Lucas, Father Peter, St. Martinville, Louisiana, to Bishop Anthony Blanc, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1845 April 22

Yesterday the new trustees had a meeting at which Lucas was not present either as assistant or as pastor par interim. They called him in to ask if he wanted to be paid a straight $500 and besides they would give him what Father Giles F.? Martin gives him a year. Lucas replied that he was pastor only to do the work, that he would hold to the arrangement thing. If they had not wanted to take away the horse which was bought for him and which he uses all the time Lucas would never have spoken of this bill. They say Lucas loves money but they had better say he does not want to be a public dependent. They have spread calumnies saying no one wanted to go to confession because he was too young; that the parish would be lost if Blanc did not send another priest. Lucas never wanted Martin's pastorship. Since he has been a priest he has had no opposition from the laity, only from priests. :: V-5-c A.L. French 3pp. 4to.