His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, however, also from conscientious motives, supported the Bill. The course taken by the latter prince, it may be observed, has been amply justified by the experience of the last forty years. In this country, as well as in all others where Jews have been admitted into the legislature, their presence has unquestionably had no unfavourable effect on the administration of the law.
On the 7th of July Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore made a little excursion to Scotland, and on their return to town attended a soirée at the Marquis of Salisbury's. Whilst they were passing the evening here, visitors of a different description had availed themselves of the temporary absence of Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore to effect an entrance into the drawing-room at Park Lane, whence the thieves succeeded in abstracting every article of gold and silver, as well as the Hamburg medal and many other valuable testimonials and mementoes.
In November they took an active part on a Committee which had been formed in Ramsgate, for providing relief for one hundred and sixty emigrants who had been saved from the ship Burgundy, and in December they provided one hundred of the London poor with blankets, again sent medical supplies from Apothecaries' Hall to their dispensary in Jerusalem, and visited the London Hospital and several other charitable institutions.
The reader will probably remember that in the year 1840, when Sir Moses appealed to Cardinal Riverola, head of the Capuchins in Rome, for the removal of the libellous and malicious epitaph in the Church of the Capuchins at Damascus, respecting the supposed murder of Padre Tomaso, His Eminence promised him his aid; but the events of Deir-el-Kámár and Damascus having given undoubted evidence of the spirit of hatred and persecution which still filled the hearts of the people, Sir Moses entertained serious doubts as to the fulfilment of that promise, and resolved to go there himself to ascertain the actual state of affairs.
The French Government having so forcibly expressed their disbelief in the accusations brought against the Jews, and having so severely censured the Agent of the French Consulate in Damascus, he thought, in the event of the epitaph in question being still in existence, he might now be able, with the assistance of the French Government and the Cardinal, to get it removed.
Independently of his own feelings on the matter, he was desirous of complying with the urgent prayer of the representatives of the Hebrew community at Damascus, who addressed several letters to him on that subject. "We have reason," they wrote, "to be greatly distressed on account of this epitaph, as by it the feelings of hatred and revenge entertained by Christians towards Jews may be perpetuated through coming generations. Whosoever sees the inscription is filled with hatred and indignation against Israel."
Many important meetings which he, as President of the Board of Deputies of the Congregation of British Jews, had to attend, and various engagements of communal interest, prevented Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore leaving England before May the 16th.
This delay, however, was productive of considerable pleasure to them, inasmuch as they were thereby enabled to receive the congratulations of their friends on the result of the debate in the House of Commons respecting the second reading of the Oaths Bill (May 7). The numbers were—For, 278; against, 185; majority, 93.
Accompanied by Colonel Gawler, a gentleman who took a great interest in the colonisation of the Holy Land, and had published several valuable papers on the subject, and by the Rev. Emanuel Myers, they left Dover for Calais, reaching Marseilles on the 24th of May and Alexandria on the 5th of June.
There Sir Moses sent the Admiral's letter to Captain John Foote of the Rosamond, who invited him on board his ship the next day to meet Said Pasha. His Highness received Sir Moses very kindly, and expressed pleasure on meeting him again.