The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-07-21

plead for RELIGIOUS liberty and toler
ance: to plead that he who led his own
people and all others to the shrine OF
peace. Will add new lustre to his reign
and fame by leading a new movement
that shall commit h whole world in
opposition to religious prosecutions.
Il am instructed to ask whether the
petition will be received by your excel
lency 10 be submitted to the gracious
consideration of his majesty. In that
warded to st. Petersburg.
Il avail myself, etc"
You Will eport at the earliest posi-
bic momen your execution of this in
Structlon.
This was sent on the 18th of July
and on the same day Mr.. Riddle was
informed by the Russian minister for
foreign affairs that, in view of publi-
cations which had appeared in the
newspapers, the Russian government
wished to notify him that the proposed
petition would not be received under
any circumstances and that this reso-
luton of the Russian government was
taken independent of any cOnSidera-
ton of the substance On the terms OF
the petition. On the receipt of this
information. the secretary of state d
dressed the following letter to MeSSrS.
Straus, Wolf and Lew:
Sir: / am directed by the president
to a%cquaint you that this department
is Informed by the American embassy
in st. Petersburg that the Imperial
Government Of Russia a declined to
receive OF consider the petition in re-
lation to the condition of the Jews in
Russia. which was addressed to his ma
jesty the Emperor by a large number
Of citizens of the United States. and
which his department. by direction OF
the president and at your request. n
dertook to transmit to its high de-
StinatiOn.
l am, sir, very respectfully yours.
JOHN HAY"
It is believed that this petition was
almost unexampled in the weight and
dignity of the signatures attached to it.
Among them are:
Congressman John Sharpe Williams.
Of Mississippi.
The governors of Virginia, Georgia,
Mississippi, North Carolina. Louisiana
and Nebraska.
The chief justices of all the states
from which returns are in.
Quite a number of congressman. pub
licists. bankers. protestant and Catho-
lie ministers. mayors of leading cities,
prominent educators. leaders of the
bar, physicians, scholars, manufactur-
ers, etc. =
PRESIDENT NOT SURPRISED:
Oyster Bay, n. Y. July 17.-President
IeCCSeNSll was llOl surprised InaI the
Russian gov rnment should decline to
receive the BNai-B'Rith petition or
any other representation regarding the
kischineff m~assacres. The action of
RuSSia'S d~eclinatiOn was received here
late last night, in a long telegram from,
Secretary Hay. Toward midnight the
president sent to Secretary Hay IN ex-
tended reply.
| President Roosevelt has no statement
to make at this time regarding the
matter. 1t can be said to be absolute
ly unlikely that further efforts will be
| made to induce the Russian govern
ment to receive the petition. 1t is GER
tain that after so frank and uneuuivo-
| cal refusal to receive the petition. Rus
STA would regard the bringing of pres
sure to bear upon her to induce her
acceptance Of the representation as an
| act of distinct ~unfriendliness.
Plans have been perfected quietly to
prevent Mother Jones' and her So
| called army of textile worker from
visiting oyster Bay. The matter is
in the hands of the secret service and
| the New York police department.