HOW THE GLAD TIDINGS WERE SPREAD WHILE the vote on the adoption of the Declaration of Independence was being taken in the State House at Philadelphia, crowds surged about the streets. The suspense was terrible. Would Congress dare declare the colonies free? Would they dare defy the power of England? The old State House bell was to ring out the news if Congress acted. Already, in the belfry the old bell-ringer waited for the signal. At last it came, and as his grandson bounded up the stairs shouting "Ring! Ring! Ring!" the peals of the bell broke forth spreading the good news far and near. And the shouts from the crowds below told that the joyous sound found echo in the hearts of the people of the new and independent nation. INDEPENDENCE BELL THERE was tumult in the city, People gathering at corners, Where they whispered each to each, As the bleak Atlantic currents Lash the wild Newfoundland shore, "Will they do it?" "Dare they do it?" When a nation's life's at hazard, So they beat against the portal, On the scene looked down and smiled: Shed his patriot blood in vain, Now beheld the soul of freedom, All unconquered, rise again. See! see! The dense crowd quivers As the boy beside the portal Hushed the people's swelling murmur, The old bell-man lifts his hand, Forth he sends the good news, making Iron music through the land. How they shouted! What rejoicing! And from the flames, like fabled Phoenix, That old State-House bell is silent, Still is living ever young; And when we greet the smiling sunlight We will ne'er forget the bell-man AUTHOR UNKNOWN THE SPEECH THAT JOHN ADAMS THE great speech of John Adams on the adoption of the Declaration of Independence was not made until after Adams was dead. Daniel Webster made it in a Fourth of July oration in memory of Adams and Jefferson. The speech begins with the ringing words which have inspired patriots ever since: "Sink or swim, live or die, survive or perish, I give my hand and my heart to this vote." Webster, a greater orator than Adams, though not a greater patriot, recited the speech as having heard it from Adams' lips. But in truth, only the idea and a few scattered sentences had come from Adams. Webster called to life the spirit of the great patriot, and put these noble words in his mouth. He pictured him standing there in Independence Hall with the great issue before him: Should the American colonists be safe and dependent, or should they risk their necks on the chance of winning freedom for themselves and for the America of the future? And so this speech, imaginary so far as the actual words are concerned, is absolutely true to life as representing Adams and the spirit of Seventy-Six. |