The right reverend Board of Administration made known to us, on the 11th
of this month, that, as public opinion had pointed you out as the author
of the well-known article, "Rome and the Chapter of Breslau," you had
been asked, on the 20th December last, whether you really were so. You
replied to this question, on the 24th of the same month, that you could
not reconcile it to your conscience to answer the question put to you
by the right reverend Board. Time was allowed to you after this, and a
vicar, a private friend * of your own, was commissioned to encourage
you to make a distinct declaration and acknowledgment, in which case
you would still have been treated with indulgence.** Up to this time,
however, you have sent no reply to the right reverend Board, wherefore
we have been charged by the same to bring you to an investigation, ***
eventually, however, to suspend you, and to summon you, _ad exercitia_,
to the Seminary in this place. It has been further shewn to us, by Mr.
Rector Hoffmann of Grottkau,**** that so early as the 29th of October
1841 you had been seriously rebuked by the right reverend Board, on
account of your peculiar dress and unsuitably long hair; and although
Hoffmann, and several others of your colleagues, kindly warned you of
the impropriety of your dress, all has produced no effect, so that they
who did not personally know you, would never take you for a clergyman.
In addition to this, it has been said that you performed the priestly
functions without decorum or dignity, (_in plain German, without
hypocrisy and grimaces_,) whereby you have occasioned manifold offence,
(_unfortunately, the community has accused the right reverend Board
of falsehood_,) and impeded the efficacy of your ministry.(v) Since,
under these circumstances you cannot be appointed to the cure of souls,
as you yourself, on calm reflection, (_how liberal!_) on your sentiments
and your efficacy, (_why were not these two important items earlier
introduced?_) must perceive.
* I leave the reader to frame his own opinion of this
procedure, and of the friend who allows himself to perform
the office of a spy.
** Why did Dr. Hitter make so great a work about the matter,
if he wished to appear indulgent?
*** What the right reverend Board understand by an
investigation, is shown at the end of this Decree. I shall
also give my idea on the subject.
**** Why does the right reverend Board conceal the fact,
that Kaspar Hoffmann was required to report! He himself
showed me the requisition; and we know full well that my
Lords are accustomed to have even the slightest indications
of a wish on their part most carefully attended to by their
obedient servants. Hoffmann naturally strove to please Dr.
Ritter, and prepared his information accordingly.
(v) It is scarcely credible that an entire Chapter should
wander so wide of the truth. The town of Grottkau professes
to have found in me "zealous energy in the improvement of
youth."
Since we forbid you the exercise of priestly functions, you are
hereby-charged to leave your present situation immediately on receipt
of this--to resort to the Seminary in this place, there to undergo
_exercitia spiritualia_, to submit yourself entirely to the orders of
the master of the Seminary, i. e., the Pro-Rector, Dr. Sawer, to whom
you are required to announce your arrival in this place, and await our
further commands.*
* "What of the investigation? The right reverend Board must
entertain an odd idea of the meaning of the word; it
imposes a twofold punishment upon me, and I am left to
picture to myself an investigation behind it!
"(Signed) Latussek, v. Ploto, Elsleb, Freis. Breslau,
Jan. 30, 1843."