כ

And behold, despite all this, Moharan"as fortified himself while in Uman after the arrival of the aforementioned letters from Savran. While Moharan"as za'l was in Uman, he wrote a complaint [prieshniye] to the regional government [gubernya] of Kaminetz (for Breslov is in the Kaminetz district), about the fact that they were falling upon him with beatings and stone-throwing. And in his great righteousness, he did not mention in the complaint from where all this arose — so as not to cause harm through the complaint to the Rav of Savran, for Moharan"as in no way wished to inform against him before the authorities. And in the complaint he requested of the regional governor that he not send the response through the police [politsiye] — since apparently the police officers accept bribes from the pursuers — but rather respond through the civil court [paliyetaviye sod], which was then like the regional court of our times. But the response of the regional governor was delayed until before Shavuos; and then his response arrived through the civil court, and from there was sent to the police in Breslov. And in his response the governor rebuked the police officers for the outrages found in the city of Breslov, and warned them: that if another such complaint reached him about the beating of Moharan"as, he would remove all the police officers from their positions. And then the police officers began to instill fear and dread in the evil pursuers that from that day on, no beating or stone-throwing against Moharan"as za'l and his people would be remembered or heard of. And within a short time there arrived in Breslov from the district governor a fearsome warning to the police, to be vigilant in the protection of the life of Moharan"as za'l "Shternhartz"; and if he receives another such complaint, he is prepared to remove all police officers from their posts. And if there is any offense for which Shternhartz has sinned against those who rise against him, that requires investigation and inquiry first; and after they find him guilty, he may be judged and punished according to the law. And this was sent directly to the Duma, and the Duma immediately conveyed it to the police. Naturally, when the police received such a warning from the district governor, they quickly publicized this to all the opponents; and Moharan"as za'l emerged, with the help of Hashem Yisborach, from danger to life, and dwelt in Breslov in quiet and security.

But the opponents could not stay quiet; they plotted against Moharan"as za'l. And since the district governor had written that if any offense were found against him, he could be punished according to law — they found a scheme and wrote to the district governor that there were two charges against him: first, that he was a "tzadikan" — meaning he presented himself as a prophet and messiah and deceived people; second, that he maintained a printing press without the censor's license. When this accusation reached the district governor, he immediately sent one of the officials to Breslov to conduct an investigation.

(For in the district capital there were also people from the opponents' side who pressed for a swift response to this accusation.) The opponents also arranged that the official who was sent to Breslov be lodged at Sneior's — who was a teacher of Russian and served as their evil advisor and scribe. When the official came to Breslov, he began the investigation and entered Moharan"as's za'l house and searched and found no sign of a printing press whatsoever. Moharan"as told him: "It is true that there was a printing press at my home, but it has been a long time since I have had any printing press." But the opponents found a scheme: they recruited twelve false witnesses from among themselves who swore a false oath before the official that there was a printing press with him — claiming that surely, now that he knew of the official's arrival in Breslov and feared the official, he had hidden it, making it impossible to find. And they had abundant money, and several wealthy men among them pledged and donated substantial sums — in particular Moshe Hinkes, who was very wealthy, and at every turn his treasury was open for bribing and bolstering the falsehoods.