At the meeting which was held on the following day, a resolution was adopted to the effect, "That until the Board shall have had an opportunity of conferring with the deputation from the Alliance Israelite, for which purpose a meeting has been specially convened on Thursday next, it is unable to resolve upon any course of proceeding with reference to the Mortara case.
A preliminary meeting of Jews and Christians, however, was held at the Mansion House, on Friday, December 21st, to receive a deputation of the Universal Israelite Alliance from Paris. In consequence of the absence, on official business, of the Lord Mayor, Sir Culling Eardly took the chair. The subject having been introduced by the chairman, the meeting was addressed by Messieurs S. Carvalho (Ingénieur des Ponts et Chaussées), S. Cahen (Professeur à l'Ecole Normale), and N. Leven (Avocat à la Cour Impériale de Paris), constituting the deputation from France; by Messrs Isaacs (Member of the Board of Deputies of British Jews) and Hart (Member of the Board of Delegates of American Jews); and by Signor Fernandez, on the part of the Jews of Italy. It was stated that the Board of Deputies of the British Jews had met on the previous night to receive the French Deputies, but that, owing to the absence from illness of the President, Sir Moses Montefiore, the decision on the subject of Mortara had been deferred for a few days. After a long conversation, characterised by harmony of feeling, it was unanimously resolved—"That we, Christians and Jews of England, France, Italy, and America, having heard the views entertained by the Universal Israelite Alliance, concerning new efforts to be made for the restoration of the child Edgar Mortara to his parents, take this, the earliest, opportunity of putting upon record our united conviction that the cause is one which, at the right time, and in the use of right means, it is our duty to resume."
Sir Culling Eardly, addressing the editor of the Times, under date of the 25th of December, writes: "Be so kind as to announce that arrangements are made for housing several thousands of the homeless fugitives of Syria in the Government buildings of St Jean d'Acre. Through the kind initiative of Lord Stratford de Redcliffe, President of the Committee, the rapid appeal to the Porte of Lord John Russell, and the zealous agency of Sir Henry Bulwer, this has been effected.
"Statesmen will not pass, nor their countrymen wish them a less 'Happy Christmas,' because they have been instrumental in gaining a shelter for the destitute at this inclement season.
"Let such kindness stir us all up to fresh efforts to feed, clothe, heal, and employ the sufferers!"
Sir Moses had every reason to be pleased with the result of the labours in which he was permitted to take so prominent a part, and he considered himself justified in entertaining the hope that, in the future, the communities of various religious creeds in Syria would live peaceably together.
The state of Lady Montefiore's health became with every day more unsatisfactory, and preyed very much on the mind of Sir Moses.