The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-02-18

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sailing vessels
Wendell PhIllAps' Recent Speech ON Re-
construction.
Mr. Wendell Phillips Is evidently in . state
Of mind. Like Othello. he finds his occupation
| gone So long a. slavery existed be had some
thing to talk about and scold about. and be
eloquent about; but now that slavery 10 prac-
tically dead he Is an orator without subject
His speech Of the Cooper Institute on Tuesday
evening was Wild and incoherent throughout.
II disappointed his friends and admirers, and
afforded his enemies SUFFICIENT grounds for
sneers and laughter. Without being either the
one or the other. and looking at Mr.. Phillips
from our usual Independent standpoint No
are compelled to say that he made himself RI
diculous. His turgid. confused senscless ora
ton was as different from hin customary clear
and eloquent speeches o. brickbat from dis
mond.
Mr. Phillips promised 10 speak upon recon-
struction; butt Is painfully apparent that be
doss not know anything about reconstruc-
ton. Tho only thing hc seems to un-
derstand is the darkeyi and in less
than ton minutes after he began his address he
mounted upon this old hobby and rode away.
leaving the reconstruction question to take caro-
of itself Perhaps this was the wisest and most
sensible thing that Mr.. Phillips could do; but
certainly 1t was not what no had undertaken TO
do, and did not carry out the programme Of the
evening. Tho only reference Of any import
ance which the orator made to Reconstruction
was this:-"New there never will be set Of
men in Tennessee at to sit down and legislate
on the interests, pecuniary and honorable OF
tue Empire State, until Andy johnson sees
John Hancock under black skin. That ID my
idea Of reconstruction" Now, if this is not ar
rant nonsense what il il, We doubt if Mr..
Phillips knew what he meant by it. His
audience, deluded by the jingle of long words,
showed their ignorance by applauding it. What
has Andy Johnson to do with the Empire State
or John Hancock with Tennessee The passage
might bave been written by the author Of the
"elbows Of the Mincio, formed by the sympa-
thies of YOUTH" but it is decidedly unworthy
of Mr.. Phillips. And yet it is q fair specimen Of
the whole of this dreadfuily silly and incom
prehensible lecture
In spite of the record Of Mr.. Phillips aboii
ton martyrdom, we must accuse him Of lack
Of moral courage He wanted to advocate
What could have prevented him we do not
know. That Is what he means, and there is no
reason why he should not say it boldly. 1t is
the logical deduction from ali the propositions
which he has labored 80 many years to prove,
and he cannot be allowed to back out Of bis
own theories at this late day. The intermar-
riage Of white men and black women and
white women and black men is what Mr..
Phillips desires What, then, hindefed him
from avowing HE desiress He has 80 long se,
oil decent society at defiance that he cannot be
afraid of social ostracism. Can it DO possible
that he has had sudden attack Of modesty
and that his lips refuse to express the gross
and sensual ideas which his brain has con-
ceivsd? Do his senses and his stomach revolt
at that close communion OF the two races
which he is now called upon to advocate
Does the color Of the negro offend bis
eyes, or the odor Of the negro disgust his
nostrilss Does be shrink from embracing the
representative of race which he has 50 often
declared to be the highest and noblest on the
face Of the EARTH Has be forgotten his 6ne-
spun theories upon miscegenation and the
thems Is he going to retract his former decla-
ration that amalgamation is the only way to
save the nation! II we answer these questions
IN the negative, what does Mr.. Phillips mean
by his silence upon the theme most dear to his
heart. If we answer them affirmatively, why
has he not the courage to confess himself In the
wrong,
The fact Of the matter is that we are getting
along too fast for Mr. Phillips. While he was
arguing that slavery ought to be abolished the
war abolished it without his assistance. and he
was left out in the cold. Fanatics never can
comprehend facts, aud facts always kill OF
fanatics. The abolition Of slavery il fact, and
Mr.. Wendell Phillips ia fanatic. Everybody
can deduce the corollary for himself M.
Phillips fondly imagined that he could
gradually do away with slavery some
how or other-he never was very Ger.
tain how-and might then insinuate ANAL
gamation. Probably be supposed that he
would die full Of years and honors just as the
slavery question was settled, and so leave the
amalGamation part Of the business to his disci-
Piles, having laid down the laws for their guild
snce in series Of speeches and letters. But,
unfortunately for this bright dream, slavery
allied itself to rebellion, and so committed sui
eide before Mr.. Phillips was ready for this con-
summation. Now he has to face bis amslgama-
ton doctrines in person, and before practical
people, who are prepared to saw to him that