Letter from Samuel Hyman Cohen to Isaac Leeser;August 25, 1853 · Isaac Leeser Digital Repository · Legacy Projects from Judaica DH at Penn Libraries

Title

Letter from Samuel Hyman Cohen to Isaac Leeser;August 25, 1853

Author

Samuel Hyman Cohen

Contributor

Isaac Leeser

Location(s)

Placer County

Philadelphia

Format

Letter. 8 page(s) on 4 sheet(s).

Letter

Type

Letter

Language(s)

English

Physical Characteristics

Manuscript

Is Part Of

The Dropsie College Isaac Leeser Collection at the Penn Libraries

content

Auburn Placer County California
August 25 1853
To
Isaac Lesser Esqr
Editor of the Occident.
Philadelphia
Dear Sir
Haveing for the first time seen the Publication of the Occident which was lent to me by your subscriber G. A. Hart of Greenwood Valley, my particular attention was drawn to No 11 of Vol. 10 Page 575 of February 1853, wherein you call the attention of the Isrealites of this State to ende--avour to send a messenger to our Chinese Bresheim in the north of China, it is a scource of pleasure that such has come to my attention knowledge as I am able to answer that call & perhaps Better than any other person. I have lived in China six years out of which, four years at Shanghai and have spoken to one of the China Jews who was Introduced to me by a * China merchant whoes name is Chin-Ling Resideing within the City walls of Shanghai, but this Jew finding that I did not know Ther? Cher--ter Hebrew he pronounced me unclean and said how can a Jew travel away from his native home without knowing it, he refused haveing any conversation with me inconsequence of not knowing how to kill, I was verry ancious to obtain from him Information respecting the Jews and after showing him my Hebrew and explaining them to him, he said that he

was satisfied that I was a Jew, he give me a Invitation to come out to see him, if I recollect aright the place is called Kai-fong-fou but, I am not positive as I have lost the Journal of my Travels in one of the great fires in San Francisco, the Town is situated about 900 or 1000 miles inland from wher, I lived in Shanghai but think it lays near the yellow River, I was ancious to go out to his place and applied to my consul for a pass--port, as it was not allowed for any British or American subject to absent himself for more than 24 hours away from the port it being considerd unsafte, the consul refused me the passport stateting that it was contrary to our Treaty for any foreingor to Travel inland. Mr Samuel L Shuck, who his at the head of what his termed the seventh day Babtists Mission was verry ancious for me to go out as he said he would like to be the first in the field to report the mission in the United States, I, then spoke to the Revr Dr Medhurst who was one of the first English Missionarys to Shanghai, long before the Americans, he could afford me no Information excepting that it was dangerous to travel that distance, Mr. Shuck spoke to me again as allso the Revd Bishop Boom of the American Church or Mission I told them that I was ancious to start out if they could secure a premit from the Tau-Til who is the China Govenor of the City at Shanghai, I discoverd afterwards that neither of the Americans would

have gone with me. I was positive that a permit was to be procured from the Chinese Govenor by given him a fee and paying him the expence of the men which he sends with to protect you which would only have been a trifle. I had not sufficent Influence out their, being only a Second Class Merchant, but still think the object his to be accomplished with-out so much danger as has been represented to me, I have studied the habits and customs of the People which is most esential to gain their favour and by so doing the english authorites has more Influence with the Chinese than the americans, the disguse for a missionary to travel in must be the Chinese costume, your hair shaved close up to the crown with a long tail part of the eyebrows shave as allso face, the winter months are November when it rains in Torrents, December, January, February it snows, March Strong wind & rain, April is the spring of the year May, June July. August hot weather in the cold weather the Chinese wear a cover over their heads which partly conceals their face, I have been full seventy miles in Land without any pass was away three clear days in plain dress (no disguise) I found the people very hospitable and quiet it was on a sporting tour. Could I have procured a guid and if any of my guests would have gone with me I would have gone further to endeavourd to accomplished my wish, of traceing out some of my Bretherin the one who spoke to me understands Hebrew

and told me his name which I was particular in writing down in my Journal as allso the name of the street in which he lived he said there was about 2000 Jews liveing in one district, and about 100 miles further there was as many more, the men whome you may send out as missionarys aught to know how to speak french or Portegues you will find it a great acquisition as the Catholics have taught several of the Chines and then they are made priests, furthermore, they must be good Hebrew Schollars of good Temper and of strong constitution as while on their Travels they aught to live like the Chinese, I was the first foreign Jew that went to reside at Shanghai, Mr Lewis who is now dead was the second he represented the firm of Philips Moore & Co of Birmingham in England, that firm has no establishment in Shanghai since / 49 but they keep up their House in HongKong, Mr Aroone was the third he arrived from Hambourg he was a man greatly disliked by the mercantile community for his low trickery in Business, the fourth was a Mr Isaac Reubin a Babeylon Jew, the latter place is known in the present days as Bagdad in the east Indias, the head of that firm resides at Bombay the firm is well known their & in China as Sassoon, Sons, & Co. Elisia & David resides at Canton and Reubin represents the firm at Shanghai they are verry wealthy and as ? Jews as I ever see or heard of in June 1849

I left China & came to this country eighteen months previous of my leaveing I written a letter to London about the China Jews and I think it was the late Cheif Rabbi Dr. Solomon Hershial said that if some Religious Jew in China would write to him con--cerning the China Jews he would be happy to corrospond with him as then he could have more confidence, Mr Lesser I was not religious I could not be I did not know how to kill and when Mr Isaac Reubin came up he was going to teach me, in /49 at San Francisco I became acquainted with Myer Reifiseh who arrived here from the atlantic states he toled me that he see my Letter laying on the Table at the Cheif Rabbis House in London they would not corrospond with me because I was what is termed link or (not frume) here, I must praise myself by stateing that I had a good heart and attended to my fellow Creatures when they was attacked with fevers which was contagious, so that they should not die for the want of assistance to which I wher on my finger to this moment a Token of Regard and hold Letters of thanks from the British authorietes in China, out of eighty four who was resideing in Hong Kong in them days only thirty eight survied in six weeks & some left the place I was one that did not leave, what to leave a place when I had convinceing proofs of my fellow creatures dying for the want of attendance no man that has the feeling of a Jew could do that. in this county in December 49 I was one of the five who proposed & collected subscription for a Jews

Burial Ground in 1850 when the two congregations was endeavouring to join but could not agree a few english & american went togather and formed a Temporary Synagogue which was Burnt in/51 we reassembled and Mr J Joseph an American of South Caroline was elected our Parness and join, corrospondent S. H. Cohen was elected secritary out 38 Votes I had 36 they proposed to Give me a Salary but I strongly protested against any such propo--sition as it was only out of pure Love for my Religion that I accepted the office, during the time I held that office I transacted no Business on our Sabbath day, in the following year I resigned as Business called me to the interior, the committee of the congregation Shearith Isreal which was the name of it slated a Letter of thanks for my services. but I am Deviating from what I commenced on therefore beg to be excused, I must now bring this letter to a close as I am continuely being disturbed. I wish to impress on your mind that you must not belive one half you hear or read of our American missionarys in China, the Public in the states are not aware of the gross Impocistions that is being practised on them by these men and more particular by this said Saml. L Shuck who is at the head of the seventh day Babtists in Shanghai these men did not live a stones throw from me these missionarys encount no danger as they doo not go out but Live in all the Luxury that the

Greatis? Merchants live in, when were they go out its not more than 8 or 10 miles from their homes. They convert the Chinese, and then send them out, I could unfold the whole of their Trickery and in one instance, Shucks Base & corrupt conduct but the people in the states could not belive it, but the old residense of China has seen it they receive from the mission in the states from $800 to 1500$ per year Salary and house rent found them, in 1845 when I went to reside at Shange there was a Macoa Schooner arrived there, with five Italian Jesuite Missionarys they wher entire strangers they and went in the country, in/46 five more arrived in/47 five more and up to May/49 these fifteen had converted upwards of 40,000 Chinese, to their Religeon Old Pardre Buffo toled me that they had converted upwards of 60 000 the greater portion of these converts reside on the other side of the Shanghai river they had five places of worship eight miles distant from each other a Mr Burton an American from Boston Mr Carvello of Macoa and myself went over and proceeded full Twenty five miles inland in our Plain citizens dress and with out any passport, and a more quiet Peaceful Peaceable & Hospitable race of men I never meet with in all my travels which, I have been on, for fourteen years this month. when I left Shanghai the Italian missionary was haveing Built a Large Colledge fronting the Shanghai River 200 feet long by this time it must have been

compleated, this is situated six miles from wher our shipping lays six miles still further up the river his the Chinese Pagoda a place that almost every stranger visites but they are not aware that there his a large mission House and the Italian missionarys teach the Chinese to sculpher Portrate Painting and all kinds of traides. when I commenced this letter I little thought it would be so long but find the more I write the more I can think of no doubt your patients are almost tierd out, therefore shall leave you to publish to the world what part you may deem proper and shall subscribe my self yours
most Respectful
Samuel Hyman Cohen
P.S
if you have any desire to know my connections by applying to the Revr Saml. Isaacs of New York or the Revd Moses N Nathan of New Orleans the latter Gent his a first cousin of mine and my first Hebrew Teacher I am allso a nephew to Moses Eliazer Solomons Hebrew of London and the only english Jew that ever wore his Beard, any communication that you may have with me please direct to care of B. Keesing Post office Box 488 San Francisco
note * by the discription he give me of the synagogue, it is like the one in Bevers Marks London

The above text refers to Occident Volume 10 No. 11 page 575. Click here to view.

Identifier

LSDCBx1FF10_52

Date

1853-08-25

References

True