The New York herald., 1874-08-13
THE JEWS IN ROUMANIA.

TorHE EDITOR OF THE LONDON DAILY TELEGRAPu:--
Reading as nave, the letters from your special
correspondent In Roumania, cannot but come 70
the conclusion that he has applied for Information
principally to the Roumanan government, who
have, OF course given to 1t their own color so that
he has made himself in great measure their mouth
piece; even going so far as justify the law for
expelltng the Jews from the trade In lermented
liquors. the ground Of its being Tor the interests
OF the peasants although 1t would believe be i'm.
possible to adduce any trustworthy evidence that
the circumstances attending the sale of fermented
liquors are more preJudicial TO the purchaser when
the vendors are Jews than when they are Chris
tians. Your correspondent declares his anxiety
to contribute to putting an end to the oppression
OF the Jews but he is as c strikes me, most incon-
sstent with himself he points out tnat the
strongest motive OF the government to improve
the condition Of their Jewish subjects is their re-
spect Tor the opinion OF foreign countries; and.
nevertheless does his utmost to weaken that mo
tive by arguing in leading English newspaper in
favor, or at all events in extenuarion, Of the 0p-
preston which has been practlsed.
II noticed all the points on which differed
from him. my letter would be almost as long a.
his series; but I win venture to mention two or
three. He adopts from the government the
statement that IN order to obtain emancipation
the Jews ought to give to their children q better
education. and ought to show that they consider
themselves fully as Aoumanians by no means
wish to undervalue the importance OF an I'M
proved education. But, in the first place. it does
not lie in the mouth OF q government to dnd fault
with part Of it's subjects as being Ignorant, when
1t does It's utmost to discourage their education
by unjustly excluding them, as Is stated by your
correspondent himself, from liberal professions;
and, secondly, the Idea that the Jews should be
better educated in order to obtain emancipation
| appears to me utterly irreconcilable with the
statement made by your correspondent in another
| part or his letters (which believe to be much
more accurately, that the MOdavians hate the Jews
on account OF the superior intelligence, activity
and business-like habits OF the latter. As to the
manian feelings in order to OBTAIN emancipation.
| 1t requires what is directly contrary to human
nature. No set OF men can have warm patriotic
feeling toward q country by which they are 0p-
| pressed. l am old enough to have heard similar
arguments used against the removal OF the
| political disabilities OF the British Jews and to
| have listened 10 eloquent speech In which
those arguments were reluted by Macauay. The
suggestion that the wealthy Western Jews should
exert themselves to remove from Moldavta a con-
siderable proporuOn OF the Jewish immigrants has
been made before. But IL Is impossible to act
upon It, first, because their number would be sup
Piled by others, and, secondly, because, although
I they to certain extent, assist themselves IN
q country OF which the mass OF the other inhabit-
ants are not more civilized than themselves, they
would be helpless amidst superior civilization IN
countries to the languages and manners OF which
they would be utter strangers. whether the inl-
migration (thc extent OF which mas believe, boeu
greatly exaggerated) would naturally diminish II
Russia improved the treatment OF her jewish sub
jects Is different question.
] have to apologize iOr troubling you with this
long communication. But l have during the
grear ter part OF my lie devoted much attention to
stain from protest when an attempt ls made to
transfer the blame OF persecut on rom the OPP
pressOrs to the oppressed. l remain, Sir very
faith hlully yours, FRANCIS IL. GoLDSMlD.