The Sun.
London, England, 1861-03-27 00:00:00

THE JEWS IN POLAND.

The following is the circular of the Israelite Con-,
sistory, published at Warsaw, March, 1861 :
" In the name of the Immortal God of Israel, and
with the sanction of the most eminent members of
our community.
" To our brother Isrpelites, children of Poland.
" Doubtless the intelligence of the events which
have taken place during the last week has reached
you, either verbally or through the newspapers.
Though far away, no doubt you saw, like ourselves,
who were eyewitnesses, the hand of Providence in
these circumstances. God spake, and it was done.
Let us, then, praise the Lord of the Universe, who
has filled our breasts with the hope that the hour of
liberty and of our deliverance from an oppressive
yoke will ultimately arrive.
" Thirty years have elapsed since 1831, during
which more than 100 enactments respecting the
Jews have been published by the Government, not
one of which contained any alleviations of our suf-
ferings, but rather tended to increase our oppres-
gion. Of all who profess our religion throughout
Europe, we are the only ones who groan under the
barbarism of the Middle Ages, The number of
Jewish taxes are innumerable, and our means of
gaining a livelihood are more and more limited
daily.
"You are aware that during the reign of Alex-
ander I. of glorious memory we were granted equal
rights with the rest of our countrymen, provided
we shared in military conscription ; in that case all
special taxes on us were to be removed, as, for in-
stance, the tax on meat (koszer22e), and the humilia-
ting mode of levying the capitation, called tageetel,
also all restrictions as to our residences in towns,
and every function of our life. But since 1843 thou-
sands of our children have perished in the ranks of
the army, and where is the liberty that was granted
us? The Government officials rule over us, treating
us like slaves, and trampling us under foot like
worms.
" When, 15 years ago, an order was issued to
change the Jewish dress, what means were em-
ployed to carry it out ? Old men were dragged
along the streets like dogs, and there were no
limits to the brutality of the police. None but vile
men could carry out such barbarous orders, while
men with conscience and good faith look at it with
horror. Why were such atrocities unknown before
1831 ? Because before that time all offices were
filled by virtuous men, who loved their country
and cared for the welfare of the people. The pre-
sent officials, with few exceptions, are degraded
men, who neither love their country nor its people.
" Nine years back the marshals of the nobility,
in their anxiety for the good of their country, pre-
sented some plans of reform respecting us to the
Government, which we had an opportunity of see-
ing, but they remained without effect.
" When God called Alexander 11. to the throne,
a Sovereign known throughout Europe for the
goodness of his heart and the kind interest he takes
in the welfare of his people, we hoped light would
shine upon us; but, alas ! the darkness is still un-
broken, because our foes are surrounded by men
who are as great enemies to Poland as themselves,
and persecutors of the Jews, and who do not cease
to blacken and calumniate us in the eyes of the
monarchy. When at last we were called upon by
the Emperor to express our demands for alleviation,
and our petition reached the Monarch, the calum-
nies heaped upon us were still greater than have
been known since the time of Haman.
"Do not imagine, however, that no favourable
opinion was produced in our defence. Several
high-minded men in the Government, good Poles,
loving without distinction all children of the coun-
try, raised their voices in our behalf; but it was
like the voice in the desert, for they were out-num-
bered by the anti-patriotic clique. All these facts
are well known to us who live on the spot. But
this is not all ; bad faith was carried so far that no
means were spared to create dissensions in the
country in order to weaken its vital strength. En-
deavours were made by means of the press to raise
the enmity of the gentry against the Jews, and
through this to curtail our means of subsistence.
To create disunion they did not hesitate to employ
religious fanaticism ; thus three years ago on the
eve of Doomsday, the excited Christian popula-
tion in the town of Turk ravaged the synagogue,
tore the garments used for the ceremonies,
and profaned our sanctuary. When the Jews ap-
pealed to the Government against this outrage, do
you recollect the answer they received ? That in the
new penal code no mention is made of Jewish tem-
ples. As long as Poland has existed no such abo-
mination was ever heard of.
" Now look at the true spirit of the nation.
"It searcely began to breathe more freely, its
priests in all the churches proclaimed love and
brotherly feeling for us, acknowledging us as the
children of the country we have inhabited during
eight centuries.
"Brother Israelites! Be full of courage and
manly feeling. Let us freely clasp the fraternal
hand which is held out to us. We have seen the
first men of the land side by side with our clergy,
accompanying to their last homes the victims whose
innocent blood flowed in the streets of our city ;
100,000 men of every persuasion followed hand in
hand, filled with the spirit of reconciliation.
" When men of trust had to be chosen to form the
honourable Council our Rabbi and several other
Jews were among them. Who could have dreamed
of this a short time back ? In our supposed enemies
we found sincere friends. It was not force, but my
spirit that did it,' said God. God thus willed it,
filling generous men with courage to speak for us,
and silencing the enemies of Poland, who sowed
enmity among her children.'
" We implore you, brethren, that you will, in
common and with zeal, show your gratitude to our
fellow-countrymen, and aid them in all their noble
exertions, for their good is our good.
" Hasten to affixyour names to the address which