The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1905-11-10
THE JEW IN AMERICAN
HISTORY.
The Achievements of the
PerSeCufed Race in the
Land of Liberty.

Secretary of the jewish Historical
Society.
Arrangements are being made
throughout the United States for the
celebration on Thanksgiving Day, Of
the tW Wo-hundredth. h "a d d-iiftieth ami.
versary Of the settlement Of the Jews
in the United States, and representa-
tive Jews in every State and Territory
are active on committees appointed
to take charge Of this CONNIE mora
tion. The approaching Thanksgiving
Day will thus have II special signifi.
canoe for the million and quarter
Jews residing in this lsnd, who will
then invoke Coils blessing on this
beloved country, which, first among
the nations Of modern times, recog-
nized the Jews title to all the rights
OF man, and permitted him, in com.
mon with sll other members Of the
body polite, to worship the Almighty
Father, according to the dictates Of
his own conscience
In 1850, at time when the terrors
Of the luquisition threated the Jew
who disregarded Spanish and Portu-
gese edicts Of expulsion, when France
and most sections Of Germany were
closed to him, and when Menasseh
ben Israel was about to begin his
only partially successful negotiations
with Cromwell for repeal of Edward
LIS edict Of expulsion Of the Jews
from England, the directors of the
Dutch West India Company, whicn
governed New York at the time, in.
structed Governor Stuyvestant, with
respect to petition submitted by
processing Jews who had arrived at
New Amsterdam from Brazil the year
before, that Jews "shall have per-
mission to sail to and trade in New
Netherland, and to live and remain
there, provided the poor among them
shall not become Il burden to the
Company or the community, but be-
supported by their own nation"
Contemporary construction OF this
grant shows that it was not intended
to be limited by unexpressed condi-
tions, and hence it may be regarded
as the first great charter Of civil and
political rights made to Jews in 9alf-
ssEa !.RfSc y ~ Mthsssrs. The sttet:5wsa 5
nd Gr"r"r,- -, -,-- U.o~A...fer'can Je'
emphasize in this commemorate
also the further fact that they a
not mere recent arrivals and inte
lopers on this continent, but, wit
out reference even to the very mate
ial aid they afforded to Columbr
in furtherance Of his discoveries, a.
their very extensive settlement
South America and the West Indi
during the period Immediately folio
ing the discovery, have been amo
the pioneers in this land. entitled
be counted, in priority Of settlemel
alongside Of the Pilgrim Fathers. a
the jamestown settlers.
AS American precedents in the
rection of Jewish emancipation a
the good results flowing therefr
were invoked as potent arguments
favor Of the bestowal Of similar rig
by the leaders of the French Revo
ton as we'll as by English Libe
leaders, and have been commend
to the attention of Russia
Roumania in our own day
President Roosevelt and his late
mented Secretary OF State, John II
il is obvious that interest in this
niversary is not confined to Jews
ing on this side Of the Allan
Nay more, questions concerning
tablishment Of religious liberty c.
monty presented themselves in
tory connected with political col
quences, advantageous or disad,
tageous, to be apprehended, espec
in relation to struggles betw
Christian and Mohammedan, Cath
and Protestant, High Church
Low Church, 80 that it may
doubted whether any better exam
can be found anywhere than in
matter OF treatment OF the Jew,
the study Of the development oi
ligious liberty. In America the
first achieved equality before the
In the heautiful lanouape Of ID,