[10]
These dreamy youths, however, heartbroken and disgusted with a
civilization which had failed to redeem its promises, proved but poor
material for laying the foundations for a future nation. It was as with
the Darien Company organized by William Paterson when Scotland was
sorely distressed, and the Champ d'Asile, by the remnant of Napoleon's
grand army--a fine idea, but the men and the means were wanting to
execute it. The colonies in Palestine fared no better than those in
America. They were opposed by the Government from without and by many of
the orthodox Jews from within. The former, though claiming to be glad to
see the Jews emigrate, though declaring to the Jewish delegation that
pleaded for mercy, _Zapadnaya graniza dlya vas otkrita_ ("the Western
frontier is open to you"), was still, Pharaoh-like, reluctant to see so
many "undesirable citizens" leave, and prohibited the formation of
organizations to accomplish the end. The orthodox were against the
movement on religious grounds, because it was "forcing the end" of
Israel's trouble before the destined day of God arrived.[11] But with
the "nineties" the movement received a strong impetus.
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