Fitzgerald, Edward, Bishop of, Little Rock, Arkansas, to Archbishop John Mary Odin, C.M., New Orleans, Louisiana, 1868 January 3

He thanks Odin for his letter of December 24 and hopes that Odin will not be annoyed with Father D.J. Cogan' s appeal. Fitzgerald confesses that he did write to Cogan in a tone of sarcasm. He does not regret what he wrote, however, and further feels that sarcasm was perhaps the only means possible to deflate Cogan's self-sufficiency and pretension. Cogan does have zeal; but unfortunately it is not directed by knowledge. He opened his academy and contracted immense debts. Fitzgerald aided him to the limits Cogan himself had said would be sufficient. But now that Fitzgerald has paid $2300 he finds that Cogan is still in debt for two, three, or four times that amount, he cannot get an exact statement of just how much. His real object in making the appeal is to be freed from the diocese. Cogan found that he could browbeat the previous administrator, Father Patrick Reill y. Any change from Arkansas is a promotion and thus a premium would be set upon opposition to the bishop. If another Bishop could relieve him from censures, Fitzgerald's authority over the priests of his diocese would be but a figment. Perhaps Odin does have such a special power from Rome. If not, he still submits the case to his judgment. It would be best to leave Cogan under censure for a while in order to teach him that he cannot resist the authority of his Bishop with impunity. :: VI-2-n A.L.S. 5pp. 12mo.