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The American Jew as Patriot, Soldier and Citizen. Simon Wolf
Читать онлайн.Название The American Jew as Patriot, Soldier and Citizen
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isbn 4064066234096
Автор произведения Simon Wolf
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But let us pass from Franks to another Canadian.
II.
Chevalier de Levis.
The student of Canadian history is very familiar with the name of Levis, which bids fair to be perpetuated in several geographical names in that country. The name was borne by Henri de Levis, Duke of Vontadour, Viceroy of Canada for some time after 1626, but was rendered more famous through the brilliant career of his relative, the Chevalier de Levis, Montcalm's able lieutenant, subsequently his successor as commander of the French forces in Canada, and still later Marshal of France. Numerous striking illustrations of his gallantry and chivalry are extant, and it is suggestive that Montcalm should have spoken some of his last words, in praise of "his gallant Chevalier de Levis," for whose talents and fitness for command he expressed high esteem. The writer hereof does not claim that either of these two de Levis' were Jews, but he does believe that they were of Jewish descent, less on account of their family name than on account of the following curious explanation of it: "A family that considered itself to be the oldest in Christendom. Their chateau contained, it was said, two pictures: one of the Deluge in which Noah is represented going into the Ark, carrying under his arm a trunk on which was written: 'Papiers de la maison de Levis.' The other was a portrait of the founder of the house, bowing reverently to the Virgin, who is made to say: 'Couvrez-vous, mon cousin.' 'It is for my own pleasure, my cousin,' replied the descendent of Levi."
(Compare Horace Walpole's Letters, Kingsford's History of Canada, Vol. I, p. 77, Parkman's Montcalm and Wolfe, I, 150, 360, 363, 378–379, 455, 478, 466; II. 308, 312, 354).
III.
Lopez and Hart, of Newport.
In the last volume of our "Proceedings" and also in Judge Daly's work, numerous references are to be found to the interesting career of Aaron Lopez, of Newport, whom the present writer has described as probably the richest and most successful Jewish man of affairs who lived in this country before the Revolution. It may be remembered that Lopez was one of a number of Jewish residents of Newport who found it necessary to flee from that city at the beginning of the war, when the British forces moved against the city. Lopez withdrew to Leicester, Massachusetts, with his family, and remained there until May, 1782. (Daly's Jews in North America, p. 86). Short as was his stay there, however, he left a noble memorial of his sojourn behind him, as appears from the following extract from the Diary of a journey from Plymouth to Connecticut by Samuel Davis in 1789. (Mass. Hist. Society Proceedings, 1869–1870, p. 11). "Leicester is situate on very high ground. The Meeting house is a decent edifice, very illy painted. Near it is the Academy, founded by the late Mr. Lopez, a worthy merchant of the Jewish tribe. It is a long building of two stories, with a cupola and bell, and two entrances, fronted by porticos; appears to be decaying. Mr. James observed at Worcester, that he supposed the preceptor and pupils would be removed to a handsome new school house in that town."
But Newport contained many Tories as well as Patriots, many of whom must to-day be regarded as no less patriotic than those whom we designate by that term. It is, therefore, not surprising to find Jewish Tories there, and one of the number appears to have been a martyr to his views, as the following item shows: "Mr. Isaac Hart, of Newport R. I., formerly an eminent merchant and ever a loyal subject, was inhumanly fired upon and bayoneted, wounded in fifteen parts of his body, and beat with their muskets, in the most shocking manner in the very act of imploring quarter, and died of his wounds a few hours after, universally regretted by every true lover of his King and country." (Account of the attack on Fort St. George, Rivington's Gazette, December 2, 1780).
To leave no doubt as to his faith, the following item, (from Du Simmitiaire, MSS., 1769) accompanies the preceding one in the Magazine of American History (Vol. III, p. 452): "At Mr. Isaac Hart's, a Jew, living at the Point, in Newport, R. I., there is a portrait of the late Czar, Peter I, done, I believe, by Sir Godfrey Kneller."
IV.
Some New York Jewish Patriots.
The number of New York Jews who served their country by risking life or fortune in its behalf is well-nigh legion. Hundreds upon hundreds of instances have been set forth from time to time, covering a time from the early colonial period, as appears particularly from another paper by the present writer, through the Revolutionary struggle down to our own day. But little cause can be assigned for distinguishing a few from the many in the present article unless it be the probability that the instances to be referred to herein are but little known. It should be of interest to notice, for instance, that the decision reached in 1770 to make more stringent the Non-Importation Agreement, which the colonists adopted to bring England to terms on the taxation question, had among its signers Samuel Judah, Hayman Levy, Jacob Moses, Jacob Myers, Jonas Phillips, and Isaac Seixas (New York Gazette and Weekly Post Boy, July 23, 1770).
The victory won by the Jewish Patriots over the loyalists in the New York Jewish Congregation at the outbreak of the Revolution, which induced the majority to determine to disband the congregation for country's sake, has been well described in a former article in our Society's periodicals and the names of the patriots who, in consequence, fled to Philadelphia on the approach of the British to New York are known. In another paper, the writer hereof enumerates some of the less known but possibly equally patriotic Jewish Loyalists, who remained in the city. It appears, however, that even the Jewish cemetery was to witness the strife and struggles of war, for we read that a battery to overlook the East River and prevent British ships from entering into it "is planned in some forwardness at the foot of the Jews' Burying Ground," in March, 1776. (N. Y. Hist. Soc. Collection Pub. Fund Series, Vol. III, pp. 354, 355).
During the war of 1812, the New York Jews appear to have again manifested their love of country, and one of their number, Col. Nathan Myers, was even in command of a brigade stationed near the City of New York in the beginning of the war. (Guernsey; "New York City during the War of 1812," pp. 86, 436–7). Others manifested their patriotism by bringing pecuniary sacrifices, as did Herman Hendricks in 1813. In February of that year, Congress passed an act authorizing a loan of $16,000,000, but less than $4,000,000 were subscribed. It was then that New York merchants came to the rescue by subscribing for the bonds, in spite of the sacrifices that were made in view of the fact that the government could not obtain money except at a discount of 15 per cent. Hendricks subscribed for $40,000 of the bonds, being one of the largest individual subscribers. (Scoville: The Old Merchant of New York City. First Series, pp. 329–333.)
Among those who served under Col. Myers in this War, was probably Samuel Noah, a cousin of Mordecai M. Noah, who led a most eventful life, which has been chronicled in a very interesting way by Gen. George W. Cullom in his "Biographical Sketches of Deceased Graduates of the United States Military Academy." We quote the account in full:
"Samuel Noah.
"Class of 1807.
"Died March 10, 1871, at Mount Pulaski, Ill., aged 92.
"Samuel Noah, who was born July 19, 1779, in the City of London, died March 10, 1871, at Mount Pulaski, Logan county, Illinois, at the advanced age of nearly 92, he having been for several years the senior surviving graduate of the United States Military Academy. He was of Jewish descent, and was a cousin of Mordecai M. Noah, formerly consul to Tunis, and for many years the editor of various New York journals.
"When