Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-03-23
The Jewish Nation.

Herald. 1t is a valuable historical
document, and as indicating the posi-
bic future of great race, worth pre-
serving:
"a curious and interesting move
ment has been in progress for con-
siderable time, affecting the state and
prospects of the Jewish race in all
quarters of the world. 1t is of a
national rather than of religious
character. Asi is well known, the ge2-
erous exertions of Sir Moses Monte
fore in Morocco, Persia, and elsewhere
have greatly tended to ameliorate the
condition of the Jews locally, although
they are still, in many regions, perse-
cuted and oppressed; but the most
remarkable fact of all has been an in
tervicw between the French Emperor
and the leading members of the CON-
munity in Paris. The object of this
iu!o NAL proceeding was, on the part
of Napoleon Ill, to ascertain how far
there vet fingered in the Jewish mind
a belief and desire that they might be-
come rcposscssed Of their native coun-
try, and certainly no idea, since that
of the Crusades, could be more ro-
mantle or bold than one which should
promise them, through any means, the
fuliiment of this ancient wish.
Somcwhic ago, an inventor Of as
tonishments for the popular fancy an
noulccd that a particular capitalist
had brought up Jerusalem III single
lot. and we have 40 doubt that the
FIy.rh LmpcrOr's views will, with
similar yivatity, be Interpreted as col-
elusive Of resolve. before long, to
occupy the Holy Land, and create,
forthwith, Il Hebrew hierarchy. We
NAV iii miss all such notions as being
picturesque credulitics.' But there
Is wonder, mystery, and an amaze
mcnt in the fact that this people, dis
pcrscd aud shattered, hunted and
afflicted scattered up and down the
earth, and pursued by thousand
hatrcd5, still number more, probably,
than when they did when united under
the reign of Solomon. Whether in
Moldavia, Old Poland, Moravia, Ger
many, or the extreme West of Europe,
they remain one family, kept together
partly by a sense of former wrongs,
wrought up through centuries to a
faith in All atoning future, and every
now and then, in fit of enthusiasm,
transporting their wealth to Syria. in
expectancy Of the great restoration.
Forty years ago there were not a
hundred Jews in Jerusalem; now they
count nearly thirty thousand, an immi-
grafton due, in a considerable degree,
to the strange address, attributed to
fictitious Jewish prince, supposed to
rule over q fabulous realm in Asia,
which was circulated in Poland to-
ward the close of the late Cars reign.
There, in fact. is their main stronghold.
Units in other regions, they are in the
Polish territory a population of manu-
facturcrs, money changers, farmers OF
the soil, and tradesmcn, but with no
sense Of fixity in their imaginations.-
For themselves or their descendants,
they all expect 'to go home We
think there are few subjects. among
the multitude in which the French
Emperor has interested himself, more
engaging than this. The Jews, in
most countries, are generally rich =
but it has been a common mistake to
represent them as money-grubbers ex-
clusively. They produced Mendels-
sohn an ID Neander; their soldiers
fought calamity in the great war
against BOnaparte; they have prac-
tiscd medicine withremarkable genius
and, whatever our crecdS, we cannot
forget the good words of Bishop Wat
son when he said that, upon seeing a
jew, his best thoughts were always
carried back to the beginning and
earliest blessing of the world. There
fore. it is in more than a mere anti
quarian spirit that we observe with
sympathy the refusal of this race to
raise, whenever challenged to resume
their lost position in the world, the
cry HterosOlyma est perdita.
We are now touching to the least
extent upon those questions which sep
arate the Jews from ourselves. The
subject is not even political-it is
purely one Of curiosity in reference to
the indomitable hope which has per-
mcated the life and influenced the
character of the oldest nation upon
earth, through hundreds of years-the
offspring of an unique national and
spiritual pride, of iercer constansv
under suffering, and placid assurance
In prosperity-which make him for
ever, whether he be found in London,
Cairo, or Polish forest, sure of the
future. They may inhabit the tents of
Yemen, or fly upon the saddles of the
Caucasus, or till the soil in Georgia.
or traffic along the valley of the Rhine
or build synagogues in Amsterdam, or
be patriarchs in the Barbary deserts
yet the districts round Jerusalem are
never forgotten, and this legend holds
millions of the scattered peonle to.
gether. Their numbers, no doubt aro
thinning. OF recent years the total
OF Jews converted and bantlzed hos
been very considerable, an d even
where this has not been the case a
strong reaction against rabbinism has
been manifest, in Germany especialIv.
and is is now evident that, in their
general destinies, they are not far from
something like crisis. In England
France and Poland, we conceive, they
enjoy the happiest conditions of life:
here, of course, they are upon a per.
feet equality with other citizens and
across the channel also. In Poland
where they are less cultivated. and
seen to wait in apathy for the pilgrim
age to their fathers sepulchres,' we
IL