The Sun.
London, England, 1848-02-01 00:00:00

7"-"r‘UNT (

JEWISH DISABILITIES.

A meeting of the inhabitants of Westminster was
yesterday held at the Hanover-square Rooms, pursuant
to a requisition to the High Bailiff, for the purpose of
considering the propriety of petitioning Parliament
for the removal of the civil and religious disabilities
of the Jews. The meeting was called for one o'clock,
but the attendance
.at that time was very scanty,
there not being more than twenty persons present,
and the commencement of the proceedings was de•
layed till nearly two o'clock.
The kiwis BAILIFF having taken the chair, apolo-
gised for the delay which had taken place, in con-
sequence of the inclement state of the weather, and:the
disappointment in the attendanceof various gentlemen
who were expected to take part in the proceedings.
The object of the meeting was to discuss the pro-
priety of adopting measures to remove the civil and
religious disabilities of the Jews. The meeting had
been convened by a requisition numerously signed.
It was but just to state that after he had received the
first requisition requesting him to call the meeting,
he had received ance her to the same effect, also very
numerously signed. To the latter of these requisi-
tion he stated, that as the object of the two meetings
was similar he thought the parties might amalgamate
and make one meeting answer the purpose of the re-
quisitionists.—(Hear, hear.) It was not for him to
give any opinion on the subject before the meeting,
the different speakers would fully explain that sub•
ject.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. HUGGETT then stated that he had received
letters apologising for non-attendance, but approving
of the meeting, from Lord Marcus Hill, M.P., Right
Hon. Fox Maule,"M.P., G. Thompson, M.P., C. P.
Greenfell, M.P., James Wilson, M., Lord R.
Grosvenor, M.P. E. Divett, M.P., J. Matheson,
M.P., Lord Dudley Stuart, M.P., G. Moffatt, M.P.,
Sir E. Colebrooke, M.P., E. Strutt, M.P., Right
Hon. T. B. Macaulay, Wynn Ellis, Esi, Hon. E. P.
Bouverie, M.P., W. P. Wood, M.P., J. L. Ricardo,
M.P., E. De Year, Esq., G. Grote, Esq., B. Hawes,
Esq., Dr. Lankester, &c.
Mr. MACGREGOR, M.P., in moving the first reso-
lution, said that it afforded him great pleasure to
assist, by any means in his power, in the removal of
the civil and religious disabilities of the Jews. Their
character and universal good conduct entitled these
persons to the fullest exercise of the rights and pri-
vileges of Englishmen. In ether parts of the Con-
tinent and the United States the Jews were admitted
to the full participation of the rights of citizens, and
no bad result had been found to attend the adoption
of this course ; and he did not consider that the
admissson of Jews into the Legislature of this coun-
try would in the least degree unchristainise the
country, as was supposed by some persons who
were opponents of the measure. With respect
to the family of Baron Rothschild, they
bore the highest character in Germany ; the
grandfather of the present Baron was entrusted,
during the progress of the French revolu-
tionary armies, with the whole of the treasures of the
Elector of Hesse Cassel. His house was, however,
pillaged by the invading army, but the treasures of
the Elector were preserved ; and upon the return of
the Elector the whole of his treasure was returned
with interest by the trustworthy Mr. Rothschild.—
(Hear, hear.) lie believed that if the Baron de
Rothschild were allowed to take his seat in the
House, there would be no Member who would snore
strenuously support the institutions of the country. He
felt great pleasure in; proposing as the first resolution
—" That considering the existence of religious
restrictions on the exercise and enjoyment of civil
rights and privileges to be at variance with justice and
sound policy, and contrary to the present spirit and
practice of the constitution, and that the Jewish
people being subject to all burdens and obligations
affecting the subjects of this kingdom, have always
shown themselves willing to discharge their duties as
citizens, and legally and peaceably to yield obedience
to the laws and statutes of the realm, this meeting
gives its best support to her Majesty's Ministers in
their purpose of removing from the statute-book the
remaining civil disabilities of the Jews, an obnoxious
remnant of ages of intolerant legislation."
Mr. Wxen, M.P., seconded the resolution, and felt
it to be a great privilege to be allowed in the
humblest manner to raise his voice in favour of the
removal of the disabilities of the Jews • and had he
been enabled to give no other vote in the House then
the one upon that question, he should have felt amply
remunerated for his trouble and fatigue in the con-
tested election for one of the boroughs of this coun-
try. The persecution of the Jews had originated
with the oppressors of the Catholic Church, and in an
age of feudal tyranny ; and he sincerely trusted that
the time was not far distant when this last remnant of
superstition and tyranny would be swept from the
statute-book of this country.—(Hear, hear.)
Sir DE L. EVANS, M.P., said that he had never
attended any meeting during the twenty years he
had been more or less connected with the borough
of Westminster, where he felt less apprehension
of any division of opinion upon the great object of
the meeting.—(Hear, hear.) As one of the mem •
bers of the Sunday Trading Committee in the last
session of Parliament, he had various opportunities of
ascertaining the opinions of the Jews. Several
members of the Jewish persuasion were examined
upon the question of the Sabbath, as by the observance
of their Sabbath they were compelled to give up two
days of the week, while their Christian competitors
lost but one day: the uniform answer of these persons
was thas they felt it no hardship whatever, and wished
for no alteration with respect to the laws enjoining
the due observance of the Sabbath. Their treatment
of their own poor also reflected the highest credit on
the great body of the Jewish people.—(Hear, hear.)
He could not understand by what hallucination of
mind the prelates in the House of Lords had in the
year 1830 so far stultified their expressions of high
respect for the Jews by their votes against the mea-
sure for removing their civil and religious disabilities.
In 1833 another Bill for the same object was carried
triumphantly through the Commons, and rejected by
the Lords, and in 1836 the hereditary branch of the
Legislature again nullified the measure passed with
a great majority in the Lower House. It was sur-
prising that upon these three occasions the Lords
should have acted with such obstinacy, and it would
be a subject of deep regret if that branch of the Legis-
lature should again, for the fourth time, place itself
in opposition to the wishes of the Commons and the
rights of the electors of this great empire.—(Hear,
hear.) It was intended by the Prime Minister to
bring forward the measure on Monday next, when
he trusted that the majority upon that occasion would
he even larger than it had been upon the former
divisions.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. C. LUSIIINOTON, M.P., regretted that he was not
able to catch the S peaker's eye upon the occasion of
the late discussion on the measure in the House of
Commons, but he did the next best thing to that—he
gave his most hearty vote in support of the measure.
—(Hear, hear.) It appeared to Mm equally ridi-
culous and insensate to deny one man civil rights
because he read Scripture with a different construc-
tion than another.—(Hear, hear.) The intelligence
and literary abilities of the Jews were universally
acknowledged, and yet, with the greatest incon-
sistency, they were considered as unfit to take a share
in the government of the country. A. large debt of
compensation was due to the Jews for the calumnies
which had been spread by Christians respecting them,
and it was a disgrace that the Jews were not now
entirely freed from all disabilites.—(Hear.)
Charles Cochrane, Esq., and Sir C. Aldis having
addressed the meeting, the resolution was put and
unanimously agreed to.
The HIGU BAILIFF then read a petition which had
been prepared for presentation to Parliament in con-
formity with the resolution.

The Hon. F. BYNG then moved, "That the petition
now read be adopted and presented to both Houses of
Parliament; that General Sir De Lacy Evans be re-
quested to present that to the House of Commons,
and Charles Lushington be requested to support the
same ; and that the Most Hen. the Marquis of Lans-
downe be solicited to present that to the House of
Peers."

.-- PROUT, Esq., seconded the resolution, which
was also unanimously agreed to.
The thanks of the meeting were voted to the High
Bailiff for his conduct in the chair, and the meeting
broke up.