Year: 1878

RADICAL SPEECH ON THE POLITICAL sITUA-


TIoN-BurLER coNTRAsrED WITH WADE


HAMPTON.


From the Philadelphia Times. Nov. 81


Wendell Phillips new lecture-"The Yard Stick;
Who Shall Make ItY'--was listened to by large
audience at the Academy Of Music last evening The
applause that greeted its delivery had leaven Of
disapproval brought out by the warmth Of the
tors panegyric Ben Butler and the vigor Of de-
nunciation with which Mr.. Phillips spoke Of South
Carolina's Governor. Wade Hampton. The applause
followed the manner and the hsses, Of which there
not few, the matter Of the speakers discourse
although when Mr. Phillips said there only one
man who could safely ride the raging elements
Of national discord and bring our country safely
away from the danger that impends-Genera
Grant the applause was vociferous and enthusiastic
The title Of the lecture led many to suppose that Mr.
Phillips would expound ut length the doctrine of soft
money, of which he is one of the great apostles in
New England, but they disappointed for. al
though he touched finance he did not follow up
that line Of argument. but inclined toward the dis
cussion Of the relations Of capital and labor desig
mating the representatives Of the first as those men
who trade in money and labor representatives all
the rest The following s the substance Of the
striking points Of Mr.. Phillps' remarks


II were in Massachusetts, should begin my lecture
tonight by stating the great question Of to-day to be
whether the Union should succomb to the opposing
great man of the past the closing sentence always
Nevertheless, Carthage should be overthrown"
So would have it known that pass away believing
in the existence Of plot in the South to rule ruin
our government. The political campaign of Pennsyl
vania has been based upon finance In Massachusetts,
the has been between capital and labor In Maine
the issue also capital and labor The result my
own State is that General Butler snnihated denoc-
racy. The people rose in their might and gave to
Had the campaign been based on finance General But
Ter would have been the Governor. To-day the
dividing line and General Butler stands fairly
upon It. 10 capital and labor in 9he Commonwealth.
capital dreading invasion and protesting to
money than the country Sas snowu s ann
long year. There is danger to-day for land. and
the danger exists in the likelihood Of our desertng
the Fundamental principle of our nation-universal
suffrage. When speak Of labor do not use the
word in the sense that You have often heard it in
trades in wealth that deals in the exchange Of money
few hundred men in Chestnut street. 500 in Wall street.
and few hundred in State street. 1t was the money
changers that the Son of God scourged from the
pie This was what the campaign rested upon in
Massachusetts. and over one hundred thousand men.
grsndest day Massachusetts ever knew. Such voice
although not recognized this year. will be heard and
heard again until rssosnitiSn 10 follows its tones
the Republic. But the tide Of capital acts
strong and i leads to ruin. Blaine or
tempt to block the way with his single strength the
onward march Of Grant 70 third term Of ofce. the
solid south coquetng with the soft money element OF
the West will bring ruin. There Ii but one who
safely ride the raging elements Of national dis
cord and bring our country safely away from the dan





suppose there such cohesive elements In this
try that will not under any other leader break to
pieces.


Continuing 70 speak Of national affairs Mr.. Phillips
came to south CsSons. dangerous State he said led
by that vagabond Governor who calls himself Harnp-
ton, liar without character, morally . bankrupt,
penniless in the street. who holds the hand OF the
traitor In the White House to betray O million Of
people Of their votes. Kisses and cheers). /
glad, continued Mr.. Phillips, without raising his
voice. TO that this question there IL energy of
feeling enough TO awaken hisses. 1t il not
in Massachusetts. The Common wealth Of Massachu-
years ago. The New York Tribune said the other day
that perhaps General Butler and myself would be
willing to retrsct what have often said. that the
people never be wrong and that the late election
in the Commonwealth shows ito Ii this the
case Oh, no. The 10000 men who stood up against
the tremendous influence Of money and purchased
prcss present change in tho affairs Of the Sate-a
change indeed. from 1874. when the vote the same
issue wis only 5000. And what change to MS. who
had watched the swinging pendulum Of popular
opinion, Of choice with its 20 900 votes increasing to
10000, to 10000 through various elections till the
first shot 1t sumter struck high and the people
sprang together TO meet and oppose . common
enemy. When our great statesmen. Wilson and Sum-
ner. passed away our Commonwealth had other
statesman left within its limits except Butler.
there ever . State buldozed in this country In
election II Massachusetts, and had 1t not been
General Butler would have been the honored Gov
ernor Of that great Commonwealth. (Hisses and