The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-21
WENDELL PHILLIPS.
Personal Recollections Of the Famous Orator
His Wonderful Control Over Men.

| that the city of Boston was electrified by the
| news that Wendell Phillips was dead. On the
last week OF January brief item aprsared in
the daily papers conveying the fact of his illness
! Twice after this came bulletin Of his condition
| Neither of these was particularly alarming te
| the general public To those who knew Mr.,
| Phillips better. however, who knew how seldom
ne had yielded to indispositon, how little the in
frmlties of age appeared to press upon him, this
rumor OF illness came like warning knell
Tney felt that the hour had struck, and this was
| the beginning Of the end. When, therefore, on
the 20 OF February came The announcement in
the daies that the great orator was dead, it did
not oring so much surprise to these friends as
melancholy confirmation of their fears. But to
the vast multitude who had given only passing
glance to the brief notices, with eeting thought
that Mr. Phillips was suffering incidentally, like
so many at that season, from cold, the announce
ment fell with such sudden shock that, for the
time, it seemed as if feeling of incredulty over
powered everything else-they could not asso-
ciate decay or DEATH "Why, I saw him
yesterday" one and another would say,
in the swift miscalculation of hours
that brings the dead SO near. When
this increduity had given way to the solemn
fact of loss, the expression of sorrow was
so universal that, for the time it swept in his
bitterest critics. as well as his admiring friends.
1t seemed as if, even after he had passed away,
he had left behind him the aroma. the atmos-
phere of that wonderful magnetism distilled with
double sweetness to draw mon to him. Ard it
is this power of magnetism, which is after all an
emanation Of character, that is potent still when
ever his name is mentioned and his gracious
presence is recalled. Any anniversary that is
connected with him at once awakens host of
recollection; but that which takes us back to the
soInore February day when the morning prints
informed US that our friend was dead stirs our
hearts with an intensity that arouses ali the hid
den springs, and brings to the surface again a
hundred latent memories. By and by when still
a few more years have elapsed, some one of the
younger generation will say to US, as the youth
IN Brownlngs poem says to one who had known
Shelley
'Ah did you once see Phillips plain
And did he stop and speak to youf'
Even now. those who are known to have per-
sonal acquaintance with him are eagerly ques-
toned concerning this man. who more than any
other. carried charm that could at times sub
due his sharpest critics and his btterest enemies
For the last few months. since the anniversary
OF his birth and the approach of the anniversary
or his death, these questions have met me so
frequently that they have induced me to jot
down In orderly form the various personal recol-
lections, chance meetings, bits of conversation,
ETC., that may be interesting alike to those who
were personal acquaintances and friends, and
those who knew him only as q public man.
These acquaintance and friends will recall his
very look, the turn of the head, the turn of the
voice, and the swift-compg smile, as they follow
these recollections. Those who had only met
him in public upon the platform may be glad to
see that other side of "this complex character,
as it has been called-that arch gentle. playful
side, so in contrast with that proud, defensive
half-disdalnful and wholly-uncompromising atti-
tude that was presented to the public.
Perhaps it will be in order If recall, to begin
with, the occasion when this sharp contrast,
showing the possibility # such swift change in
Mr.. Phillips's bearing was first brought home to
yaas The occasion. was at n labor meeting in
Horticultural Hall, during that crisis when
there arose from one half of the organization
the usual accusation of unfairness and
double dealing against the other half.
The hall was packed, and mostly with
working men of foreign birth or. parent
age. Mr.. Phillips had not arrived, or was
not upon the platform at the opening of the
meeting, and the time was occupied by other
speakers; but they were listened to with wander
ing, uneasy attention. AS the minutes sped by,
this uneasiness increased, and presently a little
flock of mere boys in one of the small balconies,
began to beat their feet upon the floor. and call
audbly but not vociferously, phillips, Phillips,
nllllpS. In0y Dau VOceO the Ieelng OF those
inattentive ones who, like myself had come to
the meeting for the express purpose of hearing
Mr., Phillips. The boys call was presently taken
up by stronger tones, and directly after, ir the
inspiring tumult, tail figure was seen making
its way to the platform The tumult increased
to the usual outburst of deafening applause,
which only subsidized as the applauded one faced
the audience and began to speak. Then, as the
saying is. you could have heard pin drop. but
we heard instead that marvellous voice, appar-
emily not lifted above its ordinary level But it
was not destined that night to flow on unnter-
ruptedly. Almost at the outset, before dozen
sentences had been spoken, one of the disaffected
ones sprung up, and. in the harsh, uncontrolled
manner OF the uncultivated, broke in with high.
untempered tones, declaring that mine had
been sprang upon the convention by those they
had placed at its head. Mr.. Phillips listened for
a moment, until the headlong voice had to pause
breathlessly: then. with that cold composure
which was in itself whitening rebuke, he said
quietly:
You are out of order, sir. have the plat
form. If you wish to speak, come to the plat
form and speak at the proper time"
The man, excitedly, attempted to go on, but
that cool, penetrating gaze made him falter, and,
when an emphatic protest broke forth from thoSe
who were impatient of the interruption. he SUBJ
sided entirely Mr. Phillips then resumed his
speech. He was in the middle of one of his
flowing periods, when up started another of the
disaffected, gray-haired old fellow, vino began
in an excited key to pour forth a wild confusion
of abusive words upon Mr.. Phillips The
orator. thus for the second time interrupted,
turned his lightning gaze upon the delinquent,
and with that swift judgment of what was
necessary to control such undscipline outbreaks,
that worse offenses might be averted, lifted his
right arm, and, pointing his forefnger with
superb gesture toward the shrieking breaker of
the peace, Numbered out in tones of command:
''Sit down. SIR"
The old fellow raised his shrieking voice
ND how fhn fr1Yp y11f hot
had by this time arisen, those ringing tones rang
down the hall like trumpet, with the same
emphatic command:
sit down, siry"
This time he was obeyed without further
parley and there were no more Interruptions
but after Mr.. Phillips had finished there was a
stormy debate, and the meeting broke up as the
reports in the morning papers expressed it, 'in
confusion" recalling, according to the same
authority, the old anti-savery meetings