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

the secretary of state. that the lncl-
lent created by the question Of presen-
ation of the Jewish petition to Russia
is closed. The state department today
made public the correspondence that
has AXE place respecting the petition.
It's substance has already been fore
casted in the press dispatches. Inc
correspondence consists Of an lnstruc-
ton to Mr.. Riddle, United States
| charge at ST. Petersburg reciting in de-
tail the petition and directing him to
| present the same to the foreign office
if it were willing to receive it.
The rioters violated the laws of Rus
STA.
The local officials were derelict in
the performance Of their duty.
The Jews were the victims of indie
feasible lawlessness. These facts are
made plain by the official reports Of and
by the official acts following the riot.
"'Under ordinary conditions the aw-
full calamity would be deplored without
undue fear of a recurrence. But Such
is not the case in the present instance.
Your petitioners are advised that mil
lions of Jews-Russian subjects
dwelling in southwestern Russia, are
in constant dread of fresh outbreaks.
They feel that ignorance superstition
and bigotry. as eXemplified by the riot
erS, are ever ready to prosecute then'
hat the local officials. unless thereunto
specially admoniShed, cannot be relied
on as S]trenuOuS protectors of their
peace and security; that a publlc Sentl
ment of hostility has been engendered
against them and hangs over them as
a continuing menace.
Even it if be conceded that these
fears are to some extent exaggerated
if is un~1Iestionably true that they eX-
list, that they are not ana
hat they produce effects of great i'm
portance.
The westward migration of Russian
Jews, which has proceeded TOR over
twenty years is being stimulated by
| these fears. and already that move
ment has become so great as to over
shadow in magnitude h expulsion OF
the Jews from Spain and to rank Win
the exodus from Egypt.
NO is possible Of the mis-
| ery suffered by the helpless Jews who
| feel driven to forsake their native land
to sever the most sacred ties, n to
wander forth to strange countries
! Neither is it possible to estimate the
| miser- suffered by those who are un-
| willing or unable = leave the land OF
| their birth: who part from friends
l ana relatives WIZ SIIiSI"lC, "Ho
| main in never-ending terror
1t is stated by Mr.. Riddle that the
| foreign office would not receive it I'M
| der any circumstances and secretary
= 50 Informed the B'NaiB'Rith COM
| mittee in a brief telegram.
The Official statement of the facts Is
| as follows:
| The Russian government has declin-
| ed to receive or 10 consider the petition
| relation to the condition Of the Jews
/ in Russia. signed by several thousands
| citizens and cabled to Petersburg by
| direction of the president.
1t the conference on Tuesday, the
14th of July. at Oyster Bay, the presi-
| lent conferred with MeSsrs. Leo n
| Levi. Simon Wolf and Oscar S. Straus
| in regard to the presentation OF the
| petition. and decided to send the fol-
| loving despatch to Mr.. Riddle. the
| American charge d'affaires in Peters
burg:
Department of State,
Washington, July Is. 1903.
Riddle, St. Petersburg:
You are instructed to ask an audi
ence of the minister of foreign affairs
| and to make Know to him the follow
ing communication:
Excellency: The secretary of state
i~nstructs me to inform you that the
president has received from a large
number of citizens of the United States
of all religious affiliations n occupy
ing the highest positions in both pub
lie and private, a respectful petition
| addressed to his majesty. to Emperor,
relating to the condition of the Jews in
Russia, and running as ollows
ITO His Imperial Majesty, the EN-
peror of Russia:
The crued outrages perpetrated at
! Klshineff during Easter of 1903, have
excited horror and Reproduction through
-. - ,-1-ll f-nti1 I-nIl- M 1aCrU Ca We
special and personal directions, the
| local authorities failed to maintain or
der or suppress the riOtlng.
The victims were Jews and the as
| sault was the result of race and relIg-
Gus prejudice.
Religious persecution is more sinful
| and more fatuous eve than war. war
! * some times necessary. honorable and
Just: religious persecution is never de-
feasible.
The sinfulness and folly of which
give impulse to unnecessary war. re-
! ceived their greatest check when your
: majesty's initiative resulted IN an IN
te~rnational court Of peace.
With such an example before II. the
civilized world cherishes the hOpe that
upon the same initiative there shall be
fixed in the early days Of the twentieth
century the enduring principle OF re-
ligious liberty: that by a gracious and
convincing expression your majesty
will proclaim, not only for the govern
ment of your own subjects, but also
for the guidance Of all civilized men,
that none shall suffer in person, prop
erty, liberty, honor or life, a OF
his religious belief. that the humblest
subject or citizen may worship accord
ing n the dictates of his own con-
science and that government. whatever
its form or agencies, must safe guard
these rights and immunities by the ex-
ercise of all its powers.
Far removed from you majesty'S
domInions. living under different con-
dition and owing allegiance to another
government. -ou petitioners yet ven
49, nsr-ilinntion- 70