1872.
PETITION TO THE SHAH--OUTRAGES IN SMYRNA--SECOND
MISSION TO RUSSIA--VISIT TO STOCKHOLM--INTERVIEW
WITH THE CZAR ALEXANDER II.
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, Yeza, Demarend, Gilpaigon, Kashan,
and Bagdad; but cries for more help, and appeals for rescue from the
hands of oppressing governors and officials continued daily to arrive,
and it was deemed expedient to petition the Shah in the matter.
Sir Moses, without delay, addressed a letter to His Majesty, of which I
subjoin a copy.
To His Most Gracious Majesty NAZER-EDDIN SHAH, the Mighty Ruler of
Persia, exalted Glory and lasting Peace.
"May it please your Majesty,--Relying on the magnanimous and most
noble principles of justice and mercy which adorn the life of your
Majesty, I ventured to lay at the foot of your Majesty's throne,
on the 22nd day of Rámádan, 1282 A.H., by Charles Alison, Esq.,
Her Britannic Majesty's Minister in Teheran, an humble petition on
behalf of my co-religionists residing under your Majesty's benign and
glorious sway in Persia, and had the happiness of receiving from Her
Britannic Majesty's Government a communication to the effect that,
in consequence of the representations which Her Britannic Majesty's
Minister in Teheran had made, your Majesty had most graciously
written an autograph letter to the Siphesálár, informing him that the
Jews should henceforth be treated with justice and kindness.
"Emboldened by the gracious reception your Majesty has given to
my most humble prayer, I crave now your Majesty's permission to
tender the offerings of most heartfelt gratitude of many thousands
of my brethren dwelling in Her Britannic Majesty's dominions, and
to entreat your Majesty further to extend your Majesty's powerful
protection towards the Israelites residing in your Majesty's vast
realm, especially at the present moment, when the papers throughout
Europe spread the report that my brethren are greatly oppressed by
a number of officers, who do not understand the noble and humane
intentions of your Majesty--officers who, it is said, give to an
apostate from the religion of his forefathers (against the will of
your Majesty, whose sole glory consists in securing perfect happiness
and justice to all your Majesty's subjects, without regard to their
faith and social conditions)--the right of claiming and taking
possession of all the property that may have been left at the demise
of any of their relatives still adhering to their ancient religion,
causing thereby the greatest possible distress to those of my
brethren, who prefer death to apostasy from their religion.
"All friends of humanity and civilisation look up with a feeling of
the utmost anxiety to the vigilant eye of the Mighty Ruler of Persia,
and are longing to hear that your Majesty, as on a former occasion,
received graciously the most humble prayer of an Israelite, who,
whilst invoking the Creator of the Universe, the Father of all, that
the glorious reign of your Majesty may be exalted by justice and
mercy, the guardian angels of your Majesty's throne, begs leave to
subscribe himself with reiterated expressions of the most profound
gratitude, your Majesty's most humble and most obedient servant,
(Signed) "MOSES MONTEFIORE."
Sir Moses wrote to Lord Granville at the same time, entreating him to
recommend his petition to the Shah's gracious consideration; and on
January 30th Lord Enfield, by direction of Earl Granville, informed Sir
Moses that his Lordship would comply with his wish.
_February 18th._--He received another letter from Her Majesty's
Minister at Teheran to the effect that the Jews at Bushire, Shiraz,
Ispahan, Teheran, Hamadan, and Oroomia were suffering greatly from
famine, relief being most urgent. He was very anxious to go himself to
Persia.
_February 22nd._--We read the following entry in his Diary:--"I went
to the Foreign Office, and found that Mr Hammond had been confined
to his house for the last two months with the gout. I drove to his
residence, where he received me most kindly. I returned the despatches
Lord Granville had kindly sent for my perusal, and then I spoke of my
desire to go to Persia to endeavour to ameliorate the condition of
the Jews. He said the journey was too difficult for me, and would not
permit it. Lord Granville would willingly afford me all the assistance
I required. 'After the 1st of April,' Mr Hammond continued, 'the Red
Sea was closed, the season was already too far advanced, travelling
in Persia was most difficult.' He was against my going at my time of
life; he thought I must be eighty. I was obliged to own to being in my
eighty-eighth year. He was indeed most kind and friendly. When I said
I was going by way of Egypt, he said jestingly that the British Consul
had great power, and he would put me in prison, and in Egypt there was
no Magna Charta. I ought not to go. And what did my nephew, Mr Joseph
Meyer Montefiore, say to it? he asked. I replied that my nephew said it
was evident I wished to be buried in Persia. It is impossible for any
friend to have spoken more kindly than Mr Hammond. He promised to send
my letter to Lord Granville."
_February 23rd._--His Lordship wrote Sir Moses a most kind note, almost
forbidding his going to Persia, but in the most flattering terms. He
intimated that Sir Moses could have the letters he desired.
_February 27th._--Sir Moses was very weak and too unwell to leave the
house to attend Divine service, held in all places of worship, to
render thanks for the recovery of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales. He had,
however, the happiness, he writes, of seeing the grand procession pass
his house. "Long may they live," he observes; "it was a glorious sight,
and the hearts of all England glow with delight."
_May 15th._--A telegram from the Hebrew community of Smyrna, and from
Mr Cumberbatch, Her Majesty's Consul in that city, informed him of very
serious outrages committed by foreign Greeks upon the Jews of Smyrna,
and upon others on the Island of Marmora, and implored the help of the
Board of Deputies, but most fortunately the British Government had
already most humanely interposed. The Turkish Government followed their
example, and punishment was vigorously meted out to the guilty, perfect
tranquillity being restored throughout the island.
Sir Moses was much pleased with the promptitude and energy exhibited by
the Sublime Porte, and in his own name and that of the Board, conveyed
to Earl Granville and Mr Consul Cumberbatch the deep gratitude he felt
for the action they had promptly and readily taken.
Every preparation for the journey to Persia had now been made. The
writer, who was to have accompanied him, had already gone to Ramsgate
to arrange with him all matters connected with the journey, and then
proceeded with him to London to make the necessary purchases.
Sir Moses, however, on arriving at Park Lane, felt greatly fatigued.
He retired early to rest, but had a very bad night, and complained of
indisposition.
Being informed in the morning that, according to the latest accounts,
the interior of Persia was actually overrun with bands of marauders,
he was reluctantly induced to abandon his projected journey, at the
earnest solicitations of persons occupying high official positions in
this country, who assured him that such a journey would be perilous,
even to a young man, and could be undertaken by him only at the risk of
his life.
His active philanthropy, however, could not let him rest. If the
journey to Persia was to be deferred, a journey to Russia, he thought,
might be undertaken without risk of life, and might render good service
to the cause of his brethren in that country.
Five or six months prior to this date he had received letters from
several Hebrew congregations in Russia, requesting him to proceed to St
Petersburg and offer the Czar his own congratulations, and those of his
brethren in England, on the occasion of the bi-centenary of the birth
of Peter the Great. Sir Moses readily consented, and on the 20th of
June he informed the Board of Deputies, that, if they should determine
to vote an address of congratulation to the Emperor of Russia, he would
have great pleasure in presenting it to the Czar in person.
The Board at first hesitated to encourage the President at his advanced
age to undertake such a long and fatiguing journey, but ultimately
resolved to accept his offer. As soon as Sir Moses became acquainted
with their decision he commenced making his preparations.
On Wednesday, July 10th, Count Brunnow, the Russian Ambassador, paid
him a visit at Park Lane, and subsequently sent him letters for St
Petersburg and Stockholm. On the 11th, accompanied by his medical
friend, Mr James S. Daniel, of Ramsgate, and myself, he left London for
Hull.
The full particulars of this Mission are given by Sir Moses in his
Report to the London Committee of Deputies of the British Jews, and I
copy them from the original manuscript:--
"On Friday, the 12th July," he writes, "we embarked at Hull in the
steam-packet _Orlando_, for Gothenburg, thence to proceed _via_
Sweden and Finland to St Petersburg.
"Before leaving the port, a special messenger from London brought me
a letter from a gentleman of high authority, informing me that the
cholera had broken out, and was at that time raging in St Petersburg.
Grave as this intelligence was, I resolved that no fear should impede
my onward course. Placing my firm reliance in the Almighty to protect
me and my companions during our intended journey, and to vouchsafe
the realisation of my heartfelt wishes for the success of my Mission,
I cheerfully prepared for the Sabbath.
"On Monday morning, the 15th July, we arrived at Gothenburg, where
we were enabled, after some difficulty, to take the train for
Stockholm, which place we reached at about six o'clock that evening.
I lost no time in calling on his Excellency, Monsieur de Giers,
the Russian Ambassador, in order to deliver to him the letter from
Count de Brunnow. I also called on the English Ambassador, but both
these gentlemen being at their summer residences, some distance
from the town, I was unable to see them that day. The following
morning I again called on Monsieur de Giers, and he received me
with the utmost courtesy and attention. To facilitate and expedite
the journey, he put me in communication with Monsieur Moeurius, the
Russian Consul-General at Stockholm, and being anxious to reach my
destination with the least possible delay, I requested that gentleman
to telegraph to General Nordenstam, at Helsingfors, to engage a
special train to take me on to St Petersburg, and the Ambassador
himself telegraphed to that city to secure apartments for me at the
Hotel Klée. Her Majesty's Consul, Mr G. R. Perry, also in the absence
of the Ambassador, assisted me in my arrangements.
"During my short stay at Stockholm I had the gratification of
receiving the most satisfactory accounts of our brethren in that
city. The Chief Rabbi, Dr L. Lewysohn and the representatives of the
community, Dr Lamm, Consul Davidson, and Mr Wolner, favoured me with
full particulars of all their communal institutions. Their Synagogue,
which is one of the finest in Europe, and their schools are well
attended. Many non-Israelites resort to this place of worship, to
listen to the eloquent preaching of the minister, and the study
of Hebrew and the Talmud was diligently cultivated by the learned
Gentiles in Sweden.
"Here again the journals of that city gave an alarming account of
the unsatisfactory state of the public health in St Petersburg; but
after due consideration we decided to resume the journey. Towards
evening we went on board the _Dagmar_ steamship, which brought us
on Thursday, the 18th July, at about 6 P.M., to Helsingfors, whence
we immediately departed by special train, travelling the whole
night, and at an early hour on Friday morning we entered the railway
terminus at St Petersburg, where the carriages and attendants of the
hotel were awaiting our arrival.
"At the earliest possible moment I called at the British Embassy to
present the letter from Earl Granville to Lord Augustus Loftus, but
his Excellency being away from St Petersburg, Mr Egerton opened the
letter, and told me he would communicate with the Russian Minister
for Foreign Affairs, and that Lord Augustus Loftus was expected to
arrive soon from Finland.
"I then called on Monsieur de Westmann to deliver the letter from
Count Brunnow. His Excellency received me with marked kindness
and urbanity, and after some conversation he observed, 'We were
acquainted with the object of your visit to our city before your
arrival. The Emperor will receive you, and we shall endeavour to
render everything as easy and agreeable to you as possible. His
Imperial Majesty is at present absent from St Petersburg, but I shall
seek his orders regarding the day and place, when and where he will
receive you.'
"I need scarcely say how grateful I felt to our Heavenly Father for
having thus, only a few hours after my arrival in St Petersburg,
enabled me to receive from the Russian Minister such kind and
assuring expressions, and deeply sensible of the goodness of the
Almighty, who had succoured and protected me and my companions, I
prepared with gladness for the Holy Sabbath.
"Monsieur de Westmann afterwards requested me to send him a copy of
the address which it was my intention to present to the Emperor, it
being probable that His Majesty would ask for it on the following
day, when his Excellency would receive his commands as to my
audience. I at once forwarded the desired copy by the hands of
Dr Loewe, and I had subsequently the satisfaction of hearing the
Minister's perfect approval of the address.
"During the day I was favoured with visits from the Rev. Dr Newmann,
Chief Rabbi, the Rev. Isaac Baser, and the representatives of several
congregations in St Petersburg and other towns. I took occasion to
read the papers and documents which had been left with me for my
attentive perusal. In the afternoon several of our brethren came to
the hotel, and joined us in our Sabbath prayers. I noticed among them
two who had been with me on a similar occasion twenty-six years ago.
At that time they were serving in the army; they are now enjoying all
the advantages of free citizenship.
"The following day I received a letter from Monsieur de Westmann,
informing me that the Emperor would come to St Petersburg on the 24th
July, on which day he would receive me in the Winter Palace at eleven
o'clock in the morning. His Excellency instructed me that I was to
enter by the gateway known as 'Le perron de Sa Majesté Imperiale
l'Imperatrice,' and requested that Dr Loewe should be with him on
Monday morning at eleven o'clock. Dr Loewe accordingly called at the
Bureau of the Minister at the appointed time, when his Excellency
expressed in the kindest terms his solicitude for my health. He also
took Dr Loewe into an adjoining saloon, pointing out to him most
minutely the gateway through which I should have to enter the Palace.
"Having been informed of the arrival of Lord Augustus Loftus, I
called on his Excellency, and had a long and most interesting
conversation with him on all subjects connected with my visit to
St Petersburg, which afforded me the most gratifying evidence of
his Lordship's wise and sound judgment on all matters affecting the
welfare of our brethren, not only within the dominions of the Czar,
but in every part of the world.
"On Wednesday at the appointed hour I proceeded to the Winter
Palace, accompanied by Dr Loewe. We ascended in a lift to the great
ante-room of the Emperor, into which we were immediately ushered.
There we found his Excellency Monsieur de Westmann, the Imperial Lord
Chamberlain, the Imperial Grand Maître des Cérémonies, and several
other distinguished personages, who entered into conversation with
me on various subjects of importance to our co-religionists. After
an interval thus agreeably passed, his Excellency the Minister for
Foreign Affairs was summoned before the Czar, and soon afterwards I
was conducted into the presence of His Imperial Majesty, to whom, in
the name of your Board and its several constituent congregations, I
presented the address, of which the following is a copy:--
"'To His Imperial Majesty ALEXANDER THE SECOND, Czar of all the
Russias.
"'May it please your Imperial Majesty,--Impressed by the deep sense
of gratitude for the numerous acts of grace which your Imperial
Majesty has been pleased to extend to our brethren who have the
happiness to dwell under your Imperial Majesty's exalted rule, and
prompted by the ardent desire to join the numerous hosts--friends
of enlightenment and civilisation--who hasten to tender their
felicitation on Russia's great day of gladness and joy, we, the
London Committee of Deputies of British Jews, on behalf of ourselves
and the several congregations we respectively represent, humbly
approach your Imperial Majesty to lay at the foot of your Imperial
Throne the tribute of our sincere and heartfelt congratulations on
the occasion of the two hundredth anniversary of the birth of your
Imperial Majesty's august ancestor, the Emperor Peter the Great.
"'Glorious and renowned were the deeds of the beatified Monarch.
He was "the father of his people," and the author of all that was
right and just in the vast Empire which he ruled; but all the good
he effected would have vanished had not Eternal Providence ordained
his spirit, the spirit of wisdom, justice, and humanity, to descend
on his august offspring; and it is in this heavenly mercy that we,
your Imperial Majesty's humble servants, discern a special cause for
felicitation.
"'Already, in the year 1846, Sir Moses Montefiore, Bart., the
President of our Board, had the distinguished honour to receive
personally from your Imperial Majesty's august father, the Emperor
Nicolas, the expression of his ardent desire for the happiness and
welfare of all classes of his Imperial Majesty's subjects, and you,
Sire, have been selected as an instrument of Providence to emancipate
millions of human beings, to foster education, to encourage the arts
and sciences, and to promote free intercourse between man and man, by
opening the gates of your Imperial Majesty's vast Empire to persons
of all religious denominations.
"'Most fervently, therefore, do we invoke the Creator of the universe
to prolong the days of your Imperial Majesty and those of your most
illustrious family, so that you, Sire, may have the felicity of
seeing all your wise and noble plans for the prosperity and peace
of your Imperial Majesty's subjects realised; and likewise the
gratifying opportunity of listening for a period of long duration to
the hallowed hymns of gratitude from the millions of your faithful
and loyal subjects, in which--we venture to hope your Imperial
Majesty will graciously condescend to accept our assurance--none can
join with more fervour than our brethren in your Imperial Majesty's
Empire and the London Committee of Deputies of the British Jews,
"'Signed on behalf of the Board,
"'MOSES MONTEFIORE, _President_.'
"His Imperial Majesty, who conversed most fluently in the English
language, received me with the utmost grace and kindness. He adverted
to the circumstance of my having had an audience with his august
father in the year 1846, and expressed himself most graciously on
every subject having reference to my Mission. His Imperial Majesty
also graciously spoke to Dr Loewe. Nor can I here omit to record
my grateful appreciation of His Imperial Majesty's consideration
in having come from the seat of the summer manœuvres to the Winter
Palace, expressly to spare me fatigue in consequence of my advanced
age, and having there received the address of which I was the bearer.
I quitted the Palace with a heart overflowing with gratitude, for
indeed I am at a loss for words in which adequately to describe the
gracious sentiments which his Imperial Majesty and the members of the
Government evinced towards me."