, 1884-02-22
WENDELL PHILLIPS oRAToRY.
His First Speech in n Boston Court.
Room---How He swayed HIS Audi
annen

New York Herald.l
The clamor Of the merchants was loud
Mr.. Phillips sat quietly among them. Ht
was then 81 years old, al age which to some
great men is an era. He was n stranger.
His name wns not known, but he went upon
the stage and offered to speak The excited
crowd would not near him. Suddenly an old,
~well-known merchant rose and said to the
crowd that this WA a young man who be.
longed to the family of Phillipses. The
name was a charm. Old, historical, honored,
and provincial, 1t gave to tho young
man the compliment OF quiet attention.
He at once began in q modest way to
c~riticise the attorney general and the
crowd that had applauded him. The crowd
at once interrupted him, but he waited and
persisted, and In a speech Of marvellous force
pronounced two Of the most powerful and
elegant periods of our language.
"Sir," said he, when l heard the gentle
man lay down principles which place the
murderers OF Alton side by side with Otis
and Hancock, with Quincy and Adams, /
thought these pictured lips (pointing to the
portraits in the half would have broken into
voice 70 rebuke the recreant American-the
slanderer of the dead. Sir, for the sentt
nents he has uttered on soil consecrated by
the prayers Of Puritans and blood of patriots,
the earth should lave yawned and swal-
lowed him up"
The crowd mennced him, but be would not
desist, and he declared that be would not
take back his words. He sat down amid
great applause, carrying the resolutions
which had been offered against the murder.
ers Of Lovejoy. Wendell Phillips reputation
was made. He left that hall the first orator
In America From that day he was every
where sought to be heard. It was Horace
Greeley who said that Wendell Phillips made
men think IL was easy 70 DO an orator. Per
haps an easier speaker never broke into
speech. His gestures were quiet and not en-
phatic. He was always sad and sincere
His face was without expression, unless IL
was that Of scorn. He cared little for opposi-
ton His oratory seemed to gather strength
and frmness from Kisses. Applause only
made him retiring and patient, for he set lit
tie value on it Yet even Edmund Kean
knew no more than he did how to take ad-
vantage OF the mood which applause in m
audience accompanied.
There was a fashion Of his, long to be TO
membered, Of taking up a n audience in the
enthusiasm OF its applause. and by adding
something to his preceding expression, COM
pei II to indorss a principle which 1t would
not have Endorsed in soberer moments. Yet
his influence was always calm. He was not
n man who would wish to excite enthusiasm
Nor did he always undertake to convincs
men by logical expositions. He told radical,
intellectual truths in a grave. elegant, and
exquisitely keen way. He never stormed-
never expostulated. He appealed to the JUS
tice that reside in mcns intelligence. He
was called a demagogue. but he was called
such only by men whom his chaste and So
we're intellectually could not reach. Never
did he appeal u preju lice. oncs when he
was criticising the supreme court under
Chief Justice Chase there was an outburst
Of Kisses. He simply replied. 90 and ex-
anime 'em then"-and paused. There was
nothing witty in the repartee, but the calm
posiiveness Of the man led tho audience to
be puzzled for moment in trying TO sex
anime EN-" and 1t burst into chssrx.