Letter from Isaac Mayer Wise to Isaac Leeser;September 20, 1851
- Title
- Letter from Isaac Mayer Wise to Isaac Leeser;September 20, 1851
- Author
- Isaac Mayer Wise
- Contributor
- Isaac Leeser
- Format
- Letter. 4 page(s) on 2 sheet(s).
- Type
- Letter
- Has Format
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p31v5c570/manifest.json
- Link to Colenda
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p31v5c570
- Physical Characteristics
- Unlined Paper
- Manuscript
- content
-
Rev. Mr. Isaac Leeser!
Albany, September 20 5611.
Dear Sir!
Thanking you for your treating the subject in which I am the foremost actor or rather sufferer with your usual boldness; I hasten to give you the outlines of the continua„tion of the Spanier comedy.
When L. Spanier saw, that his very pious question in the papers brought no satisfactory answer before the people; he tried the force of money. He paid the dues for those, that could not pay themselves; he gave money and promised the more to every body, who came to him and so he bought so many votes, that his party increased to 45 or 49. He then called a meeting at a time when never a meeting was, when many members were absent, and others had not time to attend; He did not as usually say what business will be transacted at that meeting, so that were altogether indifferent to the whole concern. But when the meeting was organized he brought the very charges against me before that meeting with which he failed at the meeting of the Board. My friends protested against the reading of such charges; but in vain. They proposed to adjourn the meeting; but in vain; he put no motion before the meeting. Finally the majority of the Board declared the meeting adjourned and withdrew together with all my friends. But Spanier with his party continued the meeting, and resolved that the contract between me and them is dissolved and that I am discharged from my office from that very day, September 5.
The majority of the Board declared that meeting
illegal and ordered me to discharge my duties as ever before, my counsellor advised me the same. The first day of Hebrew when I went up to Hebrew Hebrew L. Spanier went to the Hebrew and not merely pushed me, but in a rage of madness stroke me several times. Hundreds commenced at once to hollar: Throw him out the bankrupt, the run of from Germany, all young men in the Synagogue run against him, and would have paid him, when suddenly the Sherif came and dissolved the meeting and locked up the Synagogue. Legal investigation will be held in the matter. My friends 75 to 80 have seperated from the congregation, since I have declared to enter no more this Synagogue A new Congregation will be constituted and a new Synagogue built. We rented a hall for the purpose to worship in it, which was always thus overfilled, that many could not come in. The members of the Congregation subscribed in one evening $1500.00 for a new Synagogue; so if we helped a little we will have soon a new building. The choir went with us, and so we have our divine service just exactly as before. The first day of Hebrew the old Synagogue was reopened, when L. Spanier came with his 45 (others having not made up their mind went to no Synagogue) and held divine service. A mournful sadness prevails here as I never saw before. A congregation was destroyed by the ill-will, pride, egotism and folly of L. Spanier, which none can re-unite Hebrew We had a Hebrew and a Hebrew as I never have lived to see before Hebrew I will write you every news, when something shall transpire.
If your weekly paper appear you can sent to us a dozen of copies, for which subscribers are here, who gave up the Asmonean. I am to much confused to answer Mr. Miller's letter; but I will surely answer him one day for his imprudent and improper introduction your articles on Hebrew and Hebrew I shall closely examine, and I will take the liberty to write down my opposite opinion.
You must excuse me for the present I am not disposed to write any thing reasonable?
Respectfully yours
Dr Wise
Rev Mr. Isaac Leeser
371 Walnut St.
Philadelphia
The above text refers to Occident Volume 9 No. 7 page 381. Click here to view. - Identifier
- LSKAP0233
- Date
- 1851-09-20
Part of Letter from Isaac Mayer Wise to Isaac Leeser;September 20, 1851
Isaac Mayer Wise, “Letter from Isaac Mayer Wise to Isaac Leeser;September 20, 1851”, 1851-09-20, Isaac Leeser Digital Repository, accessed September 7, 2024, https://judaicadhpenn.org/legacyprojects/s/leeser/item/67633