§ Lord Bexleysaid, he had been requested to present to their Lordships a Petition from certain British-born subjects, called Jews, praying to be relieved from the disabilities under which they at present laboured. The Petitioners represented that in loyalty and good conduct they yielded to no portion of his Majesty's subjects. The noble Lord observed, that in ancient times, under several Christian monarchs, a system of persecution and cruelty had been adopted against the Jews, in which our ancestors had their share. For three centuries they were nominally excluded from this Island. When they were allowed to return, they did not, it was true, suffer the same degree of persecution as before, their condition was gradually ameliorated, but they still laboured under this diffi- 924 culty, that their rights were undefined. The laws affecting the Jews were so obscure and uncertain, that the greatest lawyers differed as to their application. This was particularly the case with respect to the question of their right to hold landed property. He would not longer occupy the time of the House, because he understood a proposition was about to be made in the other House of Parliament on the subject. He would merely express a hope that their Lordships would reflect gravely upon the question, and endeavour to shake off the hereditary prejudices which prevailed regarding it, prejudices which he had once entertained in common with others, though he had now brought his mind to think that the claims of the Jews ought to be conceded. He concluded by presenting the Petition.