The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-02-06
Wendell Phillips.

ures in American society is the subject Of
biographical notices and of public and
private eulogy. Wendell Phillips died in
Boston Saturday evening, the I'd inst.
He was born November Goth, 1911, in the
city where he spent his life, where he la
bored for human freedom, where he was
the subject of unmeasured abuse and the
victim of mob violence in the battle
against slavery, and where in his maturer
years he lived amid friendships and in
the enjoyment of honors which were
the fruits of distinguished talents, pas
sionately employed against wrong in his
manhood, and which have graced the
platform and charmed audiences in the
quieter times since the abolition of slav-
cry. From the Boston Advertisers sketch
of Mr.. Phillips career we copy the fol-
lowing particulars. Speaking of his asso.
citation with the anti-slavery society, the
writer says: cat the age of twenty.six,
Wendell Phillips found himself leader
among these devotees of freedom. In
November, 1887, the Rev. Elijah P. Love-
joy was murdered by the mob at Alton,
Ill. He became the martyr of the anti
slavery cause. What had been but zeal.
ously believed theories, now inevitably be-
came living truths calling for tireless &C.
ton. 1t was with these burning thoughts
pressing upon him, but without a thought
of speaking, that young Phillips was
present at the largely attended Lovejoy
meeting held in Faneuil Hall on Deem
Dor 8. The encouragement of the state
had spoken Just before him, and while his
words raised applause from those who had
attended the meeting from hostility, they
deeply offended those to whom the assem-
bling had Significance. He asserted that
Lovejoy was not only presumptuous and
impudent while he lived, but that " he
died as the fool dieth." Mr.. Phillips was
on his feet in an instant, and in language
at once eloquent aud earnest, he made his
reply: when l heard the gentleman
lay down principles which placed the MUIR
derers of Alton side by side with Otis and
Hancock, Quincy and Adams, thought
those pictured lips [pointing to the portraits
on the walls would have broken into voice
to rebuke the recreaut American, the SLAM
derer of the dead He was interrupted
by the applause and misses, but continued,
For the sentiments he has uttered, on
soil consecrated by the prayers of the
Puritans and the blood of Patriots, the
earth should have yawned and swallowed
him up The excitement and confusion
which followed cannot be described, but
the calmness of the young speaker quelled
all opposition. He continued his speech,
and in words which held his audience
spell.bound he laid the foundation of a
| reputation for oratory which his many
successes in after years did but confirm.
From this hour he was not follower, but
leader. Fearless, rapid in thought, but
calm and self-possessed, he was speaker
who charmed by his manners, held by his
lucid sentences, and overwhelmed by his
deep convictions. His method of speech
was deliberate, which, with his clearness
of mind, enabled him to make his points
plain and forcible, to give clever illustra-
! ton, sudden touches of allusion, and to
play upon the varying emotions of his au-
dience by appeals to hope, love and ad-
miration, quickly turned to fear, hatred
or contempt. In harmony with
his views on the constitution, Mr.. Phil
| lips agitated in favor of a dissolution of
the Union. To him it was but cove.
nant between good and evil-a compact
between freedom and slavery; and the
constitution, being at the bottom of the
alliance, was specially odious in his eyes.
He gave up his practice at the bar be.
cause of the required oath. With the
outbreak of the war, however, Wendell
Phillips changed his condemnation Of
the Union to support of it. In his eye il
had become weapon for the extermina-
ton of slavery, and as such he was pre-
pared to act under and with it. The war
was surprise to him, but he accepted it
as a means to the end he held in view
So late as 1859, he exclaimed, / do not
believe that slavery will 60 down in
blood but when the hour. came he recog.
nized the'workings of the inevitable. On
Sunday, the 21st of April, 1861, the Mu
sic Hall was packed with the thousands
that came to hear his fiery words. THE
struggle, now,' he said, is not Of
opinion, but of civilization. There can
be but two. things, compromise or battle
The integrity of the North scorns the
first the general forbearanoe of nine.
teen states has preceded the other
The war is not of aggression, bu,
of self-defence, and Washington be
comes the Thermopyle of liberty ,
After the settlement of the slavery ques.
tion, Mr.. Phillips was regarded more as an
entertaining lecturer, silver tongued'
orator, than as man whose judgment on
any public matter could be safely followed