CHAPTER XXVIII.1868.
SERIOUS OUTBREAK AGAINST THE JEWS AT BERLAD—SIR MOSES APPEALS TO THE MOLDAVIAN GOVERNMENT—THE REPLY—REPRESSIVE BILL AFFECTING THE JEWS—THE GALATZ INCIDENT—LORD SHAFTESBURY AND SIR MOSES—VISIT TO THE SOUTH OF FRANCE.
DURING the latter part of December 1867 and nearly the whole of January 1868 he was confined to his chamber at Ramsgate by a severe attack of bronchitis, and was just about to start by the advice of his medical attendant for Tunbridge Wells or Reigate for the improvement of his health, when, unfortunately, a report of a serious outrage caused him to abandon the idea.
"I passed a restless night," he says, "and was very weak this morning, but my letters were brought to my bedside about nine o'clock this morning. Among them a letter from the Foreign Office, with a copy of a despatch from Mr Green, Her Majesty's Consul-General at Bucharest, dated 15th January, giving an account of a serious outbreak against the Jews at Berlad in Moldavia."
After the assurance given to him by the Prince and his Ministers, and the powerful support which had been promised by the British Government and all the Great Powers, he was not at all prepared to hear so soon of another outbreak in Moldavia, and the communication he now received caused him great pain.
He immediately wrote to the Foreign Office to ask an audience of Lord Stanley on the subject, and next day started for London, where he at once proceeded to the Foreign Office to see Mr Hammond, taking with him all the letters which had reached him in the morning from Moldavia. Being informed that the Jews there had not applied to the English Consul for advice and protection, he at once sent a telegram to the ChiefRabbi of Berlad, urging him to appeal to the British Consul at Bucharest.
Tuesday, January 28th.—He called on Lord Stanley, accompanied by the President of the London Committee of Deputies of the British Jews. His Lordship received them most courteously, and said he had done all he could, and would continue to do so.
Wednesday, January 29th.—Sir Moses addressed a letter to Prince Charles, and despatched it, by Lord Stanley's permission, through the Foreign Office. Monsieur Stefan Golisue, Minister for Foreign Affairs, sent a reply, of which the following, with the exception of a few sentences, is a translation:—
"Bucharest,7/19th February 1868."Sir,—His Serene Highness Prince Charles I. has shown me the letter which you have addressed to him, in favour of the Jewish population of Roumania, in consequence of the troubles which happened at Berlad. In requesting me to answer it, His Highness has also charged me to thank you, sir, for your good wishes, and for the kind sentiments you were pleased to express. In conformity with the declaration contained in the speech from the throne, and true to the sentiments of equity which this declaration attests—sentiments which you, sir, are good enough to acknowledge and to praise, His Highness is determined not to permit that any class of his subjects, whatever may be their religion, shall ever be molested with impunity on account of their creed, or for any other cause."Our august Sovereign also desires me to assure you, that those of your co-religionists who have suffered in the troubles of Berlad will be indemnified for all losses legally certified to have been caused by these most regrettable occurrences, into which a most searching enquiry will be made, in order to find out their real authors."Although I deplore as much as you, sir, these sad occurrences, it is still my duty to caution you against the exaggerated accounts of the same, given by several public organs. I am able to assure you that, although most regrettable, they are far from having the gravity which has been incorrectly attributed to them.—With the assurance of my highest regard, I have the honour to be, sir, your very obedient servant,"Stefan Golisue."
"Bucharest,7/19th February 1868.
"Sir,—His Serene Highness Prince Charles I. has shown me the letter which you have addressed to him, in favour of the Jewish population of Roumania, in consequence of the troubles which happened at Berlad. In requesting me to answer it, His Highness has also charged me to thank you, sir, for your good wishes, and for the kind sentiments you were pleased to express. In conformity with the declaration contained in the speech from the throne, and true to the sentiments of equity which this declaration attests—sentiments which you, sir, are good enough to acknowledge and to praise, His Highness is determined not to permit that any class of his subjects, whatever may be their religion, shall ever be molested with impunity on account of their creed, or for any other cause.
"Our august Sovereign also desires me to assure you, that those of your co-religionists who have suffered in the troubles of Berlad will be indemnified for all losses legally certified to have been caused by these most regrettable occurrences, into which a most searching enquiry will be made, in order to find out their real authors.
"Although I deplore as much as you, sir, these sad occurrences, it is still my duty to caution you against the exaggerated accounts of the same, given by several public organs. I am able to assure you that, although most regrettable, they are far from having the gravity which has been incorrectly attributed to them.—With the assurance of my highest regard, I have the honour to be, sir, your very obedient servant,
"Stefan Golisue."
Sir Moses published this letter in theTimes, and, with a view of further impressing upon the Roumanian Government the necessity of putting a stop to the reported outrages, addressed the Minister for Foreign Affairs in a suitable letter, at the same time enclosing him a copy of theTimes.
No stronger words, it will be seen, could be used than those given in the Minister's letter regarding the good intentions of the Roumanian Government. Unfortunately, however, in the very same month, and again three months afterwards, reports of violence and organised measures of oppression in Moldavia reached England, France, and Germany.
In a telegram from the Jewish community of Jassy, dated March 26th, information is given to the effect that "thirty-one Radical Deputies, including the President, have presented to the Chamber the following Bill, which has been at once sent to the Sections:
"1st.The Jews shall not reside in the country. For residence in the town, they must first obtain a special licence."2nd.The transgressors shall be treated as vagabonds, and expelled by the municipalities."3rd.The Jews shall not buy nor sell houses."4th.The Jews shall not farm lands, forests, vineyards, enclosures, pastures, mills, distilleries, public-houses, and inns."5th.The Jews shall not contract for any undertakings, nor be partners with Christians for such objects."6th.The Jews shall not exercise any commerce without a licence from the municipality; the transgressors shall be punished with fines, and their suits shall not be entertained by the authorities."7th.The Jews shall not sell beverages and eatables, except to their co-religionists."The Jewish committees shall be suppressed, and the laws contrary to this act abrogated."
"1st.The Jews shall not reside in the country. For residence in the town, they must first obtain a special licence.
"2nd.The transgressors shall be treated as vagabonds, and expelled by the municipalities.
"3rd.The Jews shall not buy nor sell houses.
"4th.The Jews shall not farm lands, forests, vineyards, enclosures, pastures, mills, distilleries, public-houses, and inns.
"5th.The Jews shall not contract for any undertakings, nor be partners with Christians for such objects.
"6th.The Jews shall not exercise any commerce without a licence from the municipality; the transgressors shall be punished with fines, and their suits shall not be entertained by the authorities.
"7th.The Jews shall not sell beverages and eatables, except to their co-religionists.
"The Jewish committees shall be suppressed, and the laws contrary to this act abrogated."
The news referring to Monsieur Bratiano's circular had already been received by Her Majesty's Government long before it had been carried out at Jassy, and no time was lost in transmitting proper instructions to the Consul-General of Her Majesty's Government at Bucharest.
Before long the unfortunate occurrence at Galatz brought one more cry of anguish and prayer for supplication. On July 14th, ten Israelites, after being brought to Galatz from Jassy a few days before, ill-treated, and employed at the vilest and most degrading labour, were, by order of the Prefect, together with an eleventh fellow-sufferer and co-religionist, carried to the opposite side of the Danube, and there abandoned in the swamps and morasses, exposed to the wind and weather, without food or shelter. These people were then daily carried backwards and forwards—to one shore by the Turkish soldiers, and to the other by the Roumanians. Three days later one of the unfortunates was already missing, having undoubtedly met his death in the swamps. On Sunday morning the ten were again brought overby the Turks, but the Roumanian soldiers prevented them with their bayonets from landing, and two (an old man and a young man) were carried away by the stream and drowned. Seeing this, the officer on duty allowed the remaining eight to come on board, but no further. Of those saved, one was suffering from illness, and another had become insane.
The Austrian Consul, Monsieur Kremer, on hearing of it, took up the matter, and immediately sent two boats from the Austrian ship of war to the place to fetch the eight left alive, and to search for the bodies of the dead. Of the bodies, but one (that of the old man) was found. On the approach of the Austrian boats, the eight unfortunate sufferers were taken to the guard-house, and afterwards set at liberty.
The British Government sent instructions to Mr Green, but the Roumanian authorities laid the whole blame upon the Turks. Lord Stanley continued sending the despatches from the Consul-General to Sir Moses almost as soon as they arrived, for which favour Sir Moses always expressed his deep gratitude; but the state of his co-religionists in Roumania caused him much anxiety.
A gleam of hope, however, regarding the condition of the Jews in another part of the world, came to gladden his heart.
A communication was made to him from Saffi in Morocco, referring to the Jews at Abdá, the substance of which I copy from theTimesof Tuesday, February 18th, 1868:—
"Letters received at Gibraltar from Saffi bring tidings that Hádj Dris, the commissioner, who was sent by the Sultan to that port to make an investigation into the circumstances of the murder and robbery of several Jews in the province of Abdá, has caused a letter from the Sultan to be read in public to the two Governors of Abdá, expressing His Majesty's severe displeasure on account of the atrocities. The Sultan desires that the Jews should be guarded from harm, and well treated, and reminds his officers that the Prophet ordered the Mahommedans to protect them. His Majesty adds, 'Whos ever shall kill a Jew we shall put him to death.' 7500 Spanish dollars have been given as compensation to the Jews, and the Moors who were suspected of having committed the crimes, but against whom there was not evidence to justify their being put to death, have been sent in chains to Morocco, to be there imprisoned during the Sultan's pleasure. The Consular officers at Saffi were requested to attend a meeting of the Moorish authorities and principal Jews of the town, when this satisfaction was offered to the Jews and cheerfully accepted by them. It said, that the British, French, and other Governments had made sundry representations and remonstrances to the Sultan on the subject of atrocities, which led to these proceedings. The Sultan has afforded another proof of his intention to give practical effect to his promise to Sir Moses Montefiore, that equal justice should be administrated to his Mahommedan and Jewish subjects. He has offered a reward of 100 Spanish dollars for the apprehension, dead or alive, of the murdererof the Austrian interpreter at Tetuan, and ordered that any Moor sheltering or giving food to the murderer shall be treated as an accomplice.""If a monarch, ruling over an Empire so far away from Europe, the land of civilization, acts so energetically in the cause of justice and humanity, and expresses publicly his severe displeasure to the officers in charge of the administration of the law of the country, how much more," says Sir Moses, "is there every reason to hope that His Serene Highness, Prince Charles, himself a most enlightened ruler among the Potentates of Europe, who has repeatedly expressed his disapproval of acts of injustice, will not rest in his humane exertions until, even more effectively than the Sultan of Morocco is always able to do, he will have secured to all who dwell under his sway, irrespective of their religious convictions, full protection and the rights and privileges to which every loyal subject is fully entitled."
"Letters received at Gibraltar from Saffi bring tidings that Hádj Dris, the commissioner, who was sent by the Sultan to that port to make an investigation into the circumstances of the murder and robbery of several Jews in the province of Abdá, has caused a letter from the Sultan to be read in public to the two Governors of Abdá, expressing His Majesty's severe displeasure on account of the atrocities. The Sultan desires that the Jews should be guarded from harm, and well treated, and reminds his officers that the Prophet ordered the Mahommedans to protect them. His Majesty adds, 'Whos ever shall kill a Jew we shall put him to death.' 7500 Spanish dollars have been given as compensation to the Jews, and the Moors who were suspected of having committed the crimes, but against whom there was not evidence to justify their being put to death, have been sent in chains to Morocco, to be there imprisoned during the Sultan's pleasure. The Consular officers at Saffi were requested to attend a meeting of the Moorish authorities and principal Jews of the town, when this satisfaction was offered to the Jews and cheerfully accepted by them. It said, that the British, French, and other Governments had made sundry representations and remonstrances to the Sultan on the subject of atrocities, which led to these proceedings. The Sultan has afforded another proof of his intention to give practical effect to his promise to Sir Moses Montefiore, that equal justice should be administrated to his Mahommedan and Jewish subjects. He has offered a reward of 100 Spanish dollars for the apprehension, dead or alive, of the murdererof the Austrian interpreter at Tetuan, and ordered that any Moor sheltering or giving food to the murderer shall be treated as an accomplice."
"If a monarch, ruling over an Empire so far away from Europe, the land of civilization, acts so energetically in the cause of justice and humanity, and expresses publicly his severe displeasure to the officers in charge of the administration of the law of the country, how much more," says Sir Moses, "is there every reason to hope that His Serene Highness, Prince Charles, himself a most enlightened ruler among the Potentates of Europe, who has repeatedly expressed his disapproval of acts of injustice, will not rest in his humane exertions until, even more effectively than the Sultan of Morocco is always able to do, he will have secured to all who dwell under his sway, irrespective of their religious convictions, full protection and the rights and privileges to which every loyal subject is fully entitled."
Sir Moses having done his utmost for the welfare of his brethren in the East, with what conspicuous success has already been seen, he now turned his attention to the affairs of the Hebrew community in England.
Monday, May 11th.—He writes: "I feel rather better; have more energy, and very anxious to be, if possible, useful to my co-religionists. Therefore am reluctant to refuse the proffered appointment of President of the Board of Deputies of the British Jews, as perhaps it may be the means of promoting the general unity of all the Jews in England." "I think," he adds, "our Members of Parliament should beex officiomembers of the Board, as the best medium of expressing the sentiments of the Board in the House of Commons. To-day I went over the House of my dear Judith College, and was pleased with it. I wish Dr Loewe would come and at once set it afloat."
It appears to have been the great object of his desire to secure the strict adherence to the Statutes, enrolled by him in Chancery, on the 26th of February 1866, for the regulation of the College; for, on his referring again in his Diary, four months later, to that institution, in an entry dated East Cliff, Thursday, July 16th, 1868, he writes: "After deep consideration, and with the sincere desire that it may be the means of securing more entirely the fulfilment of my wishes respecting the conduct of the persons selected to fill the buildings of my dear, dear Judith College, and the strict performance of their duties, I have added Dr Loewe to the Trust of the property, in the room of my lamented friend Benjamin Cohen."
He now occupied himself with the selection of the various objects necessary for the internal fittings of the College, such as book-cases, desks, and forms, made after a model he had seen atthe great Exhibition of 1851. Kind relatives and friends sent him costly presents, such as a beautiful velvet curtain, embroidered with gold, for the Ark, and a mantle for the scroll of the Holy Law, from his sisters, Mrs Gompertz and Mrs Cohen; handsome embroidered covers for the pulpit from his nieces, Mrs Sebag-Montefiore and Mrs H. Guedalla; a splendid picture representing the vision of Ezekiel, painted and presented by Mr Hart, R.A., and many other suitable objects, all of which gave Sir Moses great pleasure. He himself deposited in the College whatever he thought interesting to the student of Jewish history, out of his own large collection of valuable objects. His ardent desire to promote the study of Hebrew and theological literature, and his great exertions to ameliorate the lot of his brethren wherever they were persecuted, earned for him the high esteem even of those not belonging to his own faith. As an instance, I will only state that in this year steps were taken by one of the highest and most esteemed in the land to raise Sir Moses to the peerage.
The late Earl of Shaftesbury, a man of unshaken belief in Scripture, in Christian dogma, and in prayer, entertained sentiments of the highest respect for Sir Moses.
Mr Edwin Hodder, the author of "The Life and Work of the Seventh Earl of Shaftesbury," referring to the desire of his Lordship to see Sir Moses raised to the Peerage, thus writes (vol. iii. p. 234):
"To Mr Gladstone, the new Premier, Lord Shaftesbury preferred a similar request to one he had made without effect to Mr Disraeli when he was Prime Minister. It was as follows:—Lord ShaftesburytoThe Right Hon. W. E.Gladstone.December 22nd,1868."Dear Gladstone,—The new arrangements you have made in respect of certain young peers in the House of Lords will prove, I doubt not, very beneficial."But I have an impulse, which I cannot restrain, an impulse both from opinion and feeling, to suggest another movement; and I make it far less on the presumption of tendering advice than of disburdening myself of a strong desire. The Jewish question has now been settled. The Jews can sit in both Houses of Parliament. I myself resisted their admission, not because I was adverse to the descendants of Abraham, of whom our blessed Lord came according to the flesh, very far from it, but because I objected to the mode in which that admission was to be effected."All that is passed away, and let us now avail ourselves of the opportunity to show regard to God's ancient people."There is a noble member of the house of Israel, Sir Moses Montefiore, a man dignified by patriotism, charity, and self-sacrifice, on whom Her Majesty might graciously bestow the honours of the Peerage."It would be a glorious day for the House of Lords when that grand old Hebrew were enrolled on the lists of the hereditary legislators of England.—Truly Yours,"Shaftesbury."
"To Mr Gladstone, the new Premier, Lord Shaftesbury preferred a similar request to one he had made without effect to Mr Disraeli when he was Prime Minister. It was as follows:—
Lord ShaftesburytoThe Right Hon. W. E.Gladstone.
December 22nd,1868.
"Dear Gladstone,—The new arrangements you have made in respect of certain young peers in the House of Lords will prove, I doubt not, very beneficial.
"But I have an impulse, which I cannot restrain, an impulse both from opinion and feeling, to suggest another movement; and I make it far less on the presumption of tendering advice than of disburdening myself of a strong desire. The Jewish question has now been settled. The Jews can sit in both Houses of Parliament. I myself resisted their admission, not because I was adverse to the descendants of Abraham, of whom our blessed Lord came according to the flesh, very far from it, but because I objected to the mode in which that admission was to be effected.
"All that is passed away, and let us now avail ourselves of the opportunity to show regard to God's ancient people.
"There is a noble member of the house of Israel, Sir Moses Montefiore, a man dignified by patriotism, charity, and self-sacrifice, on whom Her Majesty might graciously bestow the honours of the Peerage.
"It would be a glorious day for the House of Lords when that grand old Hebrew were enrolled on the lists of the hereditary legislators of England.—Truly Yours,
"Shaftesbury."
Mr Disraeli (Mr Hodder writes) had replied in a "gushing" letter, expressing his great willingness to do anything, but stating that he was, for obvious reasons, less than any other Prime Minister in a position to grant the request.
Mr Gladstone replied that the case should be carefully "considered," and made enquiry as to what Sir Moses Montefiore's fortune was supposed to be, and whether he had children, but there he allowed the matter to rest.
It was a great disappointment, the same author writes, to Lord Shaftesbury, who had the highest admiration for the character of the great Hebrew philanthropist. The admiration was mutual, and lasted to the end of their lives.
On one occasion, he relates, Sir Moses sent to Lord Shaftesbury a cheque for £95 to be used for the Field Lane Ragged School, or any other purpose he might think proper. It seems a curious amount. It was sent on the day that his wife would, had she lived, have attained her 95th year.
The last letter Lord Shaftesbury ever received from Sir Moses Montefiore was written with his own hand in his hundredth year, and was as follows:—
Sir Moses MontefioretoLord Shaftesbury."East Cliff Lodge,"Ramsgate,July 9th, 1884."My dear Lord Shaftesbury,—Your able appeal in this day'sTimeson behalf of the fund to provide the means of giving the poor children of the Ragged Schools a day's enjoyment in the country has this moment been read to me, and, sympathising as I do with the desirable object, I enclose, with very much pleasure, cheque for £15, with the hope that the appeal may be both liberally and cheerfully responded to."Believe me, my dear Lord Shaftesbury, that I am delighted with the opportunity thus afforded me of evincing my heartfelt appreciation of the noble and benevolent works in which you have for a very long period taken so benevolent an interest."May God help you and prosper your labours. Hoping you are in the enjoyment of good health.—I am, my dear Lord Shaftesbury, very truly yours,"Moses Montefiore."
Sir Moses MontefioretoLord Shaftesbury.
"East Cliff Lodge,"Ramsgate,July 9th, 1884.
"My dear Lord Shaftesbury,—Your able appeal in this day'sTimeson behalf of the fund to provide the means of giving the poor children of the Ragged Schools a day's enjoyment in the country has this moment been read to me, and, sympathising as I do with the desirable object, I enclose, with very much pleasure, cheque for £15, with the hope that the appeal may be both liberally and cheerfully responded to.
"Believe me, my dear Lord Shaftesbury, that I am delighted with the opportunity thus afforded me of evincing my heartfelt appreciation of the noble and benevolent works in which you have for a very long period taken so benevolent an interest.
"May God help you and prosper your labours. Hoping you are in the enjoyment of good health.—I am, my dear Lord Shaftesbury, very truly yours,
"Moses Montefiore."
Lord Shaftesbury sent the letter and cheque to Mr Kirk, the Secretary of the Ragged School Union, with the following note:—
"July 12th, 1884."Dear Kirk,—You may keep the letter as a record of a man in his hundredth year, who can feel and write like one of five-and-twenty. Do not suppose that I have omitted to thank him. That grand old Hebrew is better than many Christians.—Yours,"Shaftesbury."
"July 12th, 1884.
"Dear Kirk,—You may keep the letter as a record of a man in his hundredth year, who can feel and write like one of five-and-twenty. Do not suppose that I have omitted to thank him. That grand old Hebrew is better than many Christians.—Yours,
"Shaftesbury."
Having during the last two months often complained to his medical attendant of being weak and unwell, the latter advised a change of climate. Accordingly, on the 6th of November, accompanied by Mrs Gompertz, his sister, Mrs Helbert, his sister-in-law, and Dr Canham, his physician, he left England on a visit to the south of France and Italy.