Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-01-20
Our Boston Letter.


BosroS Friday, January IS, 1875.
Mssrs Editors This meeting was called for
the purpose Of giving public expression to the
feeling Of disapproyal Of the action Of the Admin
istntion aud the army at New Orleans, which was
thought TO be so general, but which even this
meeting proved to be less 40 than was supposed
by those whose opposition 10 Rcpublicanism, more
than their love Of civil liberty had called II into
being
The meeting commenced at twelve O'Clock, To-
day, and was presided over by Hon. william Gray
and he presided handsomely and iairy-and lis
regular speakers were John Quincy Adams Frank
W Bird, aud others Of that stripe and Of Its rrcg-
uIdr oncs-or onc-I shall speak by and by. Tho
drift Of the speaking denunciatory Of the In
reference Of the federal troops In the organization
Of the house Of representatives Of the legislature
OF Louisiana, The hall was full TO rcplctlon; not
only the seats but all available standing room
was occupied by crowd Of eager listeners, ready
to applaud to the echo anything that might be
said against the President, General Sheridan, or
the Republican party and enough was said to
keep up good degree Of enthusiasm while the
speeches were being made
noticed In particular young man who was
mulatto, who was very enthusiastic clapping his
hands yocifcrously whenever violent thrust was
made at the "tyranny' which so oppressed the
southern people" but whether he understood
exactly what sentiments he was cheering, don't
know He sat ia the gallery few feet from the
end Of the hall next the platform. Just at the
end and on the railing was another man who
didn't cheer but sat with one hand-and some
times both--in his oyercoat pockets, and looked
out silently from under his slouchcd hat upon the
animated scene which was being enacted around
him That man was WENDELL pmfiLlis, and the
two formed picture, which To me was intensely
interesting, and from wlach the key to whole vol
umes Of the worlds history, past and future,
might be taken at single glance. There was the
philosopher, sage aud great moral teacher, who
had lnborcd 50 many yoars for the elevation Of tie
negro race and a redress Of tho wrongs under
which they had suffered, and there was the young
negro joyously and eagerly appauding the warm
est expressions Of sympathy with the white
leagues aud old-tme opprcssors Of the colored f.
race
/ wondered II Mr. Phillips was more annoyed /
by the capping Of these black hands than hy
that Of the winter ones surrounding them. !
thought Of the minister who used 10 preach abo-
litionism In Washington County Ia good Garrso-
MAN fashion before the war, wherein he served in
the capacity Of chaplain, until some unconyercd
negro stole his pantaloOns away from him, and .
left him. Well, presume he had another isir I
but these being the ones in which his ab0litonism
lay, he came home cursng the Niger as Wig I.
orously As his sacred Office would consistently per
init him But not 80 Mr. Phillips. lie WAS .
read, To make plea for his client, lie calls the
black man, whenever an opportunity should offer, .
though be had not been announced as one Of the .
speakers had not been invited to the party, didn't
occupy a seat ON the platform, not oven a seat in .
the gallery, except, a. said, ON the railing, TAX .
ing such accommodations as he could get among .
the crowd most Of whom had TO stand, and .
deemed themselves fortunate 70 get standing
room especially after the commencement Of the /
war Of forces which was inaugumted by the IRE
qaent cries ior " Phillips, Phillips" which came .
from all parts Of the hallshowing that the seuti-
meni Of the meeting though called in the inter
est Of one party for given purpose was not all
ON one side
The chairman paid no attention 70 this call aud
neither did Mr. Phillips Tor some time, but at
length he rose to his feet, removed his hat with
slight flourish. aud said, Mr. Chairman" which
Immediately seconded by the cry Of Phillips
Phillips" though the cry accompanied with
Kisses and groaus and cries Of no. no, get
out, dry up, etc
Mr Gray stepped upon the platform and beck
oued Mr. Phillips thereto endeavorng to quiet
the turbulent elements by few well-timed re-
marks in favor Of free speech first and free voting
afterwards concluding by saying that III the
chair commands the confidence Of the House Mr.
Phillips shall be heard. As lac concluded, the
old apostle Of freedom stepped upby his sde--and
then the old " Cradle OF Liberty rocked again as
the Wild cheers rang in every nook, and the foun-
tains Of the great deep Of human emotion were
broken up. Not that the audience was friendly
10 Mr. Phillips, by any means, the sentiments
he was expected to utter, but Judge that about
every third man in II was, and that third man
made a. good use Of his lungs, for the time being
as he conveniently could And many Of the Others
used theirs in making all sorts Of noises, yells
Kisses and eroans, making altogether as exciting
aud stormy time as Boston has witnessed for
many day
Mr. Phillips remarked that he had been IN
Faneul Hall before, and whencyerthe confusion
subsidized sufficiently, went on with his speech
lie said he was not much Of a Grant man; but he
argued that ia this case, the administration was
right that the federal troops were lawfully in
New Orleans that they did just what they should
have done. etc, His main point was, that the
House Of representatives Of Louisiana was not a
legal body, ON account Of the admitted Illegal
proceedings by which Wilt was elected speaker,
and the House organized in the interest Of the
" conser, alive" As against the radical" lauy
Of the state, lie said that nobody ejud legally
preside in the House until speaker was elected
except the clerk That nobody could legally put
a motion but him, and that when somebody else
,iid t,tf tho tnotiou romiuatiur Wilt WIN v.4.
declared elected, and the House was organized in
such Illegal fashion, it had ceased to be a legsla-
ture, and was only New Orleans mob
Aud so far, MIR Phillips was unquesionably
right but whether General De Trobriand had a
legal right to interfere as he did, whether his
act was calculated to endanger the civil libertes(P)
Of New Orleans, sufficient to justify all the fuss
which has been made about it, am not lawyer
enough, or political economist enough, to say. 1t
seems, however, to have been decided by the
country and the President has been compelled to
disavow, to a certain extent the action Of his
subordinates at l.ouisiana's fair capital
Mr. Phillips said, II you adopt these resou-
tons, you will send CONSERVATION 10 the home Of
every negro and every white Republican in Louis
lana, the blood Of hundreds Of whom will be upon
your skirts before the frst Of January next, and
you will send comfort TO the heart Of every assas-
sin in New Orleans"
Notwithstanding this, a set Of resolutions do
nouncing the administration and the military, WAS
adopted by the meeting, though the rira roce
vote was so evenly divided as to render its afiir-
nation barely unquestionabe.
WILLoUGmy
Great Incendiary Fire In Rutland.
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