Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-06-08
SPEECH OF WENDELL PHILLIPS,
From The Liberator of May "a

DAY n Brooklyn, (says the New York Jour-
nal of Commerce Of Saturday week,) owing
TO the circulation of a report that the aboli-
ton address Of Wendell Phillips, advertised
TO tfke place in the evening ut the Institute
on washington street, was TO he interrupted
by DEMONSTRATIONS similar to those which
characterized the Anti-Slavery meetings in
thiscity. In consequence of these reports,
the managers of the Institute declined TO
opcn their lecture-room for the occasion, and
theineeting was therefore held ut Plymouth
church Many persons were present out of
culipsity, anticipating disturbance, and the
hoasc was well filled. The Mayor and n
strot,s posse Of citizens (although not formal
ly ofgnnized,) were present 10 preserve or
Rev Henry Ward Beccher called the as
semplagc to order, and nominated Philo Bar
ney. Esq. to the chair. Rev. Mr.. Storrs
made the opening prayer. Mr.. Beccher fol-
lowth with few predatory remarks 'Wo
ore rssembled,' said he, under unusual cir
cufnatances. Ii is not customary for men to
stand up together before public assembly
as they believed nike, unless their senti-
lnei'is are in common; and it is therefore
alike due to you aud the gentleman who is to
address you, that should state the circum-
stances which have placed me in this posi-
tom. There are certain fundamental princi-
pies Upon which all agree-among the great
est OF these is the liberty of speech. Any
proceeding which shalltrench upon this, is a
blow struck at the foundation of our govern
mcnt. II is because that liberty has been de-
MED to men holding views with which we do
not ynputhize, but still entitled to the salne
freedom with ourseves--ihat / stand here
Tonight When heard that the meeting IN
which Wendell Phillips wns 10 speak had
been put down, stood up for him. When
j lleortl the place of meeting had been, from
prudential motives, closed against him, felt
1t in my blood aud in my bones, thnt this
right should be viDdicatcd. II he had been
denied free speech in New York, wished
him to come 10 Brooklyn, where the right
sIlonisl be restored to him. / claim for him
the same right TO speak his sentiments that i
clain, for myself when say something new,
nmd INV people open their eyes and say,
q Vi,5re did lie get thut?" lf he were ten
.timcs. .blacker than he is, Il mean
M. 4, al,d uoi IN Ills skin,) 4 would still
sre M .is, b, snarl 81 oNn scuii-
incrN.,,S.apd caiinot but think tie church
syplace to yindicate iliis important prin-
ciplos do not believe as the speaker who
is TO follow me does, and wish 1t to be un-
derstood that am in no way responsible for
his sentiments. He may convince me of their
truth, ifhe can, but do not appear now to
endorse then.'
I'VE publish sketch OF Mr.. Phillips's
speech as we find it reported in the New
York Herald.
Mr.. PHrLLIps then came forward and said,
that he received with feelings Of deep graft
E.af al, oh hu fha Raxy
gentleman who lad Just sat down. The
right of speech was almost the only high
thing that governments secured 10 man, ex-
cept, indeed, free thought, ii that were con-
trollablc. What, after all, was the value of
government? 1t was to educate men, and TO
develop the germ Of liberty of thought and
speech, which God had implanted in the hui
man breast, that men might become wiser
and betterby the interchange of thought and
speech--to permit thought 10 go free like O
libenine, to work out the progress
of the human race. The abolitionists arc
charged with using hard language; the ques-
ton is, is the language true? II is easy to
sit on the nights of criticism, and look down
with Il scrutinizing eye upon the work done
by others, which we ought 10 have done our
selves, aud 10 say, but for these rude guns,
would be soldier (Langhter.)f Men en-
gagged in such rough work as the abolition
lists, with the majority against them, cannot
always be- very choice IN their language; il
they were, they would probably not obtain
the public ear. The scholar may sit in his
study, and take care that his language Is not
exaggerated; but the rude mass of men are
not 10 be caught by balanced periods-they
are caught by men whose words are half
battles From Luther down, the charge
agninst every rciormer has been, that his
tongue is too rough. Be il so. Rough i'm
strlIments are used for rough work. What
is slavery? The denial of every right Of man.
The slave is'a thing. The slave is denied
the right of mnrringe-thc only institution
that has survived the garden. One yasr le-
galized prostitution IL the condition of slave
nv. The slave is denied the right to his Ia
Dor. When the child OF slave IL horn, the
hand of another is placed on his brow, and
claims It as his own, despite the ties Of father
and mother. And when the child grows up,
all knowledge is denied to him. The Bible
is a prohibited book. Again, the slave is a
thing, and the child can be separated from
the mother, and the wife from the husband.
In the old papers OF ofMassachusetts, one hun
dred years ago, you will find such ADVERTISE
ments as this a woman 10 be sold, and
her child, ix.weels old 10 be sold together
or separately AT tho present time, such ad-
vertisements abound in all the Southern pa'
pers. 10 lit up our voice against system
OF this kind, reeking with cruelty and blood
las heen called blnsphemy and infdelity
bur il is the aboliiionists who are the uu'
friends of The Bible, because they deny tha
its sacred pages are stained with any sane
ton Of slavery. What do these men say P
Why, that the philanthropy Of the abolition
lists is greater than Christianity. Buttle hu
man heurt, in lis most pliiIanthropic mood
never suggested n thought so beneficent Al
those with which the inspired volume
abounds. tits therefore a libel on the scrip
lures to say that they sanction so iniqpitou
md cruel q system. We send out our Chris