New-York daily tribune., 1845-04-21
THE TRIBUNE.
THE MODERN JEWS.


remnant. From various causes il is difficult ;c
ascertain their numbers, but they cannot be esti
mated below six or seven millions. "Of the twt
and half tribes, Judah and Benjamin, and hal
Manasseh,'' quotes the North American iron
Judge Noah, " the number in every part OF The
world may he computed az exceeding six mil
hons OF the missing nine and half tribes, part OF
which are in Turkey, China, Hndostan, Persia
and on this continent il is impossible to ascertain
the numerical force"
Ono estimate can be formed Of the number oi
Jews residing IN Roman Catholic countries, par
ticularIy in Spain and Portugal, who conceal iheir
religion under n Christian gsrb; probably, there
are several hundred thousands OF them. The num-
bers given for Asia and Africa certainly TALL short
of the truth. They are powerful IN Persia and the
countries upon the Indian Ocean, IN China, and on
the borders Of Tartary Baei Jess are t found IN IN
congregation ia Calcutta, and are quite numeT,
Gus on the coast of NIaIabar, where they speak OF
brethren residing in Northern India, Tartary and
China"
Their position in the East is well known to every
reader Though possessed of some real power,
thew are not so of any degree of honor security,
and are the mark of insul, alike to Turk, Moor and
Christian But the following story Of barbarity-
pracsed against them so little while ago, and
founded upon the old superstition as to their
making human sacrifices, new to us, and may
be so 10 others.
'sThc accounts received fouryears ago. OF grisvous
crneltiea prac,iced upon the Jews al Damascus AMI
Rhodes, though they excited. especially IN Great
Britain unusual sympathy, exhibited Instances OF
suleriag by no meaps extraordinary In 1873, all
the Jews Of Damascus suspected OF the CRIME oi
having wealth. were thrown into prison, and r.
deemed their lives only by an enormous payment.
In February. 1910, Father Thomaso, priest, who
practced medicine, disappeared, as well as his ser
want Certain Turks and Greeks affirmed, that
both had been seen in the Jewish quarter the
evening before Jewish barber was at once
seized, carried before the Pacha, and examined
uader the most dreadful tortures. For while he
protested utter ignorance but length IN me eX-
tremity of his suffering, AT the suggestion OF some
Greeks standing by, he denounced the seven
wealthlest nen in the city declaring. that they
had promised him eight hundred piastres, Il he
would sacrifice the priest, so that they mignt nave
his blood for the uneavened bread which he had
refused TO do The Pacha, in great rage, sent
for the seven Jews and subjected them, notwlth-
standing their protestaons of innocence, to the
.bastinado and other extreme .crueues,. keeping
them on heirfee fifty hours, without food or sieep
He then sent for the three chief rabbins, and put
them to the torture requiring them TO say ii they
used blood for the puschal bread. OF course they
denied the charge. The Pacha then sent TO the
college of children, put all the iunates IN prison.
visit them, md fed them on a small allowance o'
bread and water in hopes ot thus extorflns from
the parents confession. Jew VINO Nehtnteu 10
eynostula,e with the Pacha, and TO represent The
hbsurditv of such an accusation ana sucii proceed
inps was nj once beaten 10 death. lhe Pacha
then caused the houses Of the accused to be razed
10 their foundations; and finding no trace oil 'he
two persons who had disappeared. he threw Ine
prisoners INTO a sewer beneath the palace. No
longer able 10 endure such torments, they adihit'eu
Al. -, lnA nj
blood had been put into n bottle ana conhteu ~
another ot their number this one, however, ,ueheu
all knowledge of it, until thousand strokes Win
rods compelled HIM TO say he had put thc potiic
ln,o a certain closet. OF course, II could not oe
fnunh hut IN the closet was large sum OF gold,
which the Jew had vainy hoped woula save NM
meantime an astroloser declared he had discover
ed by his art that the accused were the mnrdrferS
of the priest and tive others, whom ne Named Oh
the servant Three of the latter fled before they
could be apprehended. Some OF the Others EN-
braced Islamsm and were released. he French
consul at Damascus was accused ot oelng one o
the chief instigators OF these prosecutions; oui
other representatives OF different European powers
interfered and the Jews of London sent com
mission 10 demonstrate with the sultan; Mehemet
Ali soon issued orders forbiddug further perSecu-
ton until the matter could be tairly investigated :;
and when released from the tear ot torture, most
who had confessed retracted their admission, the
barbcr declaring that they had threatened 10 torture
hun 10 death unless he confessed, ana hau pro-
missed hun safety if he would dencuace the nlur-
derers.
In the island of Rhodes, about the same time,
the Christians accused the Jews ei sacrihclnS a
child ten wears old. Here, again, certain European
consuls were said 10 have been the lnsilsa
Witnesses were found 10 affirm that Greek chiId
had been seen following Jew on Inc puoic h'sn-
way The Jew arrested, thrown INTO chainS'
and bas,nadoed; his nostrils were pierced win
iron heated stones placed on his head and u heavy
weight on his heart. HIS prosecutors endeaSored
10 induce hun to denounce the Chief rabbi; and, al
les, he accused several Jews though not the raooi
As many OF these rs could be found were SeizeG,
and subjected TO similar tortures, uader when
seven nersons suffered until almos; seprved OF HE
The accused, or some OF them, were afterwards
taken 10 Constantinope for trial, and their inno-
cence fully established; and the jewish conlin's,
son from London, with Others VINO h'eIeS!eu u
obtaining a frman, dated Nov. 9th, ls'o. Pntiins
an end To these cruellies both al Damascus and the
island of Rhodes, and declaring that the Jews
should be protected, and should ENJOY inc same
rights as other nations dependent on the ier'e'
These accumulated statements OF crueI'ieS psac-
tced upon the Jews, especiallyin in MohamGedan
countries, II taken by themselves. would unooup''
edly give an exaggerated idea OF their sntisTiusS'
Ii must be recollecied that vast numbers OF uieh
are too poor III reality, and many Others 100 poor
IN appearance, 10 temp, cupldtv that their opPseS
sors treat them with some degree OF lenlencv. as
they do The Sucs subjected 10 their service, from
motives ci seinteyes,; that the rulers often pro
tect them rom the malice al the people, IN order
tha. their revenues may suffer; that the
natural feelings OF humanity, quite extinct IN no
human breast, unnerve the arm OF persecution
and that the necessary influence and ready srltces
of race preeminenty shrewd and intelligent save
them from many lmmisent periS'
In this country, France, Holland and parts OF
Germany, their freedom is almost complete, and
few privileges are denied them. except oy private
prejudice. Napoleon gave an impulse IN the true
direction here. as OF SO many other subjects In
England, their position casts strange oiut on hs'
pempous advocacy of the cause OF human ifesaoih
BUTT is not the only one. In Italy, Siain' fof'u
gal, they are scarcely tolerated
The following impressive account oil the cefe'
mony 10 which they are yearly subjected in hoin'
is extracted from the Journal OF MIR, "hyse'
Scottish clergyman:
;s. .ha