Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1881-02-24
A PRESCRIBED RACE.
Jewish Prosecutions Recalled by the
Present Attitude OF Germany.
From the London Examiner.


Present Attitude OF Germany.
From the London Examiner.
During the Middle Ages the fury of man
kind seemed to burst on the devoted heads
of the unhappy Jews The whole world
appeared to have entered into conspiracy
to strip this miserable race of their treasures,
and to pour out their blood like water
I Kingdom after kingdom and people were
bent On their destruction. Human craft was
at work to devise new means to sweep them
from the earth and the inquisition, under
the name Of Christianity, at one swoop de-
prived sunny Spain of its most industrious
citizens, and consigned to a cruel grave some
hundreds of thousands OF Israelites.
In the East under the Sultan MOtakvel
the Jews were distinguished from the faith
ful by brand mark and their houses were
defaced by figures of swine, apes, or devils
Afterward, one of the Caliphs seized Sherna,
the Prince of the Captivity, an old man 100
years of age, and hanged him by the hand
The next Prince Of Captivity (Hezekiah)
after a reign of two years, was arrested by
order of the Caliph, with his whole family.
The schools were closed. many of the Jews
were scattered Two of the sons of the Prince
escaped to Spain, while the last OF the House
of David, who ruled over the Jews, perished
on an ignominiOus scaffOld. The Jewish
communities in Palestine suffered gradual
extinction until only 200 descendants OF Abra-
ham were found in Jerusalem. In the
Byzentine Empire, also, the number OF Jews
greatly diminished through unceasing perse-
cutiOns
In the west all orders were gradually ar
rayed against Israel in fierce and imp1acable
animosity. Every passion was in arms against
them. The mOnarchs were instigated by
avarice, the nobility by the warlike and fan
atical spirit fostered by chivalry, the clergy
by bigotry, the people by all these motives,
to which were added ignorance and supersti-
ton. The history of the Jews for several
centuries is only q record of wholesale massa-
cres, of rapine, of prosecutions, OF blOOdshed.
The Crusaders, under the guidance OF Peter
the Hermit and Walter the Penniless, recOl-
lected that while they were advancing to re-
cover the sepulchre of their Redeemer from
the infdels they were leaving behind worse
unbelievers the murderers Ofthe Lord. Where
upon ensued scene of pillage, violation and
murder that could not have been surpassed
by the most atrOciOus savages that ever
scalped their foes. In that terrible day IS
raelites slew their children and their wives
to save them from the fendish iniquities Of
the sO-called followers of Christ. Half CEN
tury later the fierce cry of Hep! Hep! ran
through the cities of the Rhine, and the Jews
endured fresh outrages and murders.
In comparatively peaceful times the in
genuity Of different pOtentates was exercised
in passing enactments intended to fetter and
restrain the Jews in every phase of life AS
an instance of this special legislation we may
adduce the laws passed by the Council of
Vienna in 1867. Israelites were interdicted
the use of Christian baths and inns. They
were not allowed to employ Christian SER
wants or to marry Christian women, or to
farm any tolls. They were commanded to
wear distinctive badge, which consisted of
a pointed cap. They were enjOined to pay
certain dues to the Christian clergy, and to
observe respect for Christian ceremonies
Christians at the same time were prohibited
from associating with the Jews. In France,
life was no less burdensome to the descend
ants of the patriarchs than in Germany. ST.
Louis, by stroke of the pen, wiped out, for
the welfare of his soul, one-third of all debts
due to them. No bailiff might arrest or NAL
treat Christian for any debt due Jew.
In Brittany, John the Red, surpassed his
l1eSe lOru III his eulctS against Tie Jews
They were banished from the country; all
the debts owing to them were annulled; per-
mission was given to those who possessed
their property to retain it; no Christian who
killed a Jew should be prosecuted. In other
words, license was given for the robbery and
murder of the Jews Fair France tolerated
them for some generations longer. Kings
and mobiles continued to plunder them, and
lanatical populations to shed their blood,
until finally they were expelled by an order
Of Charles VI They were accused of ruin
ing the country, and of individual crime, for
which not the slightest proof was adduced.
Four of the most wealthy among them were
two successive Sundays in all the
crossroads Of Paris, and they bought their
ives at the price of 19 900 livres. The Jews
we're allowed month to wind up their af-
airs, and then the whole community crossed,
or the last time, the borders of the kingdom.
In Spain this unhappy race underwent
1arious vicissitudes. The golden age under
he Moors was followed by the iron age
lnder CASTLES Christian monarchs. Spolia-
ion, persecution and torture were crowned
~ Ferdinand and Isabell's edict of exile.