The other vote of the Lower House of the Diet
was still more emphatic. It was provoked by a motion of Herr Malinckrodt condemning the exclusion, by a decree of the 15th June last, of all the regular clergy, members of ecclesiastical congregations and orders, from teaching in public schools. Dr. Falk justifi • • this decree, calling all the members of ecclesiastical congregations and orders mere dependents on Rome, and therefore unfit for employment by the State. He declared that the State intended to assert boldly its own authority, and accept the war forced upon it by Rome ; and his declaration was received with the most enthusiastic cheering, and Herr Malinckrodt's motion defeated by a majority of 242 to 83 votes. That shows pretty well the sort of spirit in which the new Bill for suppressing Roman Catholicism in Prussia,—that is its real object,—will be viewed by the Lower House of the Diet. We believe we are right in conjecturing that it will be strengthened, instead of weakened, in its passage through the Chamber. And the Roman Catholic Church will be strengthened with it. The Prussian Government has the art of strengthening faith,—faith in itself first, and next in its enemies.
Previous page
