The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1888-08-25
DRIVEN FROM JERUSALEM.
Hebrews Not Allowed to Settle Perma.
nently In Palestine.


Hebrews Not Allowed to settle Perma.
nently In Palestine.
In proportion as the members of the
Hebrew race acquire more prepon-
derant voice in the administration of
the various European governments the
pressure increases which, during the
past forty years, has been put on to the
Sublime Porte for the purpose of per-
uniting the settlement of Jewish colo
mics in Palestine. The return to Jeru-
salem has been the constant dream OF
every member of the House of Israel
since the day when the Roman Caesar
RACED the walls Of the Holy City and
bore of its inhabitants into captivity
abroad. The late Sir Moses Montef-
ore devoted more than half century
OF his philanthropic life to the attain
ment OF this ardently-desired object.
The late Lord Beaconsfeld, in his novel
-Iancred, and George Eliot, in '.Dan-
lei Deronda," have demonstrated that
even conversion to Christianism is i'm
possible to quench this particular long
ing in every Jewish breast. While for
more than ten years past Laurence Oil
plant, acting in the name of an iniuen-
tial London committee, has been exert
ing all his unrivaled talents of diplo-
macy toward the same end. Judging
by appearances, however, it would
seem as If the Biblical curse pronounced
on the chosen people was not yet suffi-
GENTLY expiated, and that many years
will yet elapse before the great Jewish
race will be enabled to assemble
togetherin prayer on the ruins of the
temple of Solomon.
The whole question has recently be-
come one of great moment here, and
the most voluminous correspondence is
being carried on between the English
Embassy and the Sublime Porte on the
subject. During the past ten years vast
numbers Of Russian and Roumanian
Jews, who have either been expelled
from their homes or forced by both Of
ncial and popular persecution to emil
crate, have sought refuge in Turkey.
The Sultan and his advisers were for
some time at loss to know how IT,
deal with the ever-increasing crowd of
newcomers. At length the Porte de-
cided to allow them to remain, but
strictly prohibited them from settling
in certain regions OF the Empire, among
which Palestine figured in the very first
line. The Turkish Government made
no secret of its reason for this severe
restriction. and asserted that otherwise
the whole of Palestine would soon be-
come an exclusively Jewish province.
II is needless to add that the refugees
lost no time in appealing to their core
ligionists throughout the world against
this arbitrary determination of the
Sultan. Thanks to the Rothschild in
fiuences at Paris, Vienna and London,
and OF the Bleichroeders at Berlin, the
embassies of the four great powers at
Constantinople were instructed to OBJ
tain from the Porte modification of
the imperial TRADE on the subject, and
ut length the Sultan was prevailed on
to give way to the extent of permitting
Jews to stay at Jerusalem for the space
Of thirty days at time. Subsequently,
upon the urgent representations of the
English and French Cabinets, the period
was prolonged to ninety days.
A new incident has now cropped up,
At Jersulem. and seriously complicated
matters. A gentleman of the Jewish
persuasion, who had been sent out by
the British Museum to Palestine for
the purpose of making copies of an
cient Hebrew inscriptions, was sum-
marily expelled from Jerusalem by the
Turkish Governor Of the city for hav-
ing prolonged his stay there two full
weeks beyond the period of three
months authorized by the Sublime
Porte. OF course the attache of the
British Museum was loud in his pro-
tests concerning the indignity to which
he had been subjected. The sympathy
OF the English press was aroused In his
behalf. and the result is that Sir Will
lam White, the British ambassador at
Stamboul, has addressed note to the
Turkish Government demanding that
in future Jews shall be allowed to re-
side in Palestine and Jerusalem as long
as they please, and even settle there If
they so desire. The Sublime Porte,
however, has got his back up on the
subject. Not only has it returned a
most unqualified refusal to Sir Will
iam's demand, but isueven considering
the advisability of entirely withdraw
Ing all the privileges which it had al
lowed itself to be induced to grant the
Jews with respect to sojourns in the