Diaries Of Sir Moses And Lady Montefiore - free ebook by Judith Cohen Montefiore

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Diaries Of Sir Moses And Lady Montefiore

Judith Cohen Montefiore

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PREFACE.

PREFACE.

In submitting to the public the Memoirs, including the Diaries, of Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore, I deem it desirable to explain the motives by which I have been actuated, as well as the sources from which most of my information has been drawn. The late Sir Moses Montefiore, from a desire to show his high appreciation of the services rendered to the cause of humanity by Judith, Lady Montefiore, his affectionate partner in life, directed the executors of his last will "to permit me to take into m

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BIRTH OF SIR MOSES MONTEFIORE AT LEGHORN—HIS FAMILY—EARLY YEARS.

BIRTH OF SIR MOSES MONTEFIORE AT LEGHORN—HIS FAMILY—EARLY YEARS.

The neighbourhood of the Tower of London was, a hundred years ago, the centre of attraction for thousands of persons engaged in financial pursuits, not so much on account of the protection which the presence of the garrison might afford in case of tumult, as of the convenience offered by the locality from its vicinity to the wharves, the Custom House, the Mint, the Bank, the Royal Exchange, and many important counting-houses and places of business. For those who took an interest in Hebrew Commun

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EARLY EDUCATION—BECOMES A STOCKBROKER—HIS MARRIAGE.

EARLY EDUCATION—BECOMES A STOCKBROKER—HIS MARRIAGE.

At an early age, we find young Moses Montefiore attending school in the neighbourhood of Kennington. After he had completed his elementary studies, he was removed to a more advanced class in another school, where he began to evince a great desire to cultivate his mind, independently of his class lessons. He was observed to copy short moral sentences from books falling into his hands, or interesting accounts of important events, which he endeavoured to commit to memory. Afterwards, as he grew up

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1813-1820. FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS—PUBLIC EVENTS BEFORE AND AFTER WATERLOO—ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE SPANISH AND PORTUGUESE HEBREW COMMUNITY.

1813-1820. FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS—PUBLIC EVENTS BEFORE AND AFTER WATERLOO—ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE SPANISH AND PORTUGUESE HEBREW COMMUNITY.

I am now at the starting point of my narrative of the public life and work of Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore in connection more especially with the communities of their own race, and this I propose to give in the form of extracts from their diaries. These extracts contain the most material references to important events, accompanied by explanatory remarks of my own. With a view of making the reader acquainted with the passing opinions and feelings of Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore and their earnes

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1820-1826. DAILY LIFE—DEATH OF HIS BROTHER ABRAHAM—AN EARLY PANAMA CANAL PROJECT.

1820-1826. DAILY LIFE—DEATH OF HIS BROTHER ABRAHAM—AN EARLY PANAMA CANAL PROJECT.

Mr Montefiore's occupations may best be described in his own words, and may furnish a useful hint to those who neglect to keep an account of the way in which their time is spent. He writes:— "With God's blessing,—Rise, say prayers at 7 o'clock. Breakfast at 9. Attend the Stock Exchange, if in London, 10. Dinner, 5. Read, write, and learn, if possible, Hebrew and French, 6. Read Bible and say prayers, 10. Then retire. "Monday and Thursday mornings attend the Synagogue. Tuesday and Thursday evenin

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1827. FIRST JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM.

1827. FIRST JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM.

The reader having accompanied Mr and Mrs Montefiore through the first period of their life and work, and seen them deservedly raised to a position enabling them, if so disposed, to take a prominent part in important public movements, I shall now describe all the incidents of note in connection with their pursuits in the second period of their lives. In the year 1827 they decided to visit Jerusalem. Their sole reason for this determination was a wish to visit the Holy Land, a land with which thei

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1827-1828. MR AND MRS MONTEFIORE LEAVE ALEXANDRIA—A SEA VOYAGE SIXTY YEARS AGO.

1827-1828. MR AND MRS MONTEFIORE LEAVE ALEXANDRIA—A SEA VOYAGE SIXTY YEARS AGO.

Wednesday, November 7th, 1827 .—Mr and Mrs Montefiore left Egypt. At 11 a.m. they were out of the harbour, sailing under the protection of the French schooner La Dauphinoise , Capt. Auvray, the convoy consisting of four French, one Austrian, three English, and one Russian vessel. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday .—They proceeded with some difficulty, but on Friday, November 30, all on board thought they would be able to enter the harbour of Malta, as the weather was favourable, and Captain Ander

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1828-1829. ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND—ILLNESS OF MR MONTEFIORE-THE STRUGGLE FOR JEWISH EMANCIPATION.

1828-1829. ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND—ILLNESS OF MR MONTEFIORE-THE STRUGGLE FOR JEWISH EMANCIPATION.

Thursday, February 28th .—They arrived safely in Dover harbour, and had the pleasure of seeing some of their near relatives who had come down to welcome them. They proceeded next day to their home in London, where they immediately paid a visit to Mr Montefiore's mother. Having discharged this pleasing duty, they repaired to the Admiralty, to leave the letters which had been entrusted by Admiral Codrington to Mr Montefiore for delivery. They reached their home at five o'clock, again to enjoy thei

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1829. LADY HESTER STANHOPE—HER ECCENTRICITIES—PARLIAMENT AND THE JEWS.

1829. LADY HESTER STANHOPE—HER ECCENTRICITIES—PARLIAMENT AND THE JEWS.

On his return to Park Lane from the House of Lords he found that Mr Pope (Upper Marylebone) had brought letters from the Holy City for him and Lord Stanhope, the purport of which was to endeavour to recover a debt against Lady Hester Stanhope, of Djouni, or "The Tower of Lebanon," as it is generally called, near Zidon in the Holy Land. I had the privilege of spending several very pleasant days with Lady Hester Stanhope in that Tower. My visit to her has been mentioned in a book entitled "The Mem

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1829-1830. MR MONTEFIORE PRESENTED TO THE KING—SPANISH AND PORTUGUESE JEWS IN LONDON IN 1829.

1829-1830. MR MONTEFIORE PRESENTED TO THE KING—SPANISH AND PORTUGUESE JEWS IN LONDON IN 1829.

Immediately after the Passover Festival Mr Montefiore was present at an important meeting, convened by the elders of the Spanish and Portuguese congregation, to consider the propriety of introducing the English language for the delivery of sermons and addresses in the synagogues and colleges. The debate was very long and stormy, as many members of the congregation were greatly attached to the Spanish tongue, in which their ancestors in many cases had made their names famous. This is scarcely to

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1830-1831. INTERVIEW WITH THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON IN FURTHERANCE OF THE JEWISH CAUSE—THE DUKE'S DILATORY TACTICS—LAYING THE FOUNDATION-STONE OF THE SYNAGOGUE AT HERESON.

1830-1831. INTERVIEW WITH THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON IN FURTHERANCE OF THE JEWISH CAUSE—THE DUKE'S DILATORY TACTICS—LAYING THE FOUNDATION-STONE OF THE SYNAGOGUE AT HERESON.

Resuming the thread of our narrative, we find that Mr N. M. Rothschild promised to see the Duke of Wellington. On the 7th of February this interview with the Duke took place. Mr N. M. Rothschild, having addressed him on financial subjects connected with the affairs of Government, said to him, "God has given your grace power to do good—I would entreat you to do something for the Jews," to which the Duke replied, that God bestowed benefits moderately, but that he would read over the petition that

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1831-1833. LORD BROUGHAM AND THE JEWS—THE JEWISH POOR IN LONDON—MR MONTEFIORE HANDS HIS BROKER'S MEDAL TO HIS BROTHER—DEDICATION OF THE SYNAGOGUE AT HERESON—THE LORDS REJECT THE JEWISH DISABILITIES BILL.

1831-1833. LORD BROUGHAM AND THE JEWS—THE JEWISH POOR IN LONDON—MR MONTEFIORE HANDS HIS BROKER'S MEDAL TO HIS BROTHER—DEDICATION OF THE SYNAGOGUE AT HERESON—THE LORDS REJECT THE JEWISH DISABILITIES BILL.

On his return to London he called on Mr Wood at the Earl Marshal's office, and paid him £32, 17s. 6d., the fees on the grant for having the word Jerusalem in Hebrew characters in his crest. In October 1831 his friends brought him the account of the Reform Bill having been thrown out at its second reading by the Lords—majority, 41. Mr Montefiore, on hearing that Lord-Chancellor Brougham had spoken in a very illiberal spirit of the Jews, observed, "So much for Whig friends." Still he did not despa

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1834-1835. ILLNESS OF MR MONTEFIORE—HIS RECOVERY—SIR DAVID SALOMONS PROPOSED AS SHERIFF—VISIT OF THE DUCHESS OF KENT AND PRINCESS VICTORIA TO RAMSGATE—MR MONTEFIORE'S HOSPITALS—NAMING OF THE VESSEL BRITANNIA BY MRS MONTEFIORE—A LOAN OF FIFTEEN MILLIONS.

1834-1835. ILLNESS OF MR MONTEFIORE—HIS RECOVERY—SIR DAVID SALOMONS PROPOSED AS SHERIFF—VISIT OF THE DUCHESS OF KENT AND PRINCESS VICTORIA TO RAMSGATE—MR MONTEFIORE'S HOSPITALS—NAMING OF THE VESSEL BRITANNIA BY MRS MONTEFIORE—A LOAN OF FIFTEEN MILLIONS.

In the year 1834 much anxiety was felt for Mr Montefiore by his friends in consequence of a severe illness by which he was attacked. For several months he was under the treatment of eminent surgeons, and on his recovery his strength was so low, that a journey to the South of France was deemed necessary. He accordingly left England, accompanied by his devoted wife, who had during his whole illness tended him with loving care. Mr Ashton Rey, one of his medical advisers, in a letter he once wrote t

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1836-1837. DEATH OF MR N. M. ROTHSCHILD—MR MONTEFIORE VISITS DUBLIN—BECOMES THE FIRST JEWISH MEMBER OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY—DEATH OF WILLIAM IV.—MR MONTEFIORE ELECTED SHERIFF.

1836-1837. DEATH OF MR N. M. ROTHSCHILD—MR MONTEFIORE VISITS DUBLIN—BECOMES THE FIRST JEWISH MEMBER OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY—DEATH OF WILLIAM IV.—MR MONTEFIORE ELECTED SHERIFF.

In the Diary for 1836, the first entry is on the 17th July, which is accounted for by its being the second journal for that year, the one containing his entries for the early months having been lost. On the date mentioned he records his grief at the death of an aunt to whom he was much attached, and for whom he entertained a sincere respect. About this time he was also much affected by the illness of Mr N. M. Rothschild, and on the 19th we find him busily engaged in making preparations for a jou

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1837. THE JEWS' MARRIAGE BILL—MR MONTEFIORE AT THE QUEEN'S DRAWING-ROOM—HIS INAUGURATION AS SHERIFF.

1837. THE JEWS' MARRIAGE BILL—MR MONTEFIORE AT THE QUEEN'S DRAWING-ROOM—HIS INAUGURATION AS SHERIFF.

On July 7th he called on the Chief Rabbi to discuss the marriage laws, a subject which was causing much uneasiness in the community. He was detained there so long that it became too late for him to attend the committee meeting at the Irish Bank. He wrote a letter to the Archbishop of Dublin on the subject of the Jews' Marriage Bill, requesting him to take charge of it in the House of Lords. In the course of the day he received a card of invitation to a dinner of the Merchant Taylors Company from

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1837. DEATH OF MR MONTEFIORE'S UNCLE—MR MONTEFIORE RIDES IN THE LORD MAYOR'S PROCESSION—IS KNIGHTED—HIS SPEECH AT THE LORD MAYOR'S BANQUET—PRESENTS PETITION ON BEHALF OF THE JEWS TO PARLIAMENT.

1837. DEATH OF MR MONTEFIORE'S UNCLE—MR MONTEFIORE RIDES IN THE LORD MAYOR'S PROCESSION—IS KNIGHTED—HIS SPEECH AT THE LORD MAYOR'S BANQUET—PRESENTS PETITION ON BEHALF OF THE JEWS TO PARLIAMENT.

We may now consider Mr Montefiore as almost entirely occupied with the discharge of the duties of his office as Sheriff. We shall give here the entries he made referring to the subject, some of which are particularly interesting. From the following entry one can form an idea of the way in which he spent his days during his year of office:— "8.30 a.m. , left Park Lane; 9 o'clock, breakfasted at the Old Bailey; 10, attended the Recorder into the Court, was present at a meeting of the subscribers t

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1838. DESTRUCTION OF THE ROYAL EXCHANGE—CITY TRADITIONS—"JEWS' WALK"—SIR MOSES DINES AT LAMBETH PALACE.

1838. DESTRUCTION OF THE ROYAL EXCHANGE—CITY TRADITIONS—"JEWS' WALK"—SIR MOSES DINES AT LAMBETH PALACE.

The diary of 1838, like that of the preceding year, abounds in descriptions of Sir Moses' official duties, as well as records of events. January 11th .—Early in the morning, before he was dressed, Sir Moses was informed that the Royal Exchange had been burnt down in the night. He at once rode to the Alliance, and found the news true; only the walls of the Exchange were still standing. "I called at the Mansion House," he says, "and accompanied a deputation of the Gresham Company to see the ruins;

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1838. ANOTHER PETITION TO PARLIAMENT—SIR MOSES INTERCEDES SUCCESSFULLY FOR THE LIFE OF A CONVICT—DEATH OF LADY MONTEFIORE'S BROTHER.

1838. ANOTHER PETITION TO PARLIAMENT—SIR MOSES INTERCEDES SUCCESSFULLY FOR THE LIFE OF A CONVICT—DEATH OF LADY MONTEFIORE'S BROTHER.

Wednesday, May 23rd .—Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore drove to Kensington Palace, and put their names in the visitors' book of the Duke of Sussex; they then called on the Archbishop of Canterbury and left cards there. In the evening Sir Moses attended the anniversary dinner of the North London University Hospital, Lord Brougham in the chair. "I sat next to him on his right," he writes. "There was a large collection, Mr I. L. Goldsmid alone bringing £200." Thursday, May 24th .—The two Sheriffs proc

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1838. BARTHOLOMEW FAIR—SIR MOSES EARNS THE THANKS OF THE CITY—PREPARATIONS FOR A SECOND JOURNEY TO THE HOLY LAND—THE JOURNEY—ADVENTURES ON ROAD AND RIVER IN FRANCE.

1838. BARTHOLOMEW FAIR—SIR MOSES EARNS THE THANKS OF THE CITY—PREPARATIONS FOR A SECOND JOURNEY TO THE HOLY LAND—THE JOURNEY—ADVENTURES ON ROAD AND RIVER IN FRANCE.

On Monday, September 3rd, Sir Moses went in full state to join his colleague, and proceeded with him to the Mansion House. The Lord Mayor, in his state coach, drawn by six horses, and preceded by a body of police, went with the Sheriffs, and the City Marshal on horseback, to Smithfield, and proclaimed "Bartholomew Fair." Sir Moses observes, "There were not so many booths and shows as in former years, but all were crowded to excess." Thursday, September 13th .—He attended the dedication of the ne

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1839. GENOA, CARRARA, LEGHORN, AND ROME—DISQUIETING RUMOURS—QUARANTINE PRECAUTIONS—ARRIVAL AT ALEXANDRIA—TRAVEL IN THE HOLY LAND.

1839. GENOA, CARRARA, LEGHORN, AND ROME—DISQUIETING RUMOURS—QUARANTINE PRECAUTIONS—ARRIVAL AT ALEXANDRIA—TRAVEL IN THE HOLY LAND.

They reached Genoa on January 2nd, 1839, and after a few days' rest, continued their journey to Carrara. On the following day, the Dottore A. Passani, an advocate of Carrara, called, and brought Sir Moses several of his father's letters, some dated as far back as 1790; they were all in Italian, and beautifully written. Both Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore were much pleased at the sight of the handwriting of their father, and would have been glad if the gentleman had been willing to part with them,

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1839. RECEPTION AT SAFED—SAD CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE—SIR MOSES' PROJECT FOR THE CULTIVATION OF THE LAND IN PALESTINE BY THE JEWS—DEATH OF THE CHIEF RABBI OF THE GERMAN CONGREGATION IN JERUSALEM—TIBERIAS.

1839. RECEPTION AT SAFED—SAD CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE—SIR MOSES' PROJECT FOR THE CULTIVATION OF THE LAND IN PALESTINE BY THE JEWS—DEATH OF THE CHIEF RABBI OF THE GERMAN CONGREGATION IN JERUSALEM—TIBERIAS.

After four hours' ride we met two of the chiefs of the Portuguese community, sent to escort us as a guard of honour. On reaching half-way up the mountain, the ecclesiastical chief of the German Hebrew community, accompanied by many of his congregation, came to welcome us. He is an old man of benevolent countenance. I dismounted, giving the chief my horse to ride. This special mark of respect I showed to him in commemoration of the holy resignation manifested by the venerable chief only a year be

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1839. INVITATION FROM THE PORTUGUESE CONGREGATION AT JERUSALEM—SANITARY MEASURES IN THE HOLY CITY—THE WIVES OF THE GOVERNOR OF TIBERIAS VISIT LADY MONTEFIORE—A PLEASANT JOURNEY—ARRIVAL AT JERUSALEM.

1839. INVITATION FROM THE PORTUGUESE CONGREGATION AT JERUSALEM—SANITARY MEASURES IN THE HOLY CITY—THE WIVES OF THE GOVERNOR OF TIBERIAS VISIT LADY MONTEFIORE—A PLEASANT JOURNEY—ARRIVAL AT JERUSALEM.

Tuesday, May 28th .—The heat was very great. Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore did not leave the house till nine o'clock, when they went for a little while to the shore of the lake. Sir Moses received letters from the heads of the Portuguese congregation at Jerusalem, dated ten days back, informing him that they had prepared a house for him, but were sorry they could not come out of the town to receive him, as there was a cordon round the city. They did not mention one word as to the state of the ci

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1839. THE TOMB OF DAVID—SPREAD OF THE PLAGUE—MUSSULMAN FANATICISM—SUSPICIOUS CONDUCT OF THE GOVERNOR OF JERUSALEM—NAYANI, BETH DAGON, JAFFA, EM-KHALET, AND TANTURA.

1839. THE TOMB OF DAVID—SPREAD OF THE PLAGUE—MUSSULMAN FANATICISM—SUSPICIOUS CONDUCT OF THE GOVERNOR OF JERUSALEM—NAYANI, BETH DAGON, JAFFA, EM-KHALET, AND TANTURA.

Tuesday, June 11th .—We rode before breakfast through the valley of Jehoshaphat, then to the tomb of King David. The keeper of the place produced an order from Ibrahim Pasha, which prohibited the entrance of Europeans to the tomb. We addressed a letter to the Governor, informing him that the keeper would not admit us. A short time afterwards the Governor arrived. He approved of the conduct of the keeper, but thought, nevertheless, that the Pasha's order did not refer to a gentleman who, like Sir

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1839. ENCAMPMENT NEAR MOUNT CARMEL—STATE OF THE COUNTRY—CHILD MARRIAGES IN THE PORTUGUESE COMMUNITY AT HAIFA—ARRIVAL IN BEYROUT.

1839. ENCAMPMENT NEAR MOUNT CARMEL—STATE OF THE COUNTRY—CHILD MARRIAGES IN THE PORTUGUESE COMMUNITY AT HAIFA—ARRIVAL IN BEYROUT.

At 8 p.m. we reached the quarantine cordon at the foot of Mount Carmel, a narrow pass between the sea and the mountain, about two miles from Haifa, where we had intended to rest, fully relying on our certificate from the superintendent of the quarantine at Jaffa. Having always kept ourselves in quarantine since we left Beyrout, and lodged in our own tents, avoiding all villages, we expected to have been allowed to pass without any detention, but to our great mortification the officer in command

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1839. ON BOARD THE ACHERON—SIR MOSES' PLANS ON BEHALF OF THE JEWS IN PALESTINE—INTERVIEW WITH BOGHOZ BEY—PROPOSED JOINT STOCK BANKS IN THE EAST.

1839. ON BOARD THE ACHERON—SIR MOSES' PLANS ON BEHALF OF THE JEWS IN PALESTINE—INTERVIEW WITH BOGHOZ BEY—PROPOSED JOINT STOCK BANKS IN THE EAST.

Monday, July 8th .—We sent the greater part of our luggage on board the Acheron , under the command of Captain Kennedy, and prepared to start at a moment's notice. Sir Moses occupied himself with writing letters to Mr Young, the British Consul at Jerusalem, to whom he sent money for distribution among the indigent Christians of the Holy City, as well as for their burial ground. To Mr Joseph Amsaleg he sent £500 for the poor of the Hebrew communities, and to the Rev. Mr Thomson he sent a donation

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1839. ARRIVAL AT MALTA—HOME AGAIN—BOGHOZ BEY RETURNS NO ANSWER—TOUCHING APPEAL FROM THE PERSECUTED JEWS OF DAMASCUS AND RHODES—REVIVAL OF THE OLD CALUMNY ABOUT KILLING CHRISTIANS TO PUT THEIR BLOOD IN PASSOVER CAKES.

1839. ARRIVAL AT MALTA—HOME AGAIN—BOGHOZ BEY RETURNS NO ANSWER—TOUCHING APPEAL FROM THE PERSECUTED JEWS OF DAMASCUS AND RHODES—REVIVAL OF THE OLD CALUMNY ABOUT KILLING CHRISTIANS TO PUT THEIR BLOOD IN PASSOVER CAKES.

July 18th .—About ten o'clock at night we entered the quarantine harbour at Malta, where we were ordered to remain till August 7th. To be confined for twenty days, during the hot summer months, with three hundred pilgrims, at Fort Manoel, was already a cause of great discomfort to Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore, but the circumstances were here made especially painful to them by the loss of a faithful servant, whose death occurred during their stay in the Lazaretto. In addition to this they receiv

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1840. INDIGNATION MEETINGS IN LONDON—M. CRÉMIEUX—LORD PALMERSTON'S ACTION—SIR MOSES STARTS ON A MISSION TO THE EAST—ORIGIN OF THE PASSOVER CAKE SUPERSTITION.

1840. INDIGNATION MEETINGS IN LONDON—M. CRÉMIEUX—LORD PALMERSTON'S ACTION—SIR MOSES STARTS ON A MISSION TO THE EAST—ORIGIN OF THE PASSOVER CAKE SUPERSTITION.

These communications, together with all the letters which had been addressed to Sir Moses on the same subject, were submitted to the consideration of the Board of Deputies and others at a meeting held at Grosvenor Gate, Park Lane, the residence of Sir Moses. There were present—Mr Joseph Gutteres Henriques, President; Baron de Rothschild, Sir Moses Montefiore, Messrs Moses Mocatta, I. L. Goldsmid, Jacob Montefiore, Isaac Cohen, Henry H. Cohen, Samuel Bensusan, Dr Loewe, Messrs Louis Lucas, A. A.

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1840. ARRIVAL AT LEGHORN—ALEXANDRIA—SIR MOSES' ADDRESS TO THE PASHA—ACTION OF THE GRAND VIZIR.

1840. ARRIVAL AT LEGHORN—ALEXANDRIA—SIR MOSES' ADDRESS TO THE PASHA—ACTION OF THE GRAND VIZIR.

July 23rd .—Landed at Leghorn, and went at once to the Hotel du Globe. Many visitors called. A deputation from the Synagogue came, and Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore asked to have the evening prayers read in the presence of all their brethren. They accordingly gave notice to the members of the community, who assembled in great numbers. Before the service commenced we all joined them. Subsequently the Ecclesiastical Chief opened the Holy Ark, and offered up a special prayer for the Mission. At the

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1840. AUTHENTIC ACCOUNTS OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES ATTENDING THE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST THE JEWS—TERRIBLE SUFFERINGS OF THE ACCUSED—EVIDENCE OF THEIR INNOCENCE—WITNESSES IN THEIR FAVOUR BASTINADOED TO DEATH.

1840. AUTHENTIC ACCOUNTS OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES ATTENDING THE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST THE JEWS—TERRIBLE SUFFERINGS OF THE ACCUSED—EVIDENCE OF THEIR INNOCENCE—WITNESSES IN THEIR FAVOUR BASTINADOED TO DEATH.

Copy of a Letter from the Rev. Joseph Marshall, Chaplain of H.M.S. "Castor." Sir,—In reference to the enquiries you make concerning your brethren in Damascus, I have much pleasure in informing you, that when I visited that city about the middle of last August, I took considerable pains in making myself acquainted with the nature of the charge preferred against them, the evidence on which it rested, the treatment to which they were exposed. The result of my enquiries I will briefly submit to you.

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1840. AFFAIRS IN THE EAST—ULTIMATUM FROM THE POWERS—GLOOMY PROSPECTS OF THE MISSION—NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE PASHA—EXCITEMENT IN ALEXANDRIA—ILLNESS OF LADY MONTEFIORE.

1840. AFFAIRS IN THE EAST—ULTIMATUM FROM THE POWERS—GLOOMY PROSPECTS OF THE MISSION—NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE PASHA—EXCITEMENT IN ALEXANDRIA—ILLNESS OF LADY MONTEFIORE.

Tuesday, August 11th .—We called on Colonel Hodges, who informed us of the arrival of a Turkish steamer from Constantinople. He said it must have brought the Ultimatum of the four great Powers to the Pasha; that the door of negotiation was now not only shut, but locked, and the Pasha must give an immediate answer. Colonel Hodges advised Sir Moses to act in the same way as he should do; if he (Colonel Hodges) left Alexandria, Sir Moses should do the same, and also go to the same place as he did.

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1840. THE ENGLISH GOVERNMENT AND THE PASHA—MOHHAMMAD ALI AND THE SLAVES—THE PASHA PROMISES TO RELEASE THE DAMASCUS PRISONERS—HE GRANTS THEM AN "HONOURABLE" LIBERATION.

1840. THE ENGLISH GOVERNMENT AND THE PASHA—MOHHAMMAD ALI AND THE SLAVES—THE PASHA PROMISES TO RELEASE THE DAMASCUS PRISONERS—HE GRANTS THEM AN "HONOURABLE" LIBERATION.

The French steamer from Marseilles arrived; our letters from London gave confident hopes of peace being preserved. The Ministry was stronger than ever, being supported by both Whigs and Tories. There would be no half measures, and the Pasha would be obliged to submit. Baron Charles de Rothschild wrote from Naples, that Lord Palmerston had made a pacific speech on the 7th, and amicable relations would be preserved with France. Baron Charles enclosed a letter of introduction to the Neapolitan Cons

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1840. INTERVIEW WITH THE PASHA—LIBERATION OF THE JEWS OF DAMASCUS—PUBLIC REJOICINGS AND THANKSGIVING—DEPARTURE OF SIR MOSES FOR CONSTANTINOPLE.

1840. INTERVIEW WITH THE PASHA—LIBERATION OF THE JEWS OF DAMASCUS—PUBLIC REJOICINGS AND THANKSGIVING—DEPARTURE OF SIR MOSES FOR CONSTANTINOPLE.

We arranged with Monsieur Crémieux to go to-morrow to the Pasha and present our letter. September 8th .—We drove this morning to Mohharem Bey's garden, where the Pasha is staying. We found him in the garden, with his Admiral, also Anastasi, the Turkish Consul, and Mr Tibaldi. He desired us to be seated. Sir Moses then said to him, "We come to offer to your Highness our thanks," and presented to him the letter, to which we had added the request to abolish the use of torture. There was a Turkish t

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1840. CONSTANTINOPLE—CONDITION OF THE JEWISH RESIDENTS—INTERVIEW WITH RECHID PASHA—AUDIENCE WITH THE SULTAN—HE GRANTS A FIRMAN.

1840. CONSTANTINOPLE—CONDITION OF THE JEWISH RESIDENTS—INTERVIEW WITH RECHID PASHA—AUDIENCE WITH THE SULTAN—HE GRANTS A FIRMAN.

From Smyrna we went to Constantinople. Of our arrival in that place Sir Moses gives the following account:— " Constantinople, October 5th .—The appearance of the city was most beautiful from the steamboat; we anchored at half-past eleven. Many persons came on board to welcome us, including Monsieur Commundo, who had prepared one of his houses for us. Lady Montefiore and Mr Wire went there immediately. Dr Loewe and I, accompanied by Mr Nugent, a Queen's messenger, who had special despatches for L

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1840. DISTRESS AMONG THE JEWS AT SALONICA—OPPRESSIVE LAWS WITH REGARD TO THEM—TEXT OF THE FIRMAN—ITS PROMULGATION.

1840. DISTRESS AMONG THE JEWS AT SALONICA—OPPRESSIVE LAWS WITH REGARD TO THEM—TEXT OF THE FIRMAN—ITS PROMULGATION.

On the 30th of October all the representatives of the Hebrew congregations called to express their thanks to Sir Moses for introducing the study of the Turkish language and its literature in their schools. The letter on the subject, addressed by the Háhám Bashi to all the congregations, had been printed, and was to be read publicly on the following day in all the Synagogues in Constantinople. On Saturday we had the happiness of receiving from Mr Pisani the answer of His Imperial Majesty, which h

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1840. DEPARTURE FROM MALTA—NAPLES—ROME—A SHAMEFUL INSCRIPTION—PREJUDICES AGAINST THE JEWS AT THE VATICAN.

1840. DEPARTURE FROM MALTA—NAPLES—ROME—A SHAMEFUL INSCRIPTION—PREJUDICES AGAINST THE JEWS AT THE VATICAN.

November 30th .—Sir Hector Grey called, bringing news (in confirmation of previous reports) to the effect that Commodore Napier had made a convention with Mohhammad Ali: the latter was to give up Syria, recall Ibrahim Pasha, and restore the Turkish fleet, on being guaranteed by the four Powers in his authority over Egypt. Having accepted an invitation from the Governor to dine with him, we repaired to the Palace, and met a very pleasant party of twenty-four persons. The Governor repeatedly expre

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1841. MONSIGNOR BRUTI AND HIS HINTS—CARDINAL RIVEROLA—INEFFECTUAL ATTEMPTS TO INTERVIEW THE POPE—RETURNING HOMEWARDS—ALARMING ACCIDENT—THE GOVERNOR OF GENOA—INTERVIEW WITH KING LOUIS PHILIPPE.

1841. MONSIGNOR BRUTI AND HIS HINTS—CARDINAL RIVEROLA—INEFFECTUAL ATTEMPTS TO INTERVIEW THE POPE—RETURNING HOMEWARDS—ALARMING ACCIDENT—THE GOVERNOR OF GENOA—INTERVIEW WITH KING LOUIS PHILIPPE.

At Rome, 1st January 1841, Sir Moses writes: "Monsignor Bruti called on us, and I asked his advice as to the best means of obtaining the removal of the stone, &amp;c. He advised my first trying the head of the Capuchins here, also of the Propaganda, before I went to the Secretary of State, and offered, if I would postpone my visit to the Secretary of State, which I had arranged with Mr Kolb for to-morrow, to make enquiries in some influential quarters, and see me again to-morrow to acquaint

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1841. HOME AGAIN—SIR MOSES PRESENTS A FACSIMILE OF THE FIRMAN TO THE QUEEN—HER MAJESTY'S SPECIAL MARK OF FAVOUR—REFORM MOVEMENT AMONG THE LONDON JEWS—APPEAL FOR ENGLISH PROTECTION FROM THE JEWS IN THE EAST.

1841. HOME AGAIN—SIR MOSES PRESENTS A FACSIMILE OF THE FIRMAN TO THE QUEEN—HER MAJESTY'S SPECIAL MARK OF FAVOUR—REFORM MOVEMENT AMONG THE LONDON JEWS—APPEAL FOR ENGLISH PROTECTION FROM THE JEWS IN THE EAST.

February 28th .—In the evening we arrived at Park Lane, London, where Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore received a hearty welcome from their relatives and friends. The next morning, and for many days afterwards, visitors called in great numbers. Deputations from various communal institutions, literary societies, and financial companies arrived and presented addresses. In most of the Synagogues special services were held, and the exertions of Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore in the cause of suffering hu

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1842. PRESENTATION FROM HAMBURG—SIR MOSES MEETS THE KING OF PRUSSIA—ADDRESS TO PRINCE ALBERT—ATTEMPT ON THE QUEEN'S LIFE—PETITIONS TO SIR MOSES FROM RUSSIA.

1842. PRESENTATION FROM HAMBURG—SIR MOSES MEETS THE KING OF PRUSSIA—ADDRESS TO PRINCE ALBERT—ATTEMPT ON THE QUEEN'S LIFE—PETITIONS TO SIR MOSES FROM RUSSIA.

The entries of the next five years in the diaries refer to numerous important events, interspersed with appeals from communities to Sir Moses to plead the cause of their brethren before the Emperor of Russia. The Hamburg Jews, who were among the first to support their British friends in the mission to Damascus, had a gold medal struck, which was presented to Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore by Mr H. de Castro. The complimentary address which accompanied it, in speaking of the Queen, says:— "God ble

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1843. ADDRESS AND TESTIMONIAL FROM THE JEWS—SIR MOSES' SPEECH IN REPLY—DEATH OF THE DUKE OF SUSSEX—THE DEPORTATION UKASE IN RUSSIA—OPENING OF THE NEW ROYAL EXCHANGE—SIR MOSES MADE SHERIFF OF KENT.

1843. ADDRESS AND TESTIMONIAL FROM THE JEWS—SIR MOSES' SPEECH IN REPLY—DEATH OF THE DUKE OF SUSSEX—THE DEPORTATION UKASE IN RUSSIA—OPENING OF THE NEW ROYAL EXCHANGE—SIR MOSES MADE SHERIFF OF KENT.

January 26th, 1843 .—Sir Moses ordered from the Apothecaries' Hall drugs, surgical instruments, and fittings for a dispensary in Jerusalem, and saw them packed and forwarded to the Holy City. February 27th .—A large number of his Jewish brethren in the United Kingdom, Jamaica, Barbadoes, and Gibraltar, presented him with a testimonial of respect and gratitude in commemoration of the many personal sacrifices made, and the philanthropy displayed by him and Lady Montefiore during his Mission to the

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1844. AFFAIRS IN MOROCCO—LETTER TO THE EMPEROR—HIS REPLY—DEPUTATION TO SIR ROBERT PEEL—DEATH OF LADY MONTEFIORE'S BROTHER ISAAC—SIR MOSES SETS OUT FOR RUSSIA.

1844. AFFAIRS IN MOROCCO—LETTER TO THE EMPEROR—HIS REPLY—DEPUTATION TO SIR ROBERT PEEL—DEATH OF LADY MONTEFIORE'S BROTHER ISAAC—SIR MOSES SETS OUT FOR RUSSIA.

The first few months of the year 1844 appeared, according to a statement in the Königsberg Gazette , to give some hope for an improvement in the condition of Sir Moses' co-religionists in Russia. The paper says:— "The famous Ukase against the Jews, of the 20th April 1844 (2nd May), seems to be adjourned. The Emperor himself has given orders to the Minister of the Interior to present him with a minute report on the situation and property of the Jews in the villages and frontier towns, before the

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1846. PERILS OF RUSSIAN TRAVELLING IN WINTER—ARRIVAL AT ST PETERSBURG—INTERVIEWS WITH COUNT NESSELRODE AND THE CZAR—COUNT KISSELEFF'S PREJUDICES.

1846. PERILS OF RUSSIAN TRAVELLING IN WINTER—ARRIVAL AT ST PETERSBURG—INTERVIEWS WITH COUNT NESSELRODE AND THE CZAR—COUNT KISSELEFF'S PREJUDICES.

March 29th .—Snow had again fallen heavily, and on arriving at Jamburg we found the ice in such a bad state that grave fears were entertained as to the possibility of crossing the River Lugu. The officer in charge repeatedly refused to allow us to cross. Neither bedsteads nor bedding being obtainable, Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore had a kind of bed prepared on the floor in a very small and low room, and I had a bundle of straw, in another room, for my couch; it was, however, so warm there, and t

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1846. COUNT KISSELEFF IS MORE CONCILIATORY—SIR MOSES SETS OUT FOR WILNA—ARRIVAL AT WILNA—THE JEWS' ANSWERS TO THE CHARGES OF RUSSIAN OFFICIALS.

1846. COUNT KISSELEFF IS MORE CONCILIATORY—SIR MOSES SETS OUT FOR WILNA—ARRIVAL AT WILNA—THE JEWS' ANSWERS TO THE CHARGES OF RUSSIAN OFFICIALS.

April 15th .—We went to see Count Kisseleff. His Excellency told Sir Moses that the Emperor had inquired what he thought of the Synagogue. The Count assured him they had determined to adopt a new plan with the Jews, more mild and conciliatory. The Emperor wished them to amalgamate with their fellow subjects, and to cultivate the land. But he would not force them; they would be left to their own free will, and less under the control of the police than they had been, and all who wished to leave th

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1846. THE JEWISH SCHOOLS AT WILNA—WILCOMIR—DEPLORABLE CONDITION OF THE HEBREW COMMUNITY IN THAT TOWN—KOWNO—WARSAW.

1846. THE JEWISH SCHOOLS AT WILNA—WILCOMIR—DEPLORABLE CONDITION OF THE HEBREW COMMUNITY IN THAT TOWN—KOWNO—WARSAW.

On the following morning, Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore offered up prayers amidst thousands of their brethren, and many visitors, who "from curiosity," as they said, "came to see the English philanthropist." The rest of the day was devoted to the reception of the members of the community, their wives and children, so as to have the opportunity of becoming acquainted with their manners and mode of conversation. It being customary in that place to send wine and sweetmeats of every description to a

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1846. DEPUTATION FROM KRAKAU—THE POLISH JEWS AND THEIR GARB—SIR MOSES LEAVES WARSAW—POSEN, BERLIN, AND FRANKFORT—HOME.

1846. DEPUTATION FROM KRAKAU—THE POLISH JEWS AND THEIR GARB—SIR MOSES LEAVES WARSAW—POSEN, BERLIN, AND FRANKFORT—HOME.

" Sunday, May 17th .—My dear wife, Dr Loewe, and myself paid a visit to the Princess Paskiewitch, the wife of the Viceroy. She was very kind in her manner, and spoke for a considerable time with us. We afterwards accompanied Mr Epstein to the Jewish Hospital, where we found the directors and most of the governors and their ladies waiting to receive us." In order to show how desirous the Jews here are, under the most unfavourable circumstances, to promote the welfare of their poorer brethren, Sir

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1846 SIR MOSES RECEIVES THE CONGRATULATIONS OF HIS ENGLISH CO-RELIGIONISTS—HIS EXHAUSTIVE REPORT TO COUNT KISSELEFF—EXAMINATION OF THE CHARGES AGAINST THE JEWS—THEIR ALLEGED DISINCLINATION TO ENGAGE IN AGRICULTURE.

1846 SIR MOSES RECEIVES THE CONGRATULATIONS OF HIS ENGLISH CO-RELIGIONISTS—HIS EXHAUSTIVE REPORT TO COUNT KISSELEFF—EXAMINATION OF THE CHARGES AGAINST THE JEWS—THEIR ALLEGED DISINCLINATION TO ENGAGE IN AGRICULTURE.

In London, as at Dover, numerous friends were waiting to welcome them, but Sir Moses did not remain long in their company; he deemed it his duty, before entering his house at Park Lane, to call on Sir Robert Peel, Lord Aberdeen, and Baron Brunnow, and leave his cards. The next day he called again on the latter, and remained with him for an hour; also on Sir Robert Peel, and on Lord Aberdeen at the Foreign Office. His Lordship said he should be most happy at all times to do what he could. Sir Mos

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1846. REPORT TO COUNT OUVAROFF ON THE STATE OF EDUCATION AMONG THE JEWS IN RUSSIA AND POLAND—VINDICATION OF THE LOYALTY OF THE JEWS.

1846. REPORT TO COUNT OUVAROFF ON THE STATE OF EDUCATION AMONG THE JEWS IN RUSSIA AND POLAND—VINDICATION OF THE LOYALTY OF THE JEWS.

The report to Count Ouvaroff, Minister of Public Instruction at St Petersburg, was as follows:— " To His Excellency, le Comte Ouvaroff , Ministre de l'Instruction publique de sa Majesté l'Empereur de Russie, &amp;c., &amp;c., &amp;c. "May it please your Excellency,—The zealous and untiring energy which your Excellency evinces in continual efforts to promote education, and to diffuse amongst all classes of His Imperial Majesty's subjects that important blessing, Knowledge, will, I fee

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1846. REPORT TO COUNT KISSELEFF ON THE STATE OF THE JEWS IN POLAND—PROTEST AGAINST THE RESTRICTIONS TO WHICH THEY WERE SUBJECTED.

1846. REPORT TO COUNT KISSELEFF ON THE STATE OF THE JEWS IN POLAND—PROTEST AGAINST THE RESTRICTIONS TO WHICH THEY WERE SUBJECTED.

The last of the three important reports made by Sir Moses Montefiore to the Ministers of the Emperor of Russia was to Count Kisseleff, and ran as follows:— " To his Excellency Le Comte de Kisseleff , Ministre du domaine de l'Empire de sa Majesté l'Empereur de Russie, &amp;c., &amp;c., &amp;c. "May it please your Excellency,—My first and principal report had reference, as your Excellency will have seen, to the condition and wants of my brethren in Russia. In obedience, however, to the

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1847. THE CZAR'S REPLY TO SIR MOSES' REPRESENTATIONS—COUNT OUVAROFF'S VIEWS—SIR MOSES AGAIN WRITES TO COUNT KISSELEFF—SIR MOSES IS CREATED A BARONET.

1847. THE CZAR'S REPLY TO SIR MOSES' REPRESENTATIONS—COUNT OUVAROFF'S VIEWS—SIR MOSES AGAIN WRITES TO COUNT KISSELEFF—SIR MOSES IS CREATED A BARONET.

The reports given in the foregoing chapters were forwarded to Lord Bloomfield, the British Ambassador at St Petersburg, who in letter dated January 3rd, 1847, informed Sir Moses that he had forwarded them to their respective addresses. Lord Bloomfield, having read the reports, adds: "I need scarcely assure you that I have perused them with great interest, and have gleaned much useful information from this result of your labours." Count Kisseleff prefaces his reply to Sir Moses, dated November 5t

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END OF VOL. I.

END OF VOL. I.

Some Hebrew text has been transliterated into Latin characters if one was not already provided. These passages are marked with [Hebrew] where they occur....

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DIARIES OF SIR MOSES AND LADY MONTEFIORE

DIARIES OF SIR MOSES AND LADY MONTEFIORE

COMPRISING THEIR LIFE AND WORK AS RECORDED IN THEIR DIARIES FROM 1812 TO 1883. WITH THE ADDRESSES AND SPEECHES OF SIR MOSES; HIS CORRESPONDENCE WITH MINISTERS, AMBASSADORS, AND REPRESENTATIVES OF PUBLIC BODIES; PERSONAL NARRATIVES OF HIS MISSIONS IN THE CAUSE OF HUMANITY; FIRMANS AND EDICTS OF EASTERN MONARCHS; HIS OPINIONS ON FINANCIAL, POLITICAL, AND RELIGIOUS SUBJECTS, AND ANECDOTES AND INCIDENTS REFERRING TO MEN OF HIS TIME, AS RELATED BY HIMSELF. EDITED BY Dr L. LOEWE, MEMBER OF THE ROYAL A

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CHAPTER I. 1847.

CHAPTER I. 1847.

THE Diary of the year 1847 continues to refer to gratifying events. Sir Moses orders medical supplies at the Apothecaries' Hall for his dispensary at Jerusalem, is presented to her Majesty on his being created a baronet, and on March 29th he receives a letter from the representatives of the Hebrew community in Kowno, conveying to him the gratifying intelligence that the Emperor of Russia had issued a Ukase, dated 10th December 1846, permitting the Jews to remain in that town free from molestatio

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CHAPTER II. 1848.

CHAPTER II. 1848.

IN the early part of the year 1848 Sir Moses was occupied with the question of agriculture in Poland and Russia, and had several interviews with Baron Brunnow on the subject. A plan, drawn up by Mr Posener of Warsaw, in connection with the tenancy, treatment, and improvement of farms, fields, and estates generally in the dominions of the Czar, was submitted by Sir Moses to the Ambassador, who fully approved of it. At home his interest was centered in the Bill for the removal of Jewish disabiliti

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CHAPTER III. 1849-1852.

CHAPTER III. 1849-1852.

FROM the 16th of September to the 16th of October Sir Moses spent his time partly in Ramsgate and partly in London, pursuing his usual occupations. He continued to attend the meetings of various financial companies and associations of communal and educational interest. He also devoted much time to political matters, expressing his opinions lucidly to his friends, although to strangers he would usually protest that he was no politician. As a rule he would either read or have read to him most of t

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CHAPTER IV. 1852.

CHAPTER IV. 1852.

"ON June 21," Sir Moses writes, "at six o'clock in the morning I received a telegraphic note, informing me of the arrival of his Highness Mohammed Said Pasha, Prince héreditaire d'Egypte," who very shortly afterwards became Khedive. "I went," Sir Moses writes in his Diary, "to the railway station, and at ten minutes to eight his Highness arrived. He immediately got into our carriage, and, as we were driving off, the Turkish Ambassador came to receive him and followed us to Park Lane. The Pasha w

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CHAPTER V. 1854-1855.

CHAPTER V. 1854-1855.

JULY 25th. —The Times published the news of Abbas Pasha's death and Said Pasha's succession. Sir Moses immediately addressed letters of congratulation to the new ruler, expressing at the same time the hope that under his benign sway a new era of prosperity would begin in the Holy Land. August 5th. —Mr Gershon Kursheedt, one of the executors of the late Juda Touro, of New Orleans, arrived to arrange with Sir Moses about the legacy of fifty thousand dollars left at his disposal for the purpose of

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CHAPTER VI. 1855.

CHAPTER VI. 1855.

ON July 3rd Sir Moses writes: "Mr Pisani informed me he had received the firman for the building of an hospital, and also that for myself, which, according to the usual practice, he had forwarded to the Ambassador for transmission to me; adding in his note, 'I also have the satisfaction to announce to you that the Sultan has been pleased to confer upon you the Medjidjeh of the second class.' "This distinction will, I hope, convince the people in the East that His Imperial Majesty the Sultan and

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CHAPTER VII. 1855-1856.

CHAPTER VII. 1855-1856.

BESIDES the various acts of benevolence already accomplished by Sir Moses in Jerusalem, there is one for which the community cannot be sufficiently grateful. He entreated His Excellency Kiamil Pasha, the Governor of Jerusalem, to remove from the Jewish quarters the public slaughter house, which had become extremely offensive in consequence of the vast quantity of refuse which had accumulated ever since the time Jerusalem had been conquered by the Khaleefa Omar. The Pasha immediately acceded to h

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CHAPTER VIII. 1857.

CHAPTER VIII. 1857.

IN order to ascertain the reasons for Sir Moses' return to Jerusalem after so short an interval since his previous visit to the Holy City, I must ask the reader to revert to the narrative I have given of his previous pilgrimage in 1855. It was undertaken for the purpose of alleviating the sufferings of the poor, and of establishing various benevolent institutions there in the hope of preventing the recurrence of distress. The object of his present journey was to give personal supervision for a s

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CHAPTER IX. 1857.

CHAPTER IX. 1857.

SIR MOSES reported to the Rev. Dr N. M. Adler and the other gentlemen of the Holy Land Committee the result of his observations in Jerusalem on the various institutions established there by the trustees. He also had many interviews with Holman of Canterbury on matters connected with the erection of a windmill in the Holy City, and the preparation of a balance sheet of the Appeal Fund occupied a good deal of his time. But he was not permitted to devote his attentions exclusively to the Holy Land.

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CHAPTER X. 1858.

CHAPTER X. 1858.

LADY MONTEFIORE was still very unwell, and Sir Moses himself was so ill at Dover that he could not leave his couch in the morning after his arrival; but there was no time for him now to allow himself to be treated like an invalid or seek a few weeks' rest. An important event which for the last five months agitated the minds of Christians as well as Jews all over Europe and America seriously called for immediate and energetic action, and he considered it his duty to rouse himself, and step into t

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CHAPTER XI. 1859.

CHAPTER XI. 1859.

MR RUSSELL, in a private note, wrote to him:— "It is with deep regret that I have to inform you that all my exertions in the interest of your cause have failed. Cardinal Antonelli declined to enter upon the subject, saying, 'It was a closed question,' and His Eminence referred me to Monsignor Pacca, the papal chamberlain, or to Monsignor Talbot, to obtain an audience for you of His Holiness, but His Eminence added that he thought it would be difficult at this moment. I next applied to Monsignor

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CHAPTER XII. 1859.

CHAPTER XII. 1859.

MAY 20th. —Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore arrived in Paris. Lady Montefiore's state of health being very unsatisfactory, Sir Moses resolved to remain five or six days in the French capital to allow her some rest. May 24th. —He called at the British Embassy, where he saw Viscount Chelsea, who recommended him to write to Count Walewski to express his gratitude for the warm and generous efforts of the Duc de Grammont in the Mortara case. This Sir Moses did, and the next day the Minister of Foreign A

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CHAPTER XIII. 1860.

CHAPTER XIII. 1860.

THE year 1860 opens with the record of a satisfactory reply from the Turkish Government to Sir Moses' petition respecting the building of the Juda Touro Almshouses in Jerusalem, the interruption of which, by order of Sureya Pasha, had caused him much annoyance and expense. Musurus Pasha, the Turkish Ambassador in London, thus addresses him on the subject. "I have the pleasure to inform you that I have just received a dispatch from His Excellency Fuad Pasha, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the

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CHAPTER XIV. 1860.

CHAPTER XIV. 1860.

HAVING given the reader a copy of the letter Sir Moses wrote to the Times , pleading the cause of his Christian brethren when persecuted by the Druses and Mohammedans, he will probably read with equal interest a copy of the letter he addressed to Lord John Russell, pleading the cause of his Jewish brethren, accompanied by a translation of the original Hebrew letter from the representatives of the Jewish community. " East Cliff Lodge, Ramsgate , October 16th . " My Lord ,—With painful relu

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CHAPTER XV. 1861.

CHAPTER XV. 1861.

DURING the first part of the year 1861 Sir Moses continued to give attention to various pursuits of a financial, communal, and political character, and devoted much time to the interests of the Syrian Relief Fund. A report of Fuad Pasha, Governor of Damascus, on the discontinuance of persecutions in that place, forwarded to him by the Foreign Office, contributed greatly to increase his gratitude to the British Government for their intercession, and later on a revival of the scheme for the constr

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CHAPTER XVI. 1862.

CHAPTER XVI. 1862.

TWENTY-FOUR years having now passed since Sir Moses made the entry in his diary on the desirability of having a railway between Jaffa and Jerusalem, without his having witnessed any further attempt to accomplish so important an undertaking, the reader will find it interesting to learn his suggestions. March 10th. —Sir John M'Neil and General Chesney came to him at the Alliance. He expressed his feelings regarding the prospectus, in which his name had been printed as a director. They said it was

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CHAPTER XVII. 1862.

CHAPTER XVII. 1862.

ON the following Saturday night her mortal remains were taken to Ramsgate, accompanied by Sir Moses and his near relatives, the officers of the Synagogue, and Dr Hodgkin, her physician. In the morning the Chief Rabbi of the German congregation, and the Rev. B. Abraham of the Spanish and Portuguese congregation, the ministers of all the Synagogues in London and in the country, together with a considerable number of gentlemen, representatives of schools and charitable institutions, assembled in th

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CHAPTER XVIII. 1863.

CHAPTER XVIII. 1863.

I SHALL now give the reader a resumé of the Mission of Morocco, using for the more important episodes Sir Moses' own words as contained in his letters to the President of the Board of Deputies. "You will recollect," he writes to that gentleman, "that we left Dover on Tuesday morning, the 17th ult., and reached Madrid within six days of our departure from London. I mention this in order that the Board may understand that, to the best of our ability, we used every effort to proceed with all possib

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CHAPTER XIX. 1864.

CHAPTER XIX. 1864.

THE next letter Sir Moses addressed to the President pro tem. of the Board of Deputies was dated Gibraltar, February 24th. "On Wednesday, the 27th ultimo, I was visited by deputations from the several learned Jewish bodies in the city of Morocco. I should estimate the number of my visitors to have amounted to between three and four hundred. I fear, from their appearance, that they are in very poor circumstances; yet one cannot but admire their devotion to the study of our Holy Law. "On Sunday, t

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CHAPTER XX. 1864

CHAPTER XX. 1864

THURSDAY, October 6th. —We meet Sir Moses in the Guildhall, surrounded by the most influential merchants and bankers of the City of London, standing before the Lord Mayor, and receiving from him the resolution of thanks voted by the Corporation. The Lord Mayor, addressing Sir Moses, who remained standing on the dais during the ceremony, said: "Sir Moses Montefiore, this Court, as representing the citizens of London, has from time immemorial voted the freedom of this City to distinguished naval c

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CHAPTER XXI. 1866.

CHAPTER XXI. 1866.

JANUARY 26th, 1866. —Sir Moses had the satisfaction of hearing from the Foreign Office that the grievances of which the Jews of Persia complained, and which were happily now about to be removed, where unknown to the Shah. Sir A. H. Layard thus addresses him on the subject: " Foreign Office , January 26th, 1866 . " Dear Sir ,—I have much pleasure in informing you, by direction of the Earl of Clarendon, that it appears, from a report which has this day been received from Her Majesty's Minis

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CHAPTER XXII. 1866.

CHAPTER XXII. 1866.

SIR MOSES continues his narrative as follows:— "Wednesday morning, the 28th of March, at 10 A.M. , having been appointed for my first visit to his Excellency, Izzet Pasha, I proceeded to his palace, accompanied by Mr Consul Moore, Mr Sebag, and Dr Loewe, and was received by his Excellency with the greatest kindness and respect. In the course of my conversation with the Governor, the scarcity of water in the city was the subject more particularly adverted to, and his Excellency described the work

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CHAPTER XXIII. 1866.

CHAPTER XXIII. 1866.

"ON Sunday morning, April 8th, wishing to examine some documents uninterrupted by visitors," says Sir Moses, "I determined to leave home therewith, and to direct my steps to the Mount of Olives. I left my residence at an early hour, in the company of Dr Loewe. Proceeding towards the Damascus gate, we passed the Grotto of Jeremiah, the Tombs of the Kings, and went thence towards the Báb-el'-Asbát. We then crossed the Valley of Kidron, and finally reached the Mount of Olives, to the highest point

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CHAPTER XXIV. 1866.

CHAPTER XXIV. 1866.

CONTINUING the narrative of his travels, Sir Moses says:— "On Friday, the 13th of April, being desirous of leaving some pecuniary relief from myself for each of the synagogues, colleges, schools, and various charitable institutions, with their respective representatives themselves, I had previously made an arrangement to see them on that day, but a restless night and a constitution enfeebled, partly by the incessant work, and partly by the grief I acutely felt at the loss of my late friend Dr Ho

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CHAPTER XXV. 1867.

CHAPTER XXV. 1867.

SIR MOSES then addressed the following letter to the President pro tem. of the Board of Deputies of British Jews: " Grosvenor Gate, Park Lane , " 30th June 5627 (1867). " My Dear Sir ,—It is with deep regret that I have to place in your hands further despatches received from Jassy, from which it would appear that the position of our unfortunate co-religionists in Moldavia still continues most distressing. You will be pleased to submit these communications to the Board of Deputi

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CHAPTER XXVI. 1867.

CHAPTER XXVI. 1867.

THE Natiunea having given notice to the Prefecture of its intention of publicly securing signatures to the above petitions, the following reply was received:— "In reply to your notice, No. 3915, without date, I hasten to inform you that in Roumania, no lists for signatures may be laid out in the streets and public places, except on the occasion of the plebiscite, and I do not believe that it is permitted to a private gentleman to open such plebiscites. The right, however, of petition and meeting

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CHAPTER XXVII. 1867.

CHAPTER XXVII. 1867.

IT had been Sir Moses' intention, when setting out on his Mission, to proceed direct to Jassy, but he was advised to go to Bucharest first, and to place the petition in the hands of Prince Charles. Having now accomplished this, and received from His Highness the assurance that justice should be done, and help rendered to those who stood so much in need of it, he prepared to go to Jassy and other places, in order to make known to the Governors, Judges, and high functionaries, the promises made by

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CHAPTER XXVIII. 1868.

CHAPTER XXVIII. 1868.

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'cloc

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CHAPTER XXIX. 1869.

CHAPTER XXIX. 1869.

ON January 1, 1869, Sir Moses was in Rome, and on March 4th at San Remo. There Sir Moses and Mrs Gompertz were preserved from a serious accident. They had been traversing the sides of very steep mountains, and after entering French territory commenced a long drive down the hills. Sir Moses had cautioned the driver to go "piano, piano," more than once, as he felt very nervous, but when they had nearly reached the level road, not far from the French Custom-house, a great rut in the road broke the

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CHAPTER XXX. 1871.

CHAPTER XXX. 1871.

JULY 22nd. —A despatch reached him from Captain Henry Jones, Her Britannic Majesty's Consul-General at Tabriz, Persia, of which the following is a copy:— " Sir ,—Knowing your sympathy for the sufferings of your co-religionists everywhere, I take the liberty to address you on behalf of the Jews of Shiraz, who are at present reduced to great want and misery through the famine which is now devastating Persia. They number, I learn, about three hundred families, and have always suffered great oppress

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CHAPTER XXXI. 1872.

CHAPTER XXXI. 1872.

FROM January to July 1872 Sir Moses, as President of the Board of Deputies of the British Jews, was engaged in an extensive correspondence with many congregations and individuals in England, as well as in other parts of the world, and subscriptions to the fund for the relief of the famine-stricken Jews in Persia continued to flow in. The Board was most active. The sum of £10,850 had already been remitted, and distributed among the sufferers in Teheran, Shiraz, Ispahan, Bushire, Uroomia, Hamadan,

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CHAPTER XXXII. 1872.

CHAPTER XXXII. 1872.

CONTINUING his narrative, Sir Moses says: "On my way to the hotel I was enthusiastically greeted by hundreds of our brethren who were awaiting my return from the Palace, and whose faces were radiant with joy and gladness. After a brief rest, I again set out to pay my farewell visits to the British Ambassador, Lord Augustus Loftus, and his Excellency Monsieur de Westmann, left cards with those who had honoured me with visits, and then proceeded to the Synagogue, into which, however, the hour bein

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CHAPTER XXXIII. 1873.

CHAPTER XXXIII. 1873.

THE Board of Deputies of British Jews, on the occasion of the betrothal of the Duke of Edinburgh to the Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna of Russia, voted an address of congratulation to the Emperor of Russia. Sir Moses, as President of the Board, himself offered to take the address to St Petersburg and present it to the Emperor in person, but Count Brunnow, on becoming acquainted with Sir Moses' intention, persuaded him not to undergo the fatigue of travelling, and the journey was reluctantly ab

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CHAPTER XXXIV. 1874.

CHAPTER XXXIV. 1874.

NOVEMBER 14th .—Mr Weekes, the sculptor, who five months previously had submitted to Sir Moses a model of the bust of the Archbishop of Canterbury, which, with the consent of his Grace, Sir Moses had commissioned the sculptor to execute, now reported that it was ready for being unveiled at the Orphanage at St Peter's, Thanet. Sir Moses, believing that it would be a source of gratification to the Archbishop to see the bust of Mrs Tait placed in the same institution, wrote to that lady, asking her

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CHAPTER XXXV. 1875.

CHAPTER XXXV. 1875.

"IT was my intention," he says, "to lose as little time as possible, and I was fully prepared to leave Dover, en route for Brindisi, the next day, but a strong gale sprung up which detained us till Thursday, when, by the blessing of God, a calm sea and a blue sky made us enjoy one of the finest passages across the Channel. "The fine weather now accompanied us all along our journey, like the pillar of cloud during the day and the pillar of fire during the night in ancient times, and with a heart

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CHAPTER XXXVI. 1875.

CHAPTER XXXVI. 1875.

"AS we now continued moving towards Jerusalem, I had continually to look right and left to see the number of new houses, some of them very large buildings. As we proceeded all the occupants came out of their houses, and I had the happiness of seeing hundreds of our brethren lining the fronts of their dwellings. Presently my attention was directed to the presence of my highly esteemed friend, the Rev. Sam. Salant, a gentleman who had been one of my correspondents on matters connected with the Hol

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CHAPTER XXXVII. 1876.

CHAPTER XXXVII. 1876.

THE Executive Committee of the Sir Moses Montefiore Testimonial, engaged since the beginning of 1876 in promoting the object in view, held frequent meetings to consider the best means of carrying out his wishes. They advertised in English, German, and Hebrew papers for qualified persons to act as their agents in the Holy Land, and succeeded in securing the services of a qualified gentleman anxious to help the good cause. It was decided that the fund should be devoted to the purchase of ground in

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CHAPTER XXXVIII. 1877.

CHAPTER XXXVIII. 1877.

IN June he sent despatches to the Board which he had received, referring to the serious persecution and cruel treatment to which the Jews of Zargkoon, in Persia, had been subjected for the purpose of compelling them to forsake their religion. At the instance of Sir Moses, the Foreign Office had humanely interposed with satisfactory results, and the despatches he received bore testimony to the satisfaction experienced by the Jewish inhabitants of Zargkoon at the steps which had been taken to amel

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CHAPTER XXXIX. 1881.

CHAPTER XXXIX. 1881.

NUMEROUS letters now arrived from all parts of the Continent describing the Anti-Semitic movement in Germany; hundreds of communications reached him also from Russia, describing in heartrending language the attacks made upon the Jews during the riots in various towns and villages. Some of his Russian correspondents attributed them to the Anti-Semites in Germany. These people, they said, had entered into a league with similarly prejudiced persons in Russia, who, discontented with the results of t

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CHAPTER XL. 1882.

CHAPTER XL. 1882.

THE Anti-Jewish Riots in Russia continued to excite the greatest indignation. All the daily papers had leading articles on the subject. Relief committees were formed in the principal towns and cities of Europe. The Governor-General, A. von Drentlen, sent Sir Moses full accounts of the work done by the Committee under him, reporting that contributions from all sources had amounted to 218,482 roubles, and that upwards of five thousand sufferers had already been relieved. By January 20th, Messrs Lo

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CHAPTER XLI. 1883.

CHAPTER XLI. 1883.

THE coronation of the Czar Alexander III., at Moscow, afforded to Sir Moses an opportunity of writing a letter of congratulation on behalf of himself and his co-religionists, to one who was the son and grandson of two monarchs who had nobly responded to his appeals in days gone by, on behalf of the Jews in their vast Empire. The following is Sir Moses' letter: "To His Imperial Majesty Alexander the Third , Emperor of all the Russias. "May it please your Imperial Majesty,—Among the many millions

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CHAPTER XLII. 1883.

CHAPTER XLII. 1883.

THURSDAY, November 22nd. —The City of London presented an address to Sir Moses. This was unanimously voted by the Court of Common Council, on the motion of Mr Loveridge, seconded by Mr Alderman Isaacs, and a beautiful specimen of modern illumination on vellum was accordingly prepared. The words of the resolution, skilfully engrossed, made mention of the fact that Sir Moses Montefiore was Sheriff forty-six years ago, and the writing was enclosed in a handsome and elaborate border. This richly orn

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CHAPTER XLIII. 1884.

CHAPTER XLIII. 1884.

ALREADY in the beginning of the year, "Sir Moses Montefiore Memorial Committees" had been formed in many parts of the world, also in London. By the kind permission of the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, a public meeting was held in the Egyptian Hall, at the Mansion House, in January, for the purpose of considering the best means of celebrating the approaching centenary. The Ramsgate Memorial Committee sent a special deputation to attend the meeting, but at the request of Sir Moses, it was indefinitel

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CHAPTER XLIV. 1885.

CHAPTER XLIV. 1885.

JANUARY 29th. —The Board of the London Committee of Deputies of the British Jews having been among the first in England to convey to him its congratulations, signed by the Honorary Officers, he this day addressed the following letter to them: "To Arthur Cohen, Esq., Q.C., M.P., President; Joseph Sebag, Esq., Vice-President; Henry Harris, Esq., Treasurer; and the Members of the London Committee of Deputies of the British Jews. " Dear and Esteemed Friends ,—I have the honour to acknowledge the rec

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CHAPTER XLV. 1885.

CHAPTER XLV. 1885.

FROM the moment of his death to the hour fixed for the funeral, the members of the College, conjointly with some friends, remained with the body, reciting prayers and certain psalms, which he so often liked to hear chanted in his Synagogue. On Wednesday evening his body was taken from his room and placed in one of the libraries below stairs, where, when Lady Montefiore was still alive, he used to enjoy his frugal repasts in the company of friends. Here, in my presence, the ministers of the Spani

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APPENDIX.

APPENDIX.

GENEALOGY OF THE FARKHI FAMILY, TRANSLATED FROM THE ARABIC. RAPHAEL and Mordecai Farkhi being among those accused of the murders of Padre Tomaso and his servant at Damascus in 1840, I here give the genealogy of their family, which will show the great esteem in which they had been held for generations, and the high Government offices with which many members of the family had been entrusted. In the year 5491 A.M. (1731 of the Christian era) the ancestors of the Farkhis came originally from Tyria,

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