UNITED STATES AND CANADA 165 



in Chestnut Street, where the operation of the new 

 City Charter, and the general methods of adminis- 

 tration, were explained to us. We next visited In- 

 dependence Hall, where the Declaration of Inde- 

 pendence was adopted in 1776, and where we saw 

 an interesting old bell. This bell, originally cast in 

 England and sent to Philadelphia, has running 

 round its top the prophetic inscription : " Pro- 

 claim liberty throughout the land unto all the 

 inhabitants thereof." It rang out in joyous peals the 

 news of the signing of the Declaration of Indepen- 

 dence, and is regarded as one of the most precious 

 relics in America. Some fifty years before we saw 

 it, it had got cracked, and is no longer rung on 

 anniversaries as formerly. It hangs from the roof 

 of the corridor in the hall, where it cannot be 

 touched — a wise precaution, relic-hunters having 

 chipped no end of chunks off its rim. It was in 

 this hall that George Washington delivered his 

 farewell address in closing his term of service as 

 first President, so it is altogether a very interesting 

 edifice. We finished up by a drive round Fair- 

 mount Park. 



We dined that night with Mr. Childs,who occupied 

 a fine mansion adjoining the offices of his paper, 

 where we had an excellent dinner, followed by 



