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 day, and Mr N. M. Rothschild might call any
morning for his answer. Mr Rothschild then began to speak of Prince
Polignac, the minister of Charles X. (who, a few months later, had to
fly from the country with all the other members of the ministry, in
consequence of the conflicts in Paris between the populace and the
army), but the Duke instantly stopped him, saying he did not wish to
know anything of foreign politics.
"The next day," writes Mr Montefiore, "Charles Grant declined to
present the petition in favour of the Jews, and Mr N. M. Rothschild
thought it would be better to defer calling on the Duke for his
answer, as, he was much plagued by the unsettled state of parties in
the House of Commons. This determination, however," observes Mr
Montefiore, "is greatly against the wishes of I. L. Goldsmid and those
whom he has consulted on the subject."
_February 12th._--Mr Montefiore went with Messrs N. M. Rothschild, I.
L. Goldsmid, and Lionel Rothschild to the Duke, who told them that he
would not commit the Government on the question of the Jews, and
advised them to defer their application to Parliament, or, if they did
not, he said, it must be at their own risk, and he would make no
promise. Mr Montefiore thought the answer on the whole favourable,
that is, that the Duke had no determined prejudice against the removal
of the civil disabilities of the Jews, but would, nevertheless, take
no active steps in their favour. Should the Commons suffer it to pass
quietly, Mr Montefiore had no doubt the Duke would take no part
against them.
The 19th of the same month Mr Montefiore says: "Robert Grant gave
notice last night in the House of Commons that he would on Monday next
present a petition in favour of the Jews." It was accordingly
presented on February 22nd. It was tolerably well received, W. Ward
and D. O'Connell speaking in its favour, Sir R. Inglis against it.
A few months later Mr Grant desired to be informed whether the Jews
insisted on obtaining the privilege of sitting in Parliament, and if
they would refuse all other privileges if this was not obtained. It
was Mr Montefiore's opinion that they should take what they could get.
_April 14th._--Mr N. M. Rothschild and his son Lionel came to report
that they had seen Mr Herries, who informed them that the Government
had determined to consult Dr Lushington and R. Grant on the following
morning. I. L. Goldsmid, they said, had declared he should prefer
losing all, than to give up Parliament. "I," observed Mr Montefiore in
return, "decidedly differ with him; we should accept all we can get."
Two days later he writes: "I returned from the House of Commons
delighted with the speeches of Robert Grant, Mr Macaulay, Sir James
Mackintosh, Lord Morpeth, and Mr W. Smith, in our favour. Sir Robert
Inglis, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the Solicitor-General
(Sugden) were against us. The numbers were--For, 115; against,
97,--majority, 18. We called to congratulate N. M. Rothschild and
Hannah on the result of last night's debate."
On the 21st, at a dinner given by Mr I. L. Goldsmid, he met Lord
Holland, Sir Robert Wilson, A. J. Robarts, ---- Tooke, John Abel
Smith, Macaulay, Easthope, Robinson (the member for Worcester), Dr
Lushington, and Lord Nugent, all of them most friendly to the cause.
On a previous occasion, at a meeting held at the house of Mr Moses
Mocatta, Mr Montefiore, I. L. Goldsmid, D. Brandon, J. M. Pearce, and
others being present, it was resolved to advertise that petitions to
both Houses in favour of the Jews were lying for signature at several
places as named.
For his own community, the Spanish and Portuguese, and for the German
Jewish congregation, he worked with equal zeal. On the 14th we find
him, together with several other members of a Committee appointed for
that purpose, visiting the houses of all the Jewish poor. "We were,"
he says, "from soon after 10 in the morning till 5 P.M. about
Petticoat Lane and the alleys, courts, &c. We there visited the rooms
of about 112 persons. To 108 we gave cards to obtain relief from the
General Committee on Thursday. We witnessed many very distressing
scenes: parents surrounded by children, frequently six or seven,
seldom less than two or three, with little or no fire or food, and
scarcely a rag to cover them; without bed or blanket, but merely a
sack or rug for the night, a bed being almost out of the question. Few
had more than one room, however large the family. The rent was from
1s. 6d. to 3s. per week. Of those who had two rooms, the upper one was
most miserable, scarcely an article of furniture. In fact, the
distress and suffering appeared so great, that although we had agreed,
according to a resolution of the General Committee, only to give
cards, we could not refrain from giving what money we had in our
pockets. We only met with six or eight cases of sickness, which is
really surprising, considering their destitute condition."
He attends a meeting of the Elders, where he strongly supports a
resolution for the delivery of a moral discourse every alternate
Saturday afternoon in the Synagogue; he is also present at a meeting
of the Society for the cultivation of the Hebrew language and its
literature, where he offers encouragement to those who excel in
literary work.
Mr Montefiore seeks the society of learned and distinguished men of
all classes, and is elected on the 3rd of July a member of the
"Athenaeum."
In the month of July he sets out, in company with his wife, on a tour
through France, Holland, Belgium, and Germany.
In September we find them again in England, and Mr Montefiore is
presented by the Duke of Norfolk to the King at the levee, "on his
return from the Continent."
It was in this year that Mr and Mrs Montefiore first visited East
Cliff Lodge, which was about to be sold by auction. They felt a great
desire to purchase it, although much out of repair. After discussing
with his wife the probable price it would fetch, he said, "If, please
God, I should be the purchaser, it is my intention to go but seldom to
London, and after two or three years to reside entirely at Ramsgate. I
would build a small but handsome Synagogue, and engage a good and
clever man as reader." Leaving the limit of his offer with an agent in
Broadstairs, Mr and Mrs Montefiore left Ramsgate and proceeded on a
journey to the Continent.
Whilst in Berlin they received information that the estate had been
bought by the Duchess of St Albans. "It fetched so much more," he
says, "than I had anticipated, that I can only regret it was thought
so valuable." He, however, soon recovered from his disappointment, and
took a suite of rooms for business purposes in the new house of the
Alliance Marine Assurance.
Politics again caused considerable uneasiness in the financial world.
Dr Hume informed Mr Montefiore that the Duke of Wellington and all the
ministers had resigned, and that the Duke would communicate the fact
to the Lords on that day at four o'clock, the King having accepted
their resignation. Mr Montefiore, notwithstanding, did not for a
moment cease in his exertions on behalf of the Emancipation, and on
November 18th, he and Mr Mocatta signed the Jews' petition to both
Houses, it being the same petition as that of last year.
Serious disturbances having taken place, he left London, at the
request of his wife, without entering into any speculations, and
proceeded to Hastings, where they remained till the end of December.
We find an entry at the conclusion of his diary for that year, to the
effect that he had resolved to persuade a few of his friends, as well
as two gentlemen well versed in the Law of Moses and Hebrew and
theological literature, to dine with them regularly every week, for
the purpose of conversing on those subjects.
The year 1831 (5591-5592 A.M.) presents the reader with a record of
events equally stirring and important in their career. Political,
financial, or communal matters follow each other rapidly, continually
occupying the thoughts of Mr and Mrs Montefiore, until the day when
they succeeded in becoming the owners of East Cliff Lodge, the much
wished for estate in Ramsgate, after which they devoted for several
months the greater portion of their time to settling and arranging all
matters connected with their new property.
Early in the year is the following entry: "The Irish Bank is under
considerable alarm owing to a letter published by Daniel O'Connell,
threatening, in the event of the press being assailed, to cause a run
on the banks, so that in a week's time there shall not be a single
bank-note in circulation."
This exciting entry is followed by one referring to the Holy Land.
"The Rev. Enoch Sundel of Jerusalem brought letters of introduction to
enable him to proceed to the West Indies and America, in the interests
of the Holy Land; a noble cause, which the Rev. Dr Hirschel, who
accompanied him to Park Lane, strongly advocates."
A little later comes a report that the Duke of Wellington will be
appointed Commander-in-Chief; the French will have war: Prince
Esterhazy said, "France had offered to disarm if the other Powers
would do the same."
Mr Montefiore then turns from the apprehensions of war abroad to enter
into the struggle for emancipation at home.
"Robert Grant, Lord Holland, the Lord Chancellor, and others of the
Administration," he says, "all advise us to put off the 'Jewish Relief
Bill' till next session, the Ministers having so much important
business now on hand. At all events, Robert Grant is desirous of
seeing the same gentlemen who were with him last year on Monday next."
Mr Montefiore then went to Mr Mocatta, who had called a meeting of the
Committee of Deputies for next day, and proceeded with Mr I.L.
Goldsmid, by appointment, to Dr Lushington.
[Illustration: East Cliff Lodge, Ramsgate. _See Vol. I., page 83._]
Dr Lushington advised that the same Bill should be brought forward
again, that the Jews should not accept less than all privileges, and
that no application for an audience should be made to Earl Grey, lest
he should recommend deferring the measure. Mr Montefiore informed Dr
Lushington that he was sure the Deputies, if asked, would gladly
accept anything the Government might offer, however short of the
repeal of all their disabilities. Lord Holland, who was afterwards
consulted by Mr I.L. Goldsmid, concurred in opinion with Dr
Lushington. Mr Montefiore here observes that Mr I.L. Goldsmid was
greatly displeased with the Deputies, saying that he did not care
about the measure, and would establish a new Synagogue with the
assistance of the young men; he would alter the present form of prayer
to that in use in the Synagogue at Hamburg.
Thus it often happens that two parties, both with the best intentions,
will, according to certain impressions made on their minds, differ
more or less in their mode of obtaining an object dear alike to the
hearts of both; and unless some equally zealous, yet impartial, friend
steps in to remove or lessen the cause of their dissension, grave
consequences, to the disadvantage of both, commonly follow.
"Ireland," says Mr Montefiore, "is in a very disturbed state, and the
Continent ripe for war." Under these circumstances he thought he could
not do better than leave London, the seat of financial struggles, and
go to Ramsgate. There he completed the purchase of East Cliff Lodge,
with twenty-four acres of land belonging to the estate, henceforth his
marine residence to the day of his death.
So much interest being centred in this spot, I give many entries made
on the subject. "I met John Cumming; he signed the conveyance of East
Cliff to me. I paid him" (the purchase money and the value of the
furniture), "after he had executed all the deeds. I also paid Messrs
Dawes and Chatfield for the conveyance, &c., L124, 4s. 4d. May the
Almighty bless and preserve my dear Judith and myself to enjoy the
possession of it for many years, that we may also have the happiness
of seeing our intended Synagogue completed, and always have a large
congregation."
They engaged Mr A. D. Mocatta as architect; he submitted drawings for
the Synagogue, which were at once put into the hands of the builders.
The architect estimated the cost for erecting the Synagogue at between
L1500 and L1600, exclusive of the interior, which was to cost L300 or
L400.
The work was commenced, and on the 29th of July the excavations for
the foundation walls were complete. "Please heaven," said Mr
Montefiore to his wife as they walked round the adjoining field,
"to-morrow night, after Sabbath, we shall have the happiness of
placing the two first bricks preparatory to our laying the foundation
stone on the eve of the new moon of Tamooz," 5691 A.M. (9th August
1831).
In accordance with this arrangement, they proceeded to Hereson the
next evening at nine o'clock, accompanied by Mrs Justina Cohen, her
daughter Lucy, and Mr Benjamin Gomperz. On the ground they were met by
Cresford the builder, with his nephew, also Grundy with his son, and
Craven his partner. Everything having been properly prepared, Mr
Montefiore covered the part on which the wall near the Holy Ark for
the reception of the sacred scrolls of the Pentateuch was to be built,
with _Terra Santa_, which they had brought with them from Jerusalem.
Upon this Mr Montefiore, having spread some mortar, fixed four bricks.
Mrs Montefiore, Mrs Cohen, Miss Lucy Cohen, and Mr Gomperz each spread
some _Terra Santa_, and fixed two bricks, praying the Almighty to
prosper the undertaking and bless them.
The following is the account given by Mr Montefiore of the ceremony of
laying the foundation stone.
"_Tuesday, 9th August._--New moon of Tamooz. After reading my prayers
and reciting the Psalms cxiii. and cxviii., I called at seven A.M. on
David Mocatta, the architect, and informed him that we should lay the
first stone at eight o'clock. We walked to Hereson, and with the
blessing of the Almighty, we laid the first stone of a Holy Synagogue,
assisted by our dear and honoured mother, by Abby Gompertz, her
daughter Juliana, Solomon and Sarah Sebag, Rebecca Salomons, Justina
Cohen, and her daughter Lucy, Louis Cohen, Floretta, his wife, and
their son Henry, Nathaniel Lindo, David Mocatta, my dear Judith, and
myself. The builders were also present. After the stone was placed, we
deposited in a hole, made in it for that purpose, a glass bottle
containing the inscription, signed by myself and my dear Judith; a
large stone was then placed above it, they were then firmly riveted
together with iron bolts and boiling lead. Louis Cohen, Solomon Sebag,
Rebecca, and I went afterwards into the cottage, and read the Psalms
known by the Hebrew name of Hallel (special praise). They all
breakfasted with us at the Albion Hotel, where we were joined by
Adelaide Israel, whose delicate state of health would not permit her
to witness the ceremony."
Mr Montefiore gives the following: "This day, 20th August, five and
twenty years ago, in 1806, J. E. D. robbed me of all I possessed in
the world, and left me deeply in debt; but it pleased the Almighty in
His great mercy to enable me in the course of a few years to pay
everyone who had been a sufferer through me to the full extent of
their loss."