The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1878-01-24
of two or three centuries ocour2
Saws the bioUranher

of two or three centuries oceurs
Says the biographer
His quotations from the dir. CgeIo consti
tute terrible indictment, bat ii
tend TO be. This citation is Vaineless as
an authority in this discussion
Verify? Here is one of the quota lions
We made from that work: ''The gov.
eminent OF Venice ultimately degener-
! ated into a terrible oligarchicai rule
| Does not this 'fpretend to be- Venetian
| history? What then are its :.preten-
slons?' Is it ''yalueless, when the at
| tempt has been made to show, that ow-
| ing to the tolaration and repubhcanism
of Venice, Shylock was permitted to
cut aggressive antics in her highest
| forum, and roar out bis rage without re-
+, buke, in the presence of her most exalt
| ed personGges? Is it not of equal value
with the statement of our opponent,
which it was cited to disp2ove, &c that
she was a republic, not 8 despotism as is
commonly believed" Was she the less
| a despotisni for being called republic:
Our citation IS said to be
"As valueless as would be m
| attempt to prove the = condition of free
negroes in Ohio. previous TO 1866 by truthful
IN Mississippi or Tennessee"
| Perhaps; but the ambiguity of this
ftatement of the biographer makes it IN
necessary for rs 10 give it either contra
| Giotion or endorsement.
Our extracts from The american Or
ct0g1edi0 on the subject of the pitiless
anu outrageous persecution OF the He
brews throughout Europe, and particu-
| larry, throughout the cities of Italy in
the 10th century, the very time when
| Shylock lived. are as pertinent to the
| purposes of this discussion, and will, we
! are confident, be so looked upon by our
! readers, as the qualified statement that
religious aDtipathy was deadened'' in
Venice, 324 years before he was immor-
| talized. And Notwithstanding this dead
ening influence, and her alleged partiali-
ty for the Mahometan nations, win Juni
| deny that Venice sent out feet after
feet so join in the Crusades, and cap
| tured strongholds and territories from
! those same eastern powers? We do not
| think he viii.
The biographer says he can find no
warrant ''for our statement that from
the close of the 18th century until years
| after Shakespeare died, no Jew was al
| lowed to live in England. We cheer
| fully do him the kindness to supply him
with what he cannot otherwise obtain;
I'm England, the edict OF Edward l.. remain
! ed in force for more than three hundred years,
! and the first attempt made by the Jews to OBJ
| tain legal recognition in that country was
| during the protectorate OF Cromwell in 1865. y
| chambers CJcloDedia
| Prom the time Of Edward to that of Crono
| well, no jew touched English ground "-Gfree, S
History Of the English People, 2. s2ai.
The last authority above cited is by
Prof. Green of Oxford, England, and is
named first in Il list OF works on Eng
lish history, which Mr.. Gladstone rec
omrnends to students Of that subject.
| Junl claims that when Shakespeare
| framed his Venetian court. hie mind
dwelt on an Englialii IDEAL. To this we
oolo'sll5554 that the purity and independ-
ence attributed to the English courts
were not sufficient stimuli to prevent
| the Withholding OF contemplated de-
clslon III favor OF Hebrew rights; and
hence, that Shakespeare could draw
ffom that source no very powerful in
spirat1ons of legal protection for the
| rights OF Shyloclz. To this Juni replies
that there was no legislation in support
OF Edwards edict. This may be strictly
true, hl.t we shall not permit the infer
| ence to be drawn from this circumstance
that there was not rigorous and shame
fully unjust English legislation against
Ghyiocis race. Our opponent enjoys
the reputation of being a good lawyer,
and he is therefore, as matter OF course.
conversant with Blackstone, whose Com
mentares he will not search in vain for
instances OF Legislative oppression OF the
Hebrew residents OF England. Even as
late az 1928, when the indefensible sec
| ta1an features OF certain pariianaent ary
| acts we're abolished as to the believers
II other religious systems, the Jews were
excluded from certain benefits of the
change. Purely historical proofs OF
these Legislative Determinations are not
wanting, but unlass they are challenged
| we 40 not care to extend our article by
their citation.
We have now tried to answer the
points which have been raised by the
gentleman opposed to us in this matter.
Whether we have presented the merits
ct our side OF the Gasa IS fully as we
Qi.gat to dc, we leave to the impartial
Judgment Of those who may honor our
production By reading it.
we did not preface this aErttieIe with an
apology for its fa2itiiiI3,s.ra.nce, nor shall We
nfter arT excuse for its length: because
rs sltle reveals It's tenor, and those who
are not interested il tie subject. or in
our treatme.::tc Of it, are under no obIiga.
elon to begin its perusal, or to continue
beyond the point at which it becomes
their pleasure to Iav il down. We shall
not seriously concern ourself as to the
| number of HE IRIBUNE's readers, who
may OF may not sufficiently appreciate
what many consider Shakespeare mas
ter piece, TO follow our imperfect, and
perhaps tedious, comments upon it. We
claim and shall exercise, subject to the
editors permission the riObt IF .Iasanca
against the charge of uis6onception Of
this drama, Or gnfamiliarity with its his
torlc associations. II we shall be van
| pushed, the 'feehng of triumph which
the victor may experience will prove
some slight compensation, however in
adequate, fcT MS pains; and he viii have
earned, and doubtless will receive, some
measure of recognition from the public.
for the correction Of prevalent and, il
may 30, 1Inpartlonab!e errors.
We 90 not ask az the hands of orr
readers, any immunity from lust crit
| e1snl, however severe, on the ground
that othsr duties claim our attention and
distract our thoughts from the work in
hand; nor do we ask them to believe
that, under more favorable conditions,
we MiGht prove al ADLER logic-feucer or
naoTe ornate writer. We deem It our du-
ty to them and to ourself, not to offer for
| their approval that which will not bear
the test Of scrutiny in the matter either
! OF face cr style, and though we may be
but too conscious Of our deficiency in
| the latter particular, it is q point on
| which No neither crave indulgence nor
desire sympathy.
We otferno guarantees, that even now,
prolix as We have been. we are about t.