The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-12-13
THE FIRST JOURNEY OF THE
LIBERTY BELL,
September, t777.

and brown, 9th and Market Sis.
Philada., a large Photograph of paint.
ing in oil, I5 feet by feet. represent.
ing "rhe First Journey of the Liber.
ty Bell" 1t has been painted ex
pressly for them and will be unveiled
for public view in few days. Their
purpose is to place it on the 9th St.
front Of their building and present to
all who apply by letter or in person
. an excellent half tone copy of the
picture with historical pamphlet. The
story of the journey is as follows.
The Liberty Bell, originally cast in
London on the order of the Colonial
Assembly, arrived in Philadelphia,
August, 1851. 1t was put in place
and the very first stroke of the clap
per cracked it, greatly to the NORTH
cation OF those who had brought it
over; they we're about to send it
back, when two ingenious workman of
Philadelphia named Pease and Stowe,
offered to re-cast it, and did so sue.
cessfully; but when they came to
sound it, it was found to contain too
much copper and they again re.cast
it, and that is the Bell as 10 IS
to ddy.
BY direction of the Assembly there
had been cast on the shoulder OF the
Bell, the prophetic inscription, "Pro.
claim Liberty through all the Land,
to all the inhabitants thereof" Lev:
xxv,NeIo When completed it was
swung in the open belfry sometime in
} 1883; there, for twenty.three years
prior to the breaking out of the Revo
lutionary War, it rang curfew and call
and greeting to Colonial Philadelphia !;
there upon The 4th of July, 1916, of
hallowed remembrance, upon the still
ness OF the summer air, and the atten-
tive ears of waiting, solemn people,
its pealing tones sped first and far and
wide the announcement that the Dec.
laration of Independence was an ac
complished matter, and that as "free
and independent states, they are alb
solved from all allegiance to the
British crown" Enshrlned in the al
fections of the people by its prophetic
motto and earliest message of liberty,
its safety became the solicitude and
its keeping the treasure trove of the
people. For as the war swelled,
southwark from Lexington to White
Plains, and from White Plains towards
Princeton, and the patriots get tidings
of the advancing British columns, they
hasted to put their loved Liberty Bell
in safer quarters. Under the direction
of Congress, after the battle of Bran
dywine while the British were ap-
preaching the city it was lowered from
its stanchions, placed on a wagon and
hurried away among endless baggage
trains Of patriot people, fleeing un-
der the September skies before the
invaders of their homes.
Out the Old York Road (or pike
to Trenton they pushed on and thence
under the escort of Virginian and
North Carolinian troops, both horse
and foot over the hills and through the
almost wilderness roads they bore it
to the peaceful Moravian Village of
Bethlehem-even then overflowing
with our sick and wounded soldiers.
On its way through the City of Beth
lehem, the truck on which it was con
veyed, broke with it E; it had to bt
picked up and carried on; it sustain
ed slight injury there. 1t is this
scene OF the cavalcade, picturesque
with its colors of the sere year, and 1T
tales of exile, that is depicted in th'
painting the stirring incident in the
history of the Liberty Bell that illus
trates that the love Of our people fo
it is no new thing. The Bell wa
afterwards taken to Allentown ant
hid in cellar until after Genera
Washingtons victory at the battle o
Monmouth, in August, 1878, when
was brought back to Philadelphia ant
replaced in its position. 1t announc
ed the proclamation of the war c
1872 it announced the proclamatlo
of peace in 1875; it rang for the re
ception of Lafayette in 1894; it wa
rung, for the last time and was crack
ed tolling for the death of Chief Ju:
tice John Marshall on July 8, 1853;
1t were a needless story to relate |
these days how the Bell was brougI
back to its old eyrie with pageant an
Joy, with breeze. flying flags OF rec
white and blue and huzzas and arche
of flowers and parade, and how tn
people kept festival upon its returI
Sixth and Chestnut swayed and swun
with its multi titudes of patriot men an
women, girls and boys, the roofs an
windows adding to the joyous throni
fearful in their gayety, as they WELDON
ed back the Liberty Bell, guerdon
their Commonwealth, and looked @
the soldiers, who were to fight and WI
through Punishment and tatters' iIo
.>Da. o..o.D.:., ,nJ traitors the land