The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-22

The Jews In North America.
It is now more than twenty-one years sine,
Judge CHARLES z. DAILY delivered an address
on The settlement Of the Te,rs IN North .imerjrd
which. soon afterward. was published in til,
flemish Times Of this city. That essay has beer
made the basis OF n more extended work. nov
issued in book form. to which tho author ha.
contributed n supplemental chapter. and t.
which tho editor. Mr.. Max J. Kohler. has added
a large number OF footnotes and several valu
able appendices The reasons for bringing on
a new and enlarged edition OF this treatise.
which was the first to throw light upon IN in
terestng subject. are set forth in tho preface
by tho editor. Since Judge Days address
was delivered. there Ma been sweep.
ing revolution in American Judaism
He wrote about the middle OF the
German jewish migration to theUnited States
since then other and far more numerous
classes Of Jews have come to this country.
while their predecessors have nj ultiplisd and
thrived. Jewish charities have increased md
developed beyond tho expectations OF ftelr
founders. and so have the standing and infiu-
ence Of Jews in the community. Even more
striking Is the intellectual progress OF Ameri-
can lows. They have established scores OF
libraries. and they havo representatives in the
jewish press has increased in influence as
we'll ns In circulation. Jewish publication so
ceties. which at first lnnguished. are now
prosperous. Tho foundation OF tho American
Jewish Historical Society was due to n con-
viction that the time had como to review
more carefully the origin and history of the
settlement OF Jews In the United States. At
the same time it has been recognized by Jew
ish students that no better foundation for q
monograph than Judge Daly's essay could be
found. for tho reason that his work. 80 far as
1t goes. is dsting uished by absolute accuracy
OF statement and impartiality Of treatment.
The editor OF this book begins his introduce
ton by reminding us that an astute Yankee.
about seventy years ago. expressed surprise
that Jews had not avaied them selves OF Amer
icas civil and religious liberty. and accounted
for the fact by the proverbial shrewdness OF
New Englapders. with whom not even the
Jews had dared to venture into competition.
The statement ia quoted by the editor partly
for the purpose Of suggesting that II we may
Judge from the present state Of things in
New England. the nature OF its denizens
must have changed. but mainly to direct
attention TO the once current but mistaken
notion that few or no Jews had settled In North
America during colonial times. AS matter
of fact. Prof. Knyserling has proved that there
were secret Jews (AIaranosl with Columbus on
his first voyage. ono OF whom ultimately
settled in Cuba. and that jewish hnan-
ciers aided Columbus In securing the funds
for his voyages. 1t seems clear. also.
that Jews settled in Brazil MS early as 1913
living generally In tho guise OF New Christians.
During the short-lived Dutch occupation Of
u ,l,a.,-
in part. at least. paid the penalty with their
lives when the Portuguese regained control. AS
regards the relation OF the Jews to New Meth
erlands. the editor quotes letter from the di-
rectors OF the Dutch West India Com pany to
Stuyvesant. recommending the liberation of
the Jews in the colony. because OF the large
amount OF en- pita which the Jews have invest
ed in the shares OF this company" Tho state
m ent made in this letter is confirmed by Me-
nasseh ben Israel In his humble address to
Cromwell" where he says that the Jews
were Enjoying good part Of the Dutch East
and West India Companies" judge DAILY is
authority for the assertion that the West India
Company had several Jewish directors. In
the year 1884 party OF Jews left Bahia In
Brazil. and took passage for New Amsterdam.
and 1t is with their history and thar of their co.
religionists who followed their example that
1t appears that the number OF Jews who
reached New York in 1854 was only twenty
seven. including men. women. and children.
They were by no means received with hoepi-
tally by Gov. Stuyvesant. whose unfriendli-
ness. however. aB We have seen. was not sane
toned by his official superors On the con-
trary in the succeeding year the directors OF
th' West India Company passed q special act
permitting jews to trade In New Netherland.
and to reside there on the simple condition
that they should support their own poor
condition which they may be said to have full
filled ever since, few. II any. OF their denomi-
nation having been maintained in New York
at the public charge. Meanwhile. in 1852.
Rhode Island had enacted that all men, OF
whatever nation they may be- that shall be re-
ceived inhabitants Of any Of the towns.
shall have the same privileges as Enelishmen."
This general act OF naturalization was turned
to account five years later by party OF Jews
who were OF Dutch extraction. and came from
the island OF Curacoa These formed the
nucleus Of the rich and influential Jewish
community which continued to expand and
flourish In Newport until the outbreak Of the
American Revolution.
After the occupation OF New Netherland by
the English. very little information Is to be
found respecting Jewish residents. 1t is GER
tain. however. that the Jews had synagogue
in New Amsterdam as early as 1855. and p0ssi-
bly, in 1891. for La Motto Cadillac. In his ac-
count of New York at the last named date.
enumerates the Jews as one OF the sects ex-
listing in the town. and then SAYS that each
sect had its church and freedom OF reli-
gion. From a description Of New York.
written in 1905 by tho Eey. John Mil
ler. chaplain to the English garrison.
It appears that the Jewish congregation
consist cd Of thirty families. and the name OF
tho minister or reader Was Saul Brown, evil
IDENTIFY identical with tho merchant who. in
1865. hal granted 70 him tho privileges OF a
Dursher. The building used as a synagogue
stood on the south side OF the present Beaver
street. in the middle OF tho block between
broadway and Bread street. Saul Brown was
succeeded in tho function OF reader by Abra-
haru DI ucena. who also was n merchant. and
who. with others. Was concerned in furnishing
provisions i9r the expedition to Canada in