The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1877-06-30
GENTLE AND JEW.

American people that liberality and
tolerance were recognized virtues among
them, that freedom of thought, freedom
of speech, freedom of action, the right
of each person to worship God accord
ing to the dictates of conscience" were
in no wise circumscribed, that the time
had come when nationality, or race, or
religion was to be considered as of no
weight AGAINST any one, provided he
lived in accordance with the laws of
the land and paid due regard to the
rights of his neighbors. The typical
American pointed with pride " to his
country as 1.-THE asylum Of the OPP
pressed" the resting place of the perse-
cuted. He held her up as the cham
pion of the fullest liberty consistent
with proper government.
Eliminating the spread-eagleism, lop-
ping off the exaggerated hifalutin, and
looking at the matter in plain, practi-
cal way, he was essentially right. The
American, who is blessed with good
common sense-and there are many of
them,-sees no difference, so far as the
right to enjoy the privileges of the land
under the law is concerned, between a
respectable native and respectable
foreigner, an upright Jew and an up
right Gentle, an honest Irishman and
an honest African. He is unable to
comprehend that man should be placed
under the ban because of bis beaked
nose or his curly hair Broad cloth
and silk stockings, Roman features and
blue blood, if there is any such do not
constitute integrity. The Pharisaism
that is all external show has about it
nothing of worth, and the sniffle-nosed
hypocrisy that crosses to the other side,
in order to avoid what it pretends 20
believe communicating associations, may
safely be laughed at.
These reflections owe their origin to
the episode which occurred few days
ago at the Grand Union Hotel at Sara
toga. The hotel is owned by the estate
of the late A. r. Stewart and is under
the control of certain Judge Hilton
who is managing or mismanaging the
estate. A rich, respectable and inliu-
entail Jewish banker of New York CITY,
Joseph Seligman, intending with his
family to pass the season at the sum-
mer resort, applied at the Grand Union
for accommodations and in polite Ian
guage was informed that "no Jews
need apply" that Judge Hilton had
given orders that persons coming under
that denomination were to be refused
admission.
The incident has caused a decided
sensation all over the land, and Hilton
has not improved the situation by ex-
planning that he objects to Jews in the
TRADE sense of the word only" The
time has passed for any such public
exhibitions, at least, of narrow-minded
prejudices. There are, undoubtedly,
offensive Jews as there are offensive
| Christians; but the Hebrews, as a peo-
pie, have too many elements of great
ness in their race character, show too
many estimable qualities in their indi-
vidual lives, to any longer be the Oh
jects of the most illiberal and unjust
feelings. If the blue-booded gentry
do not desire to come in contact with
Jews, their peers in good breeding and
their superiors in good sense, let them
stay at home. The great mass of the
American people will regard with only
the utmost contempt the miserable in
suit attempted to be cast upon a race
who number among them the names of
men, the iatchet of whose shoes Judge
Hilton or any of his class would not
be worthy to unite