Read William Smith, Jr.'s HISTORY OF THE PROVINCE OF NEW YORK, 2
vols., which Michael Kammen edited in a new version for the Harvard
University Press, has an account of the incident.  The ban on Jews was not
observed for very long.


Milton M. Klein                       |   phone: (423) 974-2806
University of Tennessee, Knoxville    |   email: [log in to unmask]



On Fri, 17 Jul 1998, Beverly Martin wrote:

> Re the contested election to the House between Phillipse and Van Horn in
> 1738:
>
> In his capacity as council for Van Horne a lawyer named William Smith
> denied the right of Jews to be electors (i.e. to vote) and is said to
> have spoken so eloquently on the subject that the Jews of NY of the time
> were said to be happy to be merely disenfranchised (as they were) and to
> avoid slaughter in the streets.  I'm looking for more info on Smith and
> on his speech.
>
> Any wisdom to offer?
>
> Many thanks,
> Beverly Martin
>