The Denver star., 1915-07-31
BOSTON HONoRS
PHILLIPS MEMORY
Gitizsns UnveiI Fine Statue
Of Noted Abo|itionist.
PATRIOTIC EXERCISES HELD

Men. Public Turns Out En- Masse to
Witness Event Of National Interest.
W. Monroe Trottsr Speaks For Our
Raoe.
Boston. A few minutes before 6
o'clock on the afternoon of July the
veil fell from the $4,000 bronze statue
Of Wendell Phillips in the Public Gar
den, and a crowd of from 5000 to
5000 acclaimed with cheers and patri-
otic song Daniel Chester French's al
most speaking memorial Of Boston's
famous orator and abOlitionist.
As the sun was sinking behind rain
clouds IN the west little John c. Phil
lips. Jr., the great-grandnephew OF
Wendell Phillips. the man who de-
clared that if he lived long enough he
would make Boston streets too pure to
bear the footsteps of slave. pulled
the cord releasing the mantle which
for several weeks had yelled the statue.
As the folds fell away from the figure
Of the great abolitionist Glory, Glory,
Hallelujahr' burst from q chorus of
colored singers.
Fervent was the prayer Of Rev.
Montrose W. Thornton, pastor of the
historic Charles Street church and also
chairman of the executive committee
of the local Equal Rights league
branch: sterling and practical the trib-
ute Of the acting mayor, George w.
Coleman. man of Wendell Phillips
principles, as was every speaker.
Illuminating and forceful was the
life story by Secretary William D.
Brigham. Sweet and inspiring were the
singing by the colored singers. led by
DR.. Walter o. Taylor and j. Therman
Jones. and the music of the brass band
Of Company L. Sixth regiment of Mas
sachusetts militia. Picturesque and
touching was the encomium by the only
survivor of the New England abolition
lists, Frank B. Sanborn, now eighty-three
years old, still active. coworker with
Philips. Earnest and unqualified was
the praise by the spokesman for col
ore0 Americans, W. NJ. Trotter.
Fired with eloQuence born of love
was the eulogy of Ireland's friend and
friend of all oppressed by Michael J.
Jordan. son of O'Connell's island home:
tuneful and noble the paean of the poet
Of the occasion. grandson OF Phillips
party4es6er. bearing his name. William
Lloyd Garrison. Every participant was
an emulator Of the Prophet Of Liberty.
Champion of the Slave" while the
coiored women of the Woman's Relief
corps held the cOlors.
The monument, a masterpiece by
Daniel Chester French, the sculptor.
represents the great abolitionist stand
ing at a reading desk, his right hand
resting upon the desk. his left out
stretched and holding bit Of broken
fetter. Upon the marble background,
above the head Of the statue, are the
words. whether In Chains or In Lau-
relS. Liberty Knows Nothing but Vic
tory" On the pedestal. in front, are
the words in raised bronze letters:
WENDELL PHILLIPS.
lSll-1sS4.
PROPHET OF LIBERTY.
CHAMPION OF THE SLAVE.
On the reverse side of the back
ground is this quotation from Phillips:
Il love inexpressibly these streets Of
Boston, over whose pavements my
mother held up tenderly my baby feet.
and IL God grants me time enough I
will make them too pure to bear the
footsteps of a slave
The exercises were opened by Mr..
William d. Brigham. secretary Of the
Wendell Phillips Memorial association.
who introduced the acting mayor.
George w. Coleman. president of the
city council.
Mr Coleman then introduced in
turn. four speakers. who presented
verbal panorama of Wendell Phillips
life. William d. Brigham spoke on
"Morning-Youth and Vision:" Frank
lin Benjamin Sanborn on ''Noon-the
Aboitionist Period" William Monroe
Trotter on "Afternoon-Citizen For
The Colored American" and Michael J.
Jordan "Evening-What Mr.. Phillips
Did For Ireland" Mr.. Coleman. in
introducing William Monroe Trotter.
said that nothing was so appropriate
as for the colored race to have a
to Wendell Phillips and that there
could be no more fit representative
than William Monroe Trotter.
Mr. Trotter said that Wendell Phil
lips was the originator OF the north's
policy Of reconstruction and a pioneer
advocate OF the ballot for colored
Americans. No man had done more for
the cause OF human rights. perhaps.
than Wendell Phillips, save Charles
Sumner. Wendell Phillips was among
the tirst to announce emancipation "a
the purpose of the war and to urge
that the people OF color should be used
as soldiers to help to save the Union.
He was n pioneer In the movement
for suffrage. He saw to it that slav-
cry should he torn up by the roots and
that Rs far as federal law was con-