All the laws against the Jews which had been passed in Moldavia since 1804 were published in the official Moniteur on May 28, 1867, to counteract the prejudice which the recent circular had created. It was thus made clear that Jews had always been prohibited from becoming tenants of farms, public-houses, and drinking-booths; and that the sole motive of the Ministerial Circular was to remind the prefects of the existence of these regulations, which had been allowed to fall somewhat into abeyance.
Sir Moses Montefiore, the well-known British merchant and philanthropist, who was touring through Roumania to investigate personally the condition of the Jews, was presented to the Prince by the British Consul on August 25, 1867. Sir Moses was able to inform his Highness that he could not trace any persecution of the Jews in Wallachia, and on his return to England declared, through the Press, that the situation of his brethren in Roumania had been painted in colours far too dark, and that there could be no question of their ill-treatment, as both the Prince and his Ministers were very tolerant, and had given him every assistance in eliciting the truth.
The Chamber, however, continued to persist in anti-Semitic legislation, and a "free and independent party" of thirty-three Moldavians introduced a measure on March 17, 1868, which contained the following provisions: "Jews may only settle in urban districts by permission of the town council, but on no condition, and for no length of time, in the rural districts.
"They are not allowed to possess real property in towns or in the country. Sales and purchases in their favour are null and void.
"They are also forbidden to become tenants of farms, vineyards, public-houses, hotels, kilns, bridges, &c., or to manage the same, and neither the State nor Communalities are to entrust them with contracts.... They are not to sell food or liquor to Christians, but only to Jews." Bratianu, whom the foreign Semitic Press hounded down as a persecutor of the Jews, opposed this motion with the greatest vigour, and openly broke with its proposers. He was in consequence overwhelmed with contumely and reproaches, and was on one occasion stoned by anti-Semitic mobs in Moldavia.
The Jewish Question was ably summed up by Prince Charles Anthony in a letter to his son, received on May 21, 1868.
"The Jewish question has reached a stage which attracts the rapt attention of the whole of Europe. It is a most unfortunate episode in the otherwise peaceful development of Roumanian internal economy, and is at the same time a great danger to the dynasty. I have already pointed out that all Jewish affairs are a 'noli me tangere.' This fact is a symptom of European weakness; but, since it is a fact, it must be accepted; nothing can be done, as the whole Press of Europe is controlled by the Jewish financial powers. In one word, the moneyed Judaism is a Great Power, whose favour may have the most advantageous effect, but whose opposition is dangerous. From every side, from all corners and ends of the earth, a cry of horror arose in unison about the Bakau incident, and nothing, not even the official dementia, could mitigate or alleviate the impression created by these incidents. It seems to me that Bratianu has not shown sufficient energy in this question, and is inclined to stake too much on one card!"...
"Innumerable petitions have reached me from all parts imploring my support in this unfortunate Jewish affair, especially from the Alliance Israélite (Crémieux); Paris has made the most noise about it. This cannot be altered; and you have gained nothing but increased experience."
Advice on this difficult question was also tendered from a quarter whence it was least expected. Fuad Pacha pointed out to the Roumanian agent in Constantinople that the Principalities ought to take Turkey as an example of tolerance in matters of religion, for at Constantinople one might see Jews sitting side by side with Mohammedans and Christians in the Council of State!
On September 12, 1869, Prince Charles received a deputation of Jews on the occasion of his stay in Vienna. In reply to their representations on behalf of their brethren in Roumania, Prince Charles declared that the alleged persecution only existed in the imagination of agitators, and that the condition of the Roumanian Jews was by no means so miserable and abject as the European Press was ready and anxious to believe.