that "any who shall wilfully or intentionally conceal any part of the personal property hereinbefore confiscated or prevent the commissioners from disposing of the same shall be guilty of a felony and on conviction thereof shall suffer death.'

To make this performance all the more ridiculous many of the names had also been proscribed by the British, thus, Sir Patrick Houston and John Martin had been attainted by the British as rebels," and then by this act, as Loyalists."

As Smith says, "The same was true of sundry others, and many of those found on this list aspersed as Tories were found afterward to be leading men in the counsels of the State." This was certainly true in Martin's case who was dreaded as the enemy of the British and subsequently became Governor of the State. Special acts were passed for the relief of those mentioned."

80a

The act referred to attaints several hundred persons and among these are found the names of Isaac De Leon, and Levi Sheftall; the latter it will be remembered was the brother of Mordecai Sheftall and had been named in the disqualifying act passed by the British as well.

Both those mentioned, however, may have been in the class referred to by Smith. For in 1785 there appears a special act, passed by the Legislature of Georgia for their relief and Levi Sheftall, Isaac De Lyon and also a David Leion were

77 66 Digest of the Laws of the State of Georgia," Savannah, 1802, p. 84.

78" The Story of Georgia, etc.," p. 102.

"Ibid. John Martin subsequently became Governor of the State of Georgia.

79 Smith's "The Story of Georgia, etc.," pp. 102, 103.

80 Ibid.

So Ibid. See "Digest of the Laws of the State of Georgia," 1802, p. 83.

restored to citizenship." In 1787 a second act was passed for the further relief of Levi Sheftall.

82

By 1782 many of the patriots had gone to Philadelphia then the refuge for those who had incurred the enmity of the British, and among the founders of the "Congregation of the Revolution" as the Philadelphia Congregation may well be styled, may be found a few names of Georgia patriots. These are Abraham Seixas, Cushman Pollak, Mordecai Sheftall, Sheftall Sheftall, Major Nones, and Jacob Cohen.

83

But these gentlemen seemed to have remained in Philadelphia for a short time only. They returned to Georgia within a year.

After the close of the war the State of Georgia became possessed of considerable land and rewarded with grants many of those who had been faithful to the cause of independence, and had rendered valuable military service."

83b

83a

Among others so rewarded may be found the names of Lewis Solomon, N. Lazarus, Samuel Sampson, Mordecai Sheftall, and Sheftall Sheftall."

848

Just before the treaty of peace was signed many of the Jews returned to their State, while others came from various parts. By 1786 Jews were again in sufficient numbers to reestablish the Congregation. Philip Minis was chosen Parnass, David N. Cardozo who had served in the South Carolina Line, Levi Sheftall, Cushman Pollak, Joseph Abrahams, Abraham

81 Ibid., p. 78.

2 Ibid., p. 103. See also "The Revolutionary Records of the State of Georgia" (Atlanta, 1908), Vol. I, pp. 612, 614, 617.

83 See Morais, "Jews of Philadelphia." Comp. "Westcott's History of the Test Laws of Pennsylvania," Philadelphia, 1865.

Sa White's "Historical Collections, etc.," p. 112. Smith's "Story of Georgia, etc.," p. 113.

83b Ibid., p. 629.

"White's "Historical Collections, etc.," p. 112.

Sa See article in Occident, Vol. 1, p. 486, etc.

De Pas and Emanuel De La Motta were among the prime movers for that purpose," and it is interesting to note that most of those who were foremost in re-establishing the Congregation, had fought for the patriot cause.

Miss Adelaide Wilson in her interesting sketch of Savannah tells us that "Of all the various creeds represented in Savannah, to the Hebrew Congregation alone belongs the honor of having addressed a letter of congratulation to Washington on his accession to the Presidency." This letter together with Washington's reply have been published in the proceedings of this Society and I will therefore refrain from making further mention of them.

In what esteem the Jews were held by their Christian fellow-citizens may be shown by a curious incident occurring in 1790. The grave of the mother of Benjamin Sheftall lay within the woody region of the site of the present Independent Presbyterian Church. In appreciation of the valuable services of Benjamin Sheftall the width of South Broad Street, we are informed, was extended so as to include within its space the unmarked place of burial of his mother." Some of the original settlers of the colony lived, like Oglethorpe, to see the colony an independent commonwealth. Among these may be mentioned Daniel Nunez who died in 1789 and Moses Nunez who died in 1787.88

85 Ibid. Comp. Markens' "Hebrews in America."

So See also 'Historic and Picturesque Savannah," p. 95. The latter together with Washington's reply was published in Publications of American Jewish Historical Society, No. 3, p. 88 f.

87"Historic and Picturesque Savannah," by Adelaide Wilson, p. 89, etc. It may be interesting to note here that the Jewish Burial Ground was the first to be enclosed within Savannah, a fact which was favorably commented upon and finally influenced the Gentiles of Savannah to make a similar inclosure.

* Ibid., p. 89. See paper by the present writer in Jewish Comment, 1901.

In reviewing the history of the Jews of Georgia, we must constantly bear in mind the paucity of their numbers and the prominent positions occupied by them. The Jews of the South generally were heart and soul in the cause of independence and their conduct fully warranted the remarks of Mr. Worthington when, speaking in favor of the Jew Bill in Maryland, in 1828, he stated that "There were many valuable Jewish members, officers principally in the Revolution, from the South chiefly, and these were ever at their post and always foremost in hazardous enterprises." "

80 Address of Mr. Worthington on the Maryland Jew Bill, 1828. Immediately after the Revolution Georgia had considerable trouble with the Indians and Savannah was much exercised with fears of uprisings among the savages. Lieut. Benjamin Sheftall is prominently mentioned in this connection as commander of the militia for the defense of the town. See "Historic and Picturesque Savannah," pp. 81, 82, etc. (1787-9).

LINCOLN AND THE JEWS.

BY ISAAC MARKENS.

Since the name of Abraham Lincoln has been linked with no stirring event in connection with American Judaism it follows that the subject "Lincoln and the Jews," may possibly be lacking in the essentials demanding treatment at the hands of the critical historian. Nevertheless, as a student of the great war President the writer has been impressed by the vast amount of interesting material bearing upon his relations to the Jews, which it occurs to him is worthy of compilation and preservation. A contribution of this character seems specially fitting at the present time in view of the centenary of the one whose gaunt figure towers above all others in the galaxy of American heroes" the first of our countrymen to reach the lonely heights of immortal fame."

The Jews of the United States formed but a small portion of the population in Lincoln's time. The President of the Board of Delegates of American Israelites, their representative organization, estimated their number in the loyal States near the close of 1861 at not less than 200,000, which figures are now regarded as excessive. The Rev. Isaac Leeser as late as 1865 could not figure the entire Jewish population of the United States as exceeding 200,000, although he admitted that double that number had been estimated by others.

Political sentiment was then divided and found expression largely through the Occident, a monthly, published by Rev. Isaac Leeser in Philadelphia; the Jewish Messenger, a weekly, conducted by Rev. Samuel M. Isaacs in New York, and the Israelite, a weekly, edited by Rev. Isaac M. Wise in Cincinnati. Rabbis and laymen of learning and eloquence were