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As usual when any calamity befalls a place in the
eastern hemisphere, the Jews of Mogadore have suffered fearfully at the
late bombardment of that town by the French fleet, in the short war they
made upon the Emperor of Morocco, of which the political papers of the
day have furnished the details. But it was not until a few weeks ago
that we became acquainted with the dreadful effect that this assault had
upon the Jewish inhabitants of the place. The French having for some
time thrown a continual shower of shot into the fortifications, at
length landed (15th of August), when the Moorish defenders
fled, and left the town open to the irruption of the Kabyles, who soon
entered the Jewish quarter, stripped its inhabitants of all their
possessions, even to their garments, so that they had to cover
themselves with sacks and pieces of matting which they could find, and
besides this, maltreated their persons, having no respect for age or
sex. Many Israelites were butchered by the savage Arabs; the others fled
naked and penniless to whithersoever they could find shelter. The above
is a brief outline of the communications contained in the Voice of Jacob
of Nov. 15, to which we refer. The Emperor of Morocco generously gave
10,000 ducats for the relief of the sufferers, and a subscription has
been opened in London to aid them farther, which at the latest account
had resulted in the handsome sum of 1674l. 14s. sterling. We see
among the printed list of names the Portuguese congregation contributing
from its funds for the redemption of prisoners 200l., and several Christian gentlemen and firms, one of the latter of
which contributed 100l. This
is certainly a cause for gratitude, that the times of distress always
elicit traits of benevolence which often lie dormant in periods of
prosperity. |
