[History of the Jews in Russia and Poland. Volume II by S.M. Dubnow]@TWC D-Link book
History of the Jews in Russia and Poland. Volume II

CHAPTER XXVIII
19/27

Remnants of a race, whence all religion sprung--ours and yours, and every creed on earth that owns one God--men who cling with all devotion to their ancient faith and forms of worship, these Hebrews are in your empire subject to such laws that under them they cannot live and thrive....
Pent up in narrow bounds within your Majesty's wide empire, and even within those bounds forced to reside chiefly in towns that reek and overflow with every form of poverty and wretchedness; forbidden all free movement; hedged in every enterprise by restrictive laws; forbidden tenure of land, or all concern in land, their means of livelihood have become so cramped as to render life for them well-nigh impossible.
Nor are they cramped alone in space and action.

The higher education is denied them, except in limits far below the due proportion of their needs and aspirations.

They may not freely exercise professions, like other subjects of your Majesty, nor may they gain promotion in the Army, however great their merit and their valour....
Sire! we who have learnt to tolerate all creeds, deeming it a principle of true religion to permit religious liberty, we beseech your Majesty to repeal those laws that afflict these Israelites.
Give them the blessing of equality! In every land where Jews have equal rights, the nation prospers.

We pray you, then, annul those special laws and disabilities that crush and cow your Hebrew subjects....
Sire! your Royal Sister, our Empress Queen (whom God preserve!) bases her throne upon her people's love, making their happiness her own.

So may your Majesty gain from your subjects' love all strength and happiness, making your mighty empire mightier still, rendering your Throne firm and impregnable, reaping new blessings for your House and Home.
The memorial was signed by Savory, who was Lord Mayor at that time, and forwarded by him to St.Petersburg.It was accompanied by a letter, dated December 24, from the Lord Mayor to Lieutenant-General de Richter, aide-de-camp of the Tzar for the reception of petitions, with the request to transmit the document to the emperor.
It is almost unnecessary to add that this touching appeal for justice by the citizens of London failed to receive a direct reply.


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