The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-08
NO HARM TO THE LIBERTY BELL
GEORGIA SONS OF REVOLUTION DIFF
FER WITH THE PHILADEL-
PHIANS.

pHIANS.
Vice President Harden of the GeOr-
Efn Society Hopes the PennsyIva-
mans VIII Not he Led Away by
Any Mistaken Zeal and Does Not
Think the order of Cincinnati VIII
Commit Itself 10 such an UnDatrI-
otfc Action as TO Oppose Bringing
the Bell south.
The unwillingness of the Philadelphia
members of the society Of the Sons Of the
Revolution to allow the historic old lib
erty bell Of that city 10 be exhibited at
the Atlanta exposition, as was announced
in yesterdays dispatches in the Morning
News, is creating considerable comment
among the Georgia members OF the So
ciety and patriotic citizens generally.
The Philadelphia city council. in whose
keeping the bell is, has already granted
the request Of the exposition committee
to allow the bell to be put on exhibition
at Atlanta this fall It was exhibited at
the worlds fair at Chicago last year and
was one Of the main objects Of interest
among the colonial relics exhibited at the
great fair.
A committee OF the Pennsylvania So
ciety Of the Sons Of the Revolution has
petitioned the Philadelphia council not 10
allow the bell to be removed from Phila-
delphia again to Atlanta, or anywhere
else, and when the mayor informed them
that their protest came too late they have
threatened to ask the courts for an in
junction to prevent the removal Of the bell.
Naturally the hundreds of descendants Of
the revolutionary patriots who will be al
the Atlanta exposition resent the ex-
clusiveness of the Philadelphia people,
who wish 20 keep this truly national relic
entirely to themselves. 1t was also stated
in the dispatches that the Philadelphia So
ciety of the Order Of the Cincinnati would
join with the Sons of the Revolution in
their protest against the removal Of the
bell.
Hon. William D. Harden. vice presi-
dent of the Georgia Society Of the Sons OF
the Revolution, and who is also a mem
Der of the order of the Cincinnati, was
seen yesterday afternoon by a Morning
News reporter and was asked for his view
of the reports of the matter sent out from
Philadelphia. Judge Harden expressed
himself as heartily disappearing of the
steps reported to have been taken by the
Pennsylvania societies and characterized
their exhibition of extreme conservative
ness and exclusiveness as childish and alb
Surd.
Il know nothing further about about the
matter beyond what have seen in your
dispatches" said Judge Harden. Il am
entirely satisfied that the members OF the
order of Cincinnati viii not in anyway
connect themselves with such an ill-advis-
ed and unpatriotic action, and trust that
the Sons of the Revolution viii not be led
away by the mistaken zeal of any thought
less members of the society"
The president of the Pennsylvania So
ciety of the Sons Of the Revolution is
Capt William Wayne a lineal descend
ant of Mad" Anthony Wayne. He is also
the president of the Pennsylvania society
of the Order of the Cincinnati Judge Har-
den said that the Liberty bell being natur-
ally an object of interest to patriotic cit
liens of the whole country the objection
of some Of the people of Philadelphia to
having the bell placed on exhibition where
it would be viewed by thousands Of cit
liens was unreasonable, to say the least.
Savannah is the headquarters of the
Georgia society of the Sons of the Rev
olution. Another officer OF the society
who was seen said that he did not con-
slider the action Of the Pennsylvania So
ciety was a subject for criticism by the
members of any other state society.
Whether or not Atlanta gets the Liberty
bell for its exposition il will have an inter-
esting exhibition of colonial relics from
Savannah, the larger part of which will
be contributed by the Georgia Historical
Society. The most interesting of these
relics doubtless will be the revolutionary
drum, belonging to the historical society.
The drum was used by Gen. Greene's
army at the battle or Eutaw Springs,
Cowpens, Guilford Court House and other
hard fought battles of Gen Greene's cam
paign in the south. Wonderful to relate
the drum is still in a splendid state of
preservation and could be made to re-
sound with the long roll as well as any
modern drum to be found in the city.