The Yale expositor., 1914-07-02


MZhhZN delphia known the State
W ! !: =; ;
"f house; but after that it was called
AEHuA Independence hall. Thousands have
tWEH thither from distant places as to
\"H sacred shrine. and yet great many
are unfamiliar with the history of
the most famous edifice in America. They may
not know that it begun in 1929 and finished
in 1884, and that in those days the plan Of 1t
considered palatially ambitious that its
building was bitterly opposed by those who, like
John Gilpins wife, were of a frugal mind. The
cost S16250, and the wings that were added
five years afterward brought the total amount to
900. Doubtless there were many who dubious
ly shook their heads at the extravaganza. What
would they have thought Of city hall occupying
several acres and costing s24O00,00O?
Although in the Immediately pre-Revoutionary
days the purpose to which Independence hall
was put was serious enough, the long gallery
upstairs had often been the scene OF "revelry
by night" before those times that tried mems
souls In 1876 the mayor, William Allen, Invited
most of Philadelphia to feast; in 1855 the as
sembly gave Governor Denny most pretentious
banquet; and again in 1857, Lord Loudon, COM
mander-in-chief Of his majestys forces in Amer
ica was lavshly entertained and the unlimited
grumbled at the outlay
When the first congress met in Philadelphia,
in 1774 there was "sumptuous collation. In
the State house. attended by 500 persons, and
as they drank their toasts cannon were hred as
happened in the of Hamlets unamiable
father The same hall that was the scene OF
these elaborate banquets became the prison or
the American officers captured in the battle OF
Germantown, and after the bloody field or BRANDY
wine it was hospital.
1t was in this building that Washington de-
hvered his memorable farewell address; Lafay-
cite was the guest OF honor here at reception
in 1924; and here the bodies of John Adams and
Abraham Lincoln lay in state.
Thus It will be seen that the social and historic
associations of the edifce are innumerable, leav-
ing out of the reckoning what happened there on
the Fourth of July, 1776
The signers OF the Declaration came near not
having bell to announce their epoch-making
resolution to the world AS the building
was completed in 1874. It was planned to buy
bell commensurate with the dignity of the new
State house. Then the advocates Of economy
or parsimony-arose in their might and fought
the project tooth and nail, representing that the
great cost of the State house had imposed
heavy tax upon the citizens and further expendi-
ture was useless" After several years OF moro
or less acrimonious debate It was decided to have
a bell; and II was then discovered that there was
not a foundry In the colonies capable OF fashion
ing Il, the repressive policy OF parliament hav-
ing wellnigh destroyed manufacturing enterprise
in the new world. SO the colonists had to send
TO London for bell. giving specific directions
as to the dimensions-the weight was 1880
pounds
than a nine days wonder: the Pennsylvania farm
ers hocked to the wharf from far inland TO ac-
claim It's arrival. It proved all that any reason
able mortal could want in the way OF a tintinnab-
uum. It's tones were farcarrying and sweet
ly musical. and all true-born Philadeiphians I'm
Guiding those who had opposed the expense)
were proud OF Il. Alas! as Il was being trans
ported with festal ceremony from the waters
edge to the intended site in the belfry some ner-
vous weakling gave way beneath his corner OF
the ton OF metal and the bell fell to the ground
and was MORALLY injured. II had to be recast
and Isaac Norris, who superintended the opera
ton, announced with pride that the result was
"a good bell which pleases me much that we
should first venture upon and succeed In the
greatest bell for aught know. in English Amer
fca-surpassing, too the imported one which was
too high and brittle"
The great occasion in the life OF the Liberty
Bel was not due to arrive until "a years after
ward. Il was on the 18th of May, 1776. that the
general assembly gave instructions to Its dele