The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-12-24
The Ghetto.

The proposed demolition of the
terest to artists and psychologists.
Regarding it IN a practical light, it is
certainly step toward reform, and is
in entire accordance with the spirit of
freedom and humanity that is the ideal
of present Italy. Historically, the
Ghetto is q monument to oppression
and race prejudice; its narrow and
gloomy streets have witnessed excuses
of cruelty and despair. The fresh air
and clear sunlight are powerless to
illuminate it or render it wholesome.
1t is part of the Rome that is passing
out of actuality into history, and the
sooner and more effectually it is rele-
gated to its own place among past
things the better for the Rome of living
Romans.
The Ghetto itself dates back only
three centuries, when Paul ~, in his
Papal bull, in 1886, designated it as
the obligatory dwelling-place for the
Jews. their colonization in Rome
began with the arrival of number of
Jews, who followed Pompey on his re-
turn from the first conquest of Jerusa-
lem. They settled in Trastevere, nearly
opposite the present Ghetto, and as
their number increased their settle
ment extended into the Valley of
Egeria. American psychologists need
not be reminded of the excavations
made a few years since in the Jewish
cemetery near the Appian Way.
1t is reasonable to hope for treasures
still richer and of greater significance
to art and history whenever the demoli-
ton of the Ghetto shall take place.
The removal of the old landmarks will
undoubtedly be made with the great
est care and intelligence, under the
dire ction of some of the devoted archa-
ologists of the city. Much, indeed, has
been lost and destroyed. Cloths, Van
dals, fire and sword have swept over
the place. The heathens pillaged the
treasures of Rome, and, later, the In
QUESTION robbed the Jews. Yet it is
almost certain that under the floors, or
buried beneath the thresholds, of these
miserable abodes, given over to decay
and darkness, will be found wealth of
money and Jewels, some of them, per-
haps, pledged to Jewish money-lenders
10y Popes and noblemen. whose names
were upon the books of the Hebrews.
Still deeper in the earth, and still
more removed in time and history, will
be found relics of Imperial Rome,
when, instead of the squalid houses of
the Ghetto, arose upon this site the
stately porticos of Octavia and the
theaters of Balbus and of Marcellus.
From the historic earth of this site has
already emerged the Venus of Praxi-
teles. Historians assure us that many
statues not less valuable had their
inches in these superb theaters; that
marbles chiseled by the foremost sculp-
tors of the time are known to have
adorned the scenes, and that in the
theater of Balbus were no less than
seventy-fve equestrian images in
bronze, effgies of as many friends of
Alexander the Great, and modelled by
his Command Ivy the artist Lysippus.
When the work of demolition shall
begin, students of art and history
will be on hand to witness the excava-
tions. 1t will be an occasion of impor-
lance, and, perhaps, of excitement, and
it is simply impossible to calculate be-
forehand what treasures will be re-
vealed or what new light will be thrown
upon history by the clearing away OF
these ancient haunts of terror, avarice,
and misery. AdUertiSer.