Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1806-10-15
PARIS, Angus. 4.
assembly efthe French Dehuties hrofes
sing ihe RtEgion Of nc Ieses.

PARIS, August 4.
Assen75tv Of Me French Dehufies hrofes-
sing the Religion Of The JesoS.
SECOND SITTING.
The Commissioners OF his Majesty hav-
ing entered the Hall, M. Mole. who was ut
their head, addressed the assembly as fol-
lows:
GENTLEMEN,
ellis Majesty the Emperor and King
having appointed us commissioners ~ treat
with you respective yorr own affairs, has
sent las here t:iis day f0r the purpose of com
municating his intentions. Called from the
firthest part of this vast empire, none of
you can be ignorant OF the purpose for which
you are assembled here. You ar. aware
that the conduct "a many Of those who pro
tess Your religion has given rise TO COM
plants which have reached the foot Of the
throne. These COMPLAINTS were not with
out foundation. The emperor, notwith-
standing, contentel himself with arresting
the progress Of che evil, ard wished to have
your opinion on thc means Of radically cur
ing It. You viii, no doubt, prove your
selves deserving OF dis Iaternal considcra-
ton, and Won viii feel the value of the inn
portsnt mission which is confided to you-
Far from regarding the government under
should be suspicious, your study will be to
cnighten 1t. to cooperate with it in the good
which IL is preparing and by thus manifest
iuS that you have profited by the experience
OF all the French, ycn willprove, that YOU
have no wish 70 separate yourselves from
other classes Of society,"
"The laws which have been imposed up
on persons o. your religion have been differ
ent all over the world; they have been too
often dictated by the EFFICIENCY of the mo-
nent. But, as there Is no example in the
Christian annals Of any assembly Ike this,
50, lii like manner. YOU, for the first time. are
to be impartaNy Judged, and your fate de-
! cided by Christian Prince. 1t is his ma
ieSty's wish that you should become French;
1T Is your duty to accept this title, and to
consider that YOU, in fact, renounce it,
whenever You shew yourselves unworthy of
it.
"You shall hear the questions read, which
are to be proposed to you. Ii will &c the
duty to declare the whole truth upon each
If them. We now declare to Won, and we
shall never cease TO repeat it to YOU, that
when a Sovereign, as firm as he is lust, who
kaosvs epe,'U thing, who can punish as well
as reward, interroeates his subjects, they
would render themselves as culpable as thev
would shew themselves blind to their real
interests. if they should hesitate about an
swering freely and frankly.
oft is his Majcsty's wish, Gentlemen,
that You should enjoy perfect deliberation
Your Presideat will communicate YOUR
answers to us as Soon as they are prepared
AS TO ourselves, we have no more ardent
wishes than TO be able To inform the En-
peror, that among his subjects of tn Jewish
religion, there are none whose loyalty is
not unquestionabie, and who are not dspos-
ed to conform to those laws and morals
which it Is the duty OF all Frenchmen to
practise and follow"
The following questions, proposed by his
Majesty, were then read by the Secretary
Of TIE meeting.
/. is Che lev permitted TO marry more
than one wife
9. Is divorce permitted by the Jewish re-
ligion
S. Can a Icwess irtcrmarrv with n Chris
tian, or a,Christian female with Jew or
does the law prescribe the Jews alone should
intermarry
A. Are the French in the eyes of the
Jews brothers or aliens
s. What III all cases are the connections
which their lsw permits them to maintain
vita the French who are not of their reli-
gicn?
E. Do the Jews who were born in France.
and have been treated as French citizens by
the laws, consider France as their native
country? Are they bound to defend it !:
Arc they under IN obligation 10 obey the
laws, and 70 follow all the regulations of the
Civil Code!
Z. Who are they who are called Rab-
bins
g. What civil Jurisdiction do the Rabbins
exercise among the Jews? What power of
punishment do they possess
9. Are the mode OF chusing the Rabbins,
and the system ofpunishment, regulated by
the Jewish laws, or are they only rendered
sacred by custom?
10. Were the Jews forbidden By their
laws to take usury of their brethren Are
they permitted or forbidden to do this OF
strangers
II. Are those things proclaimed, which
are forbidden to the Jews BY their law
LONDON, August u.
The opening Of the Jewish Assembly at
Paris took place upon Saturday, the day
on which the Jewish law forbids every kind
Of employment. This, no doubt, was done
dcsigncdly. Bonaparte delights in outrag-
ing all ancient preiuliccs and habits.-Wc
have little doubt that ne intends to force the
Jews to change their day Of Sabbath. The
speech with which the Assembly was OPEN
ed by the Imperial Commissioners, is re-