The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-03-02
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JEWISH STATESMEN.
Habbi Jacob Lecture Before the Young
Men's Hebrew Association Last Night.
tPhiladelphia Times

1
Rev. George Jacobs last night dIseoursed
| upon Jewish Statesmen" before the Young
men Hebrew Association in the rooms Of
the society, Broad and Spring Garden streets
ne lecturer ilrst touched upon the qualities
oil craftsmanship possessed by Abraham, Jo-
| seph, Moses ana other worthless Of the Bible.
| ana made aliuston to the Maccabees, and af
terward to Flavius Josephus, the historian
He commented upon distinguished Israelttes
OF later times mentioning as an examine
Rabbi Akiba, the chief mind in the last effort
OF the Jews OF Judea to free themselves
from foreign yoke. Samuel Levy came
| next. He was Minister OF State under
CaliphS Badis and Hakem, and also,tbe chief
adviser and able diplomat in settling contro-
VerSies with Christian kings whose territory
bordered on Moorish Spain. Menasseh
Ben Israel OF the Netherlands was the AM
bassador TO Oliver Cromwell, then Lord Pro-
tector of England and he paved the way for
the return of lsraelites to England. These
were among the very prominent Hebrew
statesmen referred to by Rabbi jacobs.
There were others whose careers were bril-
liant and StateSmanlike, and who did honor
both to their country and their religion From
early history the Jewish people always CON
talned able advisers and diplomats and
learned doctors and priests. Continued the
Rabbi
Descending from the more ancient plane I
will speak OF those eminent Israelites " hose
names Will always shine illustIious in modern
history. When the court Of Vienna had fled
in 18i8, DR.. Fischoff, a jew, was at the head
of affairs. In Holland, Godfri, jew, rose TO
q high position, and Pencherie, a Venetian
lsraelte, became member OF the Provisional
Government and welded tremendous intIn-
ence over the affairs of Venice Germany
has seen the Jew jacob the leader of its
parliament, and Gabriel Resser n Hebrew,
was vice president Of the Frankfort parlia-
ment, and even to-day Germany bows to
Edward Lasker and Reichenbach and ac-
knowledges in these two Israelites influential
powers. In France GoOdchalIx was at the
top Of the ladder; FOuld became Minister of
Finance in l849, and few years later was
made senator and afterwards Minister of
State. AdOlphe Crimeux, another Jew,
was Minister of Justice, and he now
holds the pot initial position Of Life
Senator. Isaac ArtOm Is one of Italy's wisest
heads. All these are Jewish statesmen out
side Of Great Britain and America. Tbpv
have held the States destiny In their power
and the world has seen its mot Important
countries in the hands of acknowledged repre-
sentatives of a scattered people. 1t was not
long ago that a jew dared not to venture into
the BRITISH Parlaments, rights which the
SolomonScs and RothschiIds so ably and per
sistentiy fought to recover. Since then,
though we disregard the leader of England
Lord Beaconsiield, and notwithstanding his
undisputable Hebrew origin, we can point to
Sir George Jessie, the Master of Rolls Cohen.
the jurist, was the adviser OF Great Britain in
that country's conference with the United
States at Geneva relating to the Alabama
claims
At home it is to be regretted that so few
Jews have obtained high positions in poiiti-
cal life. Several Hebrews have been elected
members OF Congress and served their terms
in honorable and statesmanlike ways Two
American Hebrews have found their way into
the United States Senate, and another.B. +,
Jonas, from LOuisana-will take his seat on
the fourth OF March. | cannot forbear men
tioning the name Of Judah p Benjamin, who
held the offices Of Secretary of State and War
during the existence of the Southern Copfed-
eracy.
/ have shown how In Spain and Portugal.
Italy and Holland, France and Germany. and
in fact all the countries Of the world men of
our race could hold high and influential posi-
tions in the State and yet be faithful scions in
the house Of Jacob, and how true sons Of
Israel can so devote themselves to the State
and its interests, and that high office can be
entrusted to them.