The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-06-08
STORY OF THE LIBERTY BELL

stamps for Pennsylvania. New Jersey
and Maryland. under convoy OF the
11lan-of-war The Sardine, came up the
Delaware On October. 81 la65, when
the stamp act Went into operation,
The bell was again nuilled and tolleda
On February 4, LII, the bell called
a town meeting in the State House
square when it was resolved that the
claims OF Parliament to tax the COLO,
MES was subSersive to the constitu'
tional rights of the colonies. and that
the union of the colonies ought to be
maintained. On February 4. 11I1, the
bell convened the assembly, when
petition was sent to the king Tor the
repeal of the duty on tea, and again
on October is, ITS, the bell called
town meeting, when resolutions were
passed denouncing the buyers and
vendors of tea as enemies to their
country.
On June /. 1774, when the port OF
Boston was closed. the bell was NUT
fed and toled. On June Is. that same
year. the bell called another town
meeting in the State House square
"Een lne oeol'iS piSuSSu eiA> 49,
PHILADELPHIA to the common cause OF
liberty.
The first tidlngs of the battle OF
Lexington reached Philadelphia Aprh
q. 1775 The following day the bell
ca1Ieu public meeting. and record
says that 5000 people assembled at
the State House and pledged them
selves TO associate for the purpose OF
defendin. themselves with arms, their
lives. liberty and property. against ali
attempts to deprive them of them
Its Greatest Deed.
The following year was memora-
BILE one, for it witnessed the birth OF
the United States. On May 10, IT'D,
the second Congress began It's ses-
sions in the State House. On June .,
1T7t. Richard Henry Lee offered his
resolution for the independence OF
the colonies. On June q, 1176,
declaration of the deputies oil Penn
sylvania. expressing their willingness
10 concur in a vote to the colonies,
declaring the colonies free and 1nde-
pendent States, was read before Con-
| rress. On June IS. 1776, the draft OF
submitted to Congress. which was
adopted on the evening OF July D.
1776. Copies of the declaration were
sent by Congress to the commanding
| officers Of the continental troops and
| to ali the counties OF the province
On July s. 1776, at noon. the bell
was runs for proclamation OF lnde-
pendence, the place selected being IN
the rear OF the State House oh
September &c, that same year. the bell,
then truly the Liberty bell, called to-
sethar. for the last time the members
of the assembly OF the province OF
pAnnsylyania, which party then dis
| solved.
On april &c, 1888, the bell rang
the proclamation OF peace. and from
that day on to the present time 1t mas
always been known as the Liberty
he'll From that date until 1t was 81
| Ienced in 1895, it proclaimed the ma
! t;onai anniversary, usnered in the
new year, welcomed distinguished
men. and tolled for the noble dead.
| On I-afayette's visit to the hall OF IN
| siapenGencc. where the declaration
was signed, the bell rang a welcome.
/ On July 5. 1897, the ffrieth year of
| ir,drpendence, and also, on that same
| day, it tolled the deaths OF Thomas
| Jefferson and John Adams.
| July s, 1885, is the date OF the bell S
last tolIing On that day the BODY
of John Marshall, who was chief JUS
| tice of the United States Supreme
Court was being conveyed to Virginia
for burial, and the bell was being
| tolled during the funeral services.
Suddenly. and without any violence,
during the tolling, the bell cracked
John Marshall was one OF the great
est men of the Revolutionary times,
and he was the last of those VINO
were associated with Washington ana
| the ssners of the Declaration of lnde-
| pendence. His death, on July 6, 1888,
| in; Philadelphia, brought to close the
revolutionary period OF the history
| of the United States. AS the mission
of the bell was to proclaim liberty
I throughout the land, unto all the IN
habitants thereof" the crack which
developed while tolling on that mem
orable day can be looked upon as
| fitting climax of the early history or
our country.