1859.
CARDINAL ANTONELLI DECLARES THE ABDUCTION OF THE
CHILD MORTARA "A CLOSED QUESTION"--THE DELUSION
ABOUT THE PASSOVER CAKES SPREADS TO ROME--UNEASY
FEELING AMONG THE JEWS IN THAT CITY--SHAMEFUL
ATTEMPTS TO GET UP TESTIMONY AGAINST THEM--INTERVIEW
WITH CARDINAL ANTONELLI--SIR MOSES LEAVES
ROME.
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
Talbot, who assured me that the only possible course was that
you should apply yourself, in writing to, or personally call on,
Monsignor Pacca, who lives in the Vatican. Monsignor Talbot thought
the Pope would see you, but he also considered the question closed.
"I fear you were but too right in saying our only hope now rests with
that great God whose holy laws have in this melancholy case been
violated by the hand of man.
"I need not assure you that if there is anything in which I can serve
you, I beg you will command my services at all times."
Sir Moses immediately went to thank Mr Russell for his kind and zealous
exertions for the cause he had so much at heart, and said that he
deemed it his duty to follow up the suggestions made in his letter.
On his return home he wrote his application, and took it himself to
Monsignor Pacca at the Vatican. As he was out, Sir Moses left it with
his servant, with but faint hopes of a favourable answer.
He and Lady Montefiore then left cards on Lady de Redcliffe. Sir Moses
saw his Lordship, who appeared to think he should apply for an audience
without naming the object he had in view; but Sir Moses' opinion did
not coincide with those of Lord Redcliffe ("perhaps a wrong one," Sir
Moses remarks). "It would not be becoming in me," he said, "to gain an
audience but as the representative of the Board of Deputies of British
Jews."
_April 14th._--In accordance with an invitation which Sir Moses had the
privilege of receiving, he rode to the Hôtel des Isles Britaniques at
seven o'clock, and had the honour of dining with the Prince of Wales. I
quote Sir Moses' own words on the subject from the Diary:--
"His Royal Highness," he writes, "received me most cordially, and said
he had seen me at Windsor Castle. Within three minutes after my arrival
the Prince handed down the Hon. Mrs Bruce, the only lady present at the
dinner, but she did not sit next to His Royal Highness. He had Prince
Torlonia on his right, Mrs Bruce was next to Prince Torlonia, and I
sat exactly opposite His Royal Highness. On my right, the Rev. G. F.
Tarver, the Prince's chaplain, and Major Teesdale, R.A.
"There were twelve persons at table, and, before dinner, Colonel Bruce
introduced me to each, excepting Prince Torlonia, who came in only two
minutes before we sat down.
"The conversation was on general topics. I think all spoke English
except Torlonia, who spoke French with His Royal Highness. Dr Chambers,
the Prince's physician, was present. We were at table about an hour and
a half, then retired to the drawing-room. His Royal Highness requested
each to be seated, and took a seat himself in the centre of the half
circle formed by his party. He enquired if Toussoun Pasha was in
England at present, and said the Viceroy had given a grand dinner to
his brother.
"Soon after nine the party took leave. His Royal Highness shook hands
with each. I could not have had a more gratifying evening.
"Dr Chambers told me that Mrs Chambers had a few friends and a little
music upstairs, and would be happy if I would do them the honour to
join them. He accompanied me to their apartments on the floor above
His Royal Highness, and introduced me to Mrs Chambers. She said she
remembered me by the kindness I had shewn her many years since by
giving her some very thin biscuits,[3] of which she was very fond.
Gradually the two drawing-rooms became very crowded. She introduced me
to a considerable number of her visitors, mostly English travellers,
and many from India. They all alluded to the object of my mission with
feeling, and expressed an ardent desire for my success, but not one
among them thought that there was a hope of it.
"The son-in-law of the late Joseph Hume, who had been in India, was
there with his wife. I should think there must have been 150 persons
present. Mrs Chambers and her sisters have beautiful voices, and sang
delightfully. A gentleman belonging to the Royal Chapel at Rome, who is
celebrated for his beautiful voice and for being an excellent musician,
performed also. Dr Hodgkin, who was present, having left my dear wife
weak and poorly, I got away as soon as I well could. A most lively and
agreeable party."
The apprehension of failure in his mission, so strongly foretold by
all who spoke to him that evening on the subject, threatened to become
almost a certainty, owing to a serious accusation brought against the
Jews in the Ghetto.
On Friday evening, April 15th, some officers of the police entered
the Jewish quarter and searched a house adjoining the Synagogue, the
room containing the cloaks, bells, &c., of the sacred scrolls of the
Pentateuch, and afterwards the cellars under the Synagogue. They did
not say at the time what was the object of their search, but a crowd
had assembled outside the Synagogue, accusing the Jews of having
stolen two children with the object of using their blood in making the
Passover cakes, a woman exciting the crowd by declaring she had lost
two of her children. The alarm continued for a considerable time, and
it was late before the crowd left the Ghetto. Happily all was quiet
the next morning, but the Jews still laboured under great anxiety, as
this was the first instance of such a charge being made against them at
Rome, and hitherto their Synagogues had been held sacred. Early in the
morning a deputation waited upon the Governor of the city, but he had
heard nothing of the matter. On enquiry of the head of the police it
was ascertained that the report was spread by the malice of one of the
police officers. The Governor assured the deputation of his protection,
and said he would, if necessary, send a force into the Ghetto to
protect the Jews.
Sir Moses on hearing of the outbreak at once offered to go to the
Synagogue if the reports were repeated, but happily all remained quiet.
The next day (April 17th) he received the reassuring information that
the lost child had been found, and had returned to the mother's house.
It appeared that a woman had said that she had lost her child, and a
neighbour advised her to go to a particular man, a barber, who told
fortunes. She did so, whereupon this man informed her that her child
had been stolen by the Jews, who had murdered it for the sake of using
its blood with the Passover cakes. On receiving this account she went
direct to the Ghetto, and created a great disturbance, calling upon
the Jews to give up the child. She gave information to the office of
police, and they sent to search for the child. The Governor had since
put the barber and the woman in prison, but nevertheless there was a
very uneasy feeling among the Jews the next night and day, as women
and boys frequently cried out, "Take care of your children, or the
Jews will murder them." It was a singular circumstance that until
that year nothing of the kind had happened at Rome; and it was not a
little remarkable that the newspaper published at Rome on the 16th
inst., yesterday, called _Il vevo amico del popolo_, contained a letter
from Smyrna, giving an account of the assassination of a Frenchman
in the Jewish quarter of that city by the Jews, as it was alleged,
for the purpose of using the blood in the Passover cakes. The letter
also alluded to the case of Father Tomaso at Damascus. It was a most
mischievous article, and could not fail to excite a very bitter feeling
against the Jews, frustrating every attempt made to rescue the poor boy
Mortara, and to restore him to his parents.
Sir Moses felt much depressed in spirits; Lady Montefiore was weak and
ill. The Passover festivals commenced, and they were both anxious for
the safety of the Hebrew community. A lady who had dined with them the
previous night was so much alarmed as to dread returning home to the
Ghetto. Two gentlemen, besides her husband and a lady, had to walk with
her to see her safely home.
In a telegram Sir Moses sent to his friends on the 17th inst., he said,
"Suspense and perplexity still prevent me from writing."
He invited several friends to dine with them, and be present at the
recital of the history of the exodus from Egypt, in conformity with
Biblical injunction, and attended the morning service each day in the
Synagogue, no further disturbance having taken place in the vicinity.
_Wednesday, April 20th._--On his return from Divine worship in the
morning, Lord Stratford de Redcliffe paid them a visit. He had been
with Cardinal Antonelli, and had spoken about Sir Moses. From what had
passed he believed that his Eminence would see Sir Moses if the latter
called on him; and would also have no objection to his being presented
to the Sovereign Pontiff, but the Cardinal would have public duties
to perform after that day which would prevent his receiving anybody
at all till after the holidays. His Lordship said "between four and
five o'clock would be the best time to go to him." Sir Moses told his
Lordship that he was prevented from riding that day, and the walk
was too far for him, as he was already much fatigued with a walk to
and from the Synagogue. His Lordship replied that he did not usually
have his carriage out on a Sunday, but he should think it right to
do so on such an occasion. Sir Moses mentioned that he would, with
his permission, see Mr Odo Russell, and ask him to present him to his
Eminence, when he was able to go to him, which he might do after seven
this evening. His Lordship approved of this, and remained more than
half an hour chatting. Sir Moses afterwards renewed the conversation
about his mission. His Lordship said he believed the question of the
Mortara case was considered as completely closed by his Eminence the
Cardinal, and that it could not be re-opened after the discussion with
the French Ambassador.
Sir Moses expressed himself truly thankful to Lord Stratford, for he
was sure if it were in his power he would in every way promote the
success of his mission, which, Sir Moses said, he had every reason to
fear was quite hopeless.
After his Lordship had left, Mrs Chambers, the wife of Dr Chambers, and
her sister Miss Maitland, paid Lady Montefiore a visit; also several
gentlemen, whom Sir Moses met at her evening party. "All concur,"
Sir Moses says, "in the general opinion of the great amiability of
the Prince of Wales." As Mrs Chambers remembered the circumstance of
Sir Moses having sent her many years since some Passover biscuits,
he promised to send her some again, as he had brought with him a
sufficient quantity from London. Many Christians like them very much.
I remember having once seen over the shop of a Passover biscuit baker
in London an inscription on a shield to the effect that he had the
distinguished honour of being appointed Passover biscuit baker to Her
Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester.
The Jews in Rome, however, did not enjoy the Passover biscuits much
that year, nor for that matter any other food.
The President of their community, Signor Samuel Alatri, paid Sir Moses
a visit, and appeared much alarmed, apprehending another attack on his
community. Sir Moses offered to sleep in the Ghetto, so little fear had
he, but Signor Alatri preferred going to the French General.
Returning again to the Mortara case, Sir Moses writes:--
"Early this morning I sent a note to Mr Odo Russell, requesting to
have an interview with him. He replied by note that he would call on
me at half-past ten, which he did. I showed him Baron Rothschild's
telegram, enquiring as to the progress in the Mortara affair. He
said, in reply to it, I might make any use of his name that I thought
might be of service to my cause, as he felt most anxious to do all
in his power to help me. I then mentioned the conversation I had
had with Lord Stratford de Redcliffe yesterday, pointing out that
it was his Lordship's impression that Cardinal Antonelli would have
no objection to see me if I called on him. I therefore asked Mr
Russell's opinion as to whether I should call on his Eminence, and if
so, whether he would be so good as to introduce me to him. Mr Russell
said Lord Stratford was intimate with the Cardinal, and it would
perhaps be better if his Lordship would introduce me, but he thought
perhaps I should wait for the answer of Monsignor Pacca before seeing
the Cardinal. I then asked him if he thought I should leave my card.
This he approved, and said he would see Monsignor Pacca, and find out
how the matter stood, and would also converse with Lord Stratford
concerning Cardinal Antonelli. He thought the Sovereign Pontiff would
see me after the holidays.
"At four I rode, with my dear wife, to the Vatican, where his
Holiness resides. On the floor above are the apartments of Cardinal
Antonelli. I had to ascend 190 steps, a most splendid marble
staircase. The steps were easy to ascend, being very broad and
low. The person in waiting took my card, and enquired if I wished
to see his Eminence. This, I said, I hoped to do some other day. I
then drove to the Palazzo Colonna and left my card for the French
Ambassador, to whom we are all so much indebted for his most zealous
endeavours on behalf of young Mortara."
In the evening Signor Tagliacozzo came in to report on two other
attempts made by some of the Roman populace to cause trouble to the
Hebrew community. In two different Synagogues, he said, arrangements
had been made to hide a child there, with a view of raising the alarm
outside the moment the door should be closed, and then falling upon the
Jews and accusing them of intended murder. "By the mercy of heaven," he
said, "these plans were frustrated, and in each case the lost child was
found."
"The director of the police," he continued, "sent to the President of
the Deputies of the Jews at Rome, and informed him of the discovery
of the missing children." Meanwhile many of the Jews had been afraid
to pursue their daily avocations in the city, several having been
ill-treated by the ignorant people, who pelted them with stones,
injuring two or three very severely. Signor Tagliacozzo observed that
the Jews had had a miraculous escape, for on the beadle closing the
doors of one of the Synagogues on Friday evening last he observed a
child under a seat in one of the corners, as if asleep. He turned the
child out, but could get no satisfactory explanation as to how he came
into the Synagogue, or why he remained after all the people had left.
About half-an-hour after the beadle had locked up the Synagogue,
the people in the Jewish quarter were alarmed by the noise of a
concourse of women and children, and some men, with officers of the
police, saying that the Jews had concealed in the Synagogue or house
adjoining a Christian child, to sacrifice it and use its blood in
their Passover cakes. The woman whose child was supposed to be stolen
shrieked dreadfully, and led the officers of the justice, in the first
instance, to the house, and then to the Synagogue, to the very spot
where the child had been found. Had the beadle not seen the child,
as no doubt was the expectation of those who hatched the plot, the
lives of hundreds of innocent persons would have been sacrificed. In
another Synagogue a child endeavoured to enter on a Friday evening,
when all the service was over and the doors were being locked, but was
fortunately also discovered by the beadle, and driven away.
Rome is not the only place in these States where endeavours have been
made to excite hatred against the Jews on the old base and wicked
charge of eating human blood. At Sinigallia, near Ancona, a woman went
to the police, saying she had escaped being murdered by the Jews, and
the ignorant populace threatened the poor Jews with vengeance, and the
place was in great agitation. All this is scarcely to be believed,
but I have heard, though I can scarcely give credit to it, that this
charge against the Jews is impressed upon the children at the several
colleges. I myself believe that the colleges are free from this
crime, and shall be glad to find that the common sense of the case is
explained to the children.
The reader may well imagine how painfully these unfortunate occurrences
must have affected the mind of both Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore,
and how disheartening it was to them to see the object of their
mission becoming every day more hopeless. This, together with the
very disquieting reports from England regarding the political state
of Europe, and the feeble state of Lady Montefiore's health, made Sir
Moses very anxious at receiving no reply from Monsignor Pacca. "I begin
to think," he observed to his friends, "I shall get none."
_Rome, April 27th._--Lady Montefiore was very unwell. Sir Moses
continued in a state of great excitement. "I fear," he said, "there is
little hope of an audience for me with the Sovereign Pontiff."
At about one o'clock Mr Odo Russell came. He drove Sir Moses to the
Palazzo Colonna, the residence of the French Ambassador, the Duc de
Grammont. The latter received them in a very friendly manner, and
recounted to Sir Moses all he had done in the case of the boy Mortara,
and said he was certain that all his efforts would be unavailing.
_Rome, April 28th._--Mr Odo Russell accompanied Sir Moses on a visit to
Cardinal Antonelli.
"His Eminence," Sir Moses writes in his Diary, "received us
immediately. I told him the object of my coming to Rome, and of my
disappointment at not being able to obtain an audience of the Pope to
present to him the address of the Board of Deputies. Every endeavour
I had made having failed, I had to request his Eminence to present
it for me to the Sovereign Pontiff. I then gave him the address,
and said, 'I would remain a week in Rome for an answer to it.' The
Cardinal replied that 'it was impossible to do anything in the
Mortara case, but that every precaution should be taken to prevent so
unfortunate an occurrence for the future; that a child once baptised
was a Christian, and as the Catholic Church considered that those of
all others could not be saved, the child would not be given up until
the age of seventeen or eighteen, when it would be free to follow its
own inclinations. In the meantime the parents should have free access
to the child, it should be well educated and taken care of, but the
law of the Church prevented its being given back to the parents, He
alluded to an order that Jews should not have Catholic servants, as
any conscientious woman might, from pious motives, seeing a child
dangerously ill and apprehending its death, baptise it, she at the time
believing that it could not be otherwise saved in the event of its
death.' I said, 'As we were all the children of one God, it was deeply
to be lamented that we could not dwell together in peace.' He again
alluded to the laws of the Church.
"On my expressing a hope to receive a reply to the address from the
Pope, he said: 'No reply had been given to similar memorials from
Holland, Germany, and France.' He gave an assurance of goodwill towards
the Israelites in the Papal States.
"The Cardinal was most courteous, made me sit by his side on the sofa,
and very cordially shook me by the hand, both when Mr Odo Russell
introduced me to him and on my withdrawing after our interview.
"On leaving the Vatican, Mr Russell rode with me to our house, and
repeated to Lady Montefiore all that had passed, when we drew up a
telegram, which he approved, and I forwarded it to London for the Board
of Deputies, and to inform the Lord Mayor, the Chief Rabbi, Baron
Rothschild, and Sir Culling Eardly."
_Rome, April 29th._--Sir Moses called on Dr Chalmers, and met His Royal
Highness the Prince of Wales on the staircase, with Colonel the Hon. R.
Bruce and Major Teesdale. The Prince graciously stopped to shake hands
with him. Sir Moses then called on Lord Stratford de Redcliffe, who
thought Sir Moses should make yet another effort to see the Pope.
_Rome, April 30th._--On his way home from the Synagogue he went to Mr
Odo Russell, being anxious to see him, as he was extremely desirous, in
accordance with Lord Redcliffe's advice, to make another effort to see
the Sovereign Pontiff; but Mr Russell had just gone out. "The English,"
Sir Moses writes, "are all taking their departure. It is reported that
hostilities have actually commenced between Piedmont and Austria; also
that 14,000 Tuscan troops have gone over to Piedmont, and the Grand
Duke fled to Bologna. The Prince of Wales, it is said, will leave on
Monday next."
_Rome, May 1st._--"Unpleasant reports," says the Diary, "are in
circulation to-day regarding the state of the political world. Some
feeling, it is said, has been evinced in several Colleges. It is
expected that the greatest part of the French troops will leave Rome.
My companions are all very anxious that we should return to England."
_Rome, May 5th._--Sir Moses gave the order to engage berths in the
_Vesuvius_ from Civita Vecchia, having to pay double fare from Naples
to Marseilles in consequence of the great number of people anxious to
embark. He called on Lord de Redcliffe, and remained with him for a
full hour, conversing on the Mortara subject and the plans which might
lead to the possibility of prevailing upon the Pope to restore the
child to his parents.
_Rome, May 6th._--Cards were left by him at the Vatican for Cardinal
Antonelli, and farewell visits paid to his friends. In the evening,
while attending Divine Service, he witnessed an attempt made by a
Roman recruit to create a disturbance in the Synagogue. "The man,"
Sir Moses says, "was pushed out, and the doors locked till the end
of the service." Nothing further occurred, but the city was full of
disagreeable reports. "War, war, war," was the general cry. "I was
quite knocked up," he continues, "and obliged to lie down for some
time."
_Rome, May 10th._--Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore left Rome. "I thank,
bless, and praise the God of my fathers," Sir Moses said, "for bringing
me and my dear wife in safety out of Rome; and may He bring us in
improved health to old England and our relatives and friends."
On proceeding to the railway station they met Mr Odo Russell on his way
to take leave of them. They stopped the carriage and had a few minutes'
chat. "It is some satisfaction," Sir Moses writes in his Diary, "that
all whom I had consulted in the Mortara case agreed in opinion that
I could do nothing more, and that, in the present state of things,
my remaining at Rome would in no way be useful or desirable." "This
journey and mission," he says, "has been, on many accounts, a painful
and sad trial of patience, and, I may truly add, of perseverance, but
our God is in Heaven, and no doubt He has permitted that which will
prove a disappointment to our friends, &c., and is a grief to us, for
the best and wisest purposes. Blessed be His name!"
[Footnote 3: Probably Passover biscuits, which Sir Moses was in the
habit of sending sometimes to his friends who expressed a desire of
having them.]