The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-02-11
BosroN. Feb. 9


BOSTON, Feb. 8.
The chief topic is yet Wendell Phillips on
the street end in the parlor his name comes
up amongst all sorts of people Did you go to
the funeral-did you go to Faneuil Hal? are
the questions that one asks another. If ans
wered affirnlatively. there ensues the usual
comparison and sympathy OF thought. II neg
atiyely, then the perhaps more fortunate at
tendant upon these services breaks forth into
description and comment. But it was Faneuil
Hall after all that was the center of interest.
me funeral proper at Hollis Street church
could rot help having a certain sad impressive
ness but it seemed iuaat quate to many. The
selection of the conductors OF the services
might have been ia harmony with the charac-
ter aud lifeoi Mr.. Phillips. aud with his asso
Citations, but there we're men whose word and
presence would have better met che spiri. of
the considerations power OF expression and
OF communication would have found the hearts
OF those present and left there deeper m-
pression-that impression which the occasion
called fer But at Faneuil Hall there were no
services to dsappoint, no arrangements to
erltclse. just as he would have wished 1t,
the people, rich and poor, high and low-spec-
tally the poor, specially the lowly were Invited
to come and take their last look, their last
leave of him.
There he lay, silent, who had always word
before ospeak to the poor and lowly--silent,
but with that inscrntable half smile upon his
lips, which made the stiffness, tho repose some
thing different from death-as if somewhere
hia rca err11x v,lo -.
that should lift and tighten their lot. Slowly
they passed by, giving that last look with tear
f1l eyes, loving. adoring look with many as
ii here lay their best and only friend.
Frederic Douglass, who was present at the
church, was also present at the hall. As he
stopped beside the cssket, his face trembled
with emotion, and bending his head, he spoke
lnaudleie words to any bat himself and per-
hsps 10 the listening spirit, lowering near.
Afterwards he took his seat upon the platform.
and remained their long, looking down upon
the dead in the open casket, which was placed
just before the platform. 81 came here he
said net only to see the remains of my dear
friend, but wanted to see this throng which
shows the wonderful hold upon the community
in which he lived SO long" Hundreds of peo-
pie went with this same feeling, and the plat
form was filled with his old friends. some of
them his fellow workers, who sat there silent.
yet thraiied hour after hour by the unspoken
tribute OF that great procession, that slowly,
sadly and with reverentiai stiffness, passed in
and out As hr. Douglass said, sit was
wonderful tribute"
There was no display of flowers at the
church, none sent by request there. But at
the hall, the Irish heart showed itself by the
beautiful mound of flowers, four feet long and
three wide. It was presented by the Icish
National League. There was bed of carpa
tions, with the word Humanity set in fresh vi
olets, and wTesths OF roses, sbamrocks, hya-
clnths and pansies, and at one end OF the plat
form was a harp four feet high, made OF ivy
leaves japonica blossoms and pansias.
AT the bass was the word Ireland in violets.
The strings of the harp were of silver, and one
was broken to symbolic him who had gone.
Ex-Governor Bntlel's tribute vas crown OF
IVY, tSo feet in-heigitt, starred with roses,
.-japonicas and pausies
The stream Of people only stopped with the
signal al o'clock Tor closing the doors. Be-
fore the casket was closed plaster ca It was
taken Of the beautiful dead face The result is
said to be very successful. The colored guard.
the colorea escort, wera all most fitting and
touching; indeed the whole of the Faneuil
Hall part OF tae day was impressive to the last
degree. But the people wait now for some.
thing more something from the city and
State which will bring in all mis- friends and
his fellow lahorers, and these who honored and
admired him.
Last evening there was commemorative
meeting in Faneuil Hall called BY certain
friends, bat it was by no means satisfactory,
The services, ii one might call them such, took
| on political turn which was out of place and
] out Of taste. DR.. Miner took occasion to bring
out the prohibition cause, aud made the kind
OF taking" remarks that might have been
suitable at an ordinary temperance gathering.
He also brought ia the Greenback ideas and
talk. His manner and method can be judged
by the fact that lively cries were heard here
and there from the audience of "No!" chats
true etc.
Mrs Julia Ward Howe was the one who
spoke most fittingly. Her words and manner
were full of tenderness and appreciation, tc-
gether with depth OF understanding of the
mau she eulogized, which was very satisfac-
t5ry.
Blu the general expectation demands still
more satisfactory word than las vet been
spoken. and this we shall probably get in due
time, when the matter can be- organized and
the suitable person to pronounce such an
enlogy as is looked for and needed shall be Sc
lected. IL is not strange that nothing definite
has been done towards this yet, for few people
knew that Mr. Phillips was ill even until they
heard that he was dead. The news of the
morning announced that illness, that of the
same evening his death. The meeting and ora
tion that will be arranged to be given with
proper and fitting honors, will, probably, take
place in Faneuil Hall, though its size is not
equal to Music Hall. But the associations of
that old place are 80 Intimately connected with
Mr.. Phillips that it at once suggests itself as 1t
did to those who placed his dead body there on
Wednesday, as the proper meeting ground for
his friends to once more say to his great spirit
Hail aud farewell. NORA PERRY.
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