Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-11-08
Increase OfJeVs.

a synagogue. The city of New York alone has
twenty sypseogves aud thirty thousand Jews
vboat one twentieth part of the population being
such.
F., Il may not be Inappropriate to add to the above
statement respecting the progress of the ''ancieut
people" in country, the annexed historical and
statistical particulars from an article in Blsckwoods
Magazine
Vast as is the period and singular az are the
changes OF European history since the Christian
era Judea still continues the most interesting porU
ton Of the world. Among other purposes, It may
be for the purpose of fixing the general eye upon
this extraordinary land that it has been periodically
visited by more striking succession of great Gala
mites than perhaps any other region. With less
20 attract an invader than any other conspicuous
land OF the East it has been constantly exposed to
invasion. Its ruin by the Romans in the first GEN.
fury did not prevent its being assailed by almost
every barbarian who, in turn, assumed the precari
Gus sovereignty of the neighboriug Asia. After
ages of obscure misery a new terror came 10 the
Sarscen invasion, which, under Amrou, on the con
ques; OF Damascus, rolled on TO Palestine. siege
OF four months, which we may well conceive to
have abounded in horrors, gsve Jerusalem into the
hands of the Kaliph Omar. On the death Of Omar,
who died by the usual fate of Eastern princes, the
dagger the country was left TO the still heavier
mis- government OF the tnOS!ein NlCeTdys-a race VI
men essentially barbarian, and committing for their
crimes by their z'a in proselytisn. The people, OF
course we're doubtly tOrmented
new scourge fell npOn them in the invasion Of
the Crusaders, at the beginning OF the twelfth CEN
tury followed BY long succession Of bitter hostile
ties aud public weakness. After almost q century
o. this wretchednesss another invasion from the
Desert put Jerusalem into the hands ef its old OPP
pressor the Saracen; and in 1887 the famous Sala-
IF Al Gt,ri1f
took possession of Palestine. After another cen.
fury OF tumult and severe suffering, occasioned by
the disputes of the Saracen princes, it was visited
by still more formidable evil in the shape of the
Turks, then wholly uncvilized--a nation in all the
rudent IS and violence OF mOuntaneer life, and
spreading blood and fire through Western Asia.
From this date OSLO it remained under the domin
ion Of the Ottoman until its conquest few years
ago, by that most extraordinary Of all Mussulmans,
the Pacha OF Egypt-a dreary period of 500 years,
under the most desolating government of the world.
II is equally impossible to read the Scrptural re-
ferences to the future condition Of Palestine with.
out discovering crowd of the planest and most
powerful indications that il shall yet exhibit to-
tally different aspect from that of its present state.
Enthusiasm, or even the natural interest which we
feel in this memorable nation, may color the future
to Us too bFightly but unless language of the most
solemn kind, uttered on the most solemn occasions,
and bv men diviuelv commissioned for its uttersnce
is wholly unmeaning, must yet look to some
powerful unquestiOnable and splendid display OF
Providence in favor of the people of Isreal
The remarkable determination of European poll
tics toward Asia Minor, Syria, and Egypt witt in
these few years; the not less unexpected change of
manners and customs, which seemed to d,f all
change; and the new life infused ptO the stagusnt
Go'ernments of Asia, even by their being flung
TO the hrl Of European interests look not unlike
sigma OF the timer.
Il may be no dream to Imagine in these
phenomena the proofs Of some memorable Change
in the interior of things-sOme preparatvos for
that great providential restoration of which Jeru
salem will vet be the scene, if not the centre, and
the Isrsete himself the especial agent of those
high transactions which shall make Christianity the
religion Of all lands, restore the dsmanted beauty
of all earth, and make man what he created to
be, only "a little lower than the angels"
The statistics the Jewish populatOnare among
the most singular circumstances of this most sin
guar of all people Under all their calamties and
dispersions they seem TO have remained at nearly
the same amount as in the days Of David and Solo
mon, never much more in prosperity, never much
less after ages of suffering Nothing like this has
occurred in the history of any other race; Europe in
general having doubled it, population within the
last hundred years, and England nearly tripled
hers within the last half century; the proportion of
Amarics being st more rapid, and the world
crowding in a constantly increasing ratio.
YeI the Jews seemed to stand still in this vast
and general movement. The population of Judea
IN its most psmy days probably did not exceed, it
il reached fonr millions. The numbers who enter
ed Palestine from the wilderness were evidently
not much more than three; and their census &C
cOrdng TO the German stst;sts, who were generally
considered TO be exact, is now nearly the same as
that OF the people under Moses-about three mil
lions They are thus distributed:
10 Europe, /, ole, OOO Of which about $4,000
are in Poland and Russia, and 45S 900 are in Aus
tria.
In Asia 7ss, 900, of which 300, 600 are in Asia
tic Turkey.
In Africa 6O4, 900 of which 100000 are in Mo
rocco,
In America North and South, $1,000
IL we add TO these about 10 0O0 Samaritsps, the
calculation in round numbers will be about g. $50,
900
This was the report in 1885, the numbers pro.
badly r main the same. This extraordinary fixed
ness ia the midst of almost universal Increase is
doubtless not without q reason, if we are even TO
look for is among the mysterious operations which
have preserved Israel separate race through eigh
teen hundred years.
MAY we not naturally conceive that people thus
preserved without advance or retrocession dispers
ed vet confined brok en-, vet frm; without a coun
try, yet jewellers in all; everywhere insulted, yet
everywhere Influential; without nation yet united
no nation was before or since, has not been
appointed to offer this extraordinary contradiction
to the laws Of society, and even the common pro-
gress Of nature, without cause, and that cause
OF final benevoence, universal good, and divine
GRANDEUR
In noticing the preceding statistics the late Major
Noah remarked:
1--WE apprehend there is some error in the above
statistics, and that the number of Jews throughout
the world may be estimated at nearer six millions
than three. There are more than a million in Pos
land and Russia; in all Asia there are tu two mil.
lions; half a million in Austria; In the Barbary
States and Africa million; in all Europe two mil
hons and bslf We DO not think, during the most
splendid period Of Jewish history. that they ever
exceeded four millions but then their colonies and
countries, held tribute in Europe and Asia, amour
ted 10 many millions more"
Mr. WksHISGToS IRvIN6's TRANSATLANTIC