The Emancipation of the Jews 1790
Source: Decret de 20 Juillet 1790. Paris, L'Imprimerie nationale [n.d. 1790];
Translated: from the original for marxists.org by Mitchell Abidor;
CopyLeft: Creative Commons (Attribute & ShareAlike) marxists.org 2011.
The National Assembly, considering that protection by the public forces is owed to all inhabitants of the kingdom without any distinctions, on the sole condition that they acquit the common contributions;
After having heard the report of its committee on domains,
Decreed and decrees that the annual charge of 20,000 livres levied against the Jews of Metz and its region, under the name of fee for inhabitance, protection, and toleration, is and remains suppressed and abolished, without any indemnification for the current concessionary and possessor of said charge;
It also decrees that the charges of the same nature that are elsewhere levied against the Jews under whatever name, are abolished and suppressed without indemnification on the part of the debtors, even if said charges are levied for the profit of the public treasury, or if they are possessed by cities, communities, or individuals. In case of hardship it shall be decided based on the advice of departmental directories in the territories in which said charges are levied the sum owed concessionaries, for which purpose the owners and possessors of these titles shall present them within the year.
Finally, it decrees that no back payments of said charges can be demanded and that any lawsuits instituted for this reason are and remain terminated.