National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-02-04
WcntIeIl PhIIIIps.

Tho death Of Wendell Phillips at his home,
in Boston, on Saturday evening, at the ripe
age of ~, was tho end of ono of tho most
marked characters Of our times. For twenty
four years before tho civil war he was tho
fercest and most eloquent anti-slavery agita-
tor in the land. His nature was an intense
one and his intellectually active and storm.
loving. He possessed tho art of putting
things in an eminent degree, and in his as.
saults upon public men who upheld or who
failed to antagonise slavery he was merclloss
and at times unjust. His oratory, though
in its matter rich with historical allu-
sions, was simple and direct, and his
manner was wholly free from vehemence
aud dramatic rant. His charm was in what
he said rather than in his way Of saying it,
He was not only absolutely without fear of
the mob which in his early years was often
enraged at him, but he rather seemed to court
its anger and delight in tanning it by his
nerve and his disdain. In the days when
"the better class" in Boston paid court to the
shareholders, as it now does to their sons,
Phillips was often in great personal danger
at the hands Of what he sneeringly described
sometimes as "the property and standing"
and sometimes as "the broadcloth mob" On
such occasions it was frequently found neces-
sary to resort to strategy to induce him to
forego his determination to speak. In 1859,
after John Brown had been sentenced to death,
and before his execution, Phillips delivered an
address in Brooklyn, with "John Brown
as the subject. He was hissed but went on
to the end, as on all previous occasions, I'M
harmed by those whose rage he purposely
was seldom satisfied with the progress affairs
were making, and appeared often as a critic
and an aarmist. He has been unable of late
years to see the realization Of the hopes
aroused by the emancipation and enfranchise-
ment of the blacks, and has kept up a running
fire against the republican party. Indeed, he
was never of any party, but was man of
the ideas around which parties formed. He
never could subordinate his ideal, and of
course, could never realize it under any po-
ltical organization. Hence he remained q
strong individuality, bold as one of the He
brew prophets of old, attacking men, parties,
and systems, but ever standing for some
cause which seemed to him good and wanting
in advocates. He was not so much pilot on
the political sea as he was an alarm signal.
He was by no means a model statesman OF
philosopher but rather one of those fiery
cynics who hate shams, and who do good work
in turning upon them the light Of truth. 1t
would be well for the country if it could here
and there have Wendell Phillips to lash
with his scorn and invective the stolidity
and indifference to wrong with which so many
of the people are drugged, but it would not
be desirable TO have our youth brought NJ
generally to initiate him. No higher tribute
could have been paid to his high moral worth
and integrity than the fact that he was chiefly
employed for many years in the settlement
of the estates of widows and orphans. He
leaves behind him the fame Of o scholar, al
orator, and a lover Of his race.