Footnotes
[7] Under date of August the 6th, 1867, he addressed him
as follows:—Tres vénérable Baronnet,—J'ai pris la liberté de vous
adresser aujourd'hui le telegramme suivant:"Informé de votre projet de venir ici, je vous prie d'arrêter
votre depart jusqu'à reception de ma lettre de ce jour," et je
m'empresse de porter à votre connaisance les raisons pour
lesquelles j'ai pensé devoir arrêter votre voyage.1°. Et tout d'abord pour ne point vous soumettre, à votre age, que
le bon Dieu vous prolonge pour bien d'années encore, aux fatigues
d'un pareil voyage.2°. Pour ne-point blesser l'amour propre et la subtibilité de notre
Prince, de notre gouvernement et de la population roumaine.Le Prince autant que ses Ministres nous font toutes les promesses
pour le bien de nos correligionaires.Quand aux persécutions dont nos frères furent victimes, il nous
reste à ésperer qu'elles ne se représenteront de plus, vu que les
appuis de nos frères à Paris, Londres, et Vienne n'ont pas manqué
de produire par les journeaux l'effet desiré.Notre opinion est donc de ne point vous déranger pour venir dans
nos contrées.Veuillez très-respectable Baronnet continuer à nous aider de loin
et d'accord avec le très-honorable Monsieur Crémieux; ce serait
beaucoup mieux, nous le pensons, pour notre cause.Voici l'humble opinion du Comité de l'Alliance Israélite d'ici et
de votre devoué que a l'honneur, très vénérable philantrope, de
vous presenter ses civilités les plus respectueuses.Le Président du Comité de l'Alliance Israélite de Bucarest.
A. Halfon.
CHAPTER XXVII.
1867.
GIURGEVO—RUSTSCHUK—SISTOVA—NICOPOLIS—BUDA-PESTH—RETURN TO ENGLAND—ADDRESSES OF THANKS FROM BUCHAREST—LOCAL HONOURS AT RAMSGATE.
IT had been Sir Moses' intention, when setting out on his Mission, to proceed direct to Jassy, but he was advised to go to Bucharest first, and to place the petition in the hands of Prince Charles. Having now accomplished this, and received from His Highness the assurance that justice should be done, and help rendered to those who stood so much in need of it, he prepared to go to Jassy and other places, in order to make known to the Governors, Judges, and high functionaries, the promises made by the Prince, and the gracious sentiments expressed by him towards the Jews, but the excited state of the country precluded the realisation of that wish.
On the day after the uproar in front of the Hotel Otetteliano, being in a state of great anxiety, I went, without the knowledge of Sir Moses, to Mr Green, showing him the threatening letters I had received, and describing to him minutely all that had happened. Whilst expressing deep regret and sympathy, he did not hold out any prospect of seeing the excitement of the populace abate as soon as he would have wished, nor could he suggest any means by which at that moment the cause of the agitation might be removed.
As for Sir Moses going to Jassy, he said that was quite out of the question. Were he to insist on doing so, he (Mr Green), as the English Consul General, might perhaps accompany him himself, and Prince Charles and his government would undoubtedly do all in their power to protect him. Nevertheless, he thought there was no guarantee for his personal safety nor for that of his co-religionists.
Mr Green, after my interview with him, expressed to Sir Moses personally the same views on the subject, and the latter, not because he apprehended any danger to his own life, but to avoid giving cause for any dangerous outbreak against those whom he came to help, was reluctantly compelled to relinquish the idea of proceeding to Jassy.
The same evening Sir Moses had the honour of receiving His Highness' portrait, accompanied by a flattering letter. This mark of gracious attention on the part of the Prince greatly pleased Sir Moses.