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

IONS OF the DOhd by taking his pound Of
flesh. Not a sentence or a word of sympathy
for the bereaved 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 H.
1910, to the American Consul at Cairo, speak
ing in just terms of apprehension of the afro.
cious calumnies which the Jews of Damascus
had been then recently subjected to, and of the
terrible crueties which had been inflicted upon
them. And considering this as Il case of inter
venhon, and as a proof that no such settled
policy as that indicated has been adopted bv
the United States, you consider also that the
pubhc support and influence by the good offices
oil our Government was consistently asked for a
suppression OF such wrongs To humanity rs
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 Of the Jewish people, and
IN which eXcrucating fortunes were inflicted.
and many lives sacrificed. But think it prop
er to observe that this single action on the part
OF the Government can scarcely be said TO
change that character Of national reserve which
attribute to our foreign policy
The National h,teliigeacer refreshes the mem
DRY Of Gen. Cass, by calling his attention to the
following instances in which the United States
Government has exerted its moral weipht
with other nations in behalf of Justice and free
dom.
without venturing,' says the Iatelligencer,
any Judgment OF our own upon the merits Of
case respecting which we have no intorma-
ton more authentic than that derived from con
tilcting newspaper allegations, we NAV state
our impression that the official representatives
of the Government of the United States have
on more than one occasion given unofficial ex-
preston to their views in behalf of religious
liberation We particularly allude to the APP
peal made to the King of Prussia in behalf of
his Baptist subjects by Mr.. Barnard, while our
Minister at the Court of Berlin, and the plea
unoiicially urged by Mr. Marcy, while Secretary
of State, in favor of such relaxation of the
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 subjoined
proceedings of the American Baptist Missionary
Union, at its annual meeting held in Albany
IN. \ J during the month of Nav, 1853:
Z" ReSOioed, That the thanks of this Union
be rendered to the Hon. d. d. Barnard for his
able, timely, and judicious efforts in bringing
to the personal knowledge of his Majesty the
Ming OF Prussia the principles and motives OF
the Baptlsts IN Germany, and Of those who aid
and favor their efforts, To the end that they
might receive federation and protection in
preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, and adj.
ministering its ordinances according to the
practices and convictions ofthe Baptist churches
in America, and in harmony with that idea Of
personal responsibility to God and liberty Of the
individual conscience which inheres in the es
sence of the Christian religion
"'Resotred That the Board of Managers be re-
quested to draw up an expression ofthe unieign-
ed gratitude OF this body to his Majesty the King
of Prussia for the noble and generous manner
i'll which lac was pleased 70 receive the commu
nication of the American Minister, the Hon. u.
ID. Barnard, and for the gracious response
which it met from him-alike honorable to his
personal character and to his distinguished DO
sltion as a Christian monarch, ruling over a
cultivated people
1t is well recollected that General Cass in his
Senatorial capacity, INDUCED more frequently
in harsh comments upon the internal affairs of
England than any other man, perhaps, who has
ever taken part in our public councils. Enc
land Is the only country in Europe where civil
and religious liberty exist, and vet it is a singu
lar fact, that her policy has been the standing
theme Of his denuncation, while he has scru
pulously respected the right Of the despots ofthe
continent, lay and clerical, TO govern their do
minions in their own way.
But it must be confessed. that there is much
point IN the following concluding passage of his
letter. We admit that it would i'll become a
nation toleratng Slavery to interfere with the af
lars OF other countries or to demonstrate against
other forms of despotism. This argument is.
we confess, irresistible and taken together with
the fact that the number of Jewish voters IS
very small, and that of the Catholics very large.
we cannot see how Democratic " Admins
tration could have acted otherwise:
"There is no people who would rebuke with
more aSperity such intermeddling with their af
fairs than would the people Olthe United States :
and it becomes us to maintain the same reserve to-
ward other countries which we expect them tn OBJ
ocANC tOMdNu us. governments are ueceS-
sariy imperfect, and neither the United States
nor any other nation can claim exemption from
the common attribute. If 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 accedng to your application
would justify them in a similar measure, should
they deem the circumstances Of any case suili-
GENTLY grave to call for their interposition."
Day We call attention to Mr. McCleess Ad-
vertisement of Photographs. His workman
ship is very fine. The portraits in his gallery
are lifelike, and present their subjects under
their best aspects.
We have been repeatedly asked for our por
trait. Those who desire it will learn by the adj
vertisement where it may be had. Our read
ers will pardon this personal reference, but it
seemed to be necessary