New-York tribune., 1909-04-04
cAnglo-American Memories
Copyright 1909. by eeorr. w sns,,.x,
WENDELL PHILLIPS.

power made their last EFFORT. Spite OF Web
+s-,s death. with whom died the brains OF the
-e~+v and its vital force. these men were still
.oue-ful IN Boston. The surrender OF Anthony
gums in May. 1854 the birth of the Republican
,e-7v At Worcester in July of the same year. the
.lsction Of Henry Wilson as Governor the COW
e-51v assault in the United States Senate on
CHARLES Sumner by Preston Brooks, Of South
Carolina. in 1S56-these events had indeed
.1i--ed the people Of Massachusetts, into revolt
.ssins- the Slave Party in this Free State.
But there had corne a lull There was still
homes that a conflict between North and South
night be averted. and that politics might do the
u,orb Of arms. Franklin Pierce was President
hut Banks had been elected Speaker Of the
F5n,se Of Representatives at the first session Of
she Thirty-fourth Congress in December, 1855.
Mr. Blaine said that marked an epoch and he
described it in his brilliant Twenty Years of
congress as "a distinctive victory OF the Free
States over the consolidated power OF the Slave
States"
BIT the Republicans Were slow in coming to
mower and their nomination Of Fremont in 1856
sov7ed dstrust among the sounder men OF the
rartv Buchanan's election seemed TO confirm
the ascendancy Of the South, and the mind Of
Boston. or at any rate Of State Street, reverted
N commercial politics. The Abolitionists were
es much under a cloud as ever. From 1857 TO
seemed
Herpers Ferry business alarmed the ingrained
conservatism Of Boston. and though the hang
ing Of John Brown shocked a good many mer-
chants and bankers, they could not understand,
and were far from approving. Browns scheme
or Browns methods. The state Of feeling in
Boston was, in short, confused, and the emotions
Of 1854 had gone TO sleep.
The crisis came in December. 1860. The Abo-
utionists tried 10 hold an anti-Slavery conven-
tion in fremont Temple on the anniversary OF
the hanging OF John Brown. or the day after.
They do not seem TO have expected trouble; at
any rate, they took 10 sufficient precautions 10
keep the peace and keep control Of their own
meeting. A ''broadcloth mob'-the phrase long
since became classic in Boston-occupied the
hall in force captured the platform peacefully.
elboVed the Abolitionists of il, appointed their
own chairman, Mr. Richard s. Fay. and passed
their own resolutions. 'Broadcloth," said Phil
lips. does not make gentleman The conven-
tion summoned 10 consider How shall
American slavery be abolished?" The John
Brown anniversary was thought q suitable day
for the discussion Of that question. but Browns
death was referred TO simply as too glorious to
need defence OF eulogy." When Mr.. Fay, the
ringleader Of the mob. thinking his work done.
had departed Mr.. Frank Sanborn the lawful
chairman. resumed his place, and would have
held the lawfully summoned meeting. Then the
mob leaders, Mr.. Murray Howe now at their
head. made fresh attack The police sided
with them and the Mayor cleared the hall.
There is z little confusion Of dates. Brown
was in fact hanged December ?, the fateful dav
Of Austerltz and Of the Third Napoleon's coup
detat But these events in Boston occurred. I
think. the Sd. The men who had been driven
out Of fremont Temple by the mob of which the
Mayor finally took command reassembled in the
evening, very quietly, in little han in. think |
Belknap street on what impolitely known
as Niger HILL not far from the rather aristo-
cratic Mount Vernon street. Wendell Phillips
70 an audience OF perhaps three or four hun
dred-au the place would hold.-nade an IN
reported speech, red-hot with wrath. A little
more than a year before, November 1, 1859, a
fortnight after Browns attempts and while he
lay in prison waiting to be hanged. Phillips had
spoken in Brooklyn. and announced that the les
son Of the hour insurrection. But he weak
ened the force Of that counsel by adding that the
age of bullets was over; il was an insurrection
OF thought-like that Of the last thirty years
he stln had in mind. Now, here in Boston. and
not for the first time nor for the last he was
face 10 face with forces which were not intel
lectual nor moral but forces of violence Phillips
could not readily shake off the influences Of his
"hoIe public Efe He still believed in moral
suasion.' He was presently TO learn that moral
fence against men prepared to back their opin-
Ions with revolvers. But even after the hang
ing OF Brown, at his grave in North EIba, Phil
Hps could say: Il DO not believe slavery will 20
Gown IN blood Ours is the age OF thought" I
ferhaps the meeting Of December, 1850 marks |
1he beginning Of his conversion: but by no |
means Its completion He had long been used TO |
mobs and mob Law. But now the lesson was |
being pressed home.
u memorable evening to because from 81 /
came my acquaintance with Phillips whom, |
.ao never met Under the spell I suppose, OF /
ms passionate eloQuence went home and wrote |
nm letter. and explained that was a Whig. |
mat my family and friends were Wings. that I |
oeionged in a hostile camp. but that thought |
lhere ought to be free speech in Boston. and l /
would DO what could for that cause and for |
nm Il ne would say what Twas as most young |
vi old- mon Of Massachusetts then were against |
slavery especially IN Massachusetts, but not an |
Abolitionist
me next day, about noon, the door Of my law |
oilce IN State street opened and Phillips walked |
IN without word 0: preface he said: You |
'io'e ne letter." Yes" Will you come and !
eee ne at my house this evening and we will !
nave talk? This morning have not a mo- |
.lell Again said yes and the door closed and /
Ie was gone Often as I had seen Phillips on |
me Platform II seemed to me I had never seen
-iln III then. clear, strong dry north light 1
le IN at the windows and Illuminated his face |
Hgure. He had the bearing OF a man 70 |
ih authority and sweetness Of nature be-
seo IN like degree He has been called = |
a4Ousand times the Apollo OF the platform An |
apoAo ne was not except in graceful dignity and |
sIour II his masculine beauty appeared !
. 7i'fe from Greece. IL had become Graeco- /
niail' and finally borrowed its blond coloring
SNza r9f-,.--