The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-07-04
THE JEWS QUARTER.-THER ROMAN
CHETTO.-SCME CURIOUS HlSTO-

TIE JIWo 0OHit G''s 49, -
CHETTO.-SOME CURIOUS HlSTO-
RlES.
Nevertheless, we did know some
thing about the Roman ghetto, for we
had heard
A CURIOUS HISTORY
connected with it. which gave it a
more vital interest in our minds than
had millions Of ancient Roman heroes
and rulers left their shadows there.
The sculpJer-pOet, Storey. IN his
wonderfully picturesque book, ''Roha
di Roma,' devoted many pages to
description of this quarter OF Rome.
where unnamable filth and unspeaka-
BILE squaler are the present heritage OF
thousands whose ancestors, nineteen
centuries ago, gloried in one of the
most splendid cities Of the world.
From Jerusalem, proud city OF the
peerless temple, whose golden tables
and seven-branched canelestlck OF
beaten gold, whose silver trumpetS
and sacred utensils of precious met
ais, whose marble and ivory and pre-
cious stones, with silken curtains OF
Tyrreon purple, and the holy tables OF
trophies that Titus and Vespaslan
brought to Rome; where the prophecy
was fulfilled-tO the Roman ghetto
could there be a greater fall The
very word. s.ghetto, from the Tai
mud Chat, is opprobrious, and slgnl-
flying to be broken. cast down, shaven.
abandoned, is fifty applied to the
abiding place OF a people cut OF from
the christian world and
BRANDED AS INFAMOUS.
In our own country we have no idea
of the utter adherence that still eX-
lists in Roman Catholic countries for
the race that crucified Jesus Chr st.
1t seems to be quite forgotten That the
whole Catholic world prostrateS itself
in alteration of .JeWeSS; that all the
apostles worshipped as mediators
between God and the Romans were
Jews, and even the founder OF the
Christian religion himself was one OF
the eXecrated race. dog Of Il jew
is scarcely less hiss OF loathlng and
rage nowadays in the mouth Of Il good
Catholic than it was when ehylock
crossed the Rialto with hang-dog
look seeking his pound of flesh; and to
curse Jew, if only mentally IA pass
ing. is almost equal to pater nostel
in its purifying effect upon the Chris
tian soul
The Ghetto is very small, and crowd
ed with a siclening depth and thick.
ness Of human life, 1000 people being
said to exist iii Il space not larger than
would be covered by three Roman
palaces. Formerly these unhappy
people were crowded into this narrow
space every night by huge iron gates
locked and watched by sentlnels, and
woe to the hapless son or daughter OF
Israel who was found deiiling holy
Rome with his or her presence after
the Ave Maria had sounded.
Hans Christian Anderson, in hi!
Roman story of his lmproVisatore
relates an incident of Il poor old white
haired Jew who, unable to regain th'
Ghetto before the gates closed. wa
made the butt and sport OF hight
hearted young Romans, who were
forcing him to Jump raised bar in thu
open street. 1t was only in the reign
of the last Pope that those walls Were
levelled, and nothing but the law ant
popular and universal hatred shuts
nowadays, the Roman Jew into thu
Ghetto.
NO JEW CAN OWN PROPERTY IN ROME
They are forbidden all the liberia
professions except medicine, Whlcl
they can only practice among theI
own pecple), and many of the trades
such rs that Of goldsmith, blacksmith
stone-cutter, and etc. Not one o
them, no matter how rich or educa
ted, can testify agalnSta christian
however poor, ignorant, and degrade
in court of law. All public privlle
ges OF education are closed TO HIM
also all hospitals. houses OF refuge 10
invalid and poor. notwithstanding
that the Jew is taxed more heavily TO
the support of these institutions tina
the triumphant Gentle who exclude
him. Until within 4 few years lie,
was not allowed to travel III ltal
without an especial permit from papa
authorities. and could be east int
prison at any time were his pas:
port lost. The Jews in Rome canno
even hire farm except as they escap
the law by doing it IN the name {
some Catholic. and TO hire u servan
who is not of their own att0inte
race would throw IN 1Sraelite 1T one
into the hands OF the law.
The Jews were first Shut up With
the walls of the Ghetto in 1886 by tn
bigot Pope Paul ". and the plac
,v%ere they entered their prison
called the place of Weeping to tn
day. Not very far from the brie
stricken entrance j. the gloomy. ten
pest.sodden. ii ne-gnawed.
SUSTAINED PALACE oF THE cENCI
where some Of the darkest crimes m
tragedies that deiile tie pages OF hi
tory were enacted. 1t was not In til
palace, however. that Francest
Cenci. the vilest wretch that had ey,
human form. WAS murdered in h
sleep by the emlsSaries of his cruel
abused children. 1t was in one of h
castles among the Apprentices. III
gloomy and desolate palace. tit scei
for such tragedy. that large irt
nail was driven into the eye. Wink
perhaps in all its nature life h;
never known softer expression tn:
that of shameless lust. Where th
palace casts its black shadow is call,
the place of Rags" and the Pla
4. Is