Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1879-08-20
Col. lngersOli's Letter.

Tho following letter from Col. Robert
G. Ingersell to Hon. J. ]. Noah, q leading
Jew Of New York, on the expulsion Of the
Jews, rs class, from the Manhattan
Beach Hotel, by the proprietor. Mr..
Corbln, 10 good enough for the AGE, and
will be read with pleasure (:
"l,4l7 G STREET, WASHINGTON, July
Goth, 1879. Hon. j. j. Noah. My DEAR
FRIEND: As matter Of course, I am
utterly opposed to the oppression Of any
class, and regard the action Of the pro-
prietor Of the Manhattan Beach Hotel In
reference to the Jews as bigoted, mean
and dlsgraceful. Such action belongs to
the dark ages. The persecution Of the
Jews should bring blush to every Chris.
tlan cheek. Nothing Is more Infamous
than the oppression Of class. Each
man has the right to be judged upon his
own merits. TO Cypress him or to hold
him In contempt on account OF religion
race or color Is crime.
Every man should be treated justly and
kindly, noS because he Is or is not q Jew
or G entile, but because he Is a human
beng, and Us such capable ofjoy and pain.
If at any hotel man fills to act in a
decent and becoming manner let him be
put out, not on account Of the nation to
which he belongs, but on account of his
behavior. Any other course is unjust
and cruel.
1t will not do for the keepers of public
houses to brand an entire race as unfit to
associate with them.
Some Of the leading men Of the world
are Jews. These wonderful people, al
though dispersed, despised, and for many
ages prosecuted in all countries where
people loved their enemies and returned
good for evil, have contributed to every
science and enriched every art. He who
has heard the music of Mendelsshon and
Meyerbser, who has studied the grand
philosophy of Spinoza, and has seen up
on the stage Rachel, mistress Of passion,
will hardly unite in the condemnation Of
the race to which these prodigies be-
longed.
Neither should 1t be forgotten that the
Jews furnished their prosecutors with
religion, and that they are the only peo-
pie, according to the dogmas Of our day,
with whom the Almighty ever deigued to
have any intercourse whatever.
When we remember that God selected
Jewess for his mother, passing BY the
women Of India, Egypt, Athens and Rome,
as we'll as the grandmothers Of Mr.. Cor
bin, 1t is hardly in good taste for the
worshippers Of that same God to hold the
Jews in scoru.
We should also remember that the Jews
were the only people inspired. All the
"sacred" writers-all the prophets" were
Of this race, and while Christi ans almost
worship Abraham, notwithstanding the
affair Of Hagar. and his willingness to
murder his own son, and while they hold
in almo st infinite respect David the muir
derer and Solomon the Mormon, 1t GER
tainly is not perfectly consistent to de :
nounce men and women Of the same race
who have committed no crime.
The Christians have always been guilty
Of this Inconsistency with regard to the
Jews-they have worshipped the dead and
prosecuted the living. think 1t would
be much better to let the dead take care
Of themselves, while we respect and
maintain the rights of the living.
I cannot forget that during the revolu-
tion the Jews prayed in their synagogues
or the success Of the colonies. cannot
forget that during our civil war thousau ds
Of them fought for tbs preservation Of the