The state journal., 1884-02-09
WENDELL PHILLIPS DEAD.
THE LAST HOURS OF AN APOSTLE
OF ABOLITION.
He Passes Away Quietly Surrounded by
His Family-Life work of a Repre-
sentative Man of the Century.

BosroN. Feb. 4-Wendel Phillip.
died at 6l5 O'Clock Saturday night Hi
death was quite peaceful. He realized
that be was dying ana was conscious to
the end Toward lhe last he suffered but
little pain, but at times since his attack
he was an intense sufferer, and he ap-
peared 10 welcome the end as bringing
him longed fur relief lie was not able
to speak, and could only look his farewell
to those who surrounded his bed, only
his invalid wife his adopted daugh.
ter, his ply sicians and those Of his
household. During he earlier Dsrt Of to-
day he appeared TO be improving, and
some of his family thought that he might
after all rally from the attack, but his
physicians knew that il was but the flick
ering glow before the fading Of the flame.
AT about 4:3O this afternoon he suddenly
tried to rise, but the etlOit was too much
for him, and from that time he sank rap
idly. Exquisite pain for few moments
followed this effort. 4 Slight doe Of
ether was administered to relieve it, and
he then rested quietly until death came.
Mr.. Phillips illness began on Sa,ur-
day last. lie was out on the day before.
On Sunday he was quite i'll, and had the
physician four times. Like his two broth
ers he died suddenly, after brief illness,
from heart disease. His only sister, who
married Or. Reynolds, died some time
ago, and he II the last 81 a distinguished
family Of brothers and sisters. His wife
has been an invalid for 80 years or more.
and Mr.. Phillp5's cons tant devotion TO
her has been remarked by every one who
has been admitted into the quiet house
hold.
Wendell Phillips was born i'll Boston
on Nov 20 1911. His father was John
Phillips, the first mayor Of that town, and
he was lineal descendant Of Phillips
who came over from England in 1850.
He was sent to Harvard ollege after he
had studied in Boston schools, and from
it he was graduated in the class Of 1881
He then entered the Cambridge Law
School, where lie remained two years, and
in the following year he was admitted to
the Suffolk Bar. Mr. Phillips thus en-
tered upon active life at period full Of
political and moral activity, and he was a
man already possessed OF convictions on
the great questions of the time William
Lloyd Garrison had already made his
declaration Of principles on the slavery
tliCt had already given more than one
sign of its coming. One year after Mr..
Phillips admission TO the Suffolk bar oc-
Cured the celebrated attack of the
'broadcloth mob called the "broadclOth
mob because set on foot by men Of
wealth and positon-on q meeting Of the
Womcn's Anti Slavery Society at which
Mr.. Garrison was assisting, and which was
o1,1 Il In, ~ 1No,.
dragged through the streets by means Of
rope tied about his body, barely escap-
ing death Those We're tumultuous times
in Boston, and many souls were stirred
by them there and elsewhere in the
North; but nowhere was a soul fired
with deeper indignation than the soul Of
a young man not yet p years of age
who witnessed the mOnstrous doings
and whose name, still unknown, was
Wendell Phillips. Not only do the biog-
raphers trace II this scene the beginning
Of Mr.. Phillips anti slavery enthusiasm;
they also find in it one of the first impul-
SEES that atteTWaTd made him an advocate
of the rights Of women The women
whom the "hroadcloth mob attacked
were women dclicately born and bred,
and of the President of their
society, Mrs. Chapman, it has been
said that America never knew better
trained, more cultivated or more earnest
woman, with nOblcr manners with q
larger heart or richer in saving common
sense AT the same time those who
attacked the women have been described
as gentlemen, we'll dressed rich, and
the inhcritoIs not only of money, but of
all that had been done for culture and
enlightenment in Boston for 200 years
One year later than this scene MI
Phillips was found formally enrolled
among the Garrison a1olitionists, and in
1887 he made his first great mark as
public orator 1t was at Fancuil Hall in
Boston when public meeting had been
called to protest against the murder at
Alton, III, Of the Rev Elijah z. Love
10y, the editor Of an anti-slavery news
PAPER Mr.. Loveioy Office had been at
tackled by q mob, and i'll his efforts
to save his printing press from its
fury lie was killed He was 4
native of New England and had
friends there who deeply deplored bis
loss The Boston meeting was attended
by many persons who did not sympathize
with the abolitionists, and by many 9th
ers who We're lukewarm in their advo-
cacy Of anti slavery principles. 1t has
even been said that but for Mr. Phillips
the meeting would have ended in a few
perfunctory resolutions under crafty
leadership. Some difficulty was found in
securing the use of Fancuil Hall, and the
permission was finally granted with re-
luctanCc. Several addresses had been
made when Attorney General Austin in
violent speech defended the Alton
rioters, and said Mr. Lovcjoy came to his
death by his own imprudcnce. and that
the utterance Of sentiments such as Mr..
L0veiOy had uttered should be suppressed.
Mr. Phillips mt this point gained the floor,
and as Mr.. Clarence Cook has said,
took the meeting out Of the hands OF
the Sauls who held the clothes of the
slayers of the martyrs and were consent
ing unto their death. AT first the
audience had been indisposed to hear
Mr. Phillips, and some were de-
cidedly opposed to his being
allowed to speak at all, but when he had
once begun they listened with amazement
at his eloquence, and the parallel he drew
between Warren at Bunker Hiland Love
10y at Alton finally called forth storm OF
cheers. From this time forth Mr.. Phillips
~ q ldulOu5 lllill, anu lllt ldIllC VI LIS
eloquence soon spreadacrosst the continent.
Tie gave up his commission as lawyer,
knowing he could no longer hold him
self bound to obey the Constitution,
which protected shareholders rights
which he had determined to destroyr, In
this he made great personal sacraffce,
for his prospects at the Bar were brilliant,
and since the Faneuil Hall speech they
had become more brilliant than ever.
From this date forward Mr. Phillips,
until 1861, was everywhere known as a
prominent leader Of the abolitinists and
Il their most gifted and popular orator.
Il Rarely has eIoquence like his been known
II this country. He had united, says
Mr. Cook, ''such weight OF matter and