Intermountain Jewish news., 1926-09-09

ing the revolutionary period and up
played on the JoiUs IN the life OF the
time DIoa the Sosqmcsnte1,n,aI Of
Iendence is being STANDARDIZATION
The American Revolution against
the expressions of the Motherland did
not come with anything like the sud
denness of the thunderclap out of q
clear sky. Indeed, the causes and
grievances that brought about the final
eruption, and entire separation from
the Homeland, were rather cummula-
tive and long standing ones. These
were, as an instance, the oft-repeated
irritations and quarrels over some of
the governors that were sent over to
rule over the colonies, from England.
There was bitter resentment over the
matter of taxation, in which the col
onies were denied any voice; and so
on, and so on.
When neither the petitions to Par
lament nor the outcries against these
oppressive measures in the various
colonial assemblies produced any good,
when the oft-repeated indignant dec
larations to the effect that taxation
without representation is tyranny
failed to make any impression upon
the rulers at home, then it was decid-
ed to resort to action, to such action
as will bring the obstinate absentee
rulers to reason. Actual rebellion
came only as a last resort, however,
and after all other means had been
exhausted, the colonists well realizing
the great discrepancy in means and
forces between them and the Mother
land. They first of all resorted to
various forms Of boycott Of British
goods and non-importation compacts
formed among themselves as means
of bringing the obstinate government
at home to reason and fairness.
All of these desperate efforts failed
of their purpose, as we know, forcing
the colonists to resort to arms, which
led, in turn, to the final attainment Of
complete independence on their part.
Jewish Signers
A non-Importation resolution was
adopted by the merchants and people
of the colonies in 1853, as a protest
against the various grievances COM
planned of by the people, the merchant
classes most especially. On this reso-
luton we find, among others, the sig
natures of the following Jewish mer-
chants: Benjamin Levy, Sampson
Levy, Joseph Jacobs, Heyman Levy,
Jr., David Franks, Matthias Bush,
Michael Graetz, Bernard Graetz, and
Moses Mordecai. !
During the interim years of turbel-
ence that elapsed between the time of
adoption of the aforementioned reso-
luton and the outbreak of actual hos
tilities between the two contending
bodies, the Motherland and the op-
pressed colonies, years of constant
strife and squabble, more than one
Jewish citizen earned the enmity of
the British authorities, and paid with
his personal liberty or the confisca-
ton of his goods for his temcrity. One
of the most prominent victims of this
British vindictiveness was David
Franks, a native of Montreal, who in
1775 suffered arrest for speaking
disrespectfully of His Majesty, the
King" He was also among the twen-
ty-nine who were denounced to the
British ministry as being the prin-
cipal persons settled in the provinces
who very zealously served the rebels
in the winter of 1775-6 and fled upon
their leaving it." This same David
Franks eventually became an officer
in the Revolutionary army and ar
aide-de-camp to Benedict Arnold
and when that officer committed his
act of treachery at West Point, he
asked for trial at the hands of his
fellow officers, who completely exon
Grated him of any completely in his
superior, act of treachery ant
ordered his promotion to higher
rank in recognition of his gallan
services. In 1871 he was dispatched