The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-18

RecOIlectiOns of Wendell PhiIiips's Lecture in
Washington i'll 1862.

Hon. Schuyler Colfax.
In the spring of 1862 an association of anti
slavery men at Washington, Of which the ven
cradle John Pierpont was president, and that
witty and versatile journalist, W. A. Croffutt,
was secretary, arranged for u course of out
spoken lectures by Northern men at the Capitol,
including in their list Horace Greeley, Wendell
Phillips and others less noted After the course
had been arranged they looked around for an
audience room to accommodate the large num-
Der OF subscribers who had obtained tickets, but
no suitable one could be found. The Repre-
sentative Hall could not be obtained when there
was to be an admission fee at the door, and lee
lures were so unusual then at Washington that
no hall suitable for the purpose had ever been
constructed.
Finally it occurred to Mr.. Croffutt that the
lecture hall Of the Smithsonian Institution SO
large, weL-seated and lighted, would be the very
place; and full of enthusiasm over his discovery,
he called on Professor Henry to obtain it. The
venerable Professor, however, soon cooled off
claimed. ''Why, this institution has never had
a sectional word uttered within its walls"
But" replied Croffutt, this is not sectional, it
IS national; it is anti-secession." "No, no" an
swered the conservative Professor, ut would
never do, sir; it cannot even be thought of. I'M
possible sir" Bafied, but still determined to
succeed if success was at all possible, MIR. Croft
tutt called on me, and doubtless on others, with
a statement of his perplexities. I cannot now
recall whether it was Vicepresident
to him the finally triumphant pathway
out of the dilemma. But 1 think the
former, as had only recently been appointed
one of the regents of the Smithsonian by Speaker
Grow. By the law for the government Of the
Smithsonian Institution, the President and his
Cabinet, three senators appointed by the Vice
president, three representatives appointed by
the Speaker, the Chief Justice and a half-dozen
distinguished scientists. elected by Congress
were the regents and controllers of the insti-
tute. l need scarcely say what a change had
been made in the personnel of this, board OF re-
gents by the presence in Washington of a Re
publican President and Cabinet, a Vice-presi-
dent and Speaker, with their appointees of
Northern instead of Southern ~leanings. When
Professor Henry had pointed out to him and
finally realized this mighty change in his regents
and their views his opposition was gracefully
Withdrawn, Mr. Croffutts request was granted,
and the finest lecture hall possible was obtained
for the course.
1 can never forget the brilliant and crowded
audience that welcomed Wendell Phillips When
he rose to deliver his lecture on Toussaint
LOuverture. There sat Abraham Lincoln,
bent over as if carrying the trials and reverses
of his country on his back, his face furrowed
with care and anxiety, but lighted up now and
then with a smile, as some passing friend greeted
him with a word Oh a nod. Near him were three
of his Cabinet, for all Of his ministers did not
honor the audience, the orator, nor themselves
by their presence; not distant were several of
the supreme judges of the United States, grave,
ASlAAi ulAd OliOuShbLus III dbOub - blO
border State congressman who had remained in
their seats when the secessionists resigned, but
most of whom still cluHg to slavery; there sat,
in groups, the Northern congressman, almost
amazed themselves at this triumph of free
speech, the eulogy of a negro ia what had been
heretofore the sanctum sanetorum of conserva-
tism. And to the walls and doors on either side
there arose tier above tier of benches filed with
the "old citizens of Washington and the new,
waiting to hear what this famous New England
orator would say on this strange and unpopular
theme.
Ineed not repeat here, ever so briefly, the his
tory of the wonderful c~hieftain, e~x-slave, and
the BLACKLIST of his race, as portrayed by his elo-
quent ~eulogist, nor how he melted away all pre-
JUDGE as he carried his vast audience along with
him in his thrilling recital of the heroism of the
brave Haytian. In his calm but strikinglyim-
pressive oratory, with his easy yet forceful ges-
ture with his ~fore-inger, bud with words that
burned, he aroused and intensified the indigna-
ton of all his hearers as he mathematical the
bad faith toward Toussaint of the great but cruel
Napoleon. And the hall rang with applause as
he e~ulogized the talents, the forbearance, the
military strategy and the heroism of this great
Haytian leader. But the peroration recalled
them to themselves. Said he, as calmly as if
everyone before him would accept it as indis-
putable: "When history shall inscribe on its
imperishable tablets the names Of the great men
whose deeds have shed luster on the nations
they have honored, she will write for France
Charlemagne, for England Alfred. for Sweden
~ ~ wv 0N IVA N0lA4 = @lOAN IVA &ALL1 Y w hLA
ington; but high above all and ~eclipsing all
she viii write for Hayti, Toussaint EOuver-
Juiel"
The speech had ended. The witchery of the
speakers voice, and words, and manner was
over. Ald, as the audience poured out of the
doors the very air seemed blue with the indig-
nant oatils of those who with rage denounced
putting a niger above Washington" 1t was
many years before that peroration was forgotten
by the old citizens of Washington, whom it so
astOunded and enraged that March night at the
Smithsonian.
Some incidents last year reviving the ~recollec-
tons Of those days, I was glad to receive from
Mr.. Phillips the following letter, giving some Of
his recollections of that very visit of his to
Washington:
BOSTON, Mass, June L. 1888.
MY Dear Sir-I was glad that anything brought us
again into communication; for among the pleasantest
recollections of that visit to Washington Tiny irst) is
your kindness to me, our call on Fremont together,
the first time L had seen him, etc, 1t was IN March |
Arts Saturday, 18th; 'Toussaint LOuverture,'
Tuesday, 18th.
How freshly it brings back those days to get be-
hind the scenes and see how difficult it was for the
friends to get us a hearing. It makes a fine back
ground for that Cincinnati mob that choked me off TIE |
next week, Monday, the 24th.
do you remember the exceedingly happy terms in
which Pierpont introduced me that EVENING" Inever
heard a dozen sentences more graceful and happy
no t~attery or nonsense-but apt, witty, and so appro-
PIRATE. l enyied him. Cordially,
''WENDELL PHILLIPS"