Megret, Father A.D., Lafayette, Louisiana, to Father Stephen Rousselon, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1843 May 28

Megret received Rousselon's letter of the 17th. He sends this by a merchant of their town who will bring back things Mr. Cayol left at the bishop's house. Megret sees with pleasure that he was in agreement with the Bishop's Council on the subject of marriages. Unfortunate Louisiana does not promise liberties to the Catholics but makes them the victims of republican despotism. France is infinitely more free under the monarchy. Megret thanks Rousselon for becoming one of their subscribers. He will see that Megret has devoted Number 4 to the subject of marriage. His position is difficult. He will be as circumspect as possible. He keeps the Constitution of the Union and of Louisiana close at hand and writes nothing without consulting them. L'Union has been received with pleasure and compliments by most other editors. There is to be a meeting soon in Baton Rouge to which Mr. Meunier will go. Megret will do all he can to make his politico-religious system agreeable to all the editors and he intends to ask them to join in a body to demand freedom of worship. Many of them have invited Megret to give an article on "Legal Opinions." If the press demanded religious liberty it would be a great support for the Bishop. The law on marriage has made no unfavorable impression here; the young couples tell the judge that they are only fulfilling a civil function and that the real marriage is done by the pastor. Megret asks for a dispensation from relationship between Placide Broussard and Marie Thibodeau . He wrote to Father Victor Jamey and as he believes he is not working on the Propagateur, asked him to send a weekly correspondence. His non-reply makes Megret think he is absent from the city. Rousselon might judge that the work of the newspaper is taking time from Megret's parish. This is not so; it takes only several evenings during the week and assures the stopping of all irreligious pamphlets on the part of the former editor. The church has been much more attended this year with a greater number approaching the Sacraments. Megret would like more time to tell of certain acquisitions he has made for the good of religion. That will be for next time. He will soon begin the building of a chapel as arranged for with the Bishop. In case he is forced to build a church at Vermillionville besides the one belonging to the fabrique, he has acquired for nothing a piece of land in the center of the town without anyone knowing it, but he has other hopes. On the 30th they will renew the trustees and he believes that all the members will agree with him and he will try, under their administration, to make the bishop the owner of the church. In regard to the Act of Corporation and the extraordinary circumstances, if they are all in accord, they will be able to carry out the above relinquishment. :: V-4-n A.L.S. French 4pp. 4to.