Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-08-07
THE JEWISH QUESTION IN ENGLAND.

Neither the prestige of Lord Palmerston's recent
| triumph before the country, nor the thunders of
the Jupiter Tonans of the English press could avail
against the impenetrable old fOgyism of the House
of Lords, in carrying through that branch of the
British Legislature the bill removing the disabili-
ties which preclude Her Majesty's subjects of the
Jewish persuasion sitting members in Parliament.
! Lord Derby has won one triumph triumph over
the spirit of the age, over public opinion in Eng
| land /: and Toryism is jubilant. And what is the
net amount of this victory of the Tory peer and his
| supporters? What has he gained for England
for her security at home for her honor abroad? He
| has prevented a gentleman of Jewish extraction,
standing high IN the financial world and in society,"
taking his seat in the House of Commons as a rep
| resentaive of the city of London. This is all.
The lords who voted with Lord Derby against the
amendment of the oath of qualification imagine that
they have indicated the Christian character of the
British Senate. They admit that the Jews stand as
high any people in the world in point Of ability
and TALENT that they are peaceful enterprisng, and
obedent TO the laws; that they stir up sedtion
and are loyal in all their civil relations the Gov
eminent of the country. But they not ''Christ-
ains"-thOugh they not irrehgious and immoral
and, therefore, they may not enter that pure and
Christian body known as the British Parliament.
Their money is good enough when it is needed to
carry any public enterprise, but they must not be
allowed vote in the making of the laws which regu
late these enterprises.
The horse racing gambling, prohgate lords of
England have no objection to seeking loan from
Jewish banker they will even hobnob with rich
Jews at dinner parties and evening entertainments;
but when they ask for their political rights they are
met with the answer that England is a Christian
country and its Parliament a Christian Assembly,
into which none may enter who will not swear ''on
the true faith of Christian" If the British peo-
pie were all, except the few Jews among them, of
one creed; if Parliament were composed of men
who hold-and hold not in name merely-the same
religious views, there would be some reason and
consistency in excluding Jews from participating in
the legislation of the country. But Parliament is
not, in fact Christian body. Its members differ
widely in their religious opinions, and not few of
them are anything but models of Christian gentle
men.
Lord Palmerston spoke the truth when he said
that Parliament is not a religious but political
body; and when intelligent constituency like that
of the city of London selects Barron Rothschild to
represent them in Parliament they exercise
political right which self-perpetuating body
like the House of Lords should have vote. We
have had no bad results 70 show from placing our
Jewish citizens on perfect equality with other
classes Of citizens. Our country has not become
less Christian under constitution which recognizes
no distinctions based on creed. Our Jewish citizens
are orderly industrious and patriotic, and with the
example of this country before their eyes, the Eng
lish legislature should be convinced of the utter
worthlessness of the arguments by which they seek
to justify their iiberality and injustice to their
Jewish fellOW-subjects.-N.Y Sun.