[This closes Ronge's Self-defence, which, in all probability, would never have seen the light, had it not been for the subsequent excitement caused by the affair of the Holy Coat. For however triumphant has been his exposure of the authorities with whom he has had to do, still such cases of arbitrary tyranny are far too common to excite more than a mere passing, or, at best, local interest. It required such a fact as that of Treves first to awaken a general interest, and thereby to secure a proportionate degree of attention to the details of such a personal narrative as we have now given. People desired to know about the history of the man who had brought home to their hearts and experience the abuses of the system which had hitherto ruled them as with a rod of iron. But especially as charges the most base and unfounded had been directed against Ronge, with regard to the real cause of his suspension, it became his duty to lay the whole facts before the public, and manfully to appeal to their sentence against that of the Church authorities of Breslau. We have inserted this Justification before noticing the movements which have taken place in consequence of the first letter, which, instead of appearing as a documentary part of the Justification, was inserted at a previous part of the narrative, and which gave its real personal and historical interest to his Self-defence.] OPINIONS, ADDRESSES, &c. &c. We must now return to the first letter, and notice the excitement created by it over the whole of Germany, Protestant and Catholic. The following appeared in the _Mannheim_ Journal:--"The greatest attention has been lately directed to the admirable and pithy statement of a Catholic priest concerning the Holy Coat. It is peculiarly the citizen-class who have been electrified thereby. Not to have read it, (and it is impossible to escape the question)--is declared to be as bad as never having read anything. It is published in all the papers; and truly the spreading of truth and light in religious matters--and both it contains in rich measure--is not merely a matter of honour but of the heart!" _Weimar_.--"There prevails here a complete frenzy to read the production of Ronge. A number of the citizens have caused it to be circulated _gratis_ among the poorer inhabitants. For a very long period no production has created more sensation in the world,--and it is beyond doubt that Ronge's name will ever be distinguished in the history of the world and of the Church." _Westphalia_.--"The excitement which Ronge's letter has made among friend and foe becomes daily more conspicuous from the public press. In Magdeburg the whole middle class is against the ultra-montanist movement, and even the majority of the clergy,--as this movement throws all power into the hands of the bishops."