Letter from Jonas Phillips to the President and Members of the Convention

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Letter from Jonas Phillips to the President and Members of the Convention

1787

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/7347104

This is a copy of a letter regarding a clause in the Pennsylvania Constitution that acknowledges the New and Old Testament of the Bible as divine inspiration. Phillips points out that this is contradictory to the Bill of Rights and excludes Jewish citizens from holding public office. He requests that members of the Convention edit an oath to not include the words "and I do acknowledge the scripture of the New Testament to be given by divine inspiration."

2 pages

eng, Latn

National Archives at College Park

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 11666304

National Archives at College Park

Related Entities

There are 1 Entities related to this resource.

Phillips, Jonas, 1736-1803

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w65h859p (person)

Jonas Phillips was born in Germany in 1736. Phillips was a merchant, patriot, and patriarch of the Phillips family in America. Phillips was a founder of Congregation Mickve Israel, Philadelphia, and served in the Philadelphia militia during the Revolutionary War. Phillips married Rebecca Mendez Machado, with whom he had twenty-one children. Phillips died in 1803. ...