without regard to the true welfare of the people, will not by their conduct impose upon Us the melancholy necessity of putting in force against them the whole severity of the law." The Cabinet Ministry was also dissolved; and the same individuals, in consideration of their obliging acquiescence in the kings wishes, were again put in office as Ministers of Departments. King Ernest having thus got rid of Parliament and responsible advisers, began to feel every inch a king,” and to enjoy himself accordingly.

*

" **

Not so the Göttingen Professors. Dahlmann declares, in his book,,zur Verständigung, that when he heard that the Cabinet Ministers had forgotten their oaths, and their duty to their country,,,though not unacquainted with sorrow" he had never

*The Minister von Ompteda, who, up to the time of king William's death had been Hanoverian Ambassador in London, did not take office under king Ernest.

** This untranslatable word signifies,,setting a thing in the right light."

KING ERNEST'S ,,PATENT."

71

felt a keener pang. And no wonder the work of so many brave, patriotic, and self devoting hearts the prospect of freedom and progress for the future destroyed in a moment by the breath of a Tyrant!

Even the University, as a body, failed in its duty. The academical Senate could be moved to take no step in the matter. And in all probability not a voice would have been raised against the proceedings of the king, had not Dahlmann, as an individual, committed his thoughts and feelings on the subject to paper, in the shape of a remonstrance addressed to the ,Curatorium," (committee of University Curators), and sent it to some of his Colleagues for approval. Six of these signed it immediately without altering or objecting to a word; Jacob Grimm adding to his signature these words,, sehr nothwendig geschieht endlich, was schon vor vierzehn Tagen hätte geschehen sollen." (At last is done, what ought to have been done a fort

men,

night ago.) This protest, which was drawn up in the most respectful and moderate spirit, was signed by F. C. Dahlmann, C. Albrecht, Jacob Grimm, Wilhelm Grimm, G. Gervinus, H. Ewald, Wilhelm Weber. It was to the effect, that as conscientious as Instructors of the Youth of the nation, whose influence over their pupils depended on their character for truth and honour, they could not, at the command of any human being, lightly break their oath to the constitution, or acknowledge the new States General; the constitution of which was inconsistent with the fundamental law of the country. This was dated Nov. 18th 1837.

A few days afterwards an answer was received from the Curatorium in Hanover, signed,, Arnswald;" in which the Professors were urged to withdraw their Protest, before it came to the ears of the king. The Professors replied, that as they had sent their first letter after long and anxious deliberation, they could on no ac

THE KING AT ROTENKIRCHEN.

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count withdraw a protest which their strongest feelings, and deepest convictions, had led them to make. They also reminded the Curators that it would be now too late, as the Protest itself was to be seen in the public journals.

A few days after this second letter had been sent off, the Prorector of the University gave the members of the Academical Senate to understand that the king was at Rotenkirchen, and was expecting a deputation from them. The Prorector and Deans were sent accordingly; but no address was drawn up by the Senate, nor were any instructions given to the Prorector as to what be should say to the king. Not a little surprised therefore were those who were present at the audience to read in the next number of the Hanoverian ,,Zeitung," "the organ of von Schele, a long address, purporting to have been read by the Prorector, in which the conduct of ,,the Seven" is severely commented upon, and declared to be entirely at variance

**

with the general feeling of the University. This barefaced forgery was after some delay exposed in a declaration, signed by six other Professors, (C. O. Müller,* W. J. Kraut, H. Ritter, H. Thöl, Ernst von Leutsch, F. W. Schneidewin.) which was sent to the Hanoverian Times, (Zeitung) but refused by the honest Editor of that periodical, as not suited to the Hanoverian Times." It soon höwever became public through the medium of other journals.

In the mean time a fresh accusation was brought against ,,the Seven" of having made known the contents of their Protest before they scnt it to the Curatorium. This report arose from the very curious. coincidence, that on the very day on which Dahlmann had composed the document in question, there appeared an article in

* The celebrated Author of the History of the Dorians."

** Author of the,,History of Philosophy."