THE JEWS.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SPECTATOR.
Westminster, 19th March 1845.
Sin—Your remarks on the Jews in last Saturday's paper appear to me to in- volve an extension of the principle of toleration and liberality, not onlybetiond what would be dictated by wisdom and justice, but, with great simskin, beyond what you contemplated in writing them. You seem to hold that there are no "privileges of Englishmen" in which Jews ought not to participate; and because a Jew may "hold lands and impropriate tithes and advowsons," and "keep the consciences and votes of constituencies in his pocket," you leave it tube in- ferred that he should be entitled to enjoy in his own person these tithes and ad- vowsons and to represent these constituencies. It is very likely that you, and it is certain. that the Jews, will disavow the desire for any such privileges as are comprised in the former of these categories; but you will stand up firmly for the latter. Now I cannot see how the reasoning that carries the one ,int can fall in carrying the other. Both are "privileges of Englishmen," and are at present guarded against Jews by fences which, as affecting their consciences,they wish re- moved. I know they will say, that such a supposition as their entering the Christian Church is incompatible with adherence to their faith; that it would be an anomaly, an impracticability, a contradiction, and so forth; and that they can- not for a moment entertain the idea. I do not see, while the actual system of non-officiating clergy remains unaltered, either the impracticability or incom- patibility of Jews holding clerical benefices: and as to their repugnance to audits privilege, I could not give them credit for any scruples, if once, by the adoption of your reasoning, their admissibility were recognised: and of course the agitation would, as in the case of Parliament, be for removal of the obstacles to admission. I nevertheless look upon the supposed and the avowed claim as equally un- reasonable. It must ever be borne in mind, that there is no analogy between the relation of Jews to Christianity and that of any sect or form of Christian faith to Protestantism. The Jew must hold Christianity to be an imposture, the whole scheme of Christian redemption a delusion, and its existence an usurpation and an injustice; and how he can tolerate the idea of being one of the legislating members of such an institution, is what I do not understand: I know well what I should think of a Christian who under similar circumstances should become a member of a Legislature of which Judaism was the base; and I can imagine how a Jewish Legislature would receive a proposition of the kind from CMstianal It must also be borne in mind, that there is no analogy between civil and munici- pal office-holding and legislative representation; nor can I discover any incon- sistency in admitting Jews to the one and excluding them from the other. In the former case, they are paid or responsible servants removable and punishable for misconduct or partiality; and if you find unexpected results from appointing them, you can avoid future appointments: in the latter ease, they are component parts of the supreme .power, irresponsible except to their commences, and irre- movable except for crime; and there is no way of retracing your steps in having admitted them. I need not say that this is a very small part of thereasons that might be urged against the Jewish claims to participation in all the privileges of a Christian State: but they are such as, with reference to your article,' should be glad to see answered; and I hope you will, by publishing them in that view, do good to the Jews and oblige a constant reader and old correspondent, now subscribing hims„ew
Your admirer, and obedient humble servant, FIAT jOSITrLA.
[The Jews would continue excluded from the privilege of holding benefiete, -exactly as the private individuals who have not studied at the Inns of Court, or taken a medical degree, are prevented from practising as lawyers or physicians. The Christian institutions of this country are maintained by the convictions vf the people: if a Jewish legislator were to attempt to legislate in an Anti-Chris- tian spirit, he would be outvoted by his fellow Members at the time, and rejected by his constituents at the first election. Our national faith being safe from an enmiV the Jews may be supposed to entertain against it, why should we refuse ourselves the use of any legislative talent they may possess? Cyrus and Nebu- chadnezzar had more sense than to do so.—Re.]
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