The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-12-13
Gt.rnpc.
PARIS. Sept. %.

he mo"'tcut Oh oept. -, gives an account
! of the proceedings refpceting the JcwiGa sdem-
bly,, of which the following is an abfraa.
The fpeech of the emperor's commiiioners
TO the Jewih alembly, after fgnifyng his ma
jefy's appreciation of their anfwers, and refer
ring to the revolution which nenaced 70 fvval-
low up religious thrones and empires, but the
evils inflicted by which had been repaired by
one man, proceeds to obferve, that the Jews.
overwhelmed by the contempt of nations, and
often the object of the avarice of foyereigns,
have not hitherto been treated with iuaice
and then fates the following proportion on the
part of his imperial majefiy:
eft is the with OF his maiefy that there
ihould remain no execute to tnofe who will not
become citizens. He INJURIES to you the free
exerciie of your religion, and the full enjoy
ment of your political rights but in return for
the auguft protection which he grants you, he
exaess religious guarantee for the entire OBJ
iervation OF tbs principles announced in your
anfwers. This sntrnbly, a, it /: az prcfent con-
titutcc, cannot alone Offer this TO hr. Its
aniweIs mutt be converted into deciiions b. a.
nother aiernbly of fill more irpo:.ns and re-
ligious form, that they may be placed by the
hide of the Talmud, and thus acquire in the
eyes OF the Jews Of every country, and Of eve
~ age, the greatet pofiible authority. This
is the mode of conforming to the greatnefs and
gensroGty of his maJefty's views, and OF eau
ling to be felt by all thofc who pro.efs your
religion, the happy influence of this memorable
epoch.
The number of commentators on your
law have doubt!sfs altered its purity, ard the
divertty OF their opinions has created doubts
IN minds of many ofthofe who read them. 1t
would therefore be rendering an important fer
vice to the generality of Jews to FIX their belief
on the matters which have already been fubmit-
ted to YOU"
"ln order that the hiftory of Ifrael may fpeak
OF an a"embly inveacd with an authority cspa-
bic OF producing the refults which we e=peGt,
there mutt be a Grand Sahacdrim. Il is a
Grand Sanhedrim which his majefy now pro-
po'es TO convoke. This afiemby, which fell
with the temple, will thus re-appear to enlight-
en- every where the people whom it governs.
1t Will thus reaore the true fpirit Of your law,
and give an explanation calculated to put an
end to all erroneous Interpretation. II will call
upon the Jewiih people to love and defend the
country which they inhabit, and will teach
them, that all the fentiments which attached
them to their ancient country, are due, where
for the frii time fnce the ruin of their nation
they can elevate their voice.
The fpeech then goes OF to proport, that sc
cofding to ancient uiage, the Grand Sanhedrm
mall conhft OF sc members, executive of the pre-
hdent, two thirds to be Rabbins, including
tho!e preient, the other third to be chofen bv
the alembly by fecret fcrutiny, that the ore
Tent sGcmbly is to continue as long as the
Grand Sanhedrim fhal remain ATTEMPTED. and
that committee Of Ave members G,ouid Le ap-
pointed to arrange the fubietts for diCcuiIion
in the Sanhedrm. Laftly, the aiiembly is re-
queited to announce the convocation ofthc San.
hedrim to all the fynagogues in Europe.
ihe PRECEDENT OF the iafIembly, III. Furtado,
in his anfwer, after paying compliments to the
emperor, lamenting the fallen fate of the Jews.
and exprefiing furphfe that no prince had un.
til now taken any tepS to ameliorats their con.
dition, proceeds to obferve on the inconven;.
encies arifnS from the dviion of each RELIGION
INTO different feels, and that each ought to
preient to the fovereign Responsibility and the
means of fuperintendancc, for which resfons
there ought to be perfonS appointed to ftudy
its principles aud preferve its purity, of which
they ihoCld be the depoitaries and the epardi.
ans He then ftates, that the explanation Of
the dogmaS Of the JewiGl religion, given bv the
aiiembiy, had proved, that there was noth;no
eitherin its principles or ita practice, which
could juftify the eXclu6on of the lew. from
the civil and political rights of Frenchmen n.
concludes by expreGing great appreciation of
the propofion for convoking the Grand San.
hedrm.