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H.E.G. Paulus Opposes the Emancipation of the Jews in Baden (1831)

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II. But even if none of these dubious applications of national religious opinions existed with respect to the admission of Jewry to political and civic offices, according to general constitutional law, the capable person is not qualified to hold a community director's office when he persists in belonging to another nation. Whoever belongs to another nation can be a foreigner, he can be a protected member of society in Baden; but if he aspires to become a reeve or a town mayor, he would, even if he were a Grey, a Wellington, or a Lafayette, in the first place have to relinquish the other nationality and be nationalized here. Personally belonging to two nations to the same extent is not permissible as a matter of constitutional law. Everyone who is convinced that he needs to remain a Jew belongs (may he be born wherever he has been admitted to protection) to the one nation that is dispersed throughout the world but remains isolated in so many laws and customs. He can only be a protected member of society in another nation. That he, without leaving his nation, cannot be qualified to become a citizen of the state, i.e. not [qualified] for a reeve's office in the nation of Baden, is no dishonor to him; it is a consequence of that in which he aspires to persist; it is the necessary right of every nation not to have foreign national authorities governing it. If Jewry as a nation is going to form a state anywhere, whoever does not nationalize himself among them by circumcision can surely not become a village judge there.

But we, who should not forget to be Christians even as citizens of the state, have to add a third consideration.

Being Christian is undeniably, for now, the best among the stages of civilization achieved. Only clerical controversies could occasion the deplorable state of affairs in which what is Christian is not acknowledged for its excellence and maintained as fully valid. Apart from all the doctrinal opinions that are theological and at dispute relating to clerical authority, He – who has honored us in teaching us Divinity spiritually and through the Truth of probity, [who] proved the possibility by deed, and in the meantime thereby persuaded and inspired millions among all those who still retained his original Christianity (even if under tiresome humanizations) as a foundation – [He] brought forth a moral, civic, and scientific [scholarly] perfection (culture), by force of which everyone is convinced: The more Christian the way we are governed, the better!!

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