The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-03-14
WENDELL PHILLIPS.

WENDELL PHILLIPg.
Wendell Philips was, very properly, born
in Boston, Massachusetts,, in November; 1911,
He.gradusted ~ Harvard College 10 1881 at
Cambridge Law School, tsos ysas later, and
in 1884 was admitted 10 Ne Bag IA I'm
time the political elements were difsly dis.
turbed. Fourth of July orstoss we're inspired
by the prosperity OF the the Great Republic;
the brotherhood of North and South, East
and West, Frightened in the rhetoric OF dem
ocrstic eulogiums. And the hurt of the Ma
ton was growing worse. The Republic had
all things but Freedom. Liberty was yoked
with corse. Thence came infection. A
cursed spell was upon the people. The text
of each annual celebration was the freedom
and equality of all men. The Constitution.
that law>givers and people pratsd about as
the masterpiece of organic legislation, was to
establish Justice Under il the Nation was
put TO mnn-huntng and slavs-caiching.
North and South, East and West, men
turned from hurrahing over the Declaration
Of Independence, to mob any man that
spake for Freedom. The story is old, old,
old and well known. But in writing Of Phil
lips ii must be reproduced. Back through
those years is the horrid presence of terri
BILE incubus. Thank God it is we'll nigh
passed now, and is shadowy and dream-hke.
1t was frightfully real then.
1t was then Wendell Phillips entered upon
his work In 1885 the Pro-Sisvery spirit
grew rampant against incipient Abolitionism,
and manifested itself in mobs and fierce riots
In 1886 Wendell Phillips, filed with hatred
towards the fell spirit that was sappiug the
republican vitality of the nation, joined the
young society of Abolitionists. In 1887 be
made his first speech that attracted public ct
iention. Out in the Northwest, whose broad
boundless prairies are the rightful domain Of
Freedom, whose strong imhed, clear Drained
and earnest>hearted people must cherish no
soul other than that Of Humanity-in that
year Rev Elijah P. Loyejoy was murdered
a, Alton, Illinois, BY g rro-slsvery mob, and
his press destroyed. It was the crime of
Lovejoy that be had written anti-slavery ar
ticles. Oh. Sister Illinois, you gave scarce
one tnourner for the slain Lovejoy in lsS7.
In 1854 you decked your State in black, and
your whole people followed, With stricken
hearts, the slow and grandly solemn advance
Of your other SLAIN Son, Abraham Lincoln
to his msrtyr grave. And your chief e1hal
tssion Of him Was because upon his ssenu
meni world be written The Ensncipstor
because in his life and in his death he had
crushed the slave-pover, and bad not LEFT
one bondmsn in all the land, Go from tbs
grave of Lovejoy at Alton to that Of Lincoln
a. Springfield, and you have marked all tbs
march Of this nation from Slavery TO Free
dom.
The news OF the murder Of Lovejoy va
borne to Boston, and meeting was called
10 consider the event. Resolutions denoun
ciatory of the foul deed of violence, ant
claiming untrammeled freedom of the pres
were introduced. Even in this meeting th,
umid counsels of Conservatism almost pre-
vailed. Attorney General Austin opposed
earnestly the resolutions, and they we're lik,
to go upon the table, when Phillips, who wa
in the audience, arose and made masterl,
speech in defence of them. His impetuou
and feryid eloquence bore down all opposi
ton and the resolutions passed. From tina
time ne was the champion on the platform O
Abolitonism in New England. In 1899 h,
GAY tar, fha otso Of ba leu.
ney's oath imposed upon him declaration 9
fdelityto the Constitution with which hi
heart was at variance. Under that Constitu
ton he saw his country passing under tn,
full dominion of the slave oligsrchy. Free.
dom of speech and of the press WAS going
Liberty was perishing in her chosen home
The divinity of slavery was becoming SUI
preme. State and nation, Executive, Con
gress, Courts, parties, press, the pulpit, tn,
whole people, we're surrendering up TO ii
So he arraigned the Constitution and th,
Government. At all elections he refused Il
vote. He has not accepted Office, becaus,
he would not impose upon his soul the oatl
he would have to take. Let those who ca,
find no one in the country, that Wendell
Phillips is fit to be named in connection with
except JEFF. Davis, put this .down to Mr.
Phillips credit.
Wendell Phillips stands concededly now, q
the first of American orators. He put upoI
himself work to do and he has done it, ear
nestly, eioquently, untiringly and faithfully
If he has not always worked wisely, be ha,
worked honestly. He denounced Cons,itu
ton with slavery; when the nation was borr
anew to Freedom, the whole nation refused
to accept Constitution with slavery. Where
an, here, shall Mr.. Phillips be condemned
He denounced Union with slavery; anc
now our whole people, refuse no, only to &C
cept Union with slavery, but Union with
anything less than impartial suffrage. Where
in, here, shall Wendell Phillips be con.
demned 2
The "extremist' for the Right, should new
er be COMPOUNDED with the extremists for tn,
Wrong, The former has but advanced slon,
the route in his generation, that the people
If true to themselves and their destiny. vii
traverse IN the next generation the latte
are the evil spirits that dwell in the darkness
and iniastice Of the past, and call a peopl
back 70 stagnaaon aud error, and death
JED. Davis bade the people 20 back wit
him TO enduring slavery and barbarism
Wendell Phillips has gone forward maxim
straight highway for people loving liber,
and Human Rights. And the people will tax
their march along that highway: even III
Conservatives will follow in time. For xbe
Mr.. Phillips speaks for universal suffrage
and pure democracy, he is right, and b.
speaks what viii surely come, for thew ar
the genius of our institutions and the up.l
terabls mission Of the nation.
THEY tell q story in a Paris paper. vb;c
describes the FrAnche-Compte peasant e,
actly.
One day after the late horrible oets,,ronh
on the Dion rail~ts. an old man who had o,
capped BY a miraci IN the crushed ca,
presented himself Al he place Of the d;as,a
A workman who w. collecting The dah,
and clearing thu ,ck inquired what
wanted
Monsieur, am Of the victims.''
The workman look mp, and seeing a m a
without any injury, inquired, Whom bay
you lost, thsn-yoar wife, your child AZ