The confirmation of Bishop Knauer's appointment did at last take place;
he was to enter Breslau in April 1843. I had gone to that town,
partly to attend to my affairs, and partly to seek the means of future
subsistence. After the the arrival of Bishop Knauer, I went to a Canon,
whose name is appended to my Decree of Deposition, to ascertain at what
time I might speak with the Bishop. This right reverend gentleman told
me quite naively that I should have answered--"No, I am not the author
of the article--bring it home to me!" with this addition, if I "desired
to remain at my _clerical trade_." He further informed me, that although
_he had not read the article in question_, it was said to contain
terrible things.
What say the younger clergy to the expression, _clerical trade!_ and
what shall one think of the justice and indepedence of a spiritual
tribunal, whose members are not even aware of the nature of the crime
for which they condemn their fellow-men! Justice! how, indeed, could I
expect it at the hands of those who were at once my judges and accusers!
I found the Bishop himself, when I preferred my complaint to him,
essentially different from the greater number of the Catholic clergy.
He received me in that winning manner, with which youth is easily
fascinated by age. There was no trace in him of that _quasi_ lowly
spiritual pride, and vulgar affectation of pious condescension, so
common in prelates. When I had made my request to him in few words, he
replied, that the affair was not unknown to him, and that I only needed
to apply to Dr. Ritter for a removal of the Suspension, to have the
matter satisfactorily arranged. On my objecting, that I was of excitable
temper, and that, under existing circumstances, I feared myself
incapable of dealing calmly with that individual--he offered to hold a
previous conference with Dr. Ritter. He then asked if I were the author
of the article. I answered in the affirmative. "But why," continued he,
"did you _invite_ all this persecution?"--"Because," I answered, "it was
my duty to give utterance to the unanimous feeling of the citizens and
the clergy, seeing that no other priest considered himself called
upon to do so." He said no more on this subject, but, speaking of the
situation as tutor which I had accepted, he said that he needed my
assistance in the diocese, and appointed that I should return to him
in the afternoon. When I returned to the Bishop, he was embarrassed
and reserved, in consequence of the conference with Dr. Ritter, who had
inveighed against me in coarse language,* and asserted that I had been
invited to appear before him and had not come (a falsehood! for surely
condemnation is not invitation!). I proved, indeed, that Dr. Ritter had
asserted an untruth; but Bishop Knauer, already eighty years of age,
found it very inconvenient to quarrel with his canons, and excused
himself by saying, that he had not so fully entered on the duties of
his office as to qualify him as a competent judge. (This was on the day
before his Inauguration.) Replying only by my looks, I took my leave,
and set out for my new destination, Laurahuette, to engage in the
teaching of the children of the functionaries of the place.
* Among other things, Dr. Ritter asserted, as I was informed
by Bishop Knauer, that I had been idling about for some time
in Breslau without making my appearance at the Cathedral. A
speaking instance of the noble nature of the right reverend
gentleman! I had been staying all the time in the house of
Mr. Wittig, a highly respected citizen, who had hospitably
received me, and I had scarcely quitted it for an hour.