Los Angeles herald., 1892-02-21
SPIRITED REJoINpER.
Rev. DIR. Thomson Taken To Task
for Reckless Assertion.

NeV. bIs uouSO4 dkCu " dSh
for Reckless Assertion.
EDITORS HERALD: While l was read
ing the abstract OF a discourse delivered
on the Fall of Man by the Rev. DIR.
Thomson, at the Unity church of this
city, on last Sunday evening, and pub
lished in the Evening Express of the
10Th inst, came across paragraph
in which the Rev. Thomson, illustrat-
ing his theory, made some remarks on
the decadency of formerly great nations,
as the Chaldeans, Egyptians, Greeks,
Romans and Chinese, and gives his fin
ishing touch to his historical
remarks disposing of the Spaniards in
the following manner: 1.-The Spaniards
were the leading nation in Europe.
Some of the descendants of those mighty
Spaniards, on this continent, are lower
than savages. Some say that they are
lower than the beasts"
1t is really strange how DR.. Thorn
son could make so marvellous discovery
at this date, which, if known at the
time the United States acquired Califor,
mia and other territories from Mexico,
in 1S48, would have entirely changed
the tenor of the treaties made on
that subject by the two nations, for as it
now appears from said treaties the
United States government granted to
the Spanish descendants the privileges
which the true born American citizen
enjoys. Why, then, compare the
Spaniards with the Chinese and Indians,
the only people who in this great nation
are barred from becoming citizens
But DIR. Thomson goes further, and not
only compares the Chinese with the
Spaniards, but thinks the latter are
lower than the beasts; and, as the
Spanish descendants possess in this
country the came rights as the descend
ants of any other race of civilized
Europe, it is to be logically supposed
that DIR. Thomson, not being (as
think the descendant of any Chinese
or Indian, he is no more or less than
those whom he calls lower than beasts.
am tempted to ask DR.. Thomson,
that if in using such base calumuies
toward people of whom he knows
nothing, and abusing the impunity of
the place where he uttered them, in the
absence of any representative of that
race which he so grossly insulted, did
he not more resemble a beast of prey,
that, hidden in the darkness, is ready
to spring on the unwary victim, than
the learned preacher of a highly cul-
tured American congregation?
If say the truth, my first impression
when 1 read the villainous paragraph
was one of profound contempt for man
whose remarks showed such contempt
ible ignorance or prejudice againsta race
of which / am one OF the proud descend
ants; but on mature reflection thought
it would be unworthy of my Spanish
blood to let pass unnoticed so gross and
improved an accusation.
l could cite many instances in which
the Spanish descendants have given
ample proofs that they do not belong to
race lower than the beasts, but it is
sufficient to say that in the Pan Ameri.
can congress held in Washington, d. c.,
in 1890, the eSpanish-American delegates,
very far from being classified amongst
the beasts, showed themselves to be the
equals of any others from the most CIV
ilized nations.
What proofs DIR. Thomson can pro-
duce to the contrary do not know,
but defy him to produce any authority
worthy of the name by which to verify
his remarks.
beg of you, Mr.. Editor, to give pub
licity to this letter, and by doing it you
will confer special favor on all the
Spanish-American people.
l remain yours truly, Spanish de-
scendant, A. J. FLORES.
Los Angeles, February 20, 1892.