The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-06-23
What Wendell Philips said.

What Wendell Phillips said.
Mr.. WENDELL PHnLrps has been accus-
toned to contemn public opinion, but
finding that his advocacy Of reputation in
case negro suffrage was not adopted, had
raised storm of indignation that was
likely to overwhelm him and his fanatical
notions, has backed squarely down, and
now claims that he never expressed HIM
self in favor of the reputation of the debt
of the United States, but only of the rebel
debt, if it should be adopted by recon-
structed congress! The reporters, who
fully understood what was said, and took
the speech down rer5atim, and many 9TH
er listeners, declare that PHILLIPS did pro-
nounce against the United States debt.
The Boston Courier has the following
paragraph:
The Anti. Slarery Standard has the assurance
to declare that Mr.. Wendell Phillips has dev1.,
ed the remainder of his DAYS to agitate 1or Tue
reputation not of the national! but me !e ond
war debt! Those who heard Mr.. Philips, anu
thew were not few, on the occasion OF ms 90,
cent speech, know that he clearly, PLAINLY any, any,
Internationally proposed the Reputation OF oul
war debt as the alternative Of refusal OF 'ne
national government to guaranty tag hr rm' Of
suffrage to the negro. The force u taznt Of
frontery can go no further inan inu to the
reheI Ieht which. as it has never been assum.
al and never will be, can never be "repudlateo.
The following is portion OF the revised
,neecb from the A,ati-Slarery Standard
Of last week. A careful reading shows
that Il has been doctored for an emergency
not contemplated at the time Of delivery:
Hook on reconstruction based on white suit.
frape as but another name Tor the assumption
nv The nation of the Confederate debt. The
Two things are part of the same whole. No
man acquainted with the present mood OF the
white race at the South believes that its repre-
sentatiyes in Congress will ever vote to pay
onr present debt or its interest, unless theirs Is
Included. That is one feature OF reconstruc-
ton on a white basis. We are 10 plunge nto
that gulf of war debt which now .nre Mems oe
swallow up the European nations. Mucn OF
their war debt was fraudulently imposed On o
people unable either to resist or protest, and,
In NV opinion, whenever the masses there o.
tain their rights, they will properly and Justly
repudiate much of those debts.
ANY imposition upon US OF that confederate
debt carried by means OF whte sunrage re-
Mr.. Summers resolves, adopted by congress,
have attempted barrier; an insufficient one,
fear If this plan of reconstruction on q white
basis be adopted. For myself l protest IN ad-
vance against both parts OF this one measure,
white rebel suffrage and the assumption OF
"a ~.
tiates all contracts. A man or majority may
be bound by national acts to which they
silently submit; but not by those against
whose validity they protest at the time. /, for
one, here ayow my purpose to be bound oy no
such fraud, however covered up. SNAIL lie.
long, advocate reputation OF any reoei ueoI
adopted by any such reconstructed congress.
I shall hold myself at liberty to cooperate
with any party which puts on Its banner ne
puaintion of all rebel debts, T" NO matter how So.
credly such bastard Congress may nave as
sumed them. / invite Others to JOIN me ID
this avowal, till it swells to national protest,
and becomes fair and sufficient warning 10 Ill
creditors.
We think undue Importance is attached
to the utterances of Mr.. Phillips, as
well as : too much respect PAID to
bis character. But it has become the
fashion to report and printeverything that
is said by the craziest fanatics, and we sup
pose the fashion will continue just SO long
as public sentiment Graves, and is satisfied
with nothing else, but this kind OF food
PHr1L1ps boasts of having labored for
twenty years to break up the Union, and
now says that "far better GRANT had
surrendered to LEE than that the negro
should not be allowed to VOTE and yet
there are found persons in every commun-
ity who will argue that he is patriotic citi-
zen. We regard such man as criminal,
no more deserving of clemency than the
bitterest secessionist of the South. The
New York Times, in criticising this speech,
well observes: devotion to the negro,
regardless of everything else, affords no
proof of loyalty. An anti-slavery man
may be as thoroughly disloyal as pro-
slavery man; and if he holds the consti-
tuition and the Union-the authority and
supremacy of the government of the Uni
nited States subordinate to his friendship
for any class or race of men, and acts ac-
cordingly, he has no claim to be consid-
cred loyal citizen-and still less has he
any right to dictate policy to the gov
ernment." We commend these sentiments
to that class of our fellow citizens who are
unable to comprehend the fact that white
men are of some importance in the gov
eminent of the country.