Middletown transcript., 1897-06-12
nnR 11RERrY nE11.


Independence has history of peculiar in
terest to millions. The story has been nal
rated time and again, but not always cor
rectly. 1t has been related too often 70
effect, regardless of fact.
1t was on October 10Th, 1751, that tn
superintendents of the state house ordered
the colonial agent in London to have bel
cast for the state house in the city of Phil
adelphia. In August of the following yea
the bell arrived. but, on being tested, i
cracked by stroke of the clapper. 1t was
recast by two workmen of Philadelphia
whose first al tempt ended in failure, tor
much copper having been used. Theil
second effort, however, was more success
full, concerning which the Philadelphia
Packet, in its issue of June 7th, 1853, con
tanned the following interesting paragraph
Last week was raised and fixed in the
state house steeple the new great bell, cast
here by Pass and Stowe, weighing 2,0SO lbs
with this motto, Proclaim Liberty through
out all the land, unto all the inhabitants
| thereof.-Lev. XIV: 10.'"
1t continued to perform its duties until
congress fulfilled its prophetic words by
declaring that these United Colonies are,
and of right ought TO be. free and indepen-
dent states" This resolution was passed on
the End of July, 1776; and on the following
day, John Adams, member of that noted
congress, wrote to his wife that 'the sec
ond day of July will be the most memoir
able epocha in the history of Amer:cl," and
that sit ought to be solemnized with. pomp
and parade, with shows, games. sports,
guns, bells, bonfres, and Examinations.
The Fourth of July, however, the day on
which John Hancock subscribed his name
to the Declaration of Independence, has
become the great anniversary festival, and
on which, as some historians assert, Lib
erty Bell sounded forth the glad tidings of
great joy to the expectant multitudes. J.
B. Losing, in particular, and from whom
others have copied, relates the story SO
beautifully that it seems pity to call into
question its authenticity. It is as follows;
Prom the hour when congress convened
in the morning, the old bellman had been
in the steeple. He had placed boy at the
door below to give him notice when the
announcement should be made. As hour
succeeded hour, the graybeard shook his
head, and said, They will never do i'll they
will never do it' Suddenly loud shout
came up from below, and there stood the
little blue-eyed boy, clapping his hands.
and shouting. 'Ringl Ringl' Grasping the
iron tongue of the old bell, backward and
forward he hurled it a hundred times, its
loud voice proclaiming. Liberty through
out all the land. unto all the inhabitants
thereof The excited multitude in the
streets responded with acclamations, and
with common peals, bonflres, and illumi.
nations, the patriots held glorious carni-
val that night in the quiet city of Penn"
McCabe and Ridpath, in their popular
histories. give, essentially, the same story.
Their boy, however, does not stand CLAP
ping his hands" and they do not speak of
him as having "blue eyes" Many children
know this story. Teachers are using it to-
day But is it true2 Did Liberty Bell ring
on the Fourth of July, 17762
The following facts. given by Colonel T.
W. Higginson, are against such conclu-
sion. ''The local antiquarians of Philadel-
phia bid us dismiss forever from the record
the picturesque old bell ringer and his ca
ger boy, waiting breathlessly to announce
to the assembled thousands the final vote |
of congress on the declaration. The tale |
is declared to be pure fiction, of which |
there exists not even a local tradition. The |
sessions of congress were then secret, and |
there was no expectant crowd outside. It |
was not until the 5th of July that congress
sent out circulars announcing the dec
lation; not till the 9th that it appeared in
Philadelphia newspaper; and not till the
Sth that it was read by John Nixon in the
Yard of Independence hail."
one sees to-day this inscription on the
I'D bell frame in Independence hall: "The
'rame and yoke whereon hung the old
Liberty Bell, when, on the 9th of July
l776, IL o'clock at noon, it was rung, obed-
ent to its motto"
In 1777, in order that the British, Who'll
we're about to occupy Philadelphia. might
lot get possession of the bell, it was taken
lown and Transported to Allentown. It is
aid that, in passing through the streets of
the wagon containing the state
louse bell broke down, and had to be un-
oaded, After the evacuation it was brought
'ack. and for "full fifty years. as nearly as
an be ascertained. our Liberty Bell-for
o it should be universally. denominated-
ontinued to celebrate every national ami
ersary, and then-it cracked; it had per-
ormed its mission, and was mute forever.n
If the personal statement of the venera-
lie Titan R. Peale of Philadelphia can be
elied on, the Liberty Bell cracked in toll
1g July sth 1885, for the death of John
Iarshall, chief justice Of the United States.
ust fifty-nine years to the day from the
me it proclaimed liberty, it cracked for
REF, as it were, at the death of the "Exs
ounder of the Constitution"
It's said that in ls46 the crack was drill I
out, in order to use the bell on Wash |
lgton's birthday, but ON attempting to
ng it, the crack threatened to extend. II
certain that It viii never be tinkered I
ith again. g
The same year 1t was taken from the
'afoldine and placed on the lower floor
Independents hall, where it remained