A LANDMARK. BY N. TAYLOR PHILLIPS, LL.B., New York. The following brief note is no less than a description of what I believe to be the oldest memorial stone marking any Jewish grave in the City of New York. It is in the cemetery, situated on New Bowery, of the Spanish and Portuguese Congregation Shearith Israel. The tombstone is of a variety seldom seen at this time, being nearly six feet square, and laid flat on the ground, covering the grave. It is composed of a stone which, I am informed by persons engaged in the art of monumental construction, is not quarried in this country. This will be better understood when it is explained that for many years after the period referred to it was the custom to send a special order to Europe for each tombstone as it was needed, and being costly, they were brought out by wealthy persons only. The inscription, even at this day, is perfectly legible-the stone presenting a mottled grayish aspect of rather rough indentation. It is in the most ancient portion of the cemetery, and marks the grave of a member of that distinguished family which for so many years was prominent among the Spanish and Portuguese Israelites in the city of Amsterdam, Holland, and thereafter in London, and the writer is informed that some branches bearing the same name still exist there-one or two having in recent years sought America. Of the subject of this sketch, Benjamin Bueno de Mesquita, nothing other is known than that according to his tombstone he was buried in the year 1683. The records of the congregation do not mention him, but other members of his family were members of the synagogue for many years after the above date, and were persons of position and influence. Joseph Bueno, who originally purchased the cemetery in May, 1681/2 from William and Mary Merrit, in trust for the Jewish Nation, was, it is supposed, of the family of Bueno de Mesquita, but in making the conveyance preferred to drop the latter portion of the name to conform more exactly to the style of his adopted country. It may indeed be open to question whether this interment was the first one made in this ancient God's acre, but from the records of the congregation and the inscriptions on the tombstones as they existed prior to the opening of New Bowery, which cut through the oldest portion of the cemetery, none appear to be older than this. There was a tombstone over the grave of one Lousada, bearing the common date 1644, but as the Hebrew date was many years subsequent to that, it was the opinion of the late Rev. J. J. Lyons, after careful inquiry and examination, that the common date was simply an error on the part of the stonecutter, judging from the facts that the Hebrew date was set forth much more elaborately than the common one, and that the family of Lousada belonged to a later period in the history of the congregation. Subjoined is an exact copy and translation of the inscription (which is in verse) on the tombstone of Benjamin Bueno de Mesquita. It is written in the old Portuguese language: Debajo Desta Lossa Sepultado Ya se Binjamin Bueno de Mesqta Los muertos de su pueblo con piedades 5444. (TRANSLATION.) Beneath this stone is buried He who was Benjamin Bueno de Mesquita On the fourth of Heshvan. His blessed soul Here from the living separated. Wait for thy God! who will revive The dead of His people in mercy To enjoy without end Eternity. 1683. AN ACT ALLOWING NATURALIZATION OF JEWS IN THE COLONIES. BY HON. SIMON W. ROSENDALE, Albany, N. Y. In accordance with the request made to me by the Secretary, to investigate and, if possible, to report for the December meeting, with reference to an act passed in 1740, for the naturalization of settlers of the colonies in America, I have the honor to submit a copy of the act referred to. It is Chapter VII of the laws passed anno 13 George II, (1740). Irrespective of the general interest attaching to the law itself, it is respectfully suggested that perhaps from some of its provisions discovery may be made of useful information. It will be seen that, by Section 5, it is provided that the Secretary of every colony was required to send to the offices of the Commissioners for Trade and Plantations, kept in the City of London or Westminster, a true and perfect list of the names of all and every person and persons who have entitled themselves to the benefit of the act; which lists, so transmitted, were required to be regularly entered by the commissioners in a book to be kept for that purpose in said office, for public view and inspection, as occasion shall require. If, as may well be assumed, the reports were made and have been kept as in the statute provided, it might be well for the Society to cause the list to be scrutinized, to the end that possibly among the names will be found some that are readily identifiable as being of Jewish origin, and thus perhaps lead up to the discovery of other early Jewish settlers of some of the colonies. A. D. 1740. What foreign Colonies, "ANNO 13 GEO. II, CAP. VII. An Act for naturalizing such foreign Protestants, and others therein mentioned, as are settled or shall settle, in any of His Majesty's Colonies in America. Whereas the Increase of People is a Means of advancing the Wealth and Strength of any Nation or Country; And whereas many Foreigners and Strangers from the Lenity of our Government, the Purity of our Religion, the Benefit of our Laws, the Advantages of our Trade, and the Security of our Property, might be induced to come and settle in some of His Majesty's Colonies in America, if they were made Partakers of the Advantages and Privileges which the natural born Subjects of this Realm do enjoy; Be it therefore enacted by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same That from and after the first Day of June in the Year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred ers living in and forty, all persons born out of the Legiance of His Majesty, deemed His Heirs or Successors, who have inhabited and resided, or shall inhabit or reside for the Space of seven Years or more, in any of His Majesty's Colonies in America, and shall not have been absent out of some of the said Colonies for a longer Space than two Months at any one time during the said seven Years, and shall take and subscribe the Oaths, and make, repeat and subscribe the Declaration appointed by an Act made in the first Year of the Reign of His late Majesty c. 13. King George the First, intituled, An Act for the further Security of His Majesty's Person and Government, and the Succession of the Crown in the Heirs of the late Princess Sophia, being Protestants; and for extinguishing the Hopes. of the pretended Prince of Wales, his open and secret Abettors; or, being of the People called Quakers, shall make and subscribe the Declaration of Fidelity, and take and affirm Natives. 1 G. 1, Stat. 2, |