Elder, William Henry, Bishop of Natchez, Mississippi, to Archbishop John Mary Odin, C.M., New Orleans, Louisiana, 1864 October 4

Odin's letter of September 16 reached Elder the 19th. He presumes the best course is to move along quietly. Elder has never met any Fenians; there were a good many among the soldiers in Vicksburg last winter. The pastor asked Elder what to do if they presented themselves for the Sacraments. Elder wrote to Bishop James Duggan asking for a copy of his condemnation of them but he received no answer. Elder can give no information on spiritism. He once read a small volume on it written by Hosea Ballou of Boston. Elder encloses a letter published here by the Vicar General, Father Mathurin F. Grignon; it was called forth by publications in the Cincinnati Telegraph, the Freeman's Journal and the Metropolitan Record. If Odin thinks the articles have given offense in New Orleans Elder will be thankful if he offers the letter to some paper. Elder grieves to see so large a number of colored children here taken possession of, both for school and church by blind guides. In the summer of 1864, Elder wrote to Archbishop John Baptist Purcell encouraging a suggestion of Dr. Henry S. Hewit of General Grant's staff, brother of Father Hewit, the Paulist, that Purcell should concert with the United States government to establish an asylum for Negro orphans. Elder has neither the persons nor the means. ` P.S. As Odin may be still absent, Elder encloses the letter of the Vicar General in his letter to Father Rousselon, instead of this. :: VI-2-h A.L.S. 3pp. 4to.