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M. Cremieux, The Israelite

M. Cremieux, The Israelite image
Parent Issue
Day
28
Month
April
Year
1848
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The following from tho pen of John G. Whittier, will, at the present crisis we think, be read with iiitcrest. How prophetic are the words of the " patriot Sage !" One of the ablest mcmbers of the Provisional Government of France, is the celebrated Jewish advocate, M. Cremioux. He was a metnber, in company with Isambert, of the great Anti-Slavery Convention held in London in 1840. In his speech in that Convention, he vindicaled the Jews from the charge of Slavery, and cited the noble exafnple of the Essenes, who first declared Slaverv to be a crime. " In this assembly of Chnstians," sanl he " I, a .lew, demand the complete abohtion of servilude. My enthusiasm ia equal to yours. Abolish Slavory, proclaim equality ; it is a noble and glorious mission. Tho glory of this mission belongs to two great nations, longdivided by war, now Uniting in the cause of the world's civiüzation. The words of England and of France will be heard by the world. How eublimely havo they been re-echoed already from that very Repubhc of America where so many private interests oppose the ernancipation of the blacks ! How many generous hearts are there beating only for the sacred intürests of hurnanity ! See their representatives in this hall, uniting with those of France and England. Yes! we ehall atlain the object of'our wishes. Tho holy alüance - the umteü will of France and England proclaiming the abolilion of Slavery, who can resist ? Tbis is the happiest lay of my existence ; I shu.Il dweil with delight on the recoüection that I have been permilted to give utterancn to my sontiments in an assembly like tho present ; and from thia moment my lite will ncquire in my eyes more consisteney and more real importance.'" In transcribin'g these remarks of tho French orator, our tnind has recurred to a i lion which we liekl witb the lamented John Quincy Adams, a WW days beforo lus doath. He was expressing his great solicitude in respect to the question of free or slavo territory. He longed, he said, to aee a step taken by our Government which would placo the seal of national disapprobation on the institution of Slavery. He roferrad to tho luto negotiations of England and Portugal on the subject of the slave trade, warmly commended tho answor of tho Hritish Government to thu demand of the Portuguese commissioners that the treaty for the abohtion of the nfamous trafile should bo limited to a brief terms of years - the Bubstance of which was: that the British Government could consent to no olhor pcriod for the terniiiiutioii of the troaty, than six montlm aftcr the aholiiion of Slavery throyghaut t!u world ! " Here, thon," 9aid he, " England is pledged, and France will soon unite with her, to put nn end lo Slavery throughout the world." I Ie longed, he said, to see our own country in a position which would onable her to join in the great work. Would that the venerable mnn could have lived to read the noble decree of the Government of regeneratcd Franco, for the inmediata abolition of Slavery ! Franco and England aro now united on this queation. ! When shall our Republic join the " holy alliance," spoken of by Cremieux 1 J. G. W. ljp The Frenoh R public has aliolisticd flopging in tho Navy, ntlo, for the [).■ospn. suhsti tuted four days' mprisonment.