260 PROCEEDINGS of the POLITICAL CLUB, &c. June : Judaism in every corner of the coun- Englishmen, and the protection of try as well as in London. Then as this crown, in the feveral countries to Jews born abroad, they may all where they design to refide; and repair to this happy ifland from the this will of courfe involve us in difremoteft corners of the earth, in full putes with many of the powers of confidence, that their children, or Europe, especially with Spain and their childrens children will enjoy all A Portugal. Suppofe a Jew, who had these rights and privileges, and in appeared in Portugal as a Chriftian, the mean time they themselves will fhould come, over, and after being enjoy all fuch privileges as are ne- naturalized here, should return thiceffary for carrying on any trade or ther again and appear as a Jew, do bufinefs they may pleafe to engage. we think, that the inquifition there in Nay, they may even purchase would not lay hold of him? And if houfes and land ellates in the name B he fhould be condemned to suffer at of fome brother Jew, under a cove. one of their Auto de Fés for having nant, that upon their death he shall relapfed to Judaism, what could our convey it to their fon or grandfon, government do? As an Englishman and in the mean time allow them they ought to reclaim him: But do the poffeffion. Therefore, upon the we think, that the king of Portugal promulgation of this doctrine, and would, or could give him up? Supwithout our paffing this invidious C pofe a naturalized Jew fhould go bill, I fhall expect to fee the Jews and fettle in fome of those countries become the highest bidders for every from whence all Jews have been or eftate that is to be purchased in Eng- may be banished, do we think, that land, the counties of which, I fuphe would be allowed to fettle there pofe, they will at fome private meet- as an Englishman, if they knew ing divide among their feveral tribes, him to be a Jew? Again, Sir, a by lot, as they of old did the land D Jew by being naturalized would be of Canaan; and when the rich Jews entitled to a Mediterranean país, have thus become poffeffed of land could we expect, that the pirates of eftates, great numbers of poor Jews Barbary would let him pafs as an muft neceffarily fettle in their neigh- Englishman, if they knew him to be bourhood; for we know, that they a Jew refiding in Portugal or Spain? can make use of none but Jew It would be endless, Sir, to mention butchers, bakers, poulterers, and the E all the difficulties we may be expofed like trades, which of courfe muft to by naturalized Jews going to fetmake them foon become very nume. tle in foreign countries as Englishrous in this country, especially as men, especially, if in confidence of. they are warmly attached to thofe our protection, they fhould there of their own nation and religion, openly profess their being Jews. perhaps more than any other nation Therefore, as there is no great ocor fect of religion whatever. cafion for this bill, and as it will be attended with innumerable bad confequences, I hope it will not be, committed. F For this reafon, Sir, I am of opinion, that without our paffing this bill, all fuch foreign Jews as are refolved to fettle themfelves and families in this country, will come over as foon as they hear of this doctrine's being established; but if we país G this bill, we may expect, that many Jews who have no defign to feule here, will come over and be naturalized, on purpose that they may be entitled to claim the privileges of 1753. PROCEEDINGS of the POLITICAL CLUB, &c. 261 law as it now ftands with regard to Papifts into the kingdom; but by naturalization and natural born fub- this they likewife rendered it impofjects, I am perfuaded, there could fible for any Jew to be naturalized, be no oppofition to the bill within whatever merit he had to plead, and doors, nor clamour against it with however neceffary his naturalization out. But the bill is generally mif- might appear to be for the good of taken by the people without doors, A the nation in general: Thus the law and, I believe, by too many within. has flood in general ever fince that They look upon it as a bill for a ge- time; but the parliament has fince, neral naturalization of the Jews, and for the benefit of our trade and comas fuch they exclaim against it as a merce, made two encroachments upmeasure that was never before at- on, or alterations of this legal retempted in this country. I therefore ftraint; for by an act paffed in the hope, Sir, the houfe will give me B 15th year of Charles II. it was enleave to open the true import of the acted, That foreigners who should bill, and to explain how our law for three years exercife in England, ftood formerly, and how it ftands at Wales, or Berwick, the trade of prefent with regard to the naturali- breaking, hickling, or dreffing hemp zation of the Jews. Before the reign or flax or of making and whiten of James I. or rather before the 7th ing thread; or fpinning, weaving, year of that reign, the king and C making, whitening, or bleaching parliament had a power to natura- cloth made of hemp or ftax only: lize any foreigner whatsoever, let or of making twine or nets for his religion be what it would; but fishery, or ftoring cordage; or makas we had then but lately got rid of ing tapestry hangings; fhould, upon the Popish fuperftition, as we had taking the oaths of fupremacy and ftill a great number of Papifts amongst allegiance before two juftices of peace, us, and as the execrable powder-plot D enjoy all privileges as natural born had most reasonably given us a fear fubjects: And by an act paffed in and an abhorrence against all people the 13th year of his prefent majesty, infected with that terrible diftemper all foreigners who fhould refide for of the mind, therefore it was re- feven years in any of our colonies in folved, that no foreigner fo infected America, and should take the oaths should afterwards be naturalized; appointed by an act of the first year and in pursuance of this refolution, E of his late majefty, fhould be deemlaw was then paffed, by which it ed his majesty's natural born fubjects was enacted, That all fuch as were of this kingdom. By both thefe afterwards to be naturalized, or re- acts, therefore, even foreign Jews ftored in blood, being of the age of may be naturalized, notwithstanding eighteen years, or upwards, fhould the act of James I. and we may obreceive the facrament of the Lord's- ferve a remarkable difference between Supper, and the oaths of allegiance F the fpirit of the times when these. and fupremacy, that is to fay, the two acts were respectively passed. facrament of the Lord's-Supper with- In that of Charles II. there was not in one month before the bill for their the least care taken to exclude fuch naturalization should be exhibited, Papifts as are willing to take the oath and the oaths of allegiance and fu- of fupremacy; but in that of his premacy at the ufual time of paffing prefent majefly there is an express the fame. G provifo, that no perfon, except Quakers and Jews, fhould by any thing in that act be naturalized, unlefs fuch perfon fhall have received the facrament of the Lord's-Supper This reftraint, Sir, both king and parliament then thought it neceflary to lay themselves under, in order to prevent the introduction of any more 262 PROCEEDINGS of the POLITICAL CLUB, & in fomé Proteftant or reformed congregation in Great Britain, or fome of our colonies in America, within three months next before his taking the oaths, of which he is then to produce a proper certificate, A D June leave for bringing in a bill, or by rejecting the bill after it is brought in, which the parliament would cer fainly do, if any danger fhould begin to be dreaded from too great an in crease of their numbers, or if any particular Jew fhould be fufpected of a defign to get himself natura. lized on purpose to go and refide as an Englishman in any foreign country. Thus, Sir, gentlemen may fee, that by means of these two acts many Jews may get themselves naturalized, notwithstanding the act of James I. but thefe can only be of the poorer fort; for we cannot ex- Therefore, Sir, if it were poffible pect, that a Jew worth 50 or to apprehend danger from too great 100,000l. will go to America, or B an increase of Jews in this country, engage in any of the manual trades or from their becoming poffeffed of mentioned in the firft of these acts, too great a fhare of our land eftates, in order to obtain a naturalization in or from our being involved in difthis country; and yet fuch is the le- putes by naturalized Jews claiming nity of the government, and the fe- the privileges of Englishmen in any curity of property in this country; foreign ftate, no argument can be and fo many are the advantages of C drawn from fuch apprehenfions, were trade, which may be reaped by a they as real as they are chimerical, man's living here, that many rich against the bill now under our confiforeign Jews would certainly incline deration, because it leaves the natu to come and fettle here, if it were ralization of every particular Jew unpoffible for them to be naturalized. der the examination and controul of But this cannot be done even by king parliament. And as the Jews by and parliament, whilst this act of their great command of money, and James I. remains in force; for by by their extenfive correfpondence in that act no member can prefent, nor all parts of the known world, do can the house receive a bill for the increase the commerce of every naturalization of any perfon, if fuch country they repair to, it is certainly perfon has not received the facra- the intereft of every trading or mament of the Lord's-Supper within nufacturing people to invite, or at one month before prefenting the bill leaft to render it poffible for the for his naturalization. Now all that rich Jews to come and live amongst is intended by the bill now before them. This, Sir, is an unanswerable us, is only to enable the parliament argument for the bill now before us, to naturalize a rich Jew, without his and at present we have another arreceiving the facrament of the Lord's gument equally ftrong and more Supper, in cafe he fhould defire it, preffing. Every gentleman muft fupand the parliament fhould think fit F pofe, that a very confiderable part to grant the favour: There is no of our publick funds belongs to fuch thing defigned as a general na- Jews born and refiding in foreign turalization of the Jews; nor can it countries, confequently the yearly be fuppofed, that any poor Jew will produce of thofe funds, or a great be naturalized in confequence of this part of it, muft be spent abroad, bill, because of the great expence and of course must be an annual that attends every bill of naturaliza-G drawback upon our general balance tion: Nay, even as to rich Jews of trade. Is it not then our interest the parliament may as often, and to invite those people to follow their when it pleases, put a stop to their money, and to come and spend their maturalization, by refufing to grant yearly income in this country, in E 2. Read 1753. PROCEEDINGS of the POLITICAL CLUB, &. 26} ftead of spending it abroad, perhaps they would acquire, by engaging in feveral forts of manufactures here, or by going to live for a few years in our colonies, and which their children born here would of courfe, without any of thefe methods, be entitled to; for I think it is now generally agreed, that a man born in the British dominions, let his parents be of what nation you will, and let himself be of what religion you will, is a natural born fubject, and entitled to all the rights and priB vileges of an Englishman, fo far, at leaft, as they are enjoyed and belong to diffenters from our eftablifhed church. Even a Papift born here of foreign parents, becomes entitled to all the privileges of an Englishman, fo far as they are, or can be enjoyed C by those of that religion in this country; and if our laws are more fevere against them than thofe of any other fect, it is because we know from experience, that they will never be content with indulgence, nor will grant it to others where they can acquire dominion, and becaufe we have more reason to be afraid of their acquiring dominion in this country, as their power is much greater than that of any other fect of religion. As to what the Hon. gentleman was pleased to say, Sir, about our felling or making a donation of our birthright, I must beg his pardon to obferve, that it is rather declamation than argument. A privilege, or if the gentleman pleafes, a birthright, which may be communicated without doing an injury to those formerly poffeffed of it, is not taken away by communication; and as to all the privileges now communicated D by naturalization, this is the very cafe: No Englishman can properly be faid to be hurt by the communication, because he can no way fuffer, unless he made a very bad ufe of the privilege he enjoyed, by making it a handle for extortion; and I hope E it will not be said, that a man is hurt by preventing its being in his power to practise extortion. But for God-fake, Sir, what are we to do by this bill? What rights, what privileges, are we to communicate? Not fo much as one,' Sir, as will ap- F pear to every man that reads the bill, and attends to what he reads. We are only to enable the parliament to communicate to a rich Jew born abroad, those rights and privileges which will belong to his children, or grandchildren, if born here; and fuppofing, that poor Jews could or would apply to be naturalized by bill, we are only to enable the parkament to grant them that which G But, Sir, from this indulgence of our laws with respect to the children of aliens born in this kingdom, the Hon. gentleman has drawn an argument against the bill now before us; for, fays he, as all the Jews know, or will foon know, that their children born here will be deemed natural born fubjects without any naturalization bill, there is no occafion for the bill under confideration; becaufe without our paffing any fuch bill, all the Jews who think of fettling their families here, will come over as foon as poffible, that their children born afterwards may be entitled to the rights and privileges of Englishmen. Can this argument be of any weight, Sir, with those who confider the many incapacities to 264 PROCEEDINGS of the POLITICAL CLUB, &c. June 1 have contributed largely towards merce fince the revolution, but they the fupport of our government, not only by the taxes they pay yearly, but by the vaft fums of money they A vice upon many preffing occafions. have advanced for the publick, fer B which aliens are subject by our law? If an alien fhould purchase in this country a real estate of any kind, he cannot hold it, no, not for his life; for the moment he has purchafed fuch an eftate, it belongs to, and may be claimed by the crown: Nay, he cannot hold a leafe for years of any fuch eftate, except only juftice avoid faying as to the merit So much, Sir, I could not in of a houfe for his habitation, in case of his being a merchant, and even of the Jews; and as to the danger of fuch a house the leafe goes to of our being involved in difputes by the crown upon his death, or his Englishmen in foreign countries, I naturalized Jews going to refide as leaving the kingdom, tho' he per- think we may from experience con haps paid a large fine for the leafe, clude, that it is altogether chimeriin order to prevent his being obliged cal. Many Jews born here, and to pay yearly a heavy rent. I could confequently entitled to all the primention many other incapacities, but vileges of Englishmen, have gone to thefe, I believe, will be fufficient refide, and, I believe, are now refor fhewing, that no foreign rich fiding in foreign countries; but they Jew will ever think of coming to C have always behaved with fuch live here, while he knows it to be impoffible for him to be naturalized dence and caution, that we have pru without renouncing his religion, any difpute upon their account; and never to this day been engaged in especially if we confider, that fuch Jews generally have children, per- pofitions, before we can fuppofe it we must make very improbable fuphaps grandchildren, born in foreign poffible, that the nation fhould be parts, all of whom must remain du- Dengaged in a dispute upon the acring their lives under the fame incapacities. count of any naturalized Jew, even with Spain, Portugal, or the pirati→ cal ftates in Africa. As to the unanimity of our people, Sir, I believe it can never be expected, whilst we preserve our liberties: In free countries there will always be parties and divifions; but E religion has now less concern in our divisions than it ever had heretofore, which is owing to that indulgence the feveral fects of religion have fo long enjoyed in this country; and I am fully convinced, that our established church derives more fecurity F from that indulgence, than it could ever have acquired from the most fevere perfecution; for the mutual jealousy of the fetaries will always be a fecurity for the established church; and it is certain, that they are all zealous for the fupport of our prefent happy establishment, to which, if we allow any merit, the Jews have at leaft an equal claim for they have not only contributed to the increase of our national com tend our paffing this bill, and as The next that Spoke was C. Julius, I' AGREE with the noble lord who spoke laft, that nothing more feems to be intended by this ment to naturalize fuch Jews as bill, than to impower the parliaGfhall apply for it, without obliging them to embrace the christian faith. Even this, I think too much in a chriftian country; but whatever may feem |