"I am induced to place great reliance on this pledge, because it is evident these men were unable to extend it for the safety of those who should incautiously travel by night.
"I am thankful to say that from the religious authorities here of the Catholics and the Moors I have also received evidence of respect and goodwill.
"I know the Sultan is most kindly disposed towards his Jewish subjects, and we may reasonably hope from this pleasing fact, and the kind assurances I received from all the Representatives of Foreign Powers in Tangier, that the Jews of Morocco may look forward to a brighter future.
"It remains for me only to add that, although in effect the objects of the Mission have, under God's blessing, been happily attained, still I do not consider that its work will have been fully done, nor that I ought to leave this vicinity until the actual liberation of the prisoners. I feel certain that the Sultan will, immediately on receipt of the despatches, give directions to that effect.
"I intimated in my telegram of the 15th instant that I contemplated a visit to the Sultan at Morocco. This will be with the object of thanking His Sheriffian Majesty for his gracious compliance with the request of the British and Spanish Governments, for his favourable disposition towards his Jewish subjects, and to entreat that His Sheriffian Majesty will extend to them his favour and protection, and direct the removal of the degrading grievances under which the Jews of the interior are still suffering. With objects so important, I shall not hesitate, before my return home, to encounter this long, fatiguing, and hazardous journey."
Sir Moses had no doubt of the innocence of the two unfortunate men who had been executed. "True," he says, "alas! we cannot recall the dead to life, but it is consolatory to reflect that, out of the unhappy events which gave rise to the Mission, good will follow; and it will indeed be a subject of rejoicing to us all to learn of the future welfare and prosperity of the vast Jewish population (nearly half a million of souls) in the Moorish Empire."
_Tangier, December 21st._--Sir Moses sent to the President _pro tem._ a copy of a draft of the instructions which Don Francisco Merry y Colon, the Spanish Consul at Tangier, had directed to the Consuls, to the effect that Her Majesty the Queen of Spain had been greatly pained to hear that the Spanish Consuls in Morocco were accused of ill-treating the Jews; that it was her wish the Consuls should aid and protect the Jews, and avail themselves of every opportunity to prevent acts of cruelty on the part of the Moorish authorities, and the infliction of the lash or tortures to extract confessions.