The Sun.
London, England, 1841-04-27 00:00:00

EVENING ED

TION

•
PUBLIC DINNER GIVEN BY THE
JEWS IN DAMASCUS TO COLONEL

CHURCHILL.
the
The principal event attending arrival of General
Jochmus at Damascus, and which has created a very
great sensation, has been the splendid reception given
by the Jews to Colonel Churchill, as the bearer of the
Sultan's hatti-schcriff to that hitherto oppressed commu-
nity. This mission was entrusted to Col. Churchill by Sir
Moses Montefiore, and several otherimport sot papers and
documents were also transmitted through. the same chan-
nel by the Hon. Knight to his fellow-countrymen, not
only in Damascus, but in several other cities of Pales-
tine. A splendid entertainment was given to Colonel
Churchill on the Ist of March, at the house of Signor
Farki, the chief banker of Damascus. All the
British and Austrian officers on the staff of General
Jochmus were invited. The gallant guests were
received on their entrance into the grand court by
Signor Farki and a deputation of the principal
resident Jewish merchants, and were immediately con-
ducted to the state apartment thrown open for the oc •
casion. The grand court occupies a space of fifty yards
square, paved throughout with large :dabs of native and
livourne Marble, and relieved in the centre by a magni-
ficent reservoir of water, with a jet d'eau ; several orange-
trees in full fruit of about forly feet high adorn various
ether parts of this beautiful area. On entering the great
ception•room, the eye is perfectly dazzled with the rich-
ness of theornameets which cover the walls a 1:1 ror.sf—the
latter is oat:rely coated with every var;ety of the Arabesque
pattern, in the richestt• gilding, interspersed with de-
signs in diff:rent colours ; the former to the height
of twenty.five feet from the ground—presents one
mass of the most costly mosaic all round. Seven
immense glass chandeliers hang down midway at
regular intervals throughout the apartment. A
marble fouut, eight feet squire, occupies the im-
mediate vicinity of the entrance, in which the clear-
est water is perpetually sparkling up in six jets
d'eau. At an interval of four feet the floor is raised
thre:-quarters of a yard, on three sides of the xoom, to
form the divans, which recede in three •directions to a
distance of 40 feet, and arc surrounded by silk and velvet
cushions, and covered by the richest Persian carpets. The
party having been conducted to the principal divan, and
the Jaws having ranged themselves in order all round,
pipes, coffee, and sherbet were handed round.
In half an hour the dinner was announced, and the
whole adjourned to a large and lofty corridor, where
a long table bad been prepared, a 1 'Europecn,
with covers for 70. The dinner was of the most
costly description, and comprised every delicacy which
nature could supply or art suggest ; the cntrenzet
of sweetmeats was of extraordinary research, and
baffled the senses by its richness and variety. At the con-
clusion of the repast, the haalths of Queen Victoria, of
the Emperor of Austria, of the Allied rowers, and of Sir
Moses Montefiore, wero toasted, and warmly responded
to. At seven o'clock, the state apartment was lightel up.
and the brillie.ncy of the chandeliers was 'almost over-
powering. In a few minutes after the guests had re-
sumed their seats on the grand divan—the great
Court burst forth as if by magic into one blaze of
effulgence, the handsome corridors presented the
most beautiful illumination which can possibly be
conceived, while every orange tree was hung in
festoons of variegated lamps, reflecting a thousand
colours. The sky above was studded with stirs, the
waters of the grand fountain played forth from va-
rious hitherto concealed springs, a band of music
striking up Oriental airs, and consisting of the
dulcimer, the hautboy, and other stringed instru-
ments, filled the air with the richness of its har-
mony ; and last, though not least, the presence of the
temple branches of the community now contributed to-
wards the beauty and splendour of the matchless
scene. The loveliness of some of the young Jew-
esses was most captivating, and the gracious manner in
which they received the attention of the gallant
strangers, left an impression which never can be effaced.
As the evening drew to a close, Col. Churchill re-
turned to the state-room and delivered a farewell ad-
eiress to the assembled guests. Amongst those present
wet e the fourteen Jews who had so horribly suffered
(luring the late persecution, and most of whom were
(till suffering severely from the effects of their barbarous
treatment.

The Colonel spoke in the French language, and
was most ably assisted by Signor Pistochi, the
son of the Austrian Consul at Cairo, who per-
formed the part of interpreter. After hating ex-
;;resnd the extraordinary satisfaction he had re-
ceived frot!n the splendid hospitality of the circle
around him, and at his singular felicity in being
placed in so novel and interesting a position, he spoke
in the highest terms of the exemplary and patriotic con-
duct of Sir Moses Montefiere, who had so success-
fully applied himself to procure for the Hebrews of
sue Levant and Syria a full and complete recognition
from . the Sublime Portsi of their political rights
privileges. He trusted that, under the mild and
,%aternal Government of Sultan Abdul Medjid, the
Jewish community would not only mainta'n their present
iractage ground, bat grow in importance and conzidera-
tion as an indispensable support of the Imperial power ;
concluded in the following words:—

" I trust, my friends, that I may claim for my country
the. first place in your recollections. In the hour of
your darkest trial and adversity, England hastened to
eatend to ynu the protection of her glorious and
triumphant aegis. Other powers, no doubt, exhibited
a generous sympathy in your behalf ; but in England
:your woes, and misfortunes, and sufferings found an
echo, and exercised a rational exhibition of feeling
v hich struck down the fiendish malice which oppressed you
to the earth, and rescued you from the bands of your ma-
liquant persecutors. She has proved herself to be your
'most steady, persevering, and uncompromising defender
and friend. May this happy meeting be looked upon as a
pledge of that friendship, and as the forecast of such a con-
nection and alliance between the English and the Jewish
people as shall be alike honourable and advantageous to
both. Yes, my f, iends, there was once a Jewish people,
t'amous in arts and renowned in war. These beautiful plains
and valleys,. which aro now tenanted by the wild and
wandering Arab, on which desolation has fixed her iron
stamp, once revelled in the luxuriance of their fertile
and abundant crops, and resounded with the songs of
'the daughters of Zion.. May the hour of Israel's de-
liverance. be near at hand."—[Here the gallant speaker
was interrupted by cries of " Inchallah ! Inchallah !
May God grant it ! May God grant it !—To England
alone we look."]—‘, May the approximation of western
.eivilizition to this interesting land be the dawn of her
rrg, neration, and of her political existence ; may the
JewiTh nation once more claim her rank end station
among the powers of the world !! Tne descendants of
the Maccabees will yet prove themselves worthy of their
itustrious ancestors." After a few further remarks,
the Gallant Colonel concluded, and the whole party
broke up, highly delighted with the hospitable treatment
they land emperrenced.
This o.trair has created the greatest sensation in Da-
mascus, and the English are everywhere received with
'narked tokens of respect and consideration from all
parties.

SPIRIT ...........__ -.7-7,- ....--- ...1•01,
of the PuBT - '—
FROM THR RVIINING VAPERS Op ' Vt3TXRDIT
-AC. JOURNALS.
.h--,--fl'irettlieoL7lw%Lpthroerporisekiersoba.yatilie I:eg.islature
i.GailLrOenßaEl
laretzet
the
revenue
of the
•which arc deemed necessary to
State or the property
respect to the e(
14
Of individuals, should o t1:11
individual; and be designed
wore mid not vindictive : they should have
nuttily rather than to the,
wore to prevent than to punish ofTences. To effect this
object, it is essential that publicity should invariably
be given to the detection and punishment of those who
Lave violced the law, in order that shame *nay op:I/At,
upon. the individuals—the public be put uron their
Enord against the porintration of such frauds---and
.ntaers, rrba 7,.1;5' b 3 disposed to engage in similar
nefarious sehe.nes, be deterred from conduct which,
!collet or latr, would be thus followed by the for-
feifurz of property and the loos of reputction. The
ad.:oiziatration of the justice of 'tile country in public
It;ourti, and the publicity given to the nam;:s of the
individuals cud t':.e Mature of their offences with
L e eircurnst:dnvs attndant on their commission, by
toe frolitie press, restrain crime more effectually than
read of any punishment, unattended by publicity,
could effect. Why,
Then, is not this salutary course
invariably al,ptti with re
revenud-17:41, mar ry vct to offences against the
of which, from their peetniar elm-
rrter.oot only involve frauds upon the revenue, but
Uett)Y ealEtoger, doubtless, in many instances, if
tzlenly, yet eertaialy, destroy life ? Tne adultera-
tion with deleterious drugs, and other poisonous
ingredients, of articles used in the preparation of
human food, which pay
honey duties to the G;-
Vernment, is known to be fear:ully on the iecreasc.
The pritetic , by the large gains it affords, holds out a
powerful temedeteerion tation to the unprincipled trader, who,
if be tieape
but for a smelt time, is well
satisfied to pay the penalty out of the immense pro-
fits helms mall,' by the sli.tincful and cruelly Ganda-
lent course he baS pursued. 'let in such cases it is
by no means unca:union fur t!A; fine incurred to be
ednimutel by the t'ounniFsiouers of Excise bra pri-
yate arrange:punt with the offender ; and thus a
trader who ought 13..; held up to the public as a pub-
lic pois Oner, spreading disease by vitiating human
food—for which offence against the public there is
scarcely • any punishment, however infamous, which
Would be Lao • severe—is allowed to pass without any
other penalty up .3n detection than having to pay a small
portion of the profit derived from his infamous fraud,
after a correspondence with the Solicitor of the Excise,
or the llonnurable Commissioners, who seem to look
E ti.SP. k a aid of the revenue, than to a punish-
--
..„......- -Mgr aid bear some proportion to the heinous
. ' Jur
..,l t", jp, ler, and warn others against embarking
e ••, ,ions..
:( 7;4' ee,, ._., D. The division of this evening,
-" eeTI4,OI .A in reference to the vital principle it
-,-et - •
~..
.74 effects upon the existence of her Ma--
is, beyond . all
~.,,,.._
.1 comparison, the most
\Ti. flu, ',. -of the year. Should this rave-
-4 4fu .e be carried,--should the Chartist
principle. that mere ooeupation ei a certain nominal
ncrtiou of property, independent of all profit or in.

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tiori y 171C351.11