Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-01-27

n mr.
GeSsa,y 10 remove the Impressions which YOU NAV
nave ieit upon the minds of the public cor - rppp our
'ehgiol' which is the more espcdient he present
moment as understand, the subject under consde-
Iaeioh mas Natey excited deep and universal interest
throughout this city, among the thinking and nteil.
gent citiZcIs
j.: the first place, then, you do us no more tbon
justice TO bclicvu, that We cam b,. oood c;,,o 81
kind nes,bors, no less so than she followers or ,
gospel; for this has been proved by the experience 20
eSes, ana can assert 1t, without the least fear of
contradiction, that, wherever the Jew was kindly
treated, whenever lac received a benefit from onyy
gentle, lic was always ready to acknowledges tbc,
"f'"ness OF hs oeneiactors; rs inHratuie towards
man Is rot TRAIT in Our character, though we have
frequently acted ungratsuily towards the Deity for
winch VIC even now suffer punishment, in the
uisnemberment ofour uat;on and The loss oi'our land
on naiols nave ever admired the close bond of
UNION existing amongst US ami the ur,n;u;,v Wei
WINCH we have always, under every vics,it,.ie re-
sisted any interference with our moral and ro,o,,
duties, Tor on no suffer any strnno,r
20 ADVISE us IN any matter OF conscience, if we deem
MS advice contrary to the standard of the Mosaic ,,
For TINS our constancy. we have been abunda,,tIv
vi'ifed, have been called obdurate Jews who wiif,
resist the light OF the gospel, and have been
co,std not, could not embrace chi1stias:., confess
We determined never to change our faith ofcrsr
we must be considered L. christians cncn.ies of their
belief; but. though admit this, utterly DENY tba,
we do think ourselves ;lowed bv our RELIGION Ia h,tc
ne chr:s'ians themselves; the contrary, We be-.
i:eve ourselves bou.d to live good fellowship with
"ioe "OFlu, 10 iil0tter what their Lccf ha
Hcu seem 70 think. ny dear friend, that the pospc
has the superiority the Mosaic law in so far n,
the icrIner commands universal love willie tf ..t..
'fescrbcs love to the children of Israel alone B,.
- your position correct? it true what vo,, s.,.
that the Je'cs uaerat3Cd the conmand,,cn. lt,n5
thou shalt love thy neigibor like thvses" Yon sa,.
the Jews must have interpreted Ire fao So as tbey
mad frequently with the surrounding 90
they thought themselves obliged to slay the nhoh
tans and to plumber their property. But pardon M
nay TREND, you have misunderstood the Jewish lny,
or you nave forgotten lie prceepts of the Old Teat
ine,t. The law relative to war is found in Dc~.
TX CHI verses 10 70 10 iiic and is in the followinG
words: ~ " iiiS
if thou contest nigh to city to make war aqairs,
IT, t!ci shalt proclaim peace unto it. And IL shall
happen, II 1t answer thee peace and omen ,,pto to
then ali the people found therein shall be tribta r
unto thee aud serve thee But if it will not make
peace with thee, but will ware war ,rs;ns+ 81
shcn thou shalt bcsicgc it, and when the E;erni a.
God has delivered it into thy hands. thou ,,o,,c,
smte every male thereof will. the clce of tho
t uuI t:e women and children and the cattle and ali
sat Is IN the city namely, ali the spoil thereof tl1or
shat ta;e INTO t!!yse and the spoil of tl,iae>ene
mes which tie EternGl thy God has riyefI tho
sc. &C. e '1'ce'
am well aware Of the difference of nv trs,s,,,;
witi that fthe English version, as the isnesb R;b,
says thou shalt s!nite Sc what have rendered. 80,
ess; nt have preferred 10 adopt the nteruretstior
OF some ofthe Rabbls and tie paasage TINA rrnd-
cd gives Only permission to slat the garrison th
capable OF bearing arms, but trbids on anv account
20 jufe the women and children, WHO cannot pnrfi
ana dependence do not believe that snv ron ca,
maze any objection to the Interpretation have iust
gwen ana every one must then acknowledges TINT s
lar from cur law allowing the massacre of the inI,ab
tas OF Inc countries at war with the Jews it tendc,
greatly 10 soften the rgours of war as carried on j.,
ancient times az ii prohibited the aaoiesf1ton of III,
women ahd Children wien in christian countries
the former are not always eXeipi,t from violence ~
need not bring examples from history to prove IN;
as aias examples are too often met with and mani
too horrible to be related.
4
THINK themselves bound go to war with tl,ey neib
porS, or was it only i'll of necessity that tSe,,
were clnbroi,cd with other nationss" Without boe;
t'io answer that war was considered us tie great
est EVIL amongst and only resoret to- to reneI in;
Fascn, and secure the peace of our boundaries R,,,
YVES not David conQucror? True he was but was Ls
,ic was lac not rather forced to war bv thu.
Huistjans, Edumeans. SyrianS and othernations nh
they not invade his country s. insult his snasado,c
won he had sent with letter of coincidence to the
hi o. the children of .nInon? Was he to stand nv &
see israel slaughtered, whom he was appointed to o
ver like tie sFephe,M gorerss his GocG5 Was he Der
'nItted, ask you, to the wolves cone ornonost
lie flock and bear of the uneffenJino sbeen
wy was he: again: permitted 10 ambassadors
OF the people OF Coo iii-treated by barbarian Kpr
ana ms barbarian people And TO conclude nv one,
res, lid MT the Almighty Protector Of J;real SAN
hon these enterprises by giving David success in oil
'ils Undertakings? Can any human BEING bel;eyc
that God would be partial so unjust to rive tho
Jes success, when they went beyond the borders
OF tfeir land to pilage and slaughter their neighbors
-No NO! tue Divine Judge would not encourage
snch deeds even amongst His people. all the world is
lis, and the life OF one is as dear to Him as the
c OF the other and He is respecter of person. no
taVooFeI OF the oppressor and is always read to save
the weaker from the hands of him who is s,ronger
Than be is.--But you will ask were the Jews NOT n
"afiike peop!e, lovers OF strife and fghtf Again
m'"er''o' Tor we read in the XVI cil. of I4eyfticus
verse G:
and viii give peace in lie land, and We shall tie
down, and none shall make you afraid: and will re-
'ove tie eV beasts out of tie land and the sword
shall not pass through your land"
ana IN the sixth chapter OF Judges we see Deborah
ahudihg TO the gEeat want of warlike Instruments
among the Jews-But what intend to prove is th;s:
t"at peace was by the Jews considered rs the GREAT
est blessing This doctrine was taught them by tho