equently a
large deputation was introduced, who requested Sir Moses to remain
till after Sabbath. The Burgomaster of Wilna being present, joined in
the request, and Sir Moses at last consented, especially as the
deputation observed that they could not sooner get their papers ready
for him.

_Friday, May 8th._--The representatives of the Hebrew congregation of
this town, together with those of other Hebrew congregations from some
of the principal towns in Russia, under the presidency of the Chief
Rabbi, held a meeting for the purpose of examining the papers which
had been prepared for presentation to Sir Moses, in reply to the
charges brought against them at St Petersburg. It was arranged to
request Sir Moses to appoint the following day, in the evening, after
the termination of the Sabbath, for their reception, and to invite the
writer of these lines to address the congregation on the following
morning in the principal Synagogue of the town, so as to afford to
thousands of their brethren and visitors the opportunity of becoming
acquainted with any suggestion which it might be deemed desirable to
communicate to them relative to the Mission of Sir Moses and Lady
Montefiore.

With this view a deputation waited on Sir Moses, and he agreed to
receive them at the appointed time. The same deputation also brought
me the invitation to deliver an address in their Synagogue, which I
willingly accepted.

_Saturday, May 9th._--Divine service was held in the apartments of Sir
Moses early in the morning. In the afternoon, at about two o'clock, he
and Lady Montefiore proceeded to the Synagogue, where I delivered the
address in the presence of a very large assembly of members of various
communities and visitors. In the evening all the representatives of
Wilna, and those of the principal towns in Russia, together with the
gentlemen who wrote the reports in the Hebrew, French, and Russian
languages, and others of high standing in the community, headed by
their Ecclesiastical Chief, presented the papers which Sir Moses was
so anxiously expecting.

It is often a grave and exciting moment for those present in a court
of justice, when the accused, however humble his station in life may
be, pleads his cause and vindicates his innocence against a vigorous
prosecutor; graver, however, and considerably more exciting was the
scene which I now witnessed, when not merely a private individual, but
the representatives of three millions of loyal