Jewish representatives from 12 towns assembled in Baltimore
for a large demonstration. After it, a declaration was
formulated, brought to the Senate, and presented to President
James Buchanan. This took place on the 29th of October, 1857,
and was the first national Jewish demonstration in the
history of the United States. The main issue: Swiss
antisemitism.
Seven years before, in 1850, the Americans had begun
negotiations with Switzerland about rules for diplomatic and
commercial relations between the two countries. As was
customary, each country promised protection of each other's
citizens. However, the Swiss refused to grant such protection
to Jewish Americans.
Most of the cantons of Switzerland simply refused to grant
Jews full rights, and some even forbade them to enter their
territory altogether. Switzerland evaded the issue on a
national level by claiming that it could not force the
cantons to change their policies.
In Washington, the government faced a difficult dilemma. On
the one hand, the President didn't want to offend part of his
constituency. On the other hand, he didn't want to undermine
the developing relations between the United States and the
only republic in the world composed of a federation of states
just like the United States.
In 1853, a man named Millard Fillmore sat in the White House,
having taken over from Zachary Taylor who died in office. The
President rewrote the racist version of the pact between
Switzerland and America. This time, religion wasn't mentioned
at all. However, the Jews were still discriminated against.
The new version, framed in abstract terms, promised equal
protection for all, except in instances where such protection
conflicted with the law of the particular state or of the
local cantons.
The Senate ratified the pact in 1855. Needless to say, the
Jews were not satisfied. Jewish protests increased and gained
impetus throughout the United States. At the end of 1857,
demonstrations were held in 12 cities, and each city chose
delegates to the national meeting in Baltimore. President
Buchanan, who had replaced Fillmore in the meantime, was
greeted warmly by the delegation. He promised to "take swift
and effective action." Of course, he didn't do a thing.
