Correspondence and copies of correspondence, including three autographs of Charles Carroll of Carrollton, several autographs of Archbishop John Carroll, and correspondence of Bishop John Cheverus of Boston, Bishop Michael Egan of Philadelphia, Daniel Brent, John Carroll Brent, and Howes Goldsborough of Easton, Maryland; diary of Archbishop Ambrose Maréchal, 1818-1827; diary and account book of Archbishop James Whitfield, 1827-1828; clippings and related material.

Also microfilm of the correspondence of Archbishops John Carroll, Leonard Neale, Ambrose Maréchal, James Whitfield, Samuel Eccleston, Francis Patrick Kenrick, Martin John Spalding, James Roosevelt Bayley, and James Cardinal Gibbons; with letters from Stephen T. Badin, Peter Joseph Lavialle, William George McCloskey, Charles Nerinckx, and John Baptist David.

Some of the correspondence from the Baltimore Cathedral Archives is available not only on microfilm but also in the form of photocopies; some of this correspondence is also available in typewritten transcripts.

This finding aid describes the two feet of original documents concerning the Archdiocese of Baltimore held by the Archives of the University of Notre Dame. Baltimore's ordinaries during the principal period covered by the collection figure prominently in the papers. Their names (and years in office): John Carroll, 1789-1815; Leonard Neale, 1815-1817; Ambrose Marechal, 1817-1828 James Whitfield, 1828-1834; Samuel Eccleston, 1834-1851; Francis Kenrick, 1851-1863; Martin Spalding, 1864-1872; James Bayley, 1872-1877; James Gibbons, 1877-1921.

Correspondence from the files of the Baltimore ordinaries (see names listed above). The subjects covered in the letters include the first Synod of the Diocese of Baltimore (1791), the archbishops' pastoral letters, the first circular letter of the American hierarchy (concerning the captivity of Pope Pius VII) written in 1808, the restoration of the Jesuits, the activities of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, and the administrative activities of the archdiocese, such as the ordination and assignment of clergy, the establishment and governance of religious orders, maintenance of schools, the establishment of new parishes and dioceses, and the disbursement of funds. Principal correspondents, in addition to the Baltimore prelates, include the following (arch)bishops: John Ireland, John Cheverus, Michael Egan, Benedict Flaget, Simon Brute, John Purcell, and John J. Keane. Some of the letters deal with family and personal concerns of the Baltimore ordinaries. The letters are arranged in chronological order. Some clippings, enclosures, diaries and sermons also appear in the files.