Beaugier, Father A., Ville-Platte, Louisiana, to Archbishop Anthony Blanc, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1856 January 24

Beaugier has been waiting to send some sure news about their parish. He had wanted to give Blanc the details about a meeting which was to take place on Christmas day to add up the subscriptions for building the new church. They were to fix the site for it and the presbytery for which they were to ask Blanc for a plan. As soon as it was received they were to set to work under a committee of 2 or 4 members. Bad weather came and they were obliged to put it off to the first of the year. But the weather became worse and it was impossible for the people to attend. In the meantime, Beaugier will send on the information he has gathered since the first meeting of which the pastor of Opelousas has informed Blanc. It is almost certain that there will not be less than 2600 piastres of subscriptions. The committee hopes that a visit to Bayou Boeuf and Pinières? will produce a considerable sum. The parishioners have the best dispositions toward the new church. Beaugier has tried to keep this fervor; one cannot push them too fast. He knows their lack of sympathy for outside priests. From time to time he receives some consolations which takes away a little of the bitterness heaped on him by the coldness and lack of faith by almost all the people of Ville Platte, especially since the meeting presided over by Father Gilbert Raymond . They cannot understand that Blanc allowed himself to authorize that meeting asked for by all the people. The site of the church troubles them. The gentlemen, whom Blanc knows came one day to just about dismiss Beaugier. He told them to act against him if they had the right. They proposed writing to Blanc. Today there is no longer a question of anything. In his next letter, Beaugier will speak of the spiritual side of the parish. P.S. He will write to Father Rousselon for a "bret"? etc. :: VI-1-j A.L.S. French 4pp. 4to.