Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-06-29
RUSSIA AND THE JEWS.

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several years. For whatever reason the
Russian Government has manifested
rooted hatred to the Jews, and it has car
ried this hatred so far as to refuse to
foreign Jews the protection which the
other subjects of their countries are en-
titled to demand wherever they travel.
Several fragrant instances of this discrini.
mating injustice have been brought to light,
and it is not little remarkable that
thus far the remonstrances of foreign Gov
ernments have produced no effect what
ever in mitigating the rigor of the treat
ment adopted by Russia towards the
Hebrew race. The Russian Government
has what it calls police regulations, IN
der which foreign Jews are prohibited
from settling or even staying temporarily
in more than few specified cities and dis
tricts Of the Empire. They are not per-
mitted to reside at ST. Petersburg at all.
and the case of Mr.. Lewisohn, an En-
glish subject. who was not long ago per-
emptorily ordered TO quit the Empire,
shows to what lengths this practice of os-
tracism is carried. The Governments of
England and of the United States have
both had occasion to protest against the
course of Russia towards their citizens of
Jewish extraction, but their representa-
tons have been wholly ineffective. The
conduct OF Russia in fomenting and coun-
tenancing the brutal persecution Of her own
Jewish subjects is sufficiently infamous
and indicative of the savagery which mas.
querades in that country under the thin ve-
neering of civilization; but her attitude
towards foreign Jews involves an interna-
tional question of the highest Importance,
and one which England and the United
States cannot long avoid dealing with.
SrCharles Dixie, last May, in replying,
in the House of Commons, to inquiries con-
corning the prohibitions against Jews, said:
Continued complaints have been adj
"dressed to the Government of Russia by
"the Governments of Germany, Austria
and the United States, as well as by Her
"Majesty's Government, against the treat.
"ment of their subjects by the provisions
Hof this law The Govern.
"ment of the United States. which has
Railways been on friendly terms with Rus.
STA, protested in 1880 against the expul.
g sion from st. Petersburg, under circum.
stances of peculiar hardship, of an
American citizen of Jewish faith; but
"neither in that case nor in another
" case In which they also protested
Sin the same year-a case which,
Though of inferior hardship, exact
sly resembled Mr. Lewisohn's were
" the United States able to obtain the
"slightest redress The conduct Of Russia
is the more Objectionable because though
she claims that the persecution of one
class of her people by another class is
nobody else's affair, she declared war upon
| Turkey because one class of the Turkish
people prosecuted another class. But
while it may be very delicate and diff
cult matter to interfere with her treatment
OF her own subjects, her treatment OF the
subjects of foreign countries is a very
different question, and one which cannot
be dealt with in the same way. As the
case stands American citizens of Jewish
descent are practically denied in Russia
the protection which the national flag is
supposed to throw over all citizens of the
republic. The United States Government
is powerless to prevent this class of its
citizens from being subjected to the most
injurious and cruel treatment by the
Russian Government, and the latter i'm.
pudently and stubbornly refuses to afford
any redress in the premises.
1t is evident that this cannot be submit
ted to. The United States Government is
bound to protect its citizens at home and
abroad. They cannot be delivered over to
the mercies of a barbarous and brutal
power like Russia, to crafty the despicable
prejudices which that uncivilized people
harbor against any class of them. Whether
or not England is content to submit to the
insolence of the Northern savages,
America cannot justify such submission to
herself. II Russia refuses to act in
civilized manner towards all American
citizens, whatever treaties exist with her
will have to be revised, and this protection
be made a special feature OF the revision.
Russia has never hesitated to interfere in
the most delicate and private affairs of her
neighbors when she had anything to gain
By such interference, but apart from
considerations of that kind it ia
clearly impossible that she should
b, allowed to abuse and outrage
American citizens at her pleasure, no mat
ter what their religion or race. To yield
to her on such point would be to aban-
don the significance of national dignity and
power, and to advertise the fact that the
United States permitted all Govern.
ments to do as they pleased with Ameri-
can citizens abroad. II an American pass
port has no meaning at st. Petersburg
the sooner we Withdraw our diplomatic
agents from Russia the better it will be for
us. 1t certainly cannot be worth while to
keep resident minister there for no bet
ter purpose than to register the insults
and outrages perpetrated with impunity
upon citizens OF the republic. If we cannot
protect our Jewish citizens we cannot pro.
tect any, and this fact may as we'll be re-
allied.
THE ALBANY MoNoToNy.