, broad. gauged view Of the
proposition, seconded by the masses OF the
people and large majority of the press of
the North, the thought was suggested that
the old bell might aid in restoring some OF
the old brotherlY feeling. The class of Repub-
licsn Bourbon newspapers referred to ceased
their open opposition al least. Their CORE
spondents, however, in New Orleans have
been charged with the virus of the home
papeTs, and we look in vain for any descrip-
ton in their columns of the really generous,
patriotic and great-hearted reception that
The old bell met with. From reading an
account, and the first one that came under
Notice, the impression made was that the
bell bad made its entry into New Orleans
and passed through its streets amid an
swfully barbaroas and suggestive silence.
The fact is that the grand old relic has had
= magnificent trir phal tour. Even at the
home of Jeff Davis the New Orleans Times
ssys:
When the train bearing the Liberty Bell drew up
Rt BesuVOir, among the large crowd assem- bled at
he station to- view the venerated relic OF the
Revolution and give passing salute, was little
grand daughter OF Jefferson Davis-Varina Davis
Hayes. As soon as the ira stopped one Of the
guard, Sergeant Edward Malln, TO hum0r the
chilc's wishes, took her from the arms OF her
gro nurse and held her up to the bell, which she
eogerly embraced ana fervently but reyerently
kissed, eXc.aiming: God bless the dear old
bell"
The pretty incident was greeted with cheers and
created quite furOre OF pleasant excitement,
which bad not entirely subsidized when Mr. Davis
himself arrived with his escort
IL made pretty picture-the old relic sur
rounded by its imposing guard OF stalwart officers
n Uniform, the surging multitude, all eager 80
see and the beaming face OF the lovely child as
she threw her arms around the bell she mad been
taught to love- aud pressed her rosy lips upon its
face of bronze caressingly.
The child then had bsen "taught to love-
the bell, and therefore the childish outburst
Of glee when her eyes bebeld it. The bloody
shirt organs might gather lesson here. Let
them teach their readers to love the entire
Union and not one section of 1t. This
Southern iournal-the Times-from which
We quote, concludes its reference TO the
BeauYOir incident as follows:
There was no responsive movement on the part
OF ''Old Independence" but II its cold an inani-
mate lips could have been unsealed, we may well
imagine IL would have uttered, with joyous itera
ton: Proclaim liberty and love throughout the
land and unto all the inhabitants thereof"
Nothing could more forcibly illustrate, or elO
quently voice, the patriotic sentiment OF the en-
tire South than the simple and spontaneous act of
this little child whose lessons have been learned
under the rOof-tree OF Jefferson Davis the de-
ieaied. yet dignifed, noble aud ilustriOus leader
Of the Confederaoy-