The Sun.
London, England, 1847-12-16 00:00:00

PRISONS.

Alderman SIDNEY rose to move—" That it be referred
to a special committee to report the expediency of con-
solidating the gaol of Newgate with the intended new
House of Correction at Holloway ; also to report on the
most eligible site for constructing a new Sessions house,
capable of affording three courts, with increasing ac•
commodation for witnesses and others attending the
sessions. As also for a new hose of detemion con-
tiguous to the courts, sufficiently large for remanded
prisoners and prisoners committed from the common
gaol for trial."
Alderman MOON seconded the motion.

Several members advised the withdrawal of the pro-
positions, but Alderman Sidney persevered, and the pre-
vious question was carried.—Adjourned.

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL

THE DISABILITIES OF THE JEWS.
Yesterday a Court was held in consequence of a re •
quisition received by the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor,
for the purpose of taking into consideration the following
notice of motion by Mr. Anderton, viz.:—" That this
Court do petition both Houses of Parliament to remove
the civil and political disabilities affecting her Majesty's
Jewish subjects." It was distinctly understood that no
other business was to be transacted.
The requisition having been read,
Mr. ANDERTON rose and said, that as a very humble
member of the Protestant Church, it afforded him very
great pleasure to call upon the Corporation of London
to unite with him in petitioning the Legislature to
wipe away from the statute-book for ever the last
remnant of intolerance which still affected the ex-
tensive, influential, and most loyal body of her
Majesty's 'subjects, the Jewish community.—(Hear
hear.) He could not for a moment suppose it pos-
sible that any member of the Court of Common Council
entertained a thought of sanctioning the continuance of
!the disgraceful exclusion from those privileges to which
iall the rest of the world were considered entitled. It
'would be an act reflecting dishonour upon the Crown to
negative the principle which the Crown itself had so-
!lemnly adopted. It would cast a censure upon her Ma-
jesty to deny the justice of that enlightened liberality by
which she had been compelled to:confer upon members of
the Jewish persuasion the honours and distinctions
which the Sovereign was in the habit of dispensing to
individuals of worth and reputation. It would constitute
la charge against the Administration, the head of which
was engaged in framing a Bill of Jewish emancipation,
to deny the validity of the claims of those whom it was
intended to benefit. It would operate as a reproach to
the: 7,000 voters for the return of Mr. Rothschild to
Parliament for the city of London, if there could be
found in the Court of Common Cooncil anything like
opposition to the feeling by which that gentleman's sup-
porters were influenced.—(Cheers.) How was Mr.
Rothschild unfitted by his religious principles for a seat
in the House of Commons ? By a compromise as to the
declaration, his admission to Parliament would be unde-
niable, but in conquence of the very respect entertained
upon points of conscience, he remained in the state of
exclusion.—(Cheers.) The petition to be submitted for
the adoption of the Court, did not go upon religious
arguments at all. It merely said, " That your petitioners
have learned with much pleasure that the Right Hon.
Lord John Russell has given notice of his intention to
move for a Committee on the removal of the civil and
political disabilities affecting her Majesty's Jewish sub-
jects, preparatory to the introduction of a Bill for the
same purpose. That recognising in this movement a
proposal for the extension of civil liberty and privilege to
a large and influential, and most loyal body of her Ma-
jesty's subjects, your petitioners humbly pray that your
Honourable House will be pleased to pass a law for the
removal of all disabilities affecting persons professing the
Jewish religion." That was an appeal to justice alone. He
hoped he had said enough to secure the question from any
opposition in the Court of Common Council.—(Cheers.)
He could not help adverting to a curious coincidence
which at that moment struck him. It was, that Mr.
David Salomons had, on the day before, by being sworn
in by the Court of Aldermen as one of that body, be-
come entitled to support the petition in the Court of
Common Council in favour of the Jews.—(Loud cheers.)
It would be a source of great pleasure to him to see
Alderman Salomons and other members of the same
faith in the House of Commons, if they were considered ,
to be entitled to such distinction. Who were to be the

judges of their claims? The electors.—(Loud cheers.)
If the electors chose to say, " We shall have Montefiore,
or Rothschild, or &elomons," would the Court of
Common Council presume to negative that judgment?
—(Cheers.) The community to which he belonged
owed much to Mr. Salomons. The country owed much
to him for the powerful aid he contributed in breaking
in pieces the odious prejudices which had been so
long fermented by the genius of intolerance. That
gentleman was the first Jew that ever became a Gover
nor of Christ's Hospital; the first Jew that ever became
a sheriff; and the first Jew that ever became an Alder -
man.—(Cheers.) He had not only received the nume-
rous thanks of his fellow-citizens at the conclusion of
his shrievalty for London and Middlesex, but it pleased
her Majesty to express a concurrent approbation of his
conduct by appointing him High Sheriff of a neighbour-
ing county. In the instance of Sir Moses Montefiore,

1 the title of Baronet was added to the other honours
which it was considered but justice to confer upon that
gentleman as proofs of the royal approbation and bounty.
—(Cheers.) Was it to be said that men who were good
enough to be chosen to fill such responsible offices were
not fit to sit in the House of Commons?—(A Voice, "To
he sure it is.") It was monstrous to make the assertion.
Did those who still spoke the language of prejudice
know what the faith of a Jew was?—(Hear.) Why,
nineteen out of twenty, amidst the vast confusion which
existed about the faith of a Christian, knew very little
about the nature of that principle.—(Hear, hear, and
laughter.) He was a member of the Church of Eng-
land, and:he could solemnly assert that he was satisfied
the country and its creed were as safe from injury upon
the declaration on the faith of a Jew as upon the decla-
ration on the faith of a Christian.—(Cheers, and symp-
toms of dissent from two or three.) The religious
tenets of the Jews were to be found in the celebrated
confession of faith drawn up by Mainonedas, at the close
of the 11th century. It was as follows :—" 1. I be-
lieve with a true and perfect faith that God is the Cre-
ator (whose name be blessed), Governor, and Maker of
all creatures ; and that he bath wrought all things,
worketh, and shall work for ever. 2. I believe with
perfect faith that the Creator (whose name be blessed)
is one, and that such a unity as is in him can be
found in no other ; and that he alone hath been our
God, is, and for ever shall be. 3. I believe with a
perfect faith that the Creator (whose name be blessed) is
not corporeal, not to be comprehended with any bodily
properties ; and that there is no bodily essence that can
be likened unto him. 4. I believe with a perfect faith
the Creator (whose name be blessed) to be the first and
the last, that nothing was before him, and that he shall
abide the last for ever. 5. I believe with a perfect
faith that the Creator (whose name be blessed) is to be
worshipped, and none else. 6. I believe with a perfect
faith that all the words of the Prophets are true. 7. I
believe with a perfect faith that the Prophecies of Moses,
our master (may he rest in peace) were true ; that he
was the father and chief of all wise men that lived before
him, or ever shall live after him." Now (asked Mr.
Anderton) were the men who professed these tenets to
be excluded on that account from seats in the House of
Commons ?—(Laughter and cheers.)
Mr. JOHN DIXON—Have the goodness, Mr. Anderton,
to read the whole of the Articles of Faith.
Mr. A:inmost—Certainly. The Confession of Faith
goes on:—" 8. I believe with a perfect faith that all the
law which at this day is found in :our hands was de-
livered by God himself to our master Moses (God's
peace be with hiss). 9. I believe in a perfect faith, that
the same law is never to be changed, nor any other to be
given us of God (whose name be blessed). 10. I be-
lieve, &c., that God (whose name be blessed) understood
all the works and thoughts of men, as it is written in the
prophets; he fashioneth their hearts alike, he under-
standeth all their works. 11. I believe, &c., that God
will recompense good to them that keep his command-
ments, and will punish them who transgress them. 12.
I believe, &c., that the Messiah is yet to come; and,
although he retard his coming, yet I will wait for him,
till he come. 13. I believe, &c., that the dead shall be
restored to life, when it shall seem fit unto God the
Creator (whose name be blessed and memory cele-
brated world without end).—Amen." Now, I hare read
all, and I ask you, can any man lay his hand upon his
heart, and say the men who subscribe to such doctrines
ought to be shut out of Parliament?—(Hear, hear.)
What is the standard of their faith? The Bible, the
foundation upon which the New Testament is built. The
Bible from which we take the commandments, the psalms,
the prophets which constitute so important a part of the
service in all Christian churches. The Jews are stead-
fast in their faith—the same yesterday, to-day, and for
ever. Their religion is the religion of their forefathers.
I trust that the members of this Court will prove
themselves Christians, not merely by name, but in ac-
cordance with their creed. We are told to do unto
others as we would they should do unto us. Let that
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ever.—(Cheers.) Mr. Anderton concluded by moving
the resolution of which he had given notice.
Mr. Wise—l rise to second the motion, reserving to
myself the right to speak if any discussion should arise.
Deputy CORNET said if no other person should rise to
appose the motion 1w would humbly venture to state his
objections to it. He did not view the question as a
corporation question, and he considered that as such
was the case the Court ought not to entertain it.—
(Cries of " Oh, oh.") He merely stated his opinion
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ing a community of Christians. The country
Christian, and the Members of the Legislature was
Christian, and a system which had existedfor
so many
were
years beneficially to all ought not to be infringed upon
without the production of some cogent
argument in fa-
vour of the change.—(lleac, hear.) It was far from his
intention to touch upon religion at all in calling ups'
the Court to negative the motion. That was an arena
upon which he did not mean to enter by any means.
But he did not wish to see in the Legislature persons
who were not adaptable to that sort of business. From
the earliest periods of their history
the Jews were
known and acknowledged to bo a people possessing no