Baton Rouge tri-weekly gazette & comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1865-18??, 1866-06-28
The Gazette &Gottlet


WENDELL PHlLLIPs' FORTUNE
Where He Coz Il" Wendell Phil
lips has an income of 100000 a
year p Exchange.
The above announcement which is
going the rounds Of the newspapers
is of no extraordinary Importance,
only it serves "to point moral and
adorn a tale" That Wendell Phil
lips is man of great wealth, is a
fact which nobody who knows him
will deny. An income of 100000 a
year is certainly an evidence that he
is in no imminent danger of coming
to want. But the fact that he is i'm
mensely rich provokes the inquiry
how he became SO. Although a gem
tleman of education, we have never
heard of his being distinguished in
either of the learned professions. It
is not known that he ever performed
a days labor in bis life, in any de-
partment of productive industry. We
hear nothing Of him as a successful
merchant.
He is only known as a strenuous
advocate Of the rankest form of abo-
litionism, and as an extremist among
the most extreme haters of the South
and its institutions; but the public
are not informed of any instances in
which the sincerity of his regard for
the African race has been illustrated
by any acts of generosity towards
that unfortunate class of mankind.
If it will not be considered disre-
spectful, we would like to be told,
by some of his many admirers, how
much of that income of 100000 q
year has been expended by that dis
tinguished philanthropist, either for
the benefit of the poor white people
in his own vicinity or for the anne
Iteration of the condition of the poor
black people in other and more re-
mote localities. And while they are
about it, they will confer a great
favor upon an admiring public by
letting us know how this Mr.. Phil.
lips came by his wealth. We know
that he never earned it by the sweat
Of his brow, nor the useful employ
ment of the mental abilities which
the God of nature bestowed upon
him. The presumption is that he
inherited the fortune which yields
him the annual income of $4,000,
and it is more than probable that he
knows where it came from, and how
it was accumulated. -
Much as we dislike the principles
of the man, we cannot be persuaded
to say a word to his disparagement
that is not founded ip truth. But
the announcement which stands at
the head of this article should be ac-
companied, wherever it goes, by the
fact, which will hardly be denied3
dlat Wendell Phillips inherited his
wealth from ancestors who accumu-
lated immense fortunes by the manu-
facture of, and traffic in, New Eng
lapd rum, and by the African trade,
For confirmation of the truth of
this statement we appeal to DR..
Cheeyer, now of New York, who was
horsewhipped in the streets of Salem,
Mass, for writing the story about
Deacon Gales distillery, and to those
now living who were in the employ
of the Phillipses while their vessels
were in the trade Of the West coast
of Africa. The wonder is that this
man, who knows where his money
came from, and how it was obtained,
does not make restitution tothe ex-
tent of his ability, instead of a vast
and worthless expenditure Of words
in professions of philanthropy. Res
titution, while the highest proof of
sincerity, is also an essential element
of honor, honesty and justice. And,
now that the negroes, emanclpated
at the instigation Of Wendell Phil
lips and his admirers, are in help
less and almost hopeless condition, it
may not be too much to expect that
a portion of his wealth will be dis
gorged for their relief.--Ge0cIa@d
PIaamdea1er.