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 the air so very oppressive, that I
was obliged to get up in the middle of the night, and take a walk
outside the house.
_Jamburg, March 30th._--At seven in the morning I crossed the Lugu;
there was not much ice on the river. The officer told me he would have
three boats lashed together to take the carriages over. I returned to
Sir Moses to bring him the good news, and to prepare for our
departure. I had scarcely been at home an hour when the ice came down
the river in great quantities. Sir Moses accompanied me to look at it,
and decided not to cross, as we should have incurred a great risk by
doing so. At last towards evening the officer came and told us that he
would employ soldiers to launch the great barge, and would come for us
when he was ready. We continued in painful suspense awaiting his
arrival till a few minutes before seven, when he came and said "All
was ready." Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore went in their carriage. I
and the rest of the party walked down to the water side. The carriages
were safely put on a large barge, and soon launched into the stream,
but when in the middle it struck on some large stones, and they were
in the greatest peril. The barge remained for nearly an hour fixed to
one spot. Happily, after great exertions on the part of the soldiers,
it was got off.
The officer then conducted us into his own boat, in which, besides Sir
Moses and Lady Montefiore, were also two servants, the officer, and a
gentleman with despatches from the Russian Government, and we were
towed across, though not without some danger from the ice which was
driving down the current in great masses, and which our boatman found
great difficulty in avoiding. Had they struck it must have proved
fatal, but Heaven guarded us, and we landed in safety. We were one
hour in crossing from the house on the west bank to the Post House at
Jamburg, and had more than a hundred men to assist us. The officer was
most civil and attentive, and refused to accept any present.
_March 31st._--We left Jamburg last night with the intention of
travelling through the night, but we found the road so dreadfully bad,
in many places covered with snow and ice and full of ruts, that Sir
Moses and Lady Montefiore deemed it most prudent to stop at Opolje,
which was reached at one in the morning. We found warm and excellent
accommodation at the station, and instantly threw ourselves on the
sofas in our clothes, and slept soundly. We started again after six.
The roads were so extremely bad that we were at last compelled to
leave our carriages, Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore, as well as myself
and the rest of our party, having to walk through the snow, between
six and seven versts, and arrived dreadfully fatigued at Ischerkowitz,
where we remained three hours for rest and refreshment. We then had a
pleasant drive in a little open carriage placed on a sledge and drawn
by two horses, but it was very cold. We reached Kaskowa one hour
before our own carriages.
_April 1st._--We left Kaskowa, passed through Kipeen, and a stage
later arrived at Stretna. From this place to St Petersburg is
seventeen and a half versts. The road is here well macadamised; on
either side of it are the country seats of the nobility. Up to this
place we had had as many as eight, ten, or twelve, and sometimes even
a greater number of horses put to the carriage, now the number was
limited to three, we were told, by order of the Government. The driver
remained standing all the time (while driving furiously) on a small
piece of iron, which served as a step to get up to the coachman's
seat. At about three o'clock we arrived at St Petersburg. After our
passports had undergone the necessary examination, we drove to the
place where apartments had been taken for us, but found them
unsuitable, and had to search some time before we succeeded in
engaging rooms at the Hotel de Prusse.
_St Petersburg, April 2nd._--We went to His Excellency the Hon. T. A.
D. Bloomfield, who received us immediately. Sir Moses gave him his
letters of introduction, and acquainted him with the object of his
visit to the Russian metropolis. He also showed him the letters of
introduction to Count Nesselrode which he had received from Sir Robert
Peel and Baron Brunnow.
His Excellency received Sir Moses very kindly, wrote to Count
Nesselrode, enclosing Sir Moses' letters to him, and eventually
obtained an appointment for Sir Moses for the following Sunday.
_April 4th._--Both Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore found the climate
very trying. Visitors who called on them reported that there was not a
house in the city that had not three or four of its inmates confined
by illness (an epidemic catarrh, generally called in Russia and
Germany, "Grippe"), which had greatly increased the mortality of the
city.
_April 5th._--At one o'clock Sir Moses visited Count Nesselrode. We
were at once received by him in a very friendly manner. He said he had
already spoken to the Emperor about Sir Moses. The latter informed the
Count of the two purposes for which he came to St Petersburg, viz.,
the establishment of Jewish schools, and the repeal of the two Ukases
for the removal of the Jews from the frontiers. This, the Count said,
was not in his department, but the Government was at present engaged
on the amendment of those Ukases, and that he should be happy to
render Sir Moses all the assistance in his power in furtherance of his
objects. Sir Moses then spoke to him respecting the cultivation of
land, and the Count said that his views were in strict accordance with
those of the Government; that he wished to raise the Jews, and make
them more useful members of society; that the cream of the Jews were
in England, France, and Germany, but that those in the ancient
provinces of the Russian Empire and Poland were engaged in low traffic
and contraband pursuits.
Sir Moses expressed his deep regret to hear the Minister's opinion,
for which he was not prepared. He then said to his Excellency that he
should be happy to be presented to the Emperor; the Count told him he
would ask His Majesty, and requested Sir Moses to call on Count
Ouvaroff, the Minister of Public Instruction, at one o'clock on the
following day. He again repeated his desire to render him every
assistance.
In the course of the day Sir Moses left his card and letters of
introduction at Count Orloff's.
_April 6th._--We called to-day on Count Ouvaroff, with whom we
remained an hour and a half in conversation. He assured Sir Moses, for
himself and on the part of his colleagues, that the measures of the
Government for the organisation of the Jewish schools were designed
for their improvement and happiness, and not with the slightest
intention of conversion to another religion, but to make them more
useful members of society, and to fit them for advancement. He also
assured Sir Moses that the Government had some plans for a more
liberal treatment, but that the Jews must first prepare themselves.
"The Jews of Russia," he said, "were different from the Jews in other
parts of the world; they were orthodox, and believed in the Talmud,"
which he considered false. "They were ignorant of their own religion;
and he was obliged to force them to study Hebrew, their own language."
Sir Moses defended the principles of those who strictly adhere to the
doctrines of their religion. As to the Talmud, he pointed out to the
Minister the great esteem in which that work is held by pious and
learned Christians.
In support of this view, I reminded His Excellency of what Buxtorf
said on the subject in his "Abbreviations,"[A] and in the preface to
his great Chaldaic and Talmudical Lexicon:--
"The Talmud," that Christian Divine states, "is a
learned work, or a large corpus of erudition; it
contains manifold learning in all sciences; it teaches
the most explicit and most complete, civil and canonical
law of the Jews, so that the whole nation, as well as
their Synagogue, might live thereby in a state of
happiness,--in the most desirable way.
"It is the most luminous commentary of the Scriptural
law as well as its supplement and support.
"It contains much excellent teaching on jurisprudence,
medicine, natural philosophy, ethics, politics,
astronomy, and other branches of science, which make one
think highly of the history of that nation and of the
time in which the work was written."
[Footnote A: De abreviat. hebr. (auct. Joh. Buxt. I.), p. 1.]
I mentioned to His Excellency the names of Buxtorf the younger, Dr
Johannus Reuchlin, Johannes Meyer, Selden, Joh. Morinus, Sebastian
Munster, Surenhusius, and quoted most of their statements on the
subject.
With reference to the Russian Jews' knowledge of Hebrew and of their
own religion, I called His Excellency's attention to the numerous
works they had produced on all subjects connected with Hebrew
literature and poetry.
The Minister, however, resumed his arguments, saying they should first
be educated before full facilities to gain a living should be given
them; although he allowed that, to a certain degree, persecution had
made them what they are. He further said that the Government were now
adopting a new plan, and were treating the Jews with toleration,
liberality, and love, but it would take a long time, he
remarked--perhaps a century--before any difference would be
perceptible. He did not consider the present generation, and only
thought of the future. He concluded by observing the Jews were loyal
subjects, and immediately complied with every order of the Government.
Sir Moses pressed repeatedly upon His Excellency the necessity of
relieving them from the anxiety and suffering to which they were
subjected in respect to the Ukases for their removal from the
frontiers and villages; upon which the Minister observed, "They were
not executed, and were very different in effect to what they appeared
on paper, and that the Government were engaged on their
consideration;" and he several times repeated that the Government were
desirous of raising the Jews and removing the prejudices which still
exist against them, but it required time, and the Jews must assist by
their improvement and attendance at the schools. Sir Moses assured him
that the fear of attempts at conversion was the only cause of their
hesitation to conform to his wishes. The interview then terminated,
His Excellency having throughout been most friendly and polite.
On our return home Mr and Mrs Bloomfield paid a long visit to Sir
Moses and Lady Montefiore, and spoke principally on the subject
connected with our visit to St Petersburg.
He gave Sir Moses a letter just received from Count Nesselrode,
stating that the Emperor would receive him on the following day at one
o'clock. Sir Moses showed him the address which he wished to deliver
to His Majesty. His Excellency thought it would do very well. Sir
Moses then said he was anxious that Count Nesselrode should see it. Mr
Bloomfield thought he might call on him to-morrow morning. Sir Moses,
however, was of opinion that it would be better to go there at once,
and take his chance of seeing him.
Immediately after the British Ambassador and his wife had left us we
went to Count Nesselrode, who received us, read the paper over, and
suggested some alterations.
In the evening we dined with the British Ambassador. Mr Bloomfield
being unwell, could not join the company at table. There were present
Count Nesselrode's daughter and her husband, the Saxon Ambassador, the
Austrian Ambassador, Mr and Mrs Buchanan, and several other gentlemen.
_Wednesday, April 8th._--Sir Moses, in order to be ready to attend His
Majesty, had just put on his uniform when he received a message from
Count Nesselrode, saying that the Emperor would see him on the morrow
instead of on that day.
_April 9th._--The entry of this day in the diary records the audience
with His Majesty the Emperor:--"Praised be the God of our fathers. At
one o'clock this day I had the honour of an interview with His
Imperial Majesty the Emperor. I made the strongest appeal in my power
for the general alteration of all laws and edicts that pressed heavily
on the Jews under His Majesty's sway."
The following is a copy of the address to the Emperor:--
"May it please your Imperial Majesty. With deep
veneration for your Majesty's person and government, and
with fervent prayers to the Most High, that your Majesty
may continue to be for many, many years the happy and
exalted ruler of a powerful, virtuous, and prosperous
people, I crave your Majesty's permission to offer my
humble thanks for the honour conferred upon me by your
Majesty's government, by the intimation that my presence
in your Imperial metropolis might become beneficial to
my brethren of the Hebrew nation in the organisation of
schools for the education of their youths; a measure
which emanated from your Majesty's watchful and paternal
care for the improvement of their situation and the
promotion of their happiness. May I be permitted to
embrace this favourable moment to express my earnest
prayer that your Majesty may deign to give your most
humane consideration to the condition of my
co-religionists under your Majesty's sway, and that your
Majesty may exert that power which God has placed in
your august hands, to alleviate, to the utmost extent,
which your Majesty's justice and wisdom may think fit,
all such laws and edicts as may be proved to press
heavily upon the Israelites. I implore your Majesty,
therefore, to bend an eye of merciful consideration upon
them, and thus, by the revival of their hopes, they may
be restored to their proper standing among their
fellowmen, and have the opportunity of proving
themselves most loyal and faithful subjects, as well as
useful and honourable citizens, true to the Eternal God,
to whom their prayers daily ascend, that your Majesty's
throne may endure to the latest generations, and that
your Majesty may long live to secure and to witness the
happiness and the prosperity of a great and mighty
nation."
The entry in the diary continues:--
"His Imperial Majesty said that I should have the
satisfaction of receiving his assurance, as well as that
of his Ministers, that they were most desirous for the
improvement of their situation in every way possible.
His Majesty spoke for about twenty minutes. He said I
should go and see them; and referring to the army, that
he had put Jews in his guards. I expressed a hope that
he would promote them if found as deserving as his other
soldiers, to which he assented. I repeatedly said that
the Jews were faithful, loyal subjects, industrious and
honourable citizens. He said, 'S'ils vous ressemblent'
('If they are like you'). His Majesty heartily shook
hands with me as I entered and on my retiring. It is a
happiness to me to hear from every person, from the very
highest to the lowest classes, that my visit to this
country will raise the Jews in the estimation of the
people, and that His Majesty's reception of me will be
of the utmost importance."
_April 10th._--Several persons left their cards, among which we
noticed those of Count Orloff, Lieutenant-General Doubett, Chief of
the Secret Police, the Chevalier Russi di Castilevala. In the course
of the day we went to the office of the Secret Police; they were very
civil. We were given to understand that it was customary for visitors
to St Petersburg to pay a visit to that office. At two o'clock we
called, by appointment, on Count Kisseleff, the Minister in whose
charge Jewish affairs are placed. He received Sir Moses most politely,
and we were with him more than an hour. Sir Moses went over all the
particulars referring to the alleviation of the unfortunate position
of the Jews. The Minister (like Count Nesselrode and Count Ouvaroff)
said they were great fanatics, and he complained of the Talmud being
the cause of their degraded position. Again Sir Moses and myself
defended the Talmud, giving the names of Christian divines who have
spoken in high praise of that ancient work.
Count Kisseleff wished the Jews to cultivate the land, to establish
manufactories, to undertake more laborious work than that to which
they had hitherto been accustomed; and, respecting the removal from
the frontiers, he said they might go fifty versts on either side. He
did not wish to keep them, five or six hundred thousand might leave
altogether. Sir Moses might, if he liked, take ten thousand or more to
Palestine or elsewhere. He shewed him a Ukase about to be published,
which gave them some privileges, but compelled them, within a certain
number of years, to adopt some occupation of an active nature, or to
be punished as vagrants. He said many Jews had gone to settle in
Siberia, but the Governor had taken steps to prevent more of them
going there. The Count further said that the Jews were fanatics,
praying for the coming of the Messiah and their return to the Holy
Land, and that they starved themselves all the week in order to have
candles and fish for the Sabbath. Sir Moses having explained to His
Excellency the groundlessness of these charges, the Minister then said
he should always be pleased to see us, that his doors would be open to
Sir Moses every day, and requested he would call again.
_April 11th._--At about twelve o'clock an officer came from the
Minister of War to inform Sir Moses that the Emperor, having been
informed of his wish to assist at the service in the soldier's
Synagogue at the barracks, had desired him to escort Sir Moses, and to
say that the service was held at seven in the evening, and from eight
till twelve in the morning.
At 6.30 we walked through the rain to the barracks, a very long
distance from our hotel. The Synagogue was a large room, well fitted
up, with the Ark, containing the sacred Scrolls of the Pentateuch, and
the pulpit and reading desk. The prayer for the ruling Sovereign and
the Royal Family was painted on a tablet affixed to the wall, as in
other places of worship among Hebrew communities. The prayers were
read by one of the soldiers, who officiated as precentor to a
congregation of three hundred of his companions. They all appeared
very devout, and joined loudly in the prayers. Sir Moses was so much
fatigued that it was with the greatest difficulty and pain that he
walked to the Synagogue and back through mud and rain. The barracks
were near the English quay, at least two miles distant.