The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-05-03
In HUMANITY'S NAME.
A PLEA FOR THE OPPRESSED JEWS,
President Arlhur's Instructions 10 The American
Minister At 81. Petersturs-The Right, Of
American, Jews aud GENTLE Alike, Mu,t
10 Protected Even la Russia.


i Minister At ST. PetersturE-Ths Hight, Of
American, Jews and Gsntile Alike, Au,t
bs Protected Even la Russia.
| WASHINGTON, May 2.-Thc correspond
ence, respecting tho condition OF Isme
in Russia, sent to Congress to-day, Is yer,
volulninous and includes all the CORES
ponlence on the subject during the pas
ten years.
The lust letter written by tho Secretar,
OF State to the American Minister TT St
Petersburg, under date OF the 18th ultimo
Is rs follows:
"Prjudicc of race and creed having, in
our day, given way TO the claims Of ou,
common humanity, tho people OF the
United States have heard, with great re-
gret, the stories OF the suilerings OF the
jews In Russia. 1t may be that the nc,
counts in tho newspapers are exaggerated,
and the same may DC trne OF some OF the
private reports. Making, however, due al,
lowance for misrepresentation, it can scarcely
be doubted that much has been done
which tho humane and Just person must
condemn.
"rhc President, OF course, feels that tho
government of Russia should not be held
morally responsible for acts, which il con.
siders wrong but which 1t may be- power,
less to prevent. II that be true in this case,
It would be worse than useless for inc to
direct you, rs instructed by the President
OF the United States, to give IN official cx.
preston to the feeling which this treat.
lnent OF the Jews calls forth in this country.
Should, however, the attitude OF thu Rns.
sian government be different, and should
you be OF the opinion that more vigorous
Efforts might be put forth for the preven-
ton Of this great wrong, You will, II favor.
able opportunity affords, stlte, with all prop.
er Difference, tia, The feeling OF friendship,
which the United States cntertains for
Russia, prompts this sovernmentto to express
the hope tlsa, the Imperial will find means
to cause the persecution OF these unior.
tunate fellow beings to cease.
"Tfiis instruction devoivcs 4 delicate duty
upon you, and wide discretion is given you
i'll its execution. However much this Re.
public may disapprove Of affairs in other
nations, it does not conceive that it is its
right or its province oliciously or olltn.
sivety TO intermeddIe. II, however, it
should come TO your knowledge that any
citizens OF the United States are made vic.
tins OF persecution, you will feel it your
duty to omit no effort TO protect them and
to report the cases to this department"
1t appears, from the correspondence he.
tween Minister Foster aud Secretary
Blaine, that the action OF the Russian
authorities towards American citizens is Of
two kinds:
First, absolute prohibition OF residence
in st. Petersburg and other cities OF the
Empire on the ground OF Russian law,
which permits no native Jew TO live there.
and that the treaty between Russia and
the United States gives to our citizens in
Russian jurisdiction no other rights or
privileges than is accorded to native
Russians.
Second, permission ol residence and
commerce, conditioned on belonging TO tho
first guild Of l;assian merchants and taking
out license.
In letter from Secretary Blaine to Min
lister Foster, under date OF July %, 1851,
the former says:
"On the case arising, this Government
would hold that the treaty OF 1872 con-
ierred Specific rights OH ali American citi-
zens, III the matter the disposition of their
personal property and their residence
abroad, Irrespective OF any conditions save
those which the treaty expressly creates.
II need hardly enlarge on the point that
the Government OF the United Suites con.
cludcs its treaties with foreign states, with
provisions ior the equal protection Of ull
American citizens. l can make absolutely
no discrimination between them, whatever
their origin or creed, so that they abide by
the laws, ut home or abroad. 1t must give
them due protection and expect like pro.
lection from them. Any uniriendy or
discriminatory act against them OH the part
OF foreign power, with which we are
st peace, would call for our earnest rcmon-
STRANGE, whether Il treaty existed or not
1t is therefore source ot unfegned regret
to us when Government, to which we
are allied by so many historical ties us to
that OF Russiu, shows II disposition in
regard to dealing with us, to take advantage
Of tcchnicalities
In response to this communication Mr..
Hoffman. secretary OF the legation, wrote
10 Secretary Blaine.
The Russian Minister OF Foreign A fairs
still maintnins view that, in the treaty OF
1854 the words "on condition of their
submitting to the laws and ORDINANCES
then prevailing" subjected 4t,nericau-
Jews to the treatment OF native Jews; that
these views had also been given to the
representatives OF other foreign bowers
The Russian Minister said that, as regards
the mora! side OF the question, he, person.
ally, would be glad to see TN important
modification in the laws regarding the con.
dItlon. OF Jews in Russia, but that they had
brought much Of the iarshncss of those
laws upon themselves"
The Presidents message is informal
merely transmitting the documents and
making no comment or Recommendation.