Antonelli, Jacobo, Cardinal, Rome, Italy, to Archbishop Francis Norbert Blanchet, Oregon City, Oregon, 1874 February 28

Antonelli acknowledges the letter of Blanchet of Jan. 9 in which he asks about a book published in Rome in which the letter of the Sacred Congregation dated July 3, 1847 to the Archbishop of Baltimore concerning the proclamations to be made regarding marriage, especially mixed marriages is incorrectly stated. He says the answer had been repeated again and again. He cites the answer of the Sacred Congregation to the Bishop John Chanche of Natchez on May 11, 1864 in which it said such proclamations could be made if the religion of the contracting parties was suppressed. Again in May 1870 the same Congregation referred to the decision of the Council of Smirnensis to the same effect. The document was signed by John Simeoni as Secretary and G. Gans as prosecretary ad hoc. The present copy is certified by Archbishop Blanchet. D.S. Copy Latin 2pp. To this is added a second reply: