Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-06-10
THE JEWS IN RUSSIA.
They Appeal for Help Against
an Organized Public Per-
secutiVn.

St. Petersburg Letter in the American He
brew.l
Robbery and expulsion are the
order Of the day against the Jews of
Russia, and it is not from the ignorant
populace, but from the government
and the press that this persecution
proceeds.
The lsraelites of important com
mercial towns, such as 0rel, Boriso-
glebsk and Haritzine, have been ruth
lessly driven from their homes. Jewish
merchants from Konigsberg, Furth,
and other German ceuterG, visiting
Russia on business, have been thrown
out, regardless of the regularity of
their passports and their respectable
standing, and it is reported that the
German ambassador has refused TO
intervene, which, however, does not
excite surprise, considering the anti
Semitic war now being waged in Ger
many, which has broken out with
renewed fury since the Nord. Deutsch
Allgemeine Heitppg, Bismarck s semi
official organ, has entered the lists.
Even the minister of war has Joined
the general hue and cry, aud by an
official circular to the military inten-
dants interdicted tbs granting of any
further contracts for army supplies to
Jews. 1t is contended that this order
originates from the shameful swindles
praeticed during the late Turkish war
by the societe d'Approvisionnement, a
company of contractors engaged ia
furnishing army supplies Who, it is
alleged, we're guilty Of the most in
famous impositions.
This great firm, however, was com.
posed Of ortlgdox Greek members.
there being but one protestant aud
one Jew concerned. For the unprin-
cipled conduct of this one Jew ali the
Israelites Of the empire must suffer.
Two millions Of SOULS eqmppse this
section of the Russian population,
and have their principal residences in
the western provinces of the empire.
though scattered elsewheFe through.
out the country, even to some extent
in the central provinces, from which
they are by law i%uterdicted.
The following is COPY of az appeal
which has beeR sent 70 B8uiami1 n.
Peixotto, whom the Israelites of Rus
STA revere for his heroic advocacy of
th6tr oppressed hpethren IN houmania,
whose emancipation, principally
through his exertion, has at length
been obtained. MIR; PeixottG has
been asked to transmit this appeal to
the Jews OF the United States
70 TIDE lsRABLIqBs az AMERICA
Brethren in this hour Of all but
hopeless misery, groaning under the
yoke Of cruel and heatless despotism,
driven from our homes and iresides,
prosecuted by every conceivable mi
quitous cruelty, our property and our
sources of livelihood ruthlessly torn
from our toiling hands, with hearts
bowed in anguish, abject in soul, our
manhood crushed within us, desperate
and fOrlOrn, we turn to you, we turn
to the west, to you in your happy free
homes, and we ask you, we pray,
we implore, we bes ech you to
come to our rescue, to take us out Of
our bondage aud out of our misery, to
give us a chance in your great and glo-
rious land Of liberty, whose broad and
trackless acres offer an asylum and a
place for weary hearts, but courageous
souls willing to toll and by the sweat
Of the brow to earn our daily bread.
Come, brothers of Israel In Amer