Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1900-06-29
THE BELL OF LIBERTY.
BY ]. T. HEADLEY.

The representatives of the people
assembled in solemn conclave. and
long and anxiously surveyed the peril
Gus ground on which they were tread
ing. To recede was now impossible;
to go on seemed fraught with terrible
consequences. The result of the long
and fearful conflict that must follow
was more than doubtful. For twenty
| days Congress was tossed on sea OF
perpleXity. At length Richard Henry
Lee, shaking off the letters that gall
| ed his noble spirit, arose on the 9TH
of June, and in a clear, deliberate
tone, every accent of which rang to
| the farthest extremity of the silent
hall, proposed the following resolu-
ton: Resolved. that these United
Colonies are, and ought to be. free
and independent states, and all politi-
cal connection between us and the
states of Great Britain is. and ought
to be. totally dissolved"
John Adams, in whose soul glowed
the burning future, seconded the reso-
luton in a speech so full of impas-
stoned fervor, thrilling eloquence, and
prophetic power. that Congress was
carried away before it, as by resist
less wave. The die was cast. and
every man was now compelled to meet
the issue. The resolution was finally
deferred till the 1st of July, to allow
a committee, appointed for that pur-
pose, to draft a Declaration Of hide
pendence.
When the day arrived the Declara-
ton was taken up and debated article
by article. The discussion continued
for three days, and was characterized
by great excitement. At length, the
various sections having been gone
through with, the next day, July 4th,
was appointed for action. 1t was soon
known throughout the city; and in
the morning, before Congress assem-
bled, the streets were filled with ex-
cited men, some gathered in groups,
engaged in eager discussion, and 9TH
ers moving towards the state house.
momentous crisis which the country
had now reached. No sooner had the
members taken their seats than the
multitude gathered in a dense mass
around the entrance. The bellma1
mounted to the belfry, to be ready t.
proclaim the joyful tidings Of freedom
as soon as the final vote was passed.
A bright-eyed boy was stationed be-
low to give the signal. Around the
bell, brough, from England, had been
cast, more than twenty years before,
the prophetic motto:
"PROCLAIM LIBERTY THROUGH
OUT ALL THE LAND UNTO ALL
THE INHABITANTS THEREOF"
Although its loud clang had often
sounded over the city, the proclama-
ton engraved on it's iron lip haG never
been spoken aloud.
1t was expected that the final vote
would be taken without delay; but
! hour after hour wore on, and no, re-
port came from the mysterious hall
where the fate of a continent was in
suspense. The multitude grew impa-
tient; the old man leaned over the
railing straining his eye downward
! tn his heart misgaye him and hope
F, yielded to fear. But at length, about
. o'clock, the door of the hall opened
and voice exclaimed, 1T has passed.
The word leaped like lightning from
lip to lip, followed by huzzas that
shook the building. The boy sentine
turned to the Delfry,, clapping his
hands, and shouted, Ring, ring!'
The responding bellman, electrified
into life by the joyful news, seized the
iron tongue, and hurled it backward
and forward with a clang that startled
every heart in Philadelphia like {
bugle blast. "Clang! clang!" the bel
of Liberty resounded on higher ant
clearer and more joyous, blending il
it's deep and thrilling vibrations, ant
proclaiming in loud and long accent!
over all the land the motto that en-
circled it.
Glad messengers caught the tiding!
as they foated out on the air, ant
sped off in every direction to bea
them onward. When they reached
New York the bells rang out the glor
ious news, and the excited multitude
surging hither and thither, at length
gathered around the Bowling Green
and seizing the leaden statue o
George ILL.,, which stood there, tore i
in fragments. These were afterward
run into bullets and hurled against hi
majesty's troops. When the Declare
ton arrived in Boston, the peopl
gathered to old Faneuil Hall to hea
it read land as the last sentence fel
from the lips Of the reader, lou
shout went up, and soon from ever
fortified height and every battery tn
thunder of cannon re-echoed the Joy