The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-11-19

capital which they have invested in
shares OF this company. After many con-
situations We have decided and resolved
upon certain petition made by said
POrtngese Jews. that they shall have
permission 10 sail 10 and trade in New
Netheriand and to live and remain there
provided the poor among them shall not
become q burden 70 the company or "a
the community bat shall be supported by
their own nation. You win govern your
sell accordingly.
As may be judged from the doughty
governors previous action, he Telished
the instructions of the Dutch West
indies company not a bit and grudg-
lngly proceeded TO be governed ac-
eoFdingly.' Taking advantage. of his
authority, he levied ii special military
tax on Jewish settlers in New Amster-
dam a few months after the first edict
of the Dutch company had gone forth.
As a result there were prompt pro-
tests forwarded to the old country
The directors of the company again
weighed and considered" the various
reasons why JeWTy in America should
not be handicapped. Then a reproof
and more specific directions were drawn
up and directed TO Governor StuyVes-
ant.
Gould Hold No office.
Certain limitations We're placed on the
Jews. however, among these being a
prohibition against engaging in retail
trade or holding public Office. The sec
ond letter also advised the governor
that the Jews might exercise in all
quietness their religion within their
houses, for which end they must en-
deaVor to build their houses close to-
gether in a convenient place on one or
the other side of New Amsterdam-at
their chOicc-as they have done here "
Ii was under these circumstances
that Judaism In America had its for
NAL birth. Handicapped as they were.
however. the Jews speedily amazed
merchants of other races by the vol
umc of commercial intercourse which
they had with their brethren all over
the world Having been eniOined from
doing a retail business they naturally
devoted their energies TO foreign and
intercol0nial trade
This, onerous at first, resulted in
great pecuniary profit for they We're
able 10 deal 10 advantage with foreign
Jews, having common ties Of blood
language and mutual cOnfideu@s. and
dealing in the most varied articles.
Early Jewish Periods.
For the convenience of those inter-
ested i'm American Judaism chroniclers
divide their history during early days
into three periods. namely. the Dutch
period, lG54-l66l; the English period
l664-l116. and the Revolutionary period
The first period finds Jews gradually
acquiring extended rights as citizens
and religious worshippers. Among
these We're the grant of a piece of land
Tor lnJement purposes, in 1856: the
granting of an order admitting Jews 10
citizenship, April 20 1867; and more lib-
efal treatment at the hands Of the mu-
nicipal authorities, who permitted Jews
10 engage IN certain hitherto forbidden
trades.
During the English period. two al
tempts were early made TO secure for
the Jews the right OF public worship.
In order 10 thwart the Jews in this de-
sire the colonial assembly adopted a
charter Of liberties in 1858 which con-
tanned negative clause" antagonis-
tie TO the Jews This was TO the effect
that immunity from religious perseou-
ton was guaranteed to persons who
protested faith in God by Jesus Christ
Gain Public Worship.
Governor Dongan. however. was a
liberal and enlightened man and he
took advantage of the first opportunity
to authorize public Jewish Worship.
This was granted in 1886 and shortly
afterWard a synagogue was erected
With the passing of the seventeenth
century vanished the last restraint on
public Jewish worship and with the
beginning of the eighteenth came a Sc
ries Of liberal legislative acts granting
more and more political and civic
rights
BY the time the first rumblings of
the revolution We're heard, some fifteen
years previous to the actual outbreak