a short time must elapse before
the people of Damascus can be made aware of the important changes in
their social condition, when the Hatti Sherif of Gulhane shall be no
longer to them a dead letter, when violence shall no longer usurp the
place of justice, nor men endanger their lives by bearing witness to
the truth. You will be able to return to Syria in a few months under
better auspices, and cover the slanderers of your people with
confusion.

The example of Rhodes should give you encouragement. I was there last
summer when the atrocious charge of the same malignity which was made
against the Jews of that place, resulted in like violence, and which,
if tried by a similar process, would have led to the same results as
at Damascus.

Justice was done to them at Constantinople, and they triumphed. In the
same way will you find the cloud clearing away from Damascus. Indeed,
there exists not at present the shadow of evidence against them,
except you so call a most unnatural and suspicious identity of
confession, to be found in all false accusations where torture has
been applied, such as in trials for witchcraft. A remarkable instance
of this you may have seen recorded in _Chambers' Journal_ a few months
ago. It happened in the reign of James I. of England. The accused, if
I rightly remember, was the "wise wife of Kent." In the meantime, if
this testimony of mine can be of any service in comforting your
distressed people, I shall not consider I have visited Damascus in
vain.

Accept, Sir, my best wishes and esteem, and believe me to be
your very obedient servant,
Joseph Marshall.

To Sir Moses Montefiore, Bart, &c., &c., &c.

_Copy of a Letter addressed to Sir Moses Montefiore by Lieutenant
Shadwell of H.M.S. "Castor."_

H.M.S. _Castor_, Malta, _December 5th, 1840_.

Sir,--In compliance with your request, I beg leave to
submit to you some observations relative to the affairs
of the Jews at Damascus, which I was enabled to make in
my recent visit to that city, and also to lay before you
the general impression on my mind at that time, as to
the weight and credibility of the evidence addressed in
support of the charges which have been advanced against
them.

My visit to Damascus took place in the early part of the
month of August of the present year, my
fellow-travellers being the Rev. Mr Marshall, Chaplain
of H.M.S. _Castor_, and the Rev. Mr Schlientz, of Malta,
and his lady.