visit Moscow and St Petersburg with the same freedom as
the merchants of other creeds, and the extension of this
permission to their agents, and also to mechanics of every
description, and to carmen, waggoners, and labourers for
the more successful prosecution of their business; of
course upon the condition of their being provided with the
customary passports. Respecting those individuals who do
not belong to any of the four classes, my humble petition
to His Majesty's Government would be to permit them to go
into the neighbouring Guberniums for the purpose of their
making purchases of the produce of the land and necessary
provisions. Such privileges to Hebrew merchants and
others, instead of being a disadvantage to commercial
persons of other creeds, would, I think, operate to their
great benefit, for competition and activity are the
mainsprings of prosperous commerce, and these elements
would become increased universally amongst the trading
classes by this act of favour.

"_6th._ Permission to re-establish the congregational
unions called Kahals, which serve them as their natural
point of centralization; and to leave all congregational
offices in the hands of Israelites, so that their
finances, their charitable institutions, and their minor
duties may be under their own administration. This boon
would, I am sure, be particularly satisfactory to my
brethren, and would especially call forth at the same time
their confidence and affection towards His Majesty's
person and his Government, and that proper feeling of
self-respect without which they cannot be expected to rise
from their present condition of despondent degradation.

"_7th._ Permission to Israelites to avail themselves of
the assistance of Christians in the various occupations of
life--a measure which would tend strongly to soften down
those feelings of difference which now exist between these
two classes of His Majesty's subjects, and to obliterate
that line of demarcation which His Majesty and his
Government justly regard with so much regret.

"_8th._ Permission to the Israelites to live as
agriculturists in the vicinity of their Christian
neighbours.

"_9th._ The right of keeping brewhouses.

"_10th._ Promotion from the ranks of Hebrew soldiers or
sailors who distinguish themselves in the Imperial army or
navy.

"_11th._ And, in fine, the removal from the Is