Flaget acknowledges the receipt of the petition of the habitants of the month of October. He has read it with close attention, but feels he must wait until he has heard the other side so that he can examine the matter sincerely and render a just judgment in the case. He wishes, however, to set forth certain principles which must be the basis of the future judgments. 1. It appears to him and to Bishop Joseph Octave Plessis of Quebec that the church of St. Anne should be rebuilt in Detroit since that growing city will probably be the future apostolic see. 2. All Catholics depending in any way on St. Anne's should contribute according to their means to raise a church which will be a worthy monument of their faith. 3. If, for that purpose, it was judged suitable to sell the cemetery, that would not be repugnant to the Catholic faith provided the bodies would be removed. 4. That since the inhabitants of Cote du Nord Est having shown a real zeal in buying a ground and erecting a church, they can expect Flaget to give them a priest in the next year except for some unforseen obstacle. 5. That he does not believe the land of Cote du Nord Est should be in the names of the laity because of the possibility that their claims would come under inheritance laws and creditors and heirs might claim their shares of it. 6. He proposes that the land be incorporated in so far as this can be done in the Territory in which they live and that the administration and the revenues be placed in the hands of the bishop and that this be mentioned in the incorporation. 7. If the bishop cannot or does not wish to provide a priest for the church, the trustee according to the law will collect the revenues of the land and deposit them in the treasury of the "fabrique." 8. That, if the incorporation cannot be made according to the laws of Michigan Territory the property be incorporated in the name of the bishop and his successors as is done in Kentucky with the provisions of no. 7, and he never dispose of the land except according to the wish of the donor or without the consent of the generality of the parish. 9. That his intention is to establish a college or little seminary on the land of the Cote which would provide means of education for the children of the inhabitants and priests to serve them. Flaget desires that these reflections make a good impression on them and that they forget the past and unite themselves as good brothers with inhabitants of Detroit to build the new church as soon as possible. He exhorts the others to do the same. He urges them to establish again the reign of peace in their hearts as did the first Christians. Copied in the hand of Bishop John David. :: III-2-f Copy of letter French 2pp. 4to., 4