Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-05-06

their personal or professional rivalry,
says:
"There are beings mean enough to in
sist that Mr. Phillips has been well paid
for his anti.slavery lestures, just as there
are those who will say that General VIII
son has achieved and retained desirable
positions by his anti-slavery politics
| We despise these diverse detractors with
equal heartiness. Mr.. Phillips need not
have been an Abolitionist in order to
attract large and paying audiences; and
| General Wilson renounced the party
which steadily ruled Massachusetts,, and
seemed likely to rule her forever, in or;
der that he might more effectually uphold
the equal rights of man"
Fortunately, we do not think the worse
of ourselves for having allsded to the
fact that Wendell Phillips has been well
paid for his anti-slavery lectures. 1t
may be true that Mr.. Phillips need not
have been an Abolitionist in order to
attract large and paying audiences but
| it will do no harm to remember that be-
fore the war Mr.. Phillips was lecturer
by trade, and that during the war only
those lectures did attract such audiences
who agitated for war and abolition.
If Mr.. Phillips is not simply man
who agitates for pay-whe lectures for
money, and, in order to obtain more
money for his lectures, not only chooses
sensational topics and treats them in
sensational manner, but trims the no.
tions which he puts forth as his opinions
in such a way as to meet the prejudices
of those whom he seeks to attract, then
he has been so incautious, or so unfor-
tunate, as, by his conduct to have given
great encouragement to an Incorrect
view of his character. We certainly
never heard of his delivering a popular
address without pay. If he could have
attracted large and paying audiences by
lecturing upon literary or scientific sub.
ects, he doubtless did attract larger and
better paying ones by fomenting the war
spirit, and heating the passions of his
hearers with exciting harangues all the
more dangerous and unwholesome for
the silvery tones and graceful action
which are the characteristics of his ora
tory. s ~r r..t.. d
Whether or not it be mean to insist
that Mr.. Phillips has been we'll paid for
his anti-slavery lectures, of the fact that
he has been we'll paid, there is not q
shadow of doubt. If he has not the
spirit of Snowman, he has certainly
succeeded most admirably in initiating
the practices of that Industrious and
thrifty order of our fellow.eitizens; and
if he is less mercenary than Alf Bur-
net or P. T. Barnum, the difference is
doubtless one of degree, and in degree
so minHte as to be altogether impercep-
tible to the common observer.
Wien, by putting forth false doctrine,
man has made himself the means Of
intensifying prevailing unwholesome
excitement, it is not unfair to suspect
the soundness of his motives; and when
10 order to do so, he becomes fatty in
consistent, and negatives his own teach
ing of other and different times, the |
justice of the suspicion becomes evident. |
This Mr.. Phillips has done. Nor would |
it be at all difficult upon the testimony |
of his printed addresses, to convict him |
Of Inconsistencies, exsusable perhaps in
a Snowman, but objectionable in an
apostle such as he is accepted to be by |
his indorsers and disciples. /
Mr.. Phillips aud Mr.. Wilson hate each /
other as rivals in the profession of paid |
agitator; the former taking his reward |
in cash, the latter in promotion. IL il |
il in the heart of Mr.. Greeley OF the \
Tribune to despise detractoFs, he or it is
invited 10 despise, to its hearts content,
each Of these for telling unwelcome
truths Of the other. 1t is not strictly /
true that Gen Wilson renounced the
party which ruled Massachusetts,. Mr.,
Wilson stood in that State in position
equivalent to that occupied by Mr.. Chase
in Ohio-distrustsd By both Whig and
Democratic parties, and denied stand
ing in either, and his labor 10 uphold
the equal rights Of man was simply the
work Of suspected demagogue, TO raise
himself to place which be might mis-
use. but could not adorn.