The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-04-22
BILL ARP'S LETTER.
Bill Makes One or Two Corrections.
Atlanta Constitution.

A good lady, neighbor and friend,
bought one Of my books and expressed
her pleasure at its perusal, but found
one fault that did not harmonic with
her Hebrew feelings, for she is a
Jewess. In two places she found a
sportive anecdote that reflected upon
some Of her people, but they were too
good to be suppressed, and would have
been told on Gentiles as we'll. My
respect for the Jews has been too
often expressed in my letters to be
questioned. 1t is not mere respect
but wonder and admiration. Ircjoice
with them that the ages of persecu-
tion have passed, and they can now
worship God according to their con-
science and the faith of their fathers.
Their ancestors appeared at the very
dawn Of creation. They have been
broken up and scattered time and
again, but have preserved their sacred
literature and customs and religion,
and have outlived every nation that
oppressed them. They have had DO
king nor ruler nor political head, and
have been scattered among all climes
and peoples. but have never lost their
nationality nor mixed their blood with
any other people. They have for CEN
turies struggled against the Egyptians,
Syrians and Romans, and survived
them all. They were in later CEN
turies prescribed by the Catholics of
Spain, the Protestants Of Norway,
while their prosecutors sang the songs
Of the Psslmists and taught the wis
dom Of their prophets. We rejoice
that their deliveranoe from persecu-
tion came along with that of our own
when we proclaimed religious liberty
and civil equality to all who made
America their home. I have long ad-
mired that people, who have exoelled
in domestic virtue, in obedience to
law, whose children honor and obey
their parents. Rarely among them
ere found ccnr;c.s c- criminals or sn;-
cides, or divorced men or women.
Their names seldom appear on the
dockets Of the courts. And yet they
are patriots when patriots are wanted.
Kosoiusko had no braver troops than
the Polish Jews who followed his ban
ner, and if had to name the most
faithful soldier in our Civil War I
would name Jonas, Of our town of
Rope, q Jew who never shirked
duty or avoided battle or loitered
on march. We have not forgotten
how he came to time after long days
march from the Chiokahominy to Rapi-
dan, and when the colonel said, "Mr.
Jonas, where is your company?" the
tired soldier came to salute and
said, II ish der komp' my" That
Jonas was an uncle to Israel Jonas,
who all Atlanta knows, and who is
now promineu. in New York CONNER
cial oirelaa.
With great revenge do recall our
own Jddah F. Benjamin, our Sec
retary Of war, and on whom Mr.. Davis
leaned for counsel more than upon
any member. Of his cabinet. He was
@ great Englishman or he could not
have gone to England and worked his
way unaided to the very top of the
English bar, and within eight years
be appointed queens counsel over the
most learned members of the profes.
sion. I have not forgotten the per-
feet loveliness OF the Jewess Rebecca
in Sccst'a story Of Ivanhoe. You may
find broken VOWS and separations and
elopements in fact aud in fiction, but
not among the Jews. They are in
every town and city are more OF an
example than menace to our people
and our institutions. Their names
are found responding to every charity,
and I noticed that the university
fund was materially aided by their
liberality, and I could not help won
dering how much our Christian people