into operation in 1846, the following English Corporations have elected Jewish Mayors: viz., Liverpool, Bristol, Canterbury, Portsmouth, Southampton, Taunton, and Nottingham. In France, as early as the beginning of this century, the Jews of that country had already distinguished themselves, especially in the armies of the First Napoleon. Marshal Massena, née Menasseh, and Marshal Soult, besides many other Jewish officers of less celebrity, revived by their many valiant deeds the splendid renown won by the Israelites of antiquity as warriors "great in battle." During, and since the reign of Louis Philippe many French Israelites have earned fame by the exercise of brilliant talents at the Bar, in the Senate, in the Army, and also as Ministers of State. The names of Crémieux and Fould are world-famed. In the disastrous Franco-German War, in 1870, many brave French Jews exceptionally distinguished themselves by splendid deeds of personal bravery. The Jews of Germany, the countrymen of the immortal Moses Mendelssohn, Heine and Meyerbeer, have also during the past half century, won honour and fame in the fertile fields of Science, Art, Literature, Philosophy and Medicine, and in the German Parliament, of which the following eminent Jewish gentlemen are now members, viz. :-Drs. Eduard Lasker, Ludwig Braumberger, Max Hirsch, Anton Rée, Herren Ludwig Löwe, Leopold Sonnemann, and Max Kayser. The extraordinary merits of the late Dr. Gabriel Riesser were recognised and appreciated by a past generation. The name of Lasker is known at the present day as that of a courageous and uncompromising statesman, eloquent in the advocacy of justice and freedom. Since the establishment of the Kingdom of Italy under King Victor Emanuel, Italian-born Jews have enjoyed equal civil and political rights in common with their Christian countrymen. Many Italian Jews have already distinguished themselves in the Italian Parliament and in the public service. With unalloyed satisfaction may be added to this survey of the interesting Jewish incidents which have taken place since 1830, the welcome fact, that, after a banishment from Spain of 389 years, Jews, by a late decree of the enlightened Government of King Alfonso, will soon be privileged to re-establish themselves in Spain, to become naturalized Spanish subjects, being regarded in all respects as other foreign subjects of the King of Spain upon any of the subjoined conditions:viz., upon marriage with a Spanish lady; or upon establishing in Spain an invention, or a manufactory of importance or upon holding land for which direct Spanish contributions are payable; or upon exercising a trade in Spain supported by their own capital, or upon rendering to Spain some eminent services. The foregoing conditions are not compulsory upon Jews and other foreigners who seek only a temporary residence in Spain. The cruel edict which banished, in 1492, about 170,000 Spanish Jewish families from their native country may be contrasted with the above; it was worded as follows: "Seeing that the Jews of our States induce many Christians to embrace Judaism, particularly the Nobles of Andalusia; for this they are banished under the severest penalties." Proselytism being, as is well known, directly opposed to the principles of Judaism, and discouraged in every way, the falseness of the excuse for the wholesale banishment of the Jews of Spain by Ferdinand and Isabella was at once recognised as base and libellous, and devised in order to disguise the iniquitous. designs of the Arch-Inquisitor Torquemada, to force Christianity upon the Jews. It can hardly be doubted that the re-establishment of a number of enlightened and prosperous Israelites in Spain will tend materially to develop once more the rich resources of that beautiful and fertile country, and to restore its former financial splendour. The re-admission of Jews into Spain, with complete religious freedom, and equal civil and political privileges, may be regarded as one of the most important facts, as it is one of the most glorious strokes of high state policy, which has marked the present age of progress; and it may, perhaps, teach a valuable lesson to those European Governments who would appear to manifest a desire for retrogression rather than progression. |