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See issue #3.
The
subjoined edict met our view first in the columns of the New York
Courier and Enquirer, whence we extract it. To those who have learned
that the infamous Ratti-Menton, who urged the persecution against the
innocent Jews at Damascus for the alleged murder of Father Thomas, has
received a promotion as consul to Canton from the French Government, and
the thanks of some of the sacred college, together with those of the
sovereign pontiff himself for his services to the church in that
dreadful tragedy, where at least eight guiltless Israelites perished
under the torture: it will not be strange to be informed of this new
evidence of retrogression in the path of ancient bigotry; although they
will be surprised that the Catholic religion, which has assumed so
tolerant a form in Germany and France, should in Italy put on the
cast-off habiliments of the darkest ages of persecution. But so it is;
liberty will yet have to struggle for her existence against tyranny, and
many tears will yet have to bedew the checks of the daughters of Zion
ere they can rejoice in their freedom as in days of yore.
Edict
Of The Inquisition Of Ancona Against The Jews.
We,
Fra Vicenzo Salina, of the order of Predicatori, Master in Theology,
General in Ancona, Sinigaglia, Jesi, Osinio, Cingoli, Macerats,
Tolentino, Loreto, Lecanati, and other towns and districts, &c.
It
being deemed necessary to revive the full observance of the disciplinary
laws relative to the Israelites residing within our jurisdiction, and
having hitherto without effect employed prayers and exhortations to
obtain obedience to those laws in the Ghetti (Jewries) of Ancona and
Sinigaglia, authorized by the despatch of the Sacred and Supreme
Inquisition of home, dated June 10, 1843, expressly enjoining and
commanding the observance of the decrees and pontifical constitutions,
especially in respect to Christian nurses and domestic servants, or to
the sale of property either in towns or country districts, purchased and
possessed previously to 1827, as well as subsequently to that period, we
decree as follows:
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From the interval of two months after the date of this day, all Gipsy
and Christian domestics, male and female, whether employed by day or
night, must be dismissed from service in the said two Ghetti; and all
Jews residing within our jurisdiction, are expressly prohibited from
employing any Christian nurse, or availing themselves of the service of
any Christian in any domestic occupation whatever, under pain of being
immediately punished according to the pontifical decrees and
constitutions.
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That all Jews who may possess property, either in town or country,
permanent or moveable, or rents, or interest, or any right involving
shares in funded property, or leased landed property, must, within the
term of three months from this day, dispose of it by a positive and
real, and not by any pretended or factitious contract. Should this not
be done within the time specified, the Holy Office is to sell the same
by public auction, on proof of the annual harvest being got in.
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That no Hebrew nurses, and still less any Hebrew family, shall inhabit
the city, or reside in, or remove their property into, any town or
district where there is no Ghetto (places of residence for Jews); and
that such as may actually be there in contumacy to the laws, must return
to their respective Ghetto, within the peremptory period of six months,
otherwise they will be proceeded against according to the tenor of the
law.
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That, especially in any city where there is a Ghetto, no Hebrew must
presume to associate at table with Christians, either in public houses
or ordinaries, out of the Ghetto.
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That in a city which has a Ghetto, no Hebrew shall sleep out of the
Israelite quarter, or make free to enter into familiar conversation in a
Christian house.
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That no Hebrew shall take the liberty, under any pretext whatever, to
induce male Christians, and still less female Christians, to sleep
within the boundaries of the Ghetto.
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That no Hebrew shall hire Christians, even only by the day, to work in
their houses in the Ghetto.
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That no Hebrew, either male or female, shall frequent the houses of
Christians, or maintain friendly relations with Christian man or woman.
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That the laws shall remain in force respecting the decorum to be
observed by the Hebrews who may absent themselves from their Ghetto, to
travel in other parts of the state.
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That all Hebrews are expressly prohibited from trafficking in sacred
ornaments or books of any kind, and from purchasing, reading, or keeping
possession of prohibited books of any sort, under the penalty of 100
scudi and seven years' imprisonment; and they who may have such articles
in their possession, must surrender them to the Tribunal of the Holy
Inquisition; and in case of failing to do so, they will be subject to
the above-mentioned penalty.
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That the Hebrews, in conveying their dead to the place of burial, shall
not observe any pomp or ceremony, and must especially abstain from
singing psalms, or carrying torches or lighted tapers through the
streets without the
boundaries of the Ghetto, under pain of forfeiting the torches and
tapers, and suffering other punishments, to which the nearest relative
of the deceased is condemned.
They
who violate the above articles will incur some or all of the penalties
prescribed in the edicts of the Holy Inquisition. And in order that no
one may be ignorant of the dispositions above decreed, they shall be
formally communicated to the deputies and representatives of the
Israelite community of this Ghetto of Ancona, with the Injunction that
the same shall be published in the Synagogue, the present edict being
affixed thereto; and these dispositions are to be enforced in the same
manner as if they were made known to all and every one, and notice must
be given forthwith to the Hebrews residing out of Ancona, but belonging
to this Ghetto.
Given
at Ancona, in the Chancellory of the Holy, Inquisition, on the 24th
of June, 1843.
Fra Vicenzo Salina, General Inquisitor,
Don Vitaliano Burattini (for the Chancellor).
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