Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-02-24

eves nm that sacred spot where FIRST amid all the
snhI;mities Of nature, the divine law OF Moses
,yas GIVEN to rhe Israeliles That is their place
of future rest on earth.
The last accusation which shall notice, is
one ne a heinous character indeed-The Jews
cruc;Hed the Saviour OF the world! What
Jewsa Not the Jews of this age or this eoun-
,ry-not the Jews Of Maryland-The deed was
done eighteen hundred years ago, and IN Pc
Rod of consummate wickedness throughout
the world We have divine authority. for say
ing that the sins of the father shall not be Wis
tied upon their children later than the third and
fourth eenerations-and shall tine flame OF hui
man vengeance burn for twenty centuries!
There is not a devout Jew in existence, who
does not mourn the deed done on Calvary. 1t
was bloody deed, and bloodily has Judah an
swered it. The generation who witnessed the
crucihxion, had not passed away, ere the fu.
ries Of fire and sword, famine and pestilence,
mingled in the work of her destruction. Far
and wide.
ssTemple and town went down, nor left site.
Chaos of ruins who shall trace the void
"O'er the dark fragments, cast lunar light,
And say here is, cas, where all is doubly night"
Thousands were slain by the sword-the rest
were carried into captivity, no age, sex, or con-
dition was regarded, the very name OF Judea
was blotted from the roll OF nations. Was not
this enough?
Their descendants from generation to gene
ration, for twenty centuries, have been the VIC
Tins of persecution unparalleled in the hsto-
ny of any other people. In every period of the
worlds history, in every nation under heaven,
by every sect-they have been imprisoned, tor
tured and acred-sewed up in the skins Of
wild beasts and thrown TO the dogs in Asia
chained to the CALLING oar for life in Africa
burned to death in Spain-Aayed alive in Italy
time to time in Eng land-punged into the ca
tacombs in France-knouted in Russia, or driv-
en- to perish in the wilds of Siberia. Is not this
enough
1t was only few years since, that poor
Jew in Polish Lithuania, was con demned TO be
tortured to deatlron account Of his religion
They cut Of his hands, and then thrusting the
bleeding stumps into pot OF boiling pitch,
called upon him to recant. He only exclaimed,
Oh God of Abraham! have mercy upon them!
0 God Of Isaac have mercy upon them Oh
God Of Christ! have mercy upon them . and
then expired. Which Of these, Mr. Speaker
was the christian The records (may say of
Heaven, will bear testimony in favor Of the
Jew.
Ought not the world to be tired of such
scenes Shall we instead OF execrating them,
join in the fell spirit by which they are prompt
ed /? We do join in this spirit if we deny them
the rights OF freemen-the inalienable rights
of human nature. We do deny them these
rights, when we refuse to pass the bill now up
on your table. BY the constitution of our and
their country, by the constitution of human ma
ture, are they entitled to those civil and rei-
gious privileges, which this bill is intended to
confer upon them.
AS the data, upon which I found this posi-
ton, | refer you to the immortal instrument
which preserved to us the like privileges, when
the hand OF foreign domination was raised to
crush them. | mean the charter Of our indie
pcndence. owe hold these truths to be self.
evident-that all men are created equal" The
Jews are men, therefore created your equals
but do you treat them as such? No. For you
say, they are unworthy to sit by your side in
the administration of free government-"And
endowed with certain inaIi@nable rights That
among these are life, liberty, and The pursuit of
happiness" But you have curtailed them in
their liberty-you have hindered them in their
pursui. OF happiness, the best of all kinds of
liberty, religious liberty; and the purest of all
sorts of happiness, eternal happiness. "For
the preservation Of these, governments are in
sti,uted among men," Blu, your government
is instituted for their destruction. You have
put them under the ban of the republic. "De-
irving their just power from the consent Of the |
governed" They never gave you power 10 de-
prive Them of their civil and religious privi-
leges. The people OF Maryland did not sur
render to the convention who framed their con-
stitution the right to control their consciences
They coulanot surrender it, because it was an
inalienable right.
Sir, do you not acknowledge the force of
this instrument? Your articles of confederation
are founded upon it; and your existence as
state in the great union, is founded on the ar.
ticles Of confederation 1t is component part
of the constitution of that union, and endowed
with its power. In opposition TO every state
enactment, this power is omni--.ent. The
clause therefore denying civil and religious
freedom to the Jews, is expunged from your
The blu now on your table gives
to that people no aew rights, it merely pre-
serves to tbemflghts which are immutably and
inaliena' y theirs
Sn, If you continue to enforce this outlawed
clause Of your constitution, you rear up with
the hand of arbitrary power that worst of all
religious hierarchy. Do not the ,
words brighten you! and yet they are true-
The principles upon which you uphold even :