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About Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885 | View Entire Issue (June 12, 1889)
WWWfWIHWHI THE HESPERIAN. ltf 4tt iTTi IMTM igl WKNIIKf,I. I'llII.UI'H. Tho doath of Wondoll PhilllpH Is ho comprtrutlvoly rocont that tho animosities und bitterness that ho provoked havo not entirely passed away. Partisan spirit survives the Ihhuo that gave It birth. Mon hatod him, becaiiBO ho ran counter to tholr prejudlcon, and Bhatterod their idols. But In Bpltoof their sarcasm, tho bitterness, Vtie vlndlctlvoneHS of his oxprossloiiB, tho truth, of which ho waH tho shining and torrlblo expouont, has humanized ua nil. When ho hus beou dond long ouough to give students of hlatory sulllciont per Hpeottvo to ofltlmato his groatnosH, compared to tho other men of tho ago, thoy will do Justice to IiIh memory. Ho lnhorlted a strong Intellect which was developed and strongth onod by college training. Acute in his moral fcellugii, ho was tho true "child of six gonoratkms of Puritans," KaruostuoHS and con fldonco wore his distinguishing traltH an u speaker. So firm wore his convictions, no plain to him tho truth, that he never shifted his posi tion. If tho fodoral constitution countenanced slavery, ho condemned tho constitution. In ono of his speeches, he said, "Whonllook upon thoso crowdod thousands and see them trample on tholr con sciences, and tho rights of tholr fellow mon at tho bidding of a piece of parchment, I nay, 'my cur so bo upon tho Constitution of tho United St at os.' " It wounds needed probing ho unlllnchlugly probed thorn. No selfish motive Impolled Phillips to tho career of a public speaker. Tho murder of Elijah Love joy furnished tho occasion. After the speech of tho Attorney General of Massachusetts, lu Fanoull Hull, In defense of slovery, 1'hllllpB, then a young man of twenty-Blx, sprang to his feet, and sternly aud eloquently rebuked tho recroant Ameri can, tho slanderer of tho dead. From that moment ho was famous as tho eloquent, fearless, uncompromising advocate of "Immediate emancipation." At a tlmo when tho cry of "fanatic" was the mildest kind of an opproblous epithet, when the State of Georgia offered $ 5,000 for Onrrlson's heart, whon gag-rulo was Introduced Into tho Congress of tho United States, it took no little courage to cham pion tho caiiBo of tho slave. Hut his Inborn lovo of Justice would per mit nothing less. Ho was a Now Engl under to tho core-without fear and without reproach. When a Ilostou mob, with tho mayor nt its head, broke up a anti-slavery meeting, and attempted to frighten hhn Into silence, Phillips, with scathing words, held up tho participants in tho affair to public execration. Ity all that was sacred to him In the past, or In tho present, ho felt called upon to defend freedom of speech. Cold conventionality frowned upon him as It frowned upon Kmer- son, but It could not frown down his message. Ho declared," I mean o protest-claim my rights, and denounce thoso who assail thorn, whothor they listen or not." "Agltntw" was his watchword. He asserted, " Tho ago of bullets Is over, the ago of thinking men lias come. With tho help of God, I will set every man, woman aud child thinking on this subject." Thoso that spoke in whispers of slavery us tho " peculiar Institution," aud refused to lay hands upon It, turned white at tho words. Only through silence could slavery lib allowed to exist. More than any other one man, Phillips dared to break that silence. ; His oratory was a mean botweon Webster's and Choato's. Web ster was pondorous in stylo ati In argument. Choato was polished and ornate and considered the form of expression, rather than tho thought expressed. Phillips was eumost, natural, intent only on driving homo ills urgumonts. His wus a confidence springing from a clear conscience, and an earnestness born of tho truth, Direct address, severity, biting sarcasm, were the means ho employed. The man himself wus forgotten In tho truth ho sot forth. There was no escaping his well directed shafts. When he wished to bring their Inhumanity homo to Christians, he said, "I will not have for inliio the Christianity of this laud, with Its negro pow In the corner of every church and Its negro hate In tho corner of every heart." Ills severity of language, as lie himself said, resulted from his position. Tho mass of the people could not bo made to see tho truth. It was necessary to make them feel It through tho "lilrien of their Idola," His perception of political, social, anil economic trnth was almost prophetic. Gradually tho nation is coming to see the truth as ho saw it. Tho slave hus been emancipated. National and state legislatures, at overy session, enact laws for securing the rights of tho laboring cliwscs. The question how best to abate tho evils of tho liquor trufltc hus been oxalted Into a national Issue. Tho political rights of woman are being recognized. In most of the states and territories, women vote mi some questions, aud will yo; voto on all. These reforms wero avocated by Phillips at a tlmo when ho had to advocate them alone. Tlmo Is bringing his vindication. Miss Clark spoko slowly, clearly, nnd distinctly, giving overy word its duo force. Her voico und appearanco were perfectly natural and full of personality. Sho wore a black lace dress, inado in tho empire stylo. A bunch of dark red roses was the only touch of color in tho costume. After a selection by tho cadet band, Acting-chancellor Bossoy proceeded to confer tho degrees. Tho class formed quito an imposing array. Miss Edna Bullock woro a dress of cream sorgo, mndo in the directoire stylo, with surah saBh and cream silk mitts. Pink flowers wero worn. Miss Laura Haggard was attired in white mullf empiro style, with surah sash, and sho wore white roses. Miss Jennie Bonnoll woro a dress of black laco over black silk, empiro stylo, with pink sash and pink roses. Mjbs May Tower was dressed in whito India linen, and wore pink flowers. Tho gentlemen woro the class suit black princo albert and dark trousers. Tho degree of B. L. was conferred on T. S. Allen, G. II. Bnughman, Miss Jennie Bonnell, Miss Edna Bullock, O.W. Filer, Miss Myra Clark, Miss May Tower, W. N. Fletcher, D. D. Forsyth, C. M. French, C. W. Bigolow, Alfred Pizoy. Tho degree of I). S was received by Miss Helen Aughoy, M. I. Bigelow, E. U. Tingley, 11. J. Webber, T. A. Williams. Tho degree" of A. B. was conferred on F. W. Collins, G. W. Gerwig, Miss Laura Haggard, and W. L. Stephens. Tho degreo of B. C. E. was received b.y E. G. Eagleson and F. A. Mauley, Two of tho members of tho clnss, It. D. Church aud A. E. Wagner, havo not quito comploted their work, but will probably receive thoir degreo soon. Governor John M. Thayer presented, on behalf of the state, commissions aw ofllcors in tho University cadets, to tho following: Captains, G. II. Bnughman, W. N. Floteher. G. W. Gerwig, and II. J. Webber; 1st Lieutenants, E. G, Eagleson, C. B. Newcomor, W. L. .Stephens, and 0. W. Fifer; 2d Lieutenant, F. W. Collins. Tho orchestra then rendered a " Fantasia Ein Maor chon," and benediction was pronounced. As tho audience dispersed, tho cadot band played a " Grand March." So closed a successful and onjoyablo Commencement. NOTES. Eagleson denies point blank that ho fainted in the hack after the Pulludiau program. Tho class of '80 has kept up its organization hotter than any other chihs over graduating. I). 1). Forsyth will combine tho occuaptions of book store clerk and law studont nt Koarnoy, this summer. Tho Senior invitations wero fine, but they cost money. It was amusing to see the Seniors try to scrapo up $2(50 to got them from the express ofllco. Tho Univorsity must now wait to see what kind of a Senior class '1)0 will make. They havo boon rather kept down by tho enterprising '81)ors this year. Considerable artistic and poetic ability, iu tho persons of Mr. Mnnley, Miss Tower, and Miss Bullock, leaves tho University witli '80. Who will stop into thoir places? Tho delivory of all tho Seniors was marked by tho de sire to say what thoy had to say, with no bombast or extended flights of elocution. This is duo to tho training of Prof. Hunt in tho department of Euglish. It is a tilth ory of delivory rathor original with tho University,' and, forms a pleasing contrast to tho usuul spread-eoglo 'stylo. ' '" -