James Cremer, Photographer and Publisher./18 South Street, Philadelphia./"Old Liberty Bell," 1776 RHODE ISLAND COLLECTION PROVIDENCE PUBLIC LIBRARY/The "Old Liberty Bell," Independence Hall, Philadelphia. We as a people are not fond of the antique, but as we approach the hundreth anniversary of the nation's birth, no true-hearted American can think without a thrill of Patriotism of the Old Liberty Bell; which rang out to "Proclaim Liberty throughout all the Land, unto all the inhabitants thereof." The bell was originally cast in England in 1751, at a cost od one hundred pounds sterling; was ordered to be of two thousand pound weight, and to contain the following inscription: -- "By order of the Assembly of the Province of Pennsylvania, for the State House in the City of Philadephia, 1752." Also, "Proclain Liberty throughout all the Land to all the inhabitants thereof." Before the Bell was properly hung it was cracked by a stroke of the clapper to try the sound, and was recast in this country by Pass & Stow of this City, who were compelled to remix the metal, as the original mixture was found too brittle; it was finished and hung in June, 1753; but the most important event in its history, is that upon Monday, the 8th of July, 1776, at twelve o'clock, noon, it rang to Proclaim the Birth of a nation upon the basis that all men are born free and equal. In 1777, at the time the American forces were compelled to evacuate Philadephia, this Bell together with Christ Church chimes, was removed to Allentown, to prevent them being melted into Cannon by the English; at the close of the war, it was returned to the City, and continued in constant use until 1828, when is was [sic] replaced by the present Bell. The Bell was broken in ringing for a fire one murkey morning; but it had done its work, and for many years occupied a place among the relics in Independence Chamber. 1872 it was placed where it now is in the vestibule of the State House, upon its Original Timbers.
