o Moscow for such goods as his Christian
neighbour can import from the nearest factory in the
interior of the land.

"The imperial city of Saint Petersburg the Israelite
must never visit on commercial business; he is only
allowed to appear there in connection with a law suit,
or in some other particular occasion, of very rare
occurrence. The Hebrew merchant thus has to contend with
numerous difficulties in being obliged to import his
goods from foreign countries, for the duty he has to pay
on them is exceedingly high, therefore making it
impossible for him to compete with his Christian
neighbour. These disadvantages have reduced the
commerce of the Israelites to a deplorably low ebb, and
are banishing prosperity from amongst them. And it is a
fact that in one of the principal cities where formerly
there were thirty Hebrew Moscow merchants, there are at
present only two, and these can only preserve their
commercial standing by extreme exertion.

"Your Excellency will further condescend to take into
consideration that there are various other disadvantages
which the Israelites have to contend with, and which I
shall merely mention in a few words for fear of
encroaching upon your Excellency's most valuable time.
His Majesty's Hebrew subjects are deprived of their
congregational unions known by the Hebrew term Kahal,
and are thus debarred from the advantage of any great
measure for their common relief, which might otherwise
be effected through the community. The Kahal served as a
central point in which every individual had an interest,
and there were able to do something for the amelioration
of their own town in particular cases, which cannot be
done now. It is true their financial affairs are
generally under the best care, being administered by the
members of the Town Hall (Dume), where according to His
Majesty's gracious Ukase, Israelites are entitled to be
admitted; yet it appears they are excluded from the
enjoyment of this privilege in some important cities
where they were first refused admission as members of
the magistracy, and subsequently excluded from
participating in the administration in the Town Hall.
The Israelites, under these circumstances, greatly
suffer from the dissolution of their congregational
unions. A Hebrew is not allowed to engage the assistance
of any Christian servant, neither is he permitted to
set