Ezekiel Hart

“ Justice Foucher, in his place, acquainted the House, that to his certain knowledge, the said Ezekiel Hart, is a professed Jew; that he has attained this knowledge from having known him to be a Jew from the beginning of the year 1803. That he (Mr. Hart) follows the Jewish customs, and that in the Courts of Justice he never took the oath but in the form it is taken by Jews. Mr. Justice Foucher, further added, that as a Judge, he particularly knows the said Hart to be a Jew ”

“ The Committee is also of opinion that it will not become the duty of your Excellency immediately to dissolve the Assembly if by vote only they should expell a Jew without assigning any other reason except that he is of the Jewish Religion and that a disso- lution if it should finally be adopted for such Cause only ought for the present to be suspended. ”

“ It is enacted that all Foreign- ers naturalized by that Act " shall be deemed adjudged and taken to be His Majesty's natural born " Subjects to all intents construc- tions and purposes whatsoever as if they and every of them had been or were born within the Kingdom " and it is self evident from the second Section of this Act that Jews are comprehended within its intention. ”

“ Coffin setting forth that Ezekiel Hart, being of the Jewish Religion, was incapable of taking the oaths required and therefore of sitting and voting in the House of Assembly and that the votes given him at the election ought to be considered as null and void and request- ing that the petitioner, having a majority of legal votes, be de- clared elected for the Town of Three Rivers.
• For a copy of the oath prescribed see Shortt and Doughty, "Constitutional Documents, 1759-1791" (1907) , p. 701. ”

“ Expulsion of Ezekiel Hart — Price. 49
Whereupon Mr. Bedard moved in amendment, seconded by Mr. Papineau, to strike out all the words after, " Religion," and insert the following, " cannot sit nor vote in this House." ”