Address to the President from the Hebrew Congregation
Newport, Rhode Island, 17 August 1790
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The Jewish presence in Newport, R.I., dated to the arrival of fifteen Sephardic Jewish families in 1658. In 1677 they bought land for a burial ground, but religious services were held in private homes until property for a synagogue was purchased in 1759 and a building was completed and dedicated in 1763. At least twenty-five Jewish families lived in Newport by the time of the Revolution, making it the largest Jewish community in the colonies. Many left during the British occupation of the town, and the Jewish community in Newport had only begun to recover its former prominence at the time of Washington's visit in August 1790 (see Morris Adam Gutstein, The Story of the Jews of Newport: Two and a Half Centuries of Judaism, 1658-1908 (New York, 1936).
This address was signed by the warden of the Congregation Yeshuat Israel of Newport, Moses Seixas (1744-1809), a leading town merchant and later cashier of the Bank of Rhode Island. Seixas probably presented it to Washington on the morning of 18 August 1790 when the town and Christian clergy of Newport also delivered addresses to the president. Washington's reply to the address of 18 August 1790 is usually considered as his opinion on religious toleration. The receiver's copy of this address is in the George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress. (The same collection, series 2, also contains two letter-book copies of the address.) The address was printed in the 8 October issue of the Connecticut Gazette (New London) 1790.
To the President of the United States of AmericaNewport Rhode Island August 17th 1790. Sir Permit the children of the Stock of Abraham to approach you with the most cordial affection and esteem for your person & merits and to join with our fellow Citizens in welcoming you to New Port. With pleasure we reflect on those days--those days of difficulty, & danger when the God of Israel, who delivered David from the peril of the sword, shielded your head in the day of battle: and we rejoice to think, that the same Spirit who rested in the Bosom of the greatly beloved Daniel enabling him to preside over the Provinces of the Babylonish Empire, rests and ever will rest upon you, enabling you to discharge the arduous duties of Chief Magistrate in these States. Deprived as we heretofore have been of the invaluable rights of free Citizens, we now (with a deep sense of gratitude to the Almighty disposer of all events) behold a Government, erected by the Majesty of the People--a Government, which to bigotry gives no sanction, to persecution no assistance--but generously affording to All liberty of conscience, and immunities of Citizenship: deeming every one, of whatever Nation, tongue, or language, equal parts of the great governmental Machine: This so ample and extensive Federal Union whose basis is Philanthropy, Mutual Confidence and Publick Virtue, we cannot but acknowledge to be the work of the Great God, who ruleth in the Armies Of Heaven and among the Inhabitants of the Earth, doing whatever seemeth him good. For all the Blessings of civil and religious liberty which we enjoy under an equal and benign administration, we desire to send up our thanks to the Antient of Days, the great preserver of Men--beseeching him, that the Angel who conducted our forefathers through the wilderness into the promised land, may graciously conduct you through all the difficulties and dangers of this mortal life: and, when like Joshua full of days and full of honour, you are gathered to your Fathers, may you be admitted into the Heavenly Paradise to partake of the water of life, and the tree of immortality. Done and Signed by Order of the Hebrew Congregation in Newport Rhode Island Moses Seixas, Warden |
Adapted from The Papers of George Washington, Presidential Series, W. W. Abbot et al., eds., vol. 6, pp. 284-86 (Mark A. Mastromarino, volume editor), University Press of Virginia (Charlottesville, 1996).
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