Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-07-21
LETTER FOR THE NARROW
MINDED.

q slurring remark made against |
the Jewish people of Columbus be-
cause they are opposed to prohibit
ton, has resulted in the republication
of a letter written in 1878, by Major
r. ]. Moses, of that city, to w. ..
Tuggle, of La Grange, then an ac-
tive politician, who had likewise dis
credited himself by a sneering allu-
sion to the Jewish portion of the
population. The letter is such an adj
mirable one that it is well worth
reading by all. and especially by
those who are inclined to be narrow
spirited. 1t may do this class good.
1t is as follows:
| have taken time to authenticate
report which l heard for the first
time on the evening of the last day
of the convention.
At West Point, in your congress
sional campaign, and in my absence,
you sought for me a term OF reproaeh,
and from your we'll filled vocabulary,
you selected the epithet of Jew.
Hal l served you to the extent of
my ability in your recent political
aspirations, and your over burdened
heart had sought relief in some
treasured gratitude, had you wealth
of gifts and from your abundance sell
ected your richest offering to lay at
my feet, you could not have distin-
guished me more gratefully nor hon
ored me more highly than by pro-
claiming me a Jew.
liam proud of my lineage and my
race; in your severest censure, you
cannot name an act of my life which
would dishonor either, or mar the
character of a Christian gentleman
| feel it an honor to be one of {
Trace whom prejudice cannot crush
whom prejudice has invain endeavor
ed to subdue, who despite the power:
of man, and the combined govern
ment of the world, protected by th'
hand of the Deity, have burst the
temporal bonds with which preju'
ldices would have bound them, ant
| after nearly nineteen centuries o
persecution, still survive as nation
and assert their manhood and intel
Hligence, and give proof of the "Divin
lily which stirs within Them" by hav
ling become a great factor in the gov
Iernment of mankind.
Would you honor, call me Jew
Would you place in UNRELIABLE prom
inence your Christian prejudices ant
narrow bigotry, call me jew |
you would offer a living example o
a man into whose educated mind toll
leration cannot enter; on whose hear
4 the spirit of liberty and the progress
Iof American principles has made M
impressions. You can find it illus
trated in your self,
Your narrow and benighted mint
pandering to the prejudices of you
auditory, has attempted to taunt mi
Eby calling me a Jew, one of that pc
culiar people, at whose affairs, ac
cording to the teachings of your the
illogical masters, God chose that hi
son should worship. Strike out thu
l. nationality of Judea and you woulC
seek in vain for Christ and his apos
ties. Strike out of sacred history thu
teachings of the Jews and you woul(
be as ignorant of God and the souls
immortal mission, as you are of thu
duties and amenities of the socia
life.
l am not angered, but while
thank you for the opportunity which
yoQ-haye- given me to rehuke preju
dice confined to a limited numbel
distinguished for their bigotry anC
sectarian feelings of which you are /;
fit exempler, 1 pity you for having
been cast in mould impervious tt
the manly and liberal sentiment!
(which distinguish in the nineteenth
century.
You are not created without a pur
pose; nature exhibits her beauties b!
the contrast of light and shade. HUI
mainly illustrates the noblest exam
lples by placing its most perfest mod
els in just position with the mean
est specimens of mankind so tina
, | you have the consolation of knoWine
that your mind has been thus de.
formed in the wisdom of the Great
Architect, that you might serve as {
shadow, to bring forth in bold relief
the brighter tints of that beautifu,
picture of religious liberation en-
grated in the constitution of the
United States by the wisdom of out
fathers.