Foltier, Father Stephen Jules, Vermillionville, Louisiana, to Archbishop Anthony Blanc, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1857 March 25

He hopes Blanc will not attribute his delay in answering Blanc's letter of February 17 to a moment of bad humor. He has needed to get some information and the distance of the two villages and the duties of Lent have not allowed him to act more quickly. He hopes Blanc will listen to Foltier's defense of the accusation. The people of Vermillion have never had the thought of refusing Foltier the offering due all priests who do their duty. Father Jean Arthur Poyet, alone, with the aim of having this money, has given rise to these doubts. From the beginning, Foltier had talked to Poyet about the debt of Valcourt Veazey, an obligation which Blanc had countersigned. Foltier asked Poyet if he wanted the list off the pewholders and told Poyet that he could pay what Foltier owed Valcourt and keep the rest for himself. Poyet replied in the presence of Mr. Cavailhez that he wished to have nothing to do with these arrangements. So Foltier decided to have the sum collected by Daniel O'Bryan O'Brien. On returning from New Orleans, Poyet had said that was to be paid to Poyet. To please Blanc Foltier, laden with debts, sacrificed the money for the good of the church. He told his collector to put in the paper that this gift was for the building off the church. When the church was overturned, Foltier had just bought 11,000 feet? of lumber destined either for an enlargement of the rectory or for the floor of part of the church. As many of the people were looking for lumber after the storm, Foltier announced that he would sell some. It belonged to Foltier and had never been used for the church. A resident wanted some of the planks used at the entrance of the church, which Blanc had given Foltier permission to sell. So he thought he could sell the planks which had not been used. Cavailhez did so in Foltier's absence with Foltier's authorization. The planks were valued at 30 piastres and Foltier gave Poyet 200 piastres. In France, Foltier spent his whole patrimony for the churches where he was assistant; in the North he built a church valued at no less than 10,000 piastres; on leaving Abbeville he took away only debts; today he owes more than 2000 piastres. He is accused of leaving Vermillion parish without rebuilding the church. He would have done so but Poyet wished to go to Abbeville and build his own church. Foltier left Poyet a subscription which had gone to 1400 piastres when Foltier left. He had given Poyet a value of 800 piastres and now he is giving the church 400 in pew rent. P.S. All is going well here; the convent is growing. It seems the senator has obtained from the state 1000 piastres for these Sisters of Mount Carmel on condition that they fund a certain number of orphans. They are going to be able to pay Father Rousselon. The pews were rented on April 5. He has enlarged the cemetery. One resident asked him to buy a small piece for 200 piastres because him wife did not like to be so near the cemetery. He refers him to Blanc. :: VI-1-l A.L.S. French 9pp. 12mo.