The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-05-12
PHILLIPS.

His Speech at the Anti-SSlayery @ Sy Anniversary in
The fC lowing is the speech delivered by Wendell
Phillips ut Steinway Hall, in New York. at the ami
versary meeting Of the Anti-Savery Society, yester-
day.
After an alusion to the rise and progress OF the
antislavery movement in this country, and the diff
you can hardly step OFF the platform without meeting
man who says, ''Why, what more is there for you
to do? Where do you find a pretense to come
together? What right have you to mention anti
slavery? l cannot see for the life of me what you
get up to interest yourselves in" 1t is great change.
1t is glorious revulson Everything that is respect
able in literature is on our (applause)-every
journal of any character that, at the basis Of all its
movement has either accomplished its whole
pledge, or is so near it that there is no
we did not see much of the Church in those
days, or have much OF its sancton-we used to
prophesy that when the work was done, it would
come in and say it did it. The Church also is now
with us. But the most marvellous the most notice
able point OF all is that the Government, from the
President in the White House down through all its
channels, is on side. (Appause.) We have
lived to see the day when the President OF the
United States in his first communication to Congress-
tells the nation that no other path is open for it
except to ignore color. (Good) We have lived
to see the day when the Board OF Brokers Of this
the Leutenant-G Governor of Southern State
! say that the attitude OF the Government
to-day on this question is the most notice.
able element in the present situation OF
AFFAIRS because in this country-in all countries but
especially IN JDS COuntry-eVerythlng shapes itself
in time on the model of the existing government. /
know OF course, social prejudice; know the rule OF
the saloon; know the caste that minges in the
Church; know the flavor OF sarcasm that still poi
sons literature / know the prejudice against the
colored that rests in the blood of the white race
l do not forget them moment But when go TO
history, find that after the house of Hanover had
on to the British throne it was fashionable it
was 'the thing, as the French say, it was literary,
for century later, to be a Tory, to adhere to
the Stuarts Old families met under ancient
roofs and pledged the Pretender, and fashionable
danes laughed in fashionable circles at the vul-
gartes Of the new regime. Sir Walter Scott as
late as his day. had all his heart on the side OF the
Stuarts. The deepest bumpers were drunk, the
heartiest pledges were made to the exied house.
But all that was strong and living and productive in
England was clustering around the new throne.
The energy OF Bristol the trade OF Birmingham the
wealth OF London the strong sense OF the general
people, were at the foot of the throne, and after
while England flung off the disease, the bad blood
escaped, and now no one knows anything in England
but the popular House OF Hanover. Soft is here. In
cut-of-the-way places, in the musty study OF the
Doctor OF Divinity, in the lumber-rOom and empty
attic OF the fashionable woman, which she calls her
mind, there is sort OF uneXpressed prejudice
against the black man; and literary boys fancy
themselves Hawthornes, and eminent writer's
when they get OFF gbe against the negro;
come you will find the ghost haunting his old home.
But in the meanwhile this strong, living heart which
makes the nation, its growing wealth, the mind that
| takes up the problem OF the age, the hand on the
helm that gives direction to the policy OF the nation,
| the American that stands in the broad sunlight OF
day and does not worship cobwebs-you will hnd
| that force is moving in one direction. This is my
hope, you will the colored man in the capital, in
the Senate Chamber, in the House OF Represents
tves, carrying the banner OF the republic all over
South America and Central America II there is any
man that thoroughly pity-contempt is too positive
an emotion for him-it Is the man that Is proud OF
his white skin, the that affects TO endeaVor TO
see the possibility Of founding an empire upon one
| race. In all countries a position is stronger than
wealth, religion literature In other countries lt
is hereditary wealth. ttular honors the throne that
| set the fashion. But in this country we nave no
class distinguished thus artifcially The only thing
that can lift man above the level is 0f1ce, ana the
young man shapes himself in the senators the poll
tcian looks up TO the statesman, the wirepuiler 20
| the politician. And so what the government IL anu
does flows down into the church. into literature ana
into society, and TO great extent shapes them llee
therefore, that since have got Washington on our
side we have got also religion, literature, ana dsocie
| Thomas Jefferson, the framer OF the Declaration
| some uprising OF an oppressed peope:-"When VIII
| the consequences of the Declaration Of Indepen-
dence end ?" SO / expect as the comfort OF mac
1--WE and weary years. If God gives them 10 me- tnat
shall see the representatives OF this oppressed race
IN the Cabinet OF Washington, and hear OF tnem
sendlng out some black descendant OF LOUISIANA
or Georgia plantation as an ambassador, VINO shal
draw q circle round Francis Joseph or NapOe0lt
ana In the name OF the great State OF the West snail
order that before they shall pass that line every race
within the border OF their territory shall be guara-
teed their natural rights in the normal constitution
OF the country; and then, lifting up my hands, Ike
Jenerson, with proud, trembling voice, shall say =;
when VIII the consequences of the ant-slaVery
movement get to their goal 2" loud applause.l