Phillips, WENDELL

Phillips, WENDELL, abolitionist, was born 29th November 1811, at Boston, Massachusetts, the son of the first mayor of the city (1822). He graduated at Harvard with Motley in 1831, studied law there, and was called to the bar in 1834. But before clients came he had been drawn away from his profession to the real work of his life. A timely and important speech in Faneuil Hall in 1837 made him at once the principal orator of the anti-slavery party; and henceforth, until the president's proclamation of 1st January 1863, he was Garrison's loyal and valued ally, his lectures and addresses doing more for their cause than can well be estimated. He also championed the cause of temperance, and that of women, and advocated the rights of the Indians. In 1870 he was nominated for governor by the Prohibitionists and the labour party. He died 2d February 1884. His speeches and letters were collected in 1863 (new ed. 1884); and there is a Life by G. L. Austin (Boston, 1888).