alse and atrocious
charges, so frequently brought against the Jews during the middle
ages, of committing murders in order to use the blood of the murdered
as an ingredient in the food during the religious ceremony of
Passover, charges which, in those times, repeatedly served as a
pretext for the robbery and massacre of persons of the Jewish faith,
but which have long disappeared from this part of the world, with the
fierce and furious prejudices that gave them birth.

"That this meeting is anxious to express its horror at finding that,
on the ground of these abominable calumnies, numbers of Jews have been
seized at Damascus and at Rhodes; that many children have been
imprisoned, and almost totally deprived of food; that of the adults
seized, several have been tortured till they died, and others have
been sentenced to death, and, it is believed, executed, although the
only evidence of their guilt was the pretended confessions wrung by
torture from their alleged accomplices.

"That this meeting earnestly request the Governments of England,
France, and Austria to remonstrate with those Governments under which
these atrocities have taken place, against their continuance.

"That this meeting confidently relies on the sympathy and humanity of
the British nation to exert its influence and authority to stay such
abominable proceedings, and that the President, Joseph Gutteres
Henriques, Esq.; The Baron de Rothschild, Sir Moses Montefiore, and
Messrs I. L. Goldsmid, Jacob Montefiore, David Salamons, A. A.
Goldsmid, and F. H. Goldsmid do form a deputation to request a
conference on the subject with Her Majesty's Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs.

"That these resolutions be advertised in the newspapers."

A letter was read from the Rev. Dr Hirschel, Chief Rabbi, expressive
of his regret that his infirmities prevented his attendance at the
meeting, and declaring his concern at the revival of such false and
calumnious assertions, and his horror at such atrocious cruelties.

The meeting was attended by Monsieur Cremieux, Vice-President of the
_Consistoire Central des Israelites Francais_, who addressed the
meeting, expressing his concurrence and sympathy in its proceedings.

On April 30th the Committee proceeded to Downing Street, and were most
kindly received by Lord Palmerston. He promised to use his influence
with Mohhammad Ali and the Turkish Government to put a stop to such
atrocities. Sir Moses mentioned on this oc