Independence Hall, 1876. FRONT VIEW. AN HISTORICAL ACCOUNT UK THE OLD STATE HOUSE OF PENNSYLVANIA NOW KNOWN AS THE HALL OF INDEPENDENCE « BY / FRANK M ETTING WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS BOSTON JAMES R. OSGOOD AND COMPANY 1876 Copyright, 1874, By FRANK M ETTING KIVERSIDE, CAMBRIDGE: •EREOTYPED AND PRINTED BY H. O. HOUGHTON AND COMPANY. PREFACE In the work that I had " found for my hand to do," it became necessary to examine carefully into the details of the building of the State House of Pennsylvania ; much that surprised me came to light not only in the circumstances of its erection but in its subsequent C history. Instead of Dr. Kearsley, to whom the credit had been as- cribed, I discovered that its Architect and actual Builder was one of the greatest men ever fostered by Pennsylvania ; and that every important movement, from the very inception of the efforts of the colonists to assert their constitutional liberty, first assumed shape either within this building or under the shadow of its walls. A friendly suggestion thrown out induced me to extend still further my investigations, with a view of preserving the information in print in some accessible form. This desire was enhanced by the hope that the general public would ultimately share in the interest which every brick of this old build- ing possesses for me, and thus be inclined to lend each his individual aid towards its preservation, and to insure its proper custodianship for all time. The desultory way in which, from causes unnecessary to be detailed, my memoranda have been thrown together, must leave its impress, and I cannot expect to be exempt from inaccuracies ; but having done my best without fee or reward, present or prospective, I have no apologies to make to the public for claiming their notice. To those nearer to me, whose social claims have from time to time been put aside, and I now have reason to fear in some cases neglected, from absorption in my work of " restoration," I tender in extenuation this monograph, descriptive of the causes which led me thereunto, but above all others, to him now beyond the reach of my words : — To To THE MEMORY OF BENJAMIN ETTING I DEDICATE THIS VOLUME. F. M. E. [arch 27, 1876. TABLE OF CONTENTS. PAGE Public Accommodations before the building of the State House 3 Preparations for building a State House 9 Building the State House 13 Its first Use 15 Sketch of Andrew Hamilton, its Builder 16 ^he Judiciary and the Executive of the Colony occupy the State House 24 VThe State House Bell ordered 27 The Colonial Dissensions 32 Union of the Colonies 39 "•TThe Congress of 1754 40 Massachusetts fosters Union 50 The Congress of 1765 51 The Stamp Act resisted — Independence foreshadowed . 52 Pennsylvania adheres to the Union 63 The Observatory 64 The Establishment of a Chlna Factory 65 The Philadelphia Tea Party 67 Effect of the Boston Port Bill 74 The First Continental Congress 83 The Initiation of Independence 91 Instructions of Virginia to move for Independence ... 91 Motion therefor accordingly made by Richard Henry Lee . 94 Independence resolved 100 oThe Declaration adopted 101 -^TThe Declaration proclaimed 102 The Bell foretells the Jubilee of 1876 104 Independence made unanimous 105 ^The First Constitution of the State of Pennsylvania . 106 British Occupation of Philadelphia • 107 ^Articles of Confederation signed 109 Congress leaves Philadelphia Ill OF CONTENTS. vj TABLE of the United States 117 / Convention to frame the Constitution of the State of Convention to frame the Second Constitution 120 Pennsylvania 121 The State Bouse relinquished 121 Sketch of the Banqueting Hall House 125 Lectures on Electricity at the State 127 The Steeple removed • 129 Sketch of the Wings 131 Sketch of the State House Yard 135 Sketch of Congress Hall .... 146 Sketch of City Hall 152 Sketch of the Philosophical Society Building 154 Sketch of Peale's Museum 158 The Steeple restored 166 Thk Restoration of Independence Hall . 173 Its Illustrations 179 Establishment of the National Museum Adjuncts to the Pko- Dedication of Independence Hall and its 183 ple of the United States E^TGKAVHnTGS. Independence Hall, 1876 Frontispiece. Independence Hall in 1776 Title Pay Illustrated. The Portrait op William Penn Face 2 The L^titia Cottage (the First Residence of William Penn) 4 The Slate Roof House (Government House) .... 6 C The First Town Hall (and Court House) 8 Elevation of the State House 13 The Portrait of Andrew Hamilton 17 The March of the Paxton Boys on Philadelphia, and what came of it. Scene at the Court House or Town Hall . 46 Non-Importation Resolutions 54 The Burial of the Stamp Act in England (upon its repeal) * 58 The Tea-pot Tempest 67. The State House Yard (as enclosed during the Revolution) 82 Independence Chamber (after Restoration) ..... 84 The Portrait of John Nixon 103 Liberty Bell 104 The Declaration of Independence 105 The Treaty Elm 127 The Old State House, 1781-1813 (Rear View) .... 128 The Old State House, 1781-1813 (Front View) .... 138 Congress Hall, 1790-1800 140 Charles Wilson Peale 154 Independence Hall 1876 (Rear View) 162 Independence Chamber as a General Receptacle (before Res- toration) 165 The Table upon which " The Declaration " was signed and Chairs of President and Members of Congress of 1776 (after Restoration) 167 Independence Chamber, Western Side (after Restoration) . 173 The Hall of the Old State House (after Restoration) . 179 The National Museum (Eastern Side) 180 The Vestibule of Independence Hall (after Restoration) . 186 ENGRA VINGS. TEXTUAL ILLUSTRATIONS. Signature of Charles II 2 Signature to Penn's Charter 3 Signature of William Penn 3 Bank Meeting House . 5 Signature of Thomas Makin 7 Draft of Bill for Building State House 10 Signature of David Lloyd 11 Signature of Patrick Gordon 11 Signature of Wm. Allen 15 Signature of James Logan 16 Signature . of Hamilton Family . .18 Signature of Franklin Family 18 Signature of Wm. Bradford 20 Signature of J. Peter Zenger 20 Signature of King James II 27 Proclamation of King James II. 28 Signature of David Rittenhouse 32 Signature of Earl of Holdernesse . 40 Order for Payment of Wages of Assembly-Man to Benjamin Franklin 41 Receipt of Benjamin and Deborah Franklin therefor . 42 Sign Manual of King George II 45 Sign Manual of King George III 45 Privy Purse in 1753 and in 1763 47 Signatures of James Otis, Thomas Cushing, Oxenbridge Teacher and Others 48 Stamp of 1765 50 Signature of Mr. Speaker White 51 Signature of Mr. Speaker Fox of Pennsylvania .... 51 The "Pennsylvania Journal" of October 31, 1765 ... 56 Third and Last Supplement to the "Maryland Gazette," Octo- ber 31, 1765 57 Repeal of Stamp Act 58 Burnt Stamped Paper 59 Wrecked Stamped Paper 60 Heading of the "New York Gazette" 60 Signature of Daniel Dulany 61 The Declaratory Act 61 Signature of Lord Hillsborough 63 Signature of Joseph Galloway 79 ENGRA VINGS. ix Carpenter's Hall 80 Signature of Josiah Quincy, Jr 81 Pennsylvania Bill ok Credit, Resolve Money .... 86 Pennsylvania Bill of Credit, General Issue 87 Signature of Daniel Roberdeau . 90 Signature of Edmund Pendleton 92 Resolution of Richard Henry Lee for Independence ... 95 Signature of Henry Wisner 99 Signature of John Alsop 99 Signature of John Dickinson 100 Signature of Charles Humphreys 100 Signature of Thomas Willing 100 Signature of John Rogers 100 Card of Admission to Lecture on Electricity 125 SjfrXATURES OF PHILIP SyNG AND OF THOMAS HoPKTNSON . 126 Inn opposite the State House 129 Caricature of Removal of Congress to Philadelphia . 139 Card of Admission to Peale's Museum 156 HISTORY INDEPENDENCE HALL. TO tell the story of the old State House of Pennsylvania in full would be to chronicle provincial history for more than half a century ; it would be to describe the vicissitudes of a colony but re- cently planted in the New World, to trace its gradual growth and transition into a distinct and independent sovereignty, and its final merger in a nation whose creation it contributed to, and whose birth it witnessed. While we do not undertake this, we must glance even at the incidents which preceded the erection of the edifice and recall those more prominent events in the history of the State and of the nation, which, occurring under the roof or within the shadow of its venerable walls, give immortality to the very bricks and mortar. If, in investigating the antecedents of the State House or in invok- ing the shades of its builders, we are led into details of inanimate ob- jects otherwise trivial, we may well point to the fact that around them the all potent power of association has set an imperishable halo, whose light is now as clearly recognized in temporal as in spiritual illustra- tions. Young as our country is, the actuality, so to speak, of our Founders is already losing itself in the mists of the past ; so long, however, as we can preserve the material objects left to us which those great men saw, used, or even touched, the thrill of vitality may still be trans- mitted unbroken. In description " one hundred and ninety years ago " is almost as indefinite, as unreal to our adult ears as the '" once upon a time " that was wont to usher in the fairy tales of early childhood ; but give us the Treaty Elm, the residence of Penn, the Home of Washington, the "strong box " of Robert Morris, the walking stick of Franklin — what you will — material evidences of the public action, or even of the daily life and habits of the men of the day, and we can annihilate distance in time as in space.