Father Augustine Hewit wanted him to write an article on the School Question and Father Issac Hecker wrote Orestes from Rome the outlines of an article on Church and State for Orestes to fill up for the Catholic World. These with article on Emerson and the concluding one on the Abbe Martin have with Orestes' writing for the Tablet, kept him so perplexed and busy that he has had hardly a moment in which to write Henry and Fifine. Orestes begs Henry to excuse him, especially as his eyes are so bad that he ought not to write at all. He assures Henry he did not fill out Father Hecker's, outlines. He has written the article in his own way. He expressed his own views which he thinks agree well enough with Father Hecker's, if Hecker only knew his own mind and could express it. And yet Orestes is not sure it will be accepted and printed as Orestes wrote it, as he has given "carte blanche" to Father Hewit, the Editor at present. Very few of the reports from Rome, if any, can be relied on. There is no doubt that too many of the prelates lack the courage of their faith, and are too afraid of the secular powers. Henry will like Orestes' article on the School Question. Orestes was glad Henry likes his books. They are already printing a second edition. Father Hecker made a mistake when he showed a reluctance to publish it in the Cath. World for which Orestes originally wrote it; though Hecker did not refuse it. Orestes published it with his own name as a feeler. If Henry were as good at writing as he is at thinking and could endure the wear of continuous thinking and writing together Orestes would have Henry revive Brownson's Quarterly Review; Orestes believes the public would now support it. The amount of writing would cost Orestes less labor than he now bestows on the Catholic world, and if he could get it reestablished and live to conduct it for three or four years, it might fall then into Henry's hands, and would be a valuable property to Henry. Orestes urges Henry to think of it. Orestes can't get about but can work in his study. He thanks Henry for sending him the article on the Funding System in the Chicago Tribune. It is the only sensible thing Orestes has seen on the subject, and says what every one who has mastered the simplest rudiments of finance knows perfectly. Salmon P. Chase never knew anything of finance, and Abraham Lincoln knew less. From the beginning of the war up to the present, the real manager of our finance has been the Philadelphia humbug, Jay Cooke, who has contrived to impoverish the country and to build up a collosal fortune for himself. It has been for better to have paid 18 per cent interest on the money actually borrowed, or $15, than $6 for $40, or even $50. Mr. Chase was told so at the time, but he would believe nobody but Jay Cooke. There never would have been any kind of bank supervision of legal tenders, or even of Treasury notes, if the Secretary had known anything, a loan of $500,000,000 would at any time during the war have been placed at 9 or 10, at furthest 12 per cent, and the banks could have continued to pay specie. There would have been no inflation, and the debt at the close of the war would have been less than one third what it was, and would with the high taxes we have had, been two thirds paid off by this time. But that was not what Jay Cooke wanted. He wrote elaborate essays to prove that "a national debt is a national blessing" and fools believed him. But how is the nation to pay its debt? The national resources are not equal to it, and funding it at a lower rate of interest is out of the question when money is worth more than the present note, and there is very little seeking permanent investment, and the country does not want its bonds to be taken abroad. Mr. Boutwell is no financier, and Mr. Grant is president. Logan's Army Bill, a Bill of abominable injustice, has passed the House. Some of its bad features may be modified in the Senate, but it will do great injustice, and hence the N.Y. Tribune finds it excellent. If there is an excreable man in the country, that man is Horace Greeley . He would take the penny from the poor man and give millions to swindly corporations and swear he was taxing them for the benefit of the poor or the laboring class. He is sick of the Republican party which has all the errors of the old, a big party, and those of the fanatics besides. He does not know how the coming bill will affect Henry, but counsels him not to be cast down. Henry should trust in Providence. Henry is young yet, has health, strength energy and ability and by no means, even at worst, is as Orestes was in 1865. Henry's talents will yet be in request. A young and growing family must not discourage Henry. Never does a new child become an additional burden and in some mysterious way, he found that it brought with it the ways and means. If worst comes to worst, it is well for Henry he has a family; as in an army the morale is three-fourths, also is it three-fourths in private life. Henry's family will be his salvation. He cannot afford to be despondent. His love and the love in return for it will make him brave and energetic. It is said that married men are braver in battle or at sea than bachelors. Nevertheless, if the Bill becomes a law Orestes hopes Henry will be able to get retired. That, however, will depend on President Grant, and as neither Orestes nor Henry have made Grant a president, are related to Grant or to his wife, nor went to school with nor bear the name of Grant, one cannot foresee what Grant will do; but perhaps Generals Sherman and Sheridan may have some influence with him. Henry must secure the good will of Sheridan, and Orestes will try and secure that of Gen. Sherman. Orestes and Henry must try as soon as the moment arrives. Orestes gives his love to Fifine, and asks Henry to kiss Philip for him and to tell Philip he hopes Philip will be the greatest best Brownson that ever lived. Henry's mother is pretty well; Sarah is so-so. He says his head is tolerably strong, but his understanding is weak, and his ankle and knee joints are not painful but stiff, and he is so clumsy that he does not venture out alone. Orestes wants very much to see Henry's wife and child, but he has no courage to move. He asks Henry to come see him as soon as he can. He invokes God's blessing on Henry, Fifine and Philip and hopes they may continue to love one another, and Orestes a little. :: III-3-a A.L.S. 4pp. 8vo.