The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-08-20
SLAVERY.

debater at college, but had never given
any promise of his future eminence as
an orator. He had no notion, 1t is said,
of his own powers, nor had he expect
ed to make any great figure at the bar
as a public speaker until circumstances
suddenly revealed his genius. In De-
cember, 1887, a large meeting was call
ed at Faneuil Hall to express the views
of the citizens of Boston In regard to
the assassination of Rev. Elijah p.
Lovejoy, a native of New England,
while editing an anti-slavery paper in
Alton, Ill. The meeting was nearly
divided in its opinion, and States At
toTney General Austin, who delivered
an able speech on the side of the con-
stitution and the non-iDterIsrence doc
triGe, then and long after IN vogue with
the Wings, was on the eve OF carrying
the assembly with him, and of defeat
ing the resolutions that had been offer.
ed coDdemning the crime. At this
crisis, when men were hating and hes
itating between policy and principle,
Phillips. who was in the audience,
leaped to his feet, and burst forth in "a
blaze of burning inyective against sla-
very and an impassioned eulogy of the
murdered man, that carried the audi
ence by storm.
The effect of his speech was electri-
cal. Those who heard it say he seemed
inspired, and that no effort he has since
made surpassed that wonderful i'm
Promptu oisplendid indignation. Men
held their breath; their eyes suffused
and flashed with sy mpathy their hearts
throbbed, their blood kiudled, and they
were held by the spell of his magic ut
terance silent as the tomb TO the close.
Then the throng broke out in Ihuuders
OF applause. Wendell Phillips future
was fixed; his reputation was estab-
lished. That speech flashed throughout
the land and stirred every heart that
beat for freedom. IL was not published
in the South, OF course; but every body
read it, and shareholders turned pale
with wrath and fear while they swore
and tTembled over its words OF tire.
FRIENDSHIP WITH GARRISON.
BY this time very close relation lad
sprung up between Garrison and Phil
lips, the latter having most enthusi-
aStiO- admiration tor the former, and
acknowledging him as the born leader
that the new convert was only too
happy and proud 10 follow. For ears
Phillips has done homage to the emil
| nent apostle OF Abolitionism, aud con-
siders him to-day. one OF the greatest
| and noblest men the century has pro-
duced.
THE WAR UPON SLAVERY.
From 1897 to the close of the war
Phillips devoted his whole mind aud
time 10 the anti-slavery cause. BE
| wrote freely and vigorously for the
Boston LibeTGtOr and New York ARtt-
| Slavery Standard, of which latter paper
he has long been the financial supper
ter, and spoke throughout the North in
his fayorIte and engrossing theme, but
not without being mobbed at least a
dozen times in different cities. He has
always shown great GOODNESS and
nerve, without the least gascouade or
| tendency to bravo, when his fierce but
1 polished harangues have excited riot
Gus demonstrations In the audience he
has addressed. So long as he was per-
mitted to speak, he said what he
LhOuS hit, and never abated the vehe-
mencs of his expression before the NUT
Hence. It was often objected to Phil
| lips that he confined his anti-slayery
| hAranguesIo the free States, instead OF
going South, where the evil existed.
Every one acquainted with the gsner-
Gus and big My chivalrous treatment
that Southerners extended TO men who
went among them opposed to the pecu-
\ liar institution, can readily see why
Phillips did not give them an oppor-
| tunityl of killing him like a mad dog.
He knew his true field was in the North,
where men reasoned, and where he
could be heard.
CHARACTERISTIC AEECDoTE.
A very good anecdote, illustrative OF
this, Is told OF the distinguished orator.
| He was riding on the cars in Ohio one
day, Just after the election of Lincoln,
and when the country was on the eve
of the great struggle. A very conser-
vatiye, orthodox clergyman recognized
Phillips, and asked:
".Why don't you go down South, and
denounce slavery where they have it,
| instead of denouncing 1t where it does
| not eXfst2"
Permit me-" replied Phillips, "to
answer your question by putting
others. You believe In saving souls,
/ do you not"
| Certainly"
"Saving them from hell, do you not?n
IS Yes, by all means"
"Well, then, why don't you go to
hell and preach yonr plan of salvation,
instead of delivering sermons here
/ where hell does not eXist?"
Phillips heard no more from the cler.
gymRn.
LECTURES. E-
4 Though SO closely associated with
politics, Phillips Is one of the most pop
nlar literary lecturers in the country
He is an excellent belle LettreS and
classical scholar, and his Lost Arts,
i"Daniel O'ConnellY and "Toussain
L'OavertursH are models of lyceum ell
|oquence- he always draws, and Il
compelled every year to decline many
Invitations, such is the number PRESSED
] upon him. He speaks without manu-
script OF notes, and yet SO completely
$50 compactly and SO aptly as to pre-
elude the idea OF extemporaneousnes
He does not write out MS discourses