Hyde, John, Detroit Michigan, to William J. Onahan, Chicago, Illinois, 1889 October 20

Hyde thanks Onahan for the invitation to the Catholic Congress. He would not give it for much money, which is the American criterion of value. In last week's Michigan Catholic was a brief report on the meeting of the Advisory Committee last Wednesday. Bishops John S. Foley, Camillus P. Mais, Richard Gilmour and Matthew Harkins were there, as well as Henry F. Brownson and Harson . Daniel Rudd was there for a moment, as was M. W. O'Brien . Hyde was not there, learning the details later. Brownson and Harson took seven papers that had thus for been written before the meeting. When the Bishops were seated, the production of the papers was called for. Brownson refused, stating that it was improper for the Bishops to require the papers to be submitted, and that the appointment of the Advisory Committe was not necessary, and that whole business was impertinence, implying doubt of the laymen's ability. This surprised the Bishops, except Bishop Foley who had anticipated it. Addressing Brownson, he demanded that the papers be submitted, or that Foley would walk out, and refuse to attend the Congress, and speaking for Cardinal Gibbons, that he also would not attend. There upon, Brownson produced the papers, which were read. This cast a cloud over the meeting which lasted for the day. While Hyde was waiting in the Michigan Catholic office for a report on the meeting, Brownson gave a promised report, from which Hyde learned the story. Brownson made remarks of self justification with Harson, and blamed Onahan for suggesting the Advisory Committee. The following morning Thursday, Brownson and Harson walked into Hyde's office to submit a matter on which they differed, to Hyde's judgement. The question was: Mr. O'Brien, of the Baltimore Catholic Mirror, acting for the Baltimore Press and the Associated Press, and Mr. Doyle, acting for the United Press, requested copies of the papers written for the Congress. Harson was for this, as well as Hyde, but Brownson objected a did Mr. Hughes, Hyde's employer, who was in the next room. Brownson and Hughes seemed to be displeased with Hyde's assertion that for the benefit of the Congress, the papers should be given to the press. However Brownson maintained that the press would interfere with the work of the Congress, which view Hughes approved. Hyde seconded Harson's original view. However, Hughes is about to publish a "Souvenir" of the Congress, to which Brownson also had business relations. Hyde was ignorant of this fact on Thursday morning. Hughes also maintained that Mr. O'Brien's paper, The Mirror, which had been running an "ad" stating that it would publish the paper of the Congress in full, would interfere with his Hughes' "Souvenir." Harson argued that no private interest like the "Souvenir" should be permitted to interfere with the important work of the Congress. They finally left Hyde's office without settling the argument. :: IX-1-a A.L.S. 18pp. 12mo. 10