Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1915-06-02
LIBERTY BELL AND
INDEPENDENCE HALL.

oracle that links the present with ths
sacred pasti II has defied the tooth Of
| time and the mutation Of fsctionai strifef
| II reminds us Of obligations to the men
who laid the oundafions OF . nation
whose nag Is the silent expression Of gym
pathy for stricken peoples now pianxtd In
suicidal var, where hungry children and
helpless women are submerged in the
ashes of despair, and whose night Of sor-
row pcrtends no morning OF deiiserance.
| Liberty Bell and Independence Haul
An inspiring picture rises before usl We
hear the dispsson OF the ocean mingiing
with theImelody OF . nsw dispersion that
lifts the world TO higher fieids Of thought
The stage vas set ana the actors played
20 veil their parts that the Gay was made
| Immortal, hundred and forty years sRo
the fourt h day Of next July.
And still the picture 10 before us and
fascinasss while wc contemplate i'll A
hundred and forty years ago tins colonies,
then q feeble handful Of separate and
semi-orgnniSed governments. assembled
| ia delegates in the only public place
available. since known - Independence
Halt, and In the quaint little city 81
Phiisdelphis.
| And still the picture grows and eIcws.
We ~ the grave and determined facea OF
the delegates convoked in Independence
Hail: We seem to hear the calm dsciama-
tons OF Ben Franklin .and Roger sher-
man: the ringing denuncistion Of Eng
land By John Adams, and . vocal echo
comes back TO them from the impassicned
lips Of Patrick Henry - he reused tbs
! heart CT Virginia the year before In
defiant affirmation that ssThsre
10 NO retreat but in submission and
slavery. Our chains ara already
forged. Their clanking may be heard on
the piains Of Boston. The next gale that
sweeps from the north win bring to cur
ears the clash OF rcsounding arms. Why
stand we here idle. What 10 1t that gentle
men wish. Il life 20 dear OF peace 20
sweet a. to.be purchased BY the price OF
chaiIs and slaveryf Forbid IL. Almighty
take, but, A. for ms. give me liberty or
give me deathi'
Tha, DAY in Independence Hall 4 an al
turing theme, and ~ re cweii on IL more
and more the picture leans out OF the can
vas and . divine light seems TO illuminate
IL. And now the day OF days Ia come and
its setting sun viii have witnessed page
OF history TO be the orlfiamb of civilization
or be- wiped out in hioodl The draft Of
the declaration Is offered by Thomas JET
frrson and IL up for debate. A food Of
thrilling orstory swslis through that
strange old councii chamber. such a. Ia
never heard before. Timerous souls there
were VI no offered amendment after amend
msnt to piscate the mother country, but
/ also there were giants In those days, and
that inexorable galaxy OF patriots voted
them down one by one, except . fs~ I'M
important.
/ Ardent John Hancock signed the
declaration With letters % large and plain
that King George could read the
/. name without giasscsi The curious may
and copy in most libraries, and will Be
Impressed with the i~gibilisy OF John
i Hancock '1name. II was then that John
Adams declared In his immortal speech
on that occasson that:
| .Now Ne have signed a~sy tbs fes
claims 10 protection We already had ~
must continne to be united and ali hang
togethsr," when that ssme astuts old
John Hancock interrupted TO grimiy OBJ
serve, ''oshsrwias ws wiii.ail hang sspar-
atsiyi" And be vas right, for the die vss
cast. and II the cause failed their scts
would b. treason, and every moshsr's con
would hang. That was stormy tina
| In the aftermath Of like debate when
Patrick Henry was venting patriotic ore.
some one shouted the word s'trsason" 1t
him but that sdouKhty scotchman hurled
back the challenge: ''If that Be treason
make ths most Of i'll"
/ But the Bell. ah, the magic Beii that
listened to the sentient program OF that
day and told the story in unforeetful
chimes that were heard around the world
10 coming to visit us all the way from
( Independence Hall, the scene of its
triumph. What m inspiration for us and
for the chiidfep who will he men and
/ women when We are dust, Let the flag, our
hope of civilization, float from Windows
ana nousetops, ana let TIE bands play.
and busy people forget the ways of in
dussry for day and become pilgrims to
shrine that means SO much for us aud ali
the world. Liberty Bell proclaimed the
magma charta OF cur liberties, a hundred
and forty years ago. Let the preachers
and the teachers tell TO the children the
wonderful story OF its insrtieulAte elo-
quence while swinging from the rsfters in
old Independence Hall, seven score years
ago.
Tell them OF the deaf old grandsire who
was the belfrysd genius in the ominous
days that lowered dark and foreboding-
how ne had stationed his little grandson
beio~ to give him sign of warning il the
declaration should pass, for . hot debate
was on among the delegates. And tell
the children about the anxious people
who surged around old Ind bude nca