Elder, Bishop William Henry, Natches, Mississippi, to Archbishop Anthony Blanc, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1860 April 21

Some of the leading Catholics here—among them General W.W.? Wood, recommend that they send the proceedings of their meeting to their Senator in Washington, to be given to the Secretary of State and transmitted through their minister at Rome. If it should go should Elder write to Cardinal Antonelli or to Barnabo to explain what has been done? Father Maturin F. Grignon has gone to Ireland and France to get Sisters of Mercy and priests and to recruit his health. He will return in August or September. Father F. Miller holds his place and interim. Father Elidan Galian, in bad health, is also here. Mrs. Owens, sister-in-law to Mrs. Perrault, formerly Beatrice Quinn of Donaldson died a week after giving birth to a fine boy. Archbishop Purcell has asked Elder to give the diocesan retreat in July. If Blanc expects to consecrate a coadjutor this summer he is to let Elder know. There have been so many irregularities and scandals on the part of priests collecting on the levees that Elder thinks it would be well to unite in a circular to bishops and heads of orders explaining the evils of this. Could they inflict an ecclesiastical censure on persons collecting without permission? P.S. Elder has just received a letter from Fathers Julian M. Guillon, P. Lecorre and J.B. Monton of which he encloses a copy. He thinks it well to publish it. Should he act on it or will Blanc do so? Father Napoleon Joseph Perché could translate it and let J. C. Dinnies have the English. A.L.S. 3pp. Enclosure: