Mégret, Father Anthony Désiré, Lafayette, Louisiana, to Bishop Anthony Blanc, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1843 August 16

Mégret received Blanc's letter of the 8th last night. 1. Mégret has never been despotic towards anyone. People may have taken as tyrannical a firm character which he has sometimes shown. 2. He does not think he has shown anger in his life. 3. He has never exeeded the fees; he has a listing posted in the church; many times he has accepted less even from the Mouton family. Charles Mouton had a $35 funeral for $25; Sosthène Mouton paid $50 instead of $60. Other instances came up with Mr. Césaire and Edmmund? Mouton . For a year he did not ask a cent from anyone, then he asked them from the pulpit to come to him to make arrangements without going to the constable; in a month he had his accounts settled. 4. Mégret asks Blanc to read his correspondence with A. Latiolais where he will find the ridiculous attack they accuse him of against Edm. Mouton related in Number 5. 6. He did not start a religious controversy but he believed it his duty to reestablish the honor of a family vilified by the dominant party. Edm. Mouton got Professor L.V. Mouton to write absurd things about Mégret. In his behalf a young French watchmaker struck the professor who challenged him to a duel. Mégret brought them together at a dinner where they were reconciled. Edm. Mouton used all his influence to keep the professor from going to the dinner. Then Mouton got Guégnon to pour out the obscenities against the priesthood. 7. Mégret would like to have the impious newspaper out of his diocese. Blanc can read in L'Union No. 5 the article against the trustees; Mégret did not tell all. 8. Although president of the meeting it was not Mégret who put the tickets in the drawer; he was seated at the deskonly to take them out. Besides more than a hundred eyes were on him and any fraud would have been discovered at once. 9. The election of the trustees took place on May 30; on June 3 a member of the Mouton family said that before 3 days Mégret would receive a beating. On Sunday, June 4, another member of the family came into the church with a stick to make Mégret come down from the pulpit. On the 5th, the anniversary of Mégret's ordination, Mégret got the beating. Mégret immediately told the president of the trustees he would be gone for two weeks on mission as he hoped during this time to receive from Father Stephen Rousselon letters which would advise him how to act. On Sunday, the 11th, he stopped saying Mass at Vermillionville to make the people understand the inconsistency of their behaviour. Finally some good people urged him to go at once, warning him that his life was in danger. 10. He did not strike a child in anger but during the retreat for First Communion he put a boy out of class because he deserved it; Mégret made a semblance of touching him. Several minutes later he came back to ask pardon and Mégret put him back in the class. 11. Mégret yielded to the pleas of people at Vermillionville who told him that if the evil-intentioned ones knew that he was armed they would not come near him. He also was informed that Edm. Mouton was going to send Mégret on a sick call and carry out a plan more hideous than than the beating. 12. Mégret's accounts were handed in and approved; the fabrique acknowledges that around $551 is due him. 13. He did so purposely in order to catch them short. Since Mégret's letter of the 2nd, he has sent one which Blanc has no doubt read by now. Since that, three persons, Mr. Béraud, a rich business man, Martin Valérien, a former member of the legislature, and Moise Hébert, of recognized merit, came as a delegation in the name of a large number, to bring about a reconciliation between Mégret and the fabrique and asking him to say Mass at Vermillionville. They know the trustees had written to Blanc asking that he be changed and said something about the uneasiness Blanc's silence had caused. These men, in case Blanc replies to the trustees, want to resolve the question by telling them that they will get no other pastor and that they must adopt the proposals made to them if they wish to keep a pastor at Vermillionville. From then on the 7 other members who had less votes will be the trustees. Mégret refused to have any petition made to counterbalance that of the trustees. The trustees knowing of the proceedings in the parish in Mégret's behalf are very much puzzled because they see that no one is on their side and that 7/8 of the people are against them. Mégret thanks Blanc for his confidence in him. He will do his best to merit it. He believes everything is going well at St. Martin; he hopes to see their pastor tomorrow. :: V-4-o A.L.S. French 6pp. 4to. 14