Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-11-30
Selections.
Wendell Phillips.

WENDELL PHILLIPS is the Patrick Henry
of New England. II he has less natural
eloqucnce, less thrilling pathos, than the ora
tor Of the revolution, he has more polish and
as much power of origination. lie is n ripe
scholar, lawyer of no ordinary calibre,
magazine writer of considerable note and
ref6rmer Of the most radical school. lie is
the pet speaker of the East. lie has great
power of perception, sincere sympathy for
the oppressed, aud wonderful command
over the stores of varied knowledge trcasur-
ed up in his rotrfive mcmbTy. lie lms the
gifts that universities cannot hcstow, the cur
rent coin that cannot be couuiericiiod aud
will be widely circulalcd,--lhe prophcl's vis-
ion, the poets, fancy, the light of geuius.-
lie is at home on the mountain top, and
when he soars skywurd he is not lost among
the clouds. He has all the sagacity OF the
man of Business united with the enthusiasm
of the utopian. Tic seems to be equally re-
lated to Aluin the eloquent, and Jupiter the
thunderer. lie admircs the eternal, the in
finite, the hcavenike, tlie God-approXimatiug
IN the uaiure OF man, whatever may be the
color of the envelope that contains these Ut
tributes.
Mr. Phillps's speeches have in them the
breath OF lile-hence they live long 10 swell
the bosom and make the heart throb. lie
does not 90 to the lamp of the old schools
TO light his torch, but dips it into the sun,
which accounts for its gorgeous effillgencc.
He is something of n metaphysician, but is
too much absorbed in the work of revolu-
tionizing public sentiment to devote his at
tention to subtle research and profound
analysis. He makes but little preparation
and always speaks extcmporaneously con-
sequently some of his addresses are like a
beautiful damsel in diShabiHe. His quotations
then are ringlets rolled up in papers, aud the
main part of the lecture like loose gown
which now and then reveals neck of pearl
and a voluptuous bust of snowy whiteness
and beautiful proportions. lie is often brill
liant, never tedious. Sometimes his schol-
arship is seen conspicuously, but il is never
pompously displayed When the father of
the fugitive slave law committed political
suicide in the Senate of the United States,
Mr. Phillips took him for n subject and dis
sected him in the presence of college of
reformers While in the process he discov-
cred that the blood which ought TO have cir
culated through the heart had assembled to
the brain. Upon more minute eXaInina-
ton il was ascertained that the bunch of
muscles, commonly called the heart, was
completely dried up and quite black, to say
nothing of its hollowness.
1t is n rich treat to hear Wendell Phillips
speak TO a large and apprcciativo audience.
Let the reader fancy he is at mass meeting
in some forest temple. The sun shines as
though it was delighted with the gathering;
the shy birds perch in silence on the neigh
boring trees as though they were asonisled
at the proceedings a song makes the welk-
in ring with melody. The chairman an
nounces the name OF a favorite speaker. A
genteel man steps gracefully upon the plat
form. He is neatly, not foppishly dressed.
A pleasant smile illuminates his noble face.
He leaps at single bound into the middle
of the subject. He reasons, and his logic is
on fire; he describes and the subject is
daguerreotyped on the retina of memory; he
quotes from some classic author, and the
excerpt is like an apple of gold in picture
of silver; he tells u story, and the impress
sion il gives is indelible; he makes an np-
peal, aud the tears flow freely; he declalms,
and the people are intensely excited: he
scars, and his lips are touched with live
coal from the altar of inspiration. When he
stops, the hearer has n pain in his side and
work for his pocket handkerchief Mr.. Phil
lips believes in n I" higher law" so lie ap-
peals to the sense of the everlasting in man.
"Ie plays the Titanic game of rocks aud
not game of tennis balls" aud yet he floods
the heart with singular and thrilling pleas
ure. lie is the primed mOuthpiece OF I'M
eloquent discharge, who presents, applies
the linstOck aud fires OIL, aud The cOnserya-
tives who stand with their fingers ia their
ears are startled by the repon. Is there II
mob? Ills words are like oil OIL the troub-
led bllows OF the chaiod sea; he rebukes
the winds of strife aud the waves OF faction,
and there is great calm. The serene face
of his bosom-iriend, the leader oftlie league,
is radiant with smiles: the severe front of n
turncOat or a yrant present begins TO relax
the doughiace is ashamed OF himself, and
determines that hereafter he will he "n doer
and not dough-" the stiff linbed finds a
hinge in his joints, and his supple knees bow
in homage TO the speaker
But must find some inult, or ] shall be
deemed a flatterer Let me see-what shall
say? sob, he is an impracticable radical;
he goes for the dissolution of the Union, the
dismemberment of the church, the destruc-
ton of the political parties" In this he is
partly right and partly wrong. "The Chris
tian should do for Christ's sake what the
wording does for the sake of humanity"
then there will be no necessity for such re-
proof The body polite should sever the