The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-01-17
LETTER FROM
Col. ROBERT G.. lNGERsoLL
PHILIP q. PEABODY, ESQ.
LETTER FROM
LAW OFFICE.
ROBERT q. INoERsoLL 10 WALL STREET
NEW York, May 81, 1880.

LAW OFFICE.
NEW YORK, May 81, 1880.
PHILIP q. PEABODY, Esq,
Boston, Mass.
My DEAR FRIEND-Vivisection Is the
inquisition-the hell-of science. All the
cruelty which the human--or rather the
inhuman-he heart is capable Of infiicting Is
in this one word. Below this there is no
depth. This word lies like coiled SER
pent at the bottom of the abyss.
We can excuse, in part, the crimes OF
passion. We take into consideration the
TACT that man IL liable TO be caught py the
whirlwind, and that from brain on
fire the soul rushes TO crime.
But what excuse can ingenuity form
Tor man who odeliberately-with an un-
accelerated pu'se-with the calmness oi
John alvin at the murder OF Sefvetus-
seeks, with curlous and cunning knives,
Ia the living, quivering fiesn OF dog, Tor
n!l the throbbing nerves OF pain! Inc
wretches who commit these Infamous
crimes pretend that they are working Tor
the {, cd OF man; that they are aciuated
by philanthropy; and that their pity FOR
the sufferiugs OF the human race drives
out all pity for the animals they slowly
torture 10 death. But those who are IN
capable of plying animals are, a,a mat
ter OF fact, incapable OF plying men. a
in pieces--lsying bare the nerves. denud-
ing them with knives, pulling them out
with forceps-wou. q not hesitate 10 try
experiments with men and women Tor the
qualification OF his curiosity.
To settle some theory, he would trihe
with the life OF any patient in bis power.
BY the same reasoning be will justify the
viviscction OF animals and patients. He
viii say that IL is better that O few ami
mails should suffer than that one human
being should die; and that 1t Is Tar better
that one patient should die, IL through
the sacrifice of that one, several may De
saved.
Brain without heart is far more danger
Gus than heart without brain.
Have the o scieni ific rssassins iscovered
anything of value? They Tay have set
lied some disputes as TO the action OF
some organ, but have they added tQ the
useful knowledge of the race?
1t IL not necessary for man TO be q
specialist in order to have and express
his opinion as To the right or wrong OF
vivisection. 1t is not necessary TO be a
scientiest or a naturalist 10 detest cruelty
and to love mercy. Above all the dlscov-
cries OF the ,hinkers, above all the inven-
tious OF he ingenious. above all the VIC
tories won on fields of intellectual con-
hlct, rise human sympathy aud sense OF
justice.
know that good for he human race
can never be accomplished by torture.
I also know that all That has been ascer-
tanned by vivisection could have been
done by the dissection of the dead. |
know that all he torture has been useless.
All the agony inflicted has simply hard
ened the hearts OF the criminals, without
enljghiening their minds.
IL may be that the human race might
be physically improved il all the sickly
and deformed babes were killed, and II all
the paupers, liars, drunkards, thieves,
villains, aud vivisectionists we're muir
dered. All this might, in few ages, re-
suit in the production Of a generation of
physicaliy perfect men and women; but
what wou such beings be worth, men
and women healthy and heartless, muscu-
lar and cruel-that is to say, intelligent
wild beasts?
Never car be the friend of one who
vivisects his fellow creatures. do not
wish TO touch his hand.
When the angel OF pity is driven from
the heart; when the fountain OF tears Is
dry--the soul become a serpent crawling
in the dust OF a desert.
Thank ing you for the good you are do
ing and wishing you the greatest success,
l remain, yours always.
X. G. INoERsoLL.