D'Asti, O.S.F., Father Augustine, Houston, Texas, to Archbishop John Mary Odin, C.M., New Orleans, Louisiana, 1862 March 27

D'Asti wonders how he should proceed in the following difficulty. Henry Hall, well known to Odin, is engaged to marry the adopted daughter of Mr. Oliver. Hall had been married once and then obtained a separation or divorce. They say that his wife had another husband living at the same time and therefore the second marriage with him was null and void, but there is no positive proof. Mr. Thompson, who acted Hall's part in the separation, told D'Asti that he could not get any judicial proofs of the said marriage; he sent to New Orleans but none was found who was able or would give such testimony. D'Asti tried to explain to the mother of the girl that the marriage could not be performed unless Hall could prove his first marriage was null, but Father Nicholas Feltin; consulted by Mrs. Olivier, represented it as easy as any other marriage, giving as his reason the common opinion or rumors that the first woman married by Hall had at the same time another husband living. D'Asti is determined to refuse to perform said marriage. He has already gotten advice from other priests in the diocese, and from Father Louis C.M. Chambodut a kind of approbation in his determination, but he asks Odin's advice. They are all well and struggling to get along in these hard times. Their girls' school numbers 97. There are three teachers Mary B. Browne, Miss Cunningham, and Mrs. C.C. Giraud as assistant for the smaller girls. Mrs. Giraud is here with her children, poor as ever. Chambodut said that Odin intends to go to Europe in search of priests. If he could go himself on the same errand and to see whether he could stir up the Franciscans to take a great interest for the missions in these parts of the American continent, he would be very glad to do it. He presents Father Felix de Connobio's respects. :: VI-2-f A.L.S. 4pp. 12mo.