Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1876-07-21
Death OF Mr.. Helen n. wins.

Mrs. Helen l.. Willis, formerly of Fay
etteville, and sister of Senator Twitcholl Of
louisiana, died at indianapolis on Sunday,
9th inst. It will be remembered by our
readers that at the time of the recent at
tempt on his life Mr.. Twitchell was pre-
pairing TO accompany Mrs. Willis home TO
Fayetteville on account OF the III state OF
her health. The cause of her death is di-
rectly tracoabe to the persecution which
her family has been subjected TO at the South,
her husband and one brother, as Is well
known, having fallen victims to the White
Leaguers, while her brother, the Senator.
barely survives their animosity. Three
promising children are thus bercit of both
father and mother. Under these ciicum-
stances, Rev. DR.. Bayliss, who conducted
the funeral services, may surely be pardon
ed for making some reference TO the occa-
sion Of her death, and the condition Of So
ciely that made 1t possible. We give some
extracts from his discourse:
"And so the weary wheels at last stood
still. Her husband, her brother and her
sisters and their husbands all sleep in
Southern glaves, and every male relative
was murdered. In her last moments her
only surviving brother was unable TO dc
anything for her except TO weep. A nurse
must have hands and be able to walk. No
wonder she died without dread. She was
too weary of human cruelty aud wrong Il
desire TO remain longer here. She sent
word TO her mother, now in New England
that she had no fear of dying; she gave hei
last requests to her friends and then depart.
ed, let us trust, to where the wicked cease
from troubling and the weary are at rest
We are sometimes accused of Haunting
the bloody shirt for political effect; of re-
viving memories which ought to sleep in
forgetrulness of dragging before the start
led and unwilling eyes of this age CHASTITY
skeletons of horror which, hut for our per.
sistencc, would have been forgotten before
how. But this to day is no mere memory
This is no buried horror just now newly
eNposed for tragic effect. This woman,
whose weary body we to-day car
nv TO a new made grave, is almost as mucl
| the victim of Southern cruelty as though
some assassln's bullet had pierced hei
| heart. They have killed her. They have
| loaded her with horrors until her frai
| body could endure it no longer. Iudianap
| oils is called day to the task Of buryinl
one of the victims Of Southern hate. anC
| the victim is woman. And what of hei
only surviving male relative is this som'
| ancient terror? some forgotten wrong bu
| lust now restated for effect? His wound,
| are not vet healed: they are almost fresl
| enough 10 he CHASTITY. Scarcely three
months ago he was rs well as any OF MS
and now he he is so helpless that he canno
| wipe away his own tears.
| And this is America, the land of the fret
| and the home Orthe brave; the land who's
! historic boast has been its Southern chiv
| airy the land where men can think VIVA
they please and speak what they think
| the land where more has been said abou
freedom and the rights of man than ha
! been said in all other nations since lime be
! gan. Oh how the eloquence of these NUT
| Inns rebukes and scatbes us in our boast
ing. Our talk of freedom is a sarcasm
These white lips do mock at us. Freedom
for the South vet waits her natal day.
| am sure ! say only what these lip
would say could they speak, and only wha
this brother will approve, when ask, no
| as partisan, but "a a man. Has the tim
come for as to eleUdte MiS prescription mt
| BoWcr? Shall we dare, with these facts be
fore us, to euthrone the political principle
| with which these assassIns are identified
Shall we give TO such gigantic and blood
wrongs as these the sanction of a polilica
| victory? 1t becomes us to consider th
question. net as parlsans, but as men VIII
love freedom and as Christians who Low
| Cod
We may add in this connection, that MI
| Twitchell arrived in Fayetteville on Sun
day morning of this week, having reache
Brattleboro on the previous evening. II
was in good spirits and as comfortable q
could be expected under the circumstance.
His own story of his attempted assassins
ton. as related to New Orleans reporte
appears on our first page to-day.