The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-12-30
TIE MoRTARA CASE.

/ upon this case, which, if less curt. is not less
cold than its predecessor. If Mr.. Hart were a
Shylock, and the Secretary Of State his creditor
he would run no risk Of trauscendiug the condi
tons of the bond - by taking his pound Of
| flesh. Not sentence or a word of sympathy
for the bereayed parents of the abducted child
not an expression of manly Indignation against
the perpetrators of the outrage, can the Jew ex
tract from the frigid heart of the venerable
head Of the State Department. We give the
material portions of his letter. He says
. In this additional letter which YOU have adj
dressed to me, YOU introduce an extract Of a let
ter from this Department. dated August IT,
| 1910, to the American Consul at Cairo, speak
ing IN just terms of apprehension Of the atro.
clouS calumnies which the Jews of Damascus
had been then recently subjected to. and Of the
terrible cruelties which had been inflicted upon
them And considering this a case of inter
ventlOn, and a prOdf that no such settled
policy as that indicated has been adopted bv
the | nited States, You consider also that the
public support and influence by the good offices
OF our Government was consistently asked for a
suppression OF such Wrongs To humanity As
were the occasion OF my former note &c.
have no remarks to make respecting the pro-
ceedIngs OF the Government in this case at Da-
maScuS, which was marked by the most caum-
NOUS representations fthe Jewish people. and
IN which eXcruciating fortunes were inflicted
and many lives sacrificed. But think il prop
er 10 observe that this single action on the part
OF the Government eau scarcely be said 10
change that character oflnational reserve which
attribute to our toreigH policy"
The Nationa! bateHt3eacer refreshes the mem.
DRY of Gen. CaSS, by calling his attention TO the
| following instances in which the United State,
Government has exerted its moral weight
with other nations in behalf of Justice and free
dom.
Without venturing,' says the IateHtyeacer.
any judgment OF our own upon the merits Of
case respecting which We have no iutorna-
ton more authentic than that derived from con
hIctlng newspaper allegations. we NAV state
our impression that the official Representative
OF the Government of the United State, bav.
on more than one occasion given unofficial ex-
preston to their views in behalf of religions
liberation We particularly allude 10 the ap-
peal made to the King OF Prussia in behalf Of
his Baptist subjects BY NJ. Barnard. while our
Minister at the Court OF, Berlin, and the plea
unothcially urged by Mr.. Marcy, while Secretary
of State, in favor Of such a relaxation OF IN.
laws and usages Of Sweden as would admit of
larger degree Of religious liberty. and We have
been led to understand that these representa-
tons were not barren Of results With regard
to the former Of these unofficial demonstrations.
that OF Mr.. Barnard We may cite the subjoiued
proceedings OF the American Baptist Missionary
mon, al It's annual meeting held in ALBANY
u. \. during the month OF Nav. lsJ3:
q" Resoiced, That the thanks Of this Union
be rendered to the Hon. d. d. Barnard. for hi,
able, timely, and judicious efforts in Bringing
to the personal knowledge Of bis Majesty the
hlng OF Prussia the principles and motives ol
the Baptlsts IN Germany, and of those who aid
and favor their efforts, 10 the end thaI thu,
might receive liberation and protection In
preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. and .,d-
ministering its ordinances according 10 the
practices and convictions ol;he Baptist churcle,
IN America, and in harmony with that idea OF
personal responsibility to Cpd and liberty OF the
individual conscience whic! inheres in the es
sence Of the Christian religion.
"''ReSolred That the Board Of Mana GERS Ice ra-
quested to draw up an expression of the unt-igu-
ed gratitude Of this body to his Majesty the KIM
Of Prussia, for the noble ana generous manner
IN which he was pleased 10 receive the c1umu
nication Of the American Minister. the Hon. h.
ID. Barnard. and for the gracious response
which It met from him-alike honorable To his
personal character and TO his DISTINGUISHED loo.
sitlon as a Christian monarch, ruling Over a
cultivated people.
II is well recollected that General Cass. in hi,
Senatorial capacity, INDUCED more Frequently
IN harsh comments upon th,; internal affair, Of
England than any other man. perhaps, who has
ever taken a part in our pubic councils. En-
land is the only country in Europe where civil
and religious liberty exist, and vet it is singu-
lar fact, that her policy has been the standing
theme OF his denunciation, while he has scru.
pulously respected the right the dcspots ofthe
continent, lay and clerical, to govern their do
minions III their own wav.
But it must be contested. that there is mach
point IN the following concluding passage. Of his
letter. We admit that It would i'll become :.
nation tolerating Slavery to interfere with the at
fairs OF other countries or to demonstrate against
other forms of despotism. This argument i.
we confess, irresistible; and taken together with
the fact that the number of Jewish voters IS
very small, and that Of the Catholics very argc.
We cannot see how 4" Democratic Admins.
tration could have acted Otherwise:
There is no people who would rebuke with
more asperlty such intermeddGng with their al
fairs than would the people ofthe United State, /:
and IT becomes us to maintain tie same reserve to-
ward other countries which we expect them To OBJ
serve toward us. Human goyeraments are neces.
sarily imperfect, and neither the United States
nor any other nation can claim exemption from
the common attribute. Ii any of the Powers OF
the Old World should believe there were
wrongs to suffering humanity in this country
the same principle which would justify this
Government in acceding to your application
would justify them in a similar measure. should
they deem the circumstances Of any case sufii
GENTLY grave to call for their interpretation.
DAY We call attention 10 Mr.. McClees's AID.
vertisement of Photographs. His workman
ship is very fine. The portraits in his gallery
are hfelike, and present their subjects under
their best aspects.
We have been repeatedly asked for our por.
trait. Those who desire it will learn bv the adj
vertisement where it may be had. Our read
ers will pardon this personal reference. but it
SEEMED to be necessary.
The SLAVE TRAnE.---The Washington Union
says;
1.-THE Wanderer case will be resumed to-day
at Savannah. We see by the latest papers
from, H., o..,. H.. H.