Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-04-12
A PLEA FOR ISRAEL.

One OF the most remarkable speeches
ever made on the floor of the House was
delivered yesterday by Representative
Allan l.. McDermott, OF New York.
Mr.. McDermotts speech was wide
departure from the usual bea.en path OF
congressional oratory. He spoke under
the elasticity of the rules governing de-
bate when the House as in committee oil
the whole on the state OF the union.
This elasticity permitted him to go rs far
hence in distance as Russia, and in iime
to the days of Moses, where, taking up
the history of the Jews, he traced ii
through Biblical history to the crucliix-
ion. thence into modern history to The
time and scenes of the most recent per-
secutiOns.
"With the approach Of Faster" he
began, "come the stories of threatened
massacres in Russia. Men and boys,
women and girls, babes in mothers arms
are to be slaughtered by savage bigots,
in wht sc brains the Russian Greek Church
seems to have left no mercy. In the
memory of Christ and the Cross, men
called Christians have tortured and
slaughtered men, women aud children
during 1900 years. In the name OF
the Cross, bigots have prosecuted each
other. the Jew and the heather. During
| 700 wears of the Clrislian ear nearly
every fanatic who evolved from his mean
and miserable brain command from
heaven cheerfully and diligently perse-
cuted those of his fellow-mcn who dis
agreed with his insanity. Around the
stake, In the torture chamber, and on
the field of battle Christian soldiers
have been transformed into wild beasts,
sparing none.
while engaged in the coDgenial oc-
cupation on numbering each other fren-
zied zsalots of nearly all the Christian
creeds have made common cause against
the Jews. The world has been drench-
ed with their blood as though God
had given commandment for the ex-
termination of those whom the Old
Testament denominates his chosen child
re1."
"In the Old World persecution of the
.Tews stains almost every page OF history.
Before the Christian era these people
were prosecuted, murdered, enslaved;
but this was in the regular course OF
events. the business of nations then be-
ing TO persecute, murder, and enslave, a
sort of orderly proceeding in days when
every nation was against every other
nation; when war was constant; when
men had not learned the dignity of
labor.
"But it was not until Christianity had
obtained dominion that the Jews were
persecuted because they refused to 'ac-
cept Christ From then the spirit OF
oppression has grown. Persecution Of
the Jews, because they are Jews, is to-
day tolerated in but few parts of the
Christian world, so far as the statute
books go; brt the spirit that is breathed
in the words, Christ killer, is found in
the eyes and on the tongues of Chris
lians in the New World, as well as in
the Old.
at is not difficult to find the cause Of
this Many people are, after fashion,
taught the Bible some read it. Nearly
all who are taught it, and many of those
who read it, get the idea that nearly !,
900 years ago the Jews crucifed Christ
that hi, cruel death is ever to be sub
iect of sorrow, and that the Jews, unless
they give evidence by conversion, and
ioin in the sorrow, are to be hated and
bounded, even unto death.
"The bigots of the Russian Church
proceed with sword and torch, and never
so lerociously as on the anniversary OF th'
day when Christ is supposed to have
risen from the dead
ave cannot effectively demonstrate Z
the Russian government, but we can ash
the church of the government TO inter
fere. We can teach in press and pulpi
that the statement that Jesus Christ wa
crucified by the Jewish nation is th'
wickedest falsehood that ever fell from
human lips.
"If Christ was mortal, if He was thu
son of Joseph aud Mary, born in th'
good old-fashioned way. He was cruel
fed by the Romans. If He was the Soi
of God, He was cruciied By the direc
tion of His Father Under neithe
proposition can the Jews be held ac
countable. II He was q mortal, H
was the prisoner of Rome, and the Jews
as race, aever cried for His blood. y
'Let hechurch of Russia speak. LIE
the Gar speak. He is the head of ths
church. Not one in 1000 Russian
knows that Christ was Jew. Th
Russian Greek Church has in its pos
4 session many bushels of relics. 1t hs
\ sticks and stones and rags. 1t proclaim
I that it has a garment worn by Chris
3 that il has some of His blood; that
\ has picture of the Blessed VlrgI
y drawn by St. Luke, that it has the han
I of St. Mark and the bones OF tn
: Prophet Daniel.
n..-o. IrOn, Tho Dia Uua