(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." DECLARATION ON THE PART OF THE TOWN OF GROTTKAU. On the very day on which my deposition was made known, (without any prompting on my part,) I received a Declaration, to be forwarded to the right reverend Council, from the undersigned individuals (all Catholics.)** ** DECLARATION BY THE TOWN OF GROTTKAU. "It affords the undersigned individuals the greatest pleasure to be enabled, in all truth and duty, to assure their vicar, Mr. Ronge, that he has never given occasion of offence to the public, either by his dress, his behaviour, or otherwise; nor has there been anything unbecoming in his everyday life and conversation; or in the manner of his performing the functions of his priestly office. "On the contrary, Mr. Ronge has justly acquired the universal love and esteem which he so richly enjoys, by his modest and highly decorous conduct, by the exemplary morality of his life--which even the foulest calumny has never ventured to assail--and, further, by his zealous energy in the improvement of youth, as well as by his friendly and winning carriage towards all men." [Illustration: List of signatures] This Declaration, and my own Defence, I forwarded without delay to the Reverend Council, with the observation, that I should also send a testimonial from the magistracy of Grottkau, so soon as I should receive it. After the Declaration had been despatched, several other citizens desired to sign it, and complained that it had not been sent to them. It will not be a difficult matter for my fellow-believers and townsmen to make comparisons of the Decree of Suspension and the Declaration of the town of Grottkau, and to draw their own conclusions as to which party were in the right. Without further remark, therefore, I shall merely put the following questions:-- I. Why was I suspended, and condemned to degrading imprisonment? and II. How was I treated? I was suspended, and condemned to degrading imprisonment--