(186?) ( )
to (James Alphonsus McMaster):
(New York, New York)
The writer gives some extracts from a correspondence between two ex-members of Congress from his state, explaining that they are interesting because they give the views of a statesman long since retired from participation in public affairs. (The extracts) The excongressman recalls that twenty years ago he and his friend would not have believed that the events of the last three years could happen. He is not surprised at the Republican party, for he had always believed it capable of anything from despotism to anarchy. He has always been a states-rights Democrat, believing the founders of the Union and the Constitution so understood it. The war could have been avoided if the North had opposed it openly and unitedly—a policy which saved the border states and brought back the gulf states. As to the future, he has a faith, but it is the opposite of administration's policy. He does not believe the South can be coerced back into the Union, it could have been coaxed back, but he fears the administration does not intend to let it come back. An admendment is no hope. The war has brought the nation just where he was afraid it would bring it. He has read McKesson's (?) speech carefully and considers it a fair presentation of what the past would say of the unhappy present, but the future will be more severe, and History can say little of the past three years. He used to have faith in man's capacity for self-government, but he will no longer when Lincoln puts on his regimentals and gets his staff about him. The times upset a man's faith. The country is going headlong to destruction, the government is insane, the people are besides themselves, but some have neither heard no heeded those who cry for vigorous prosecution of this war of desolation and death. Those who read McK(esson?)'s speech are silenced under the uproar and confusion, for "E Pluribut Unum" is our motto no longer. None can be the same again, for the events of the past two years have made a revolution, and changed everything, so that none can say where it will lead. The south is in the hands of its thinking men, the North has discarded statesmen and substituted fanatics, enthusiasts, and visionaries. Louis Napoleon is a great man, who has his eye on the Latin countries, in Europe, and on South America and Mexico here. He could Latinize the Southern Confederacy, and then the Catholic Church would sweep over the nation. Puritanism has made the war and is the exponent of the North, which alone sets the South toward Catholicity and alliance with France. Napoleon has had these things in mind continually, as every other crowned head in Europe has. He will recognize the South as soon as it is wise to do so, and be her ally if necessary. The writer has faith in diplomatic assurances of friendship, but he has more faith in national interests. He is not a Catholic, and although he sometimes wishes he were one, thinks that perhaps he is not fit to be a Catholic. But he does hate Puritanism, and believes this is nothing but a Puritan War.
I-2-e - A.L. - 3pp. - 4to. - {1}
(186?) ( )
V( ), M. ( )E:
to the Metropolitan Record:
(New York, New York)
She is dissatisfied with the paper. She does not like its approval of slavery, or the papers anemic editorials, the prize story letter was ungrammatical. Things to be applauded came from abroad, a letter for Faber, or an article by Tours. She further condemns them for upholding the morality of slavery, and emphasizes that all men of all colors are equal in the sight of God. She sees that soon Slavery will be abolished and the seceeding states will be free states. She accuses them of being unoriginal and following the larger "Herald's" precedent. Archbishop John (Hughes) is the founder of the paper and he is none too pleased with its attitude. She accuses them of adopting this attitude. to be doubly paid; but tells them that they must go below to get their reward.
I-3-o - A.L.S. - 5pp. - 12mo. - {2}
(186?)
Agar, Father W(illiam) S(eth):
St. Monica's Convent
Spetisburg, (England)
to Orestes (A.) Brownson:
(Elizabeth, New Jersey)
Agar wants to make some observations on points that Brownson insists upon in his review upon "Le Correspondant." Brownson insists that God is the object of intuition by nature and is the form and groundwork, objectum primum, of the human mind. He believes this principle leads to the destruction of the distinction between the natural and supernatural order. He sees that Brownson considers an abstraction as nothing. If this is true the ideal world is a mere modification of the mind of man. (Antonio)Rosmini affirms that Being has three forms; the real, the ideal, and the moral. The objections of (Vincenzo) Gioberti and of Brownson go upon the supposition that there is no such distinction of forms of being. Rosmini's ontology is not published yet so they should suspend judgment until they see the proofs he has to offer. P.S. The work on original sin is "Risposta al Eusebio X(Ch)ristiano." He quotes some selections from this work.
I-3-o - A.L.S. - 8pp. - 12mo. - {4}
(186?)
(Brownson, Orestes A.:
Elizabeth, New Jersey)
to
Bishop James R. (Bayley) Bailey is (Brownson's) personal friend and sustains him without precisely sympathizing with him. (Brownson's) Review has lost about two-thirds of its subscription list, but about half of his losses have been occasioned by the rebellion of the Southern States, and the greater part of the other half, aside from his circulation in Great Britain, is due to the stand he has taken against negro slavery. The Catholic population has generally been opposed to abolitionism and disposed to favor the rebels. Six months ago scarcely a priest could be found who was really loyal to the Union. There is within the last few months a perceptible change. The Catholic chaplains - - -
I-3-o - A. Draft (Incomplete) - 1p. - 12mo. - {3}
(1860?)
(Brownson, Orestes A.:
Elizabeth, New Jersey)
to Mr. Editor:
(Brownson) is a private citizen neither office holder nor office seeker. He has engaged very little in politics for many years and never meddles with them unless he sees some great principle at stake. His political leanings have usually been to the Democratic Party and he is sorry to say that in 1856 he vote(d) for James Buchanan. He is not and never has been an abolitionist, for he is a citizen of a non-slaveholding state, and slavery by the Federal Constitution is a matter reserved to the several states. But he is opposed to slavery with his whole soul. Until quite recently an honest man could vote for the Democratic Party without voting for slavery; but this is no longer the case. The Democratic Party has become since the adoption of the Kansas Nebraska policy a decidedly pro-slavery party, and no man has done more to make it so than Stephen A. Douglas. He would sooner vote for Jefferson Davis.
I-3-o - A. Draft (Incomplete) - 1p. - 4to. - {5}
(1860?)
(Brownson, Orestes A.:
Elizabeth, New Jersey)
to Mr. Editor:
(Brownson) may be wrong but he believes that the ordinary rules of justice are as obligatory on Catholics as on non-Catholics and on editors of newspapers as on other men. During the sixteen years of his Catholic life, he has rarely found the Catholic press fair, candid and just. He holds himself in matters of faith amenable to authority and in matters not of faith to just criticism, but he objects against misrepresentation. In his paper of the 13th the Editor has not dealt fairly or truthfully with the last number of (Brownson's) Review.
I-3-o - A. Draft (Incomplete) - 1p. - 4to. - {1}
(1860) (Date supplied by Henry F. Brownson)
(Brownson, Orestes A.:
Elizabeth, New Jersey)
to
The Editors of (Catholic) Herald and Visitor(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Brownson thanks the editor for his favorable notice in the newspaper and especially for laying before its readers Brownson's explanation of a paragraph which appeared in one of the articles for last October which has been misinterpreted. Because Brownson is not accustomed to receiving such fair and honorable treatment from Journals denoted ostensibly and no doubt sincerely to Catholic interests, he feels he owes public thanks. Brownson says that the public does not consider him as either a fool or insane and consequently he could not have done what the editor charges. Brownson believes it unwise for an Catholic Reviewer to offer a national insult to the French and Irish among whom he must look for his supporters. How could it be thought that a man not absolutely brainless could in an article expressly written to refute the theory that differences of religion are to be explained by differences of men yet fall into the contradiction of accepting and defending it?
I-3-o - A. Drafts(Incomplete) - 2pp. - 8vo. - {1}
(186-)
(Huntington, Jedediah V.D.):
to (Orestes A. Brownson):
(Elizabeth, New Jersey)
(Huntington) says Brownson believes that the brains of the nation are with the New Englanders, but that the guantity of brains is not the standard of right and wrong.
As to the cause of the Civil War, different parties allege that "the higher law" is the cause for disregarding the constitution of the U.S. (Our civil law) with some of the Republicans, and on the other hand it is insinuated by Brownson that our higher civilization is the cause and excuse for this disregard. The Greeks of old were said to have eluded every law by means of their higher civilization. — The (writer) leaves the Abolitionists and their co-workers to draw their own conclusions. But the great question after all is whether Christianity and any civil government can survive the "higher law" and the claims of this higher civilization.
Abolitionism is not endowed with a high sense of duty now has it practical common sense, it is the product of sentimental philanthropy, assisted in its operation by religious fanaticism, which is made to work as the political order, and in this regard bears strong resemblance to the tricks used by Mahomet. The portion of the population referred to by Brownson are too restless and self-willed to conserve and consolidate the various elements which compose the country; besides they are distinguished by that species of fanaticism which is in the strongest sense a revolutionary and dangerous element and decidedly opposed to the order necessary to any union and permanence whatever.
I-3-o - (Part of letter) - 2pp. - 8vo. - {1}
(186-) ( )
Kiernan, J( ):
(New York, New York)
to (James Alphonsus McMaster):
(New York, New York)
Kiernan proposes changes when the publication of the Journal is resumed. He (1) believes there is nothing to be gained by continuing. The Appeal; (2) believes the size, shape, and price of the Appeal are not accepable to subscribers; (3) proposes that the Journal return to the 26 X 36 size it had in 1848, thereby reducing the price of paper to one-half, or to $3.00 per ream; (4) proposes that the price be $2.00 per year to mail subscribers, with inducements to clubs, $2.00 in advance to city subscribers and $2.50 at the end of the year, with single copies at $.04 each; (5) desires to have McMaster's opinion on these, and also wants to know whether to continue numbering the copies or to begin again with No. 1, reducing the vignette to suit the size. He believes his abilities to be overrated, and does not promise to remain with the Journal after McMaster's liberation. He therefore doubts the wisdom of continuing to place his name as publisher.
I-2-e - A.L.S. - 1p. - 4to. - {2}
(186?) ( )
Myrick, Daniel:
(Boston, Massachusetts)
to Orestes A. Brownson:
Myrick does not see any proof in the discourse in the review that early Christians were soldiers. He has seen proofs that their services could not be compelled in war, and that they suffered tortures rather than violate their principles. Myrick seeks truth, and if it is demonstrated that war is allowed by Christianity he will gladly acknowledge it. Myrick requests Brownson to send him the number of the Review in which he reviewed the Manifesto.
I-3-o - A.L.S.(Incomplete) - 2pp. - 10mo. - {1}
(186-)
O'Connor, S.J., Bishop M(ichael):
(Baltimore, Maryland)
to Bishop (Francis P. McFarland of Hartford:
Providence, Rhode Island)
O'Connor is pleased that McFarland has written to Dean Kenny and that all is proceeding to the Bishop's satisfaction. He intends to write to the Dean telling him of his nephew who is now in the novitiate at Frederick. He hopes things at Rome will go as McFarland wishes. The Jesuits have been waiting for the opportune time. They would begin with a house of retreat and a congregation and in time add an educational institution. They would start the first at once. A house of retreat would be good for the country and O'Connor hopes that McFarland will assign them some place suitable apart from the conventual establishment for the retreat house. He hopes the Bishop will keep these matters in mind.
I-1-a - A.L.S. - 3pp. - 12mo. - {2}
186- ( )
Purcell, John Baptist Archbishop of Cincinnati:
to
the Clergy and People of the Dioceseof Cincinnati
Circular letter on the religious condition of the colored people since their emancipation. He appeals for contributions to be sent to Father Otto Jair for the purpose of providing schools and churches for the negroes.
II-5-g - Printed form - 2pp. - 8vo. - {1}
(186-)
O'Connor, S.J., Bishop M(ichael):
(Baltimore, Maryland)
to Bishop (Francis P.) McFarland of Hartford:
(Providence, Rhode Island)
O'Connor thinks that the suspension binds the person no matter where he goes but it must be inflicted properly and according to the canons. He is not certain, but he thinks that the first summons must go in writing. He should be required to appear and be properly convicted and the sentence pronounced only then. This mode may have some delays but it is more solemn. Though not habitually subject to the bishop he can be subject by reason of the fault and once properly inflicted, the penalty would bind no matter where the person may go, If properly summoned, then when he would not appear he would be considered as absent per contumaciam. The penalty, being so great, must be applied strictly and the abuse to be checked must be a very serious one and then it may be applied with a strong hand.
I-1-a - A.L.S. - 3pp. - 12mo. - {1}
(186?) June 30
Thomas, Seth J.:
Boston, Mass(achusetts)
to O(restes) A. Brownson:
Thomas saw a paper the morning on which he wrote the letter in which an account of Brownson's speech was given. It reminds him of the old days when we had indeed a country and a noble party. He hopes the report that Brownson is infirm is a mistake. He never was in favor of the war. Whatever may betide the country he asks God to bless Brownson.
I-3-o - A.L.S. - 3pp. - 12mo. - {1}
(186?)
Swinton, W.:
Boston, Massachusetts
to Orestes A. Brownson:
(Elizabeth, New Jersey)
Being confined to New York by the absense of the night editor, he is sending his apology through Mrs. Swinton for not putting in the Washington speech. The reason was the press of news. The only chance is for the coming Saturday or Monday. He is sending the manuscript so that the Unionist may get it. He will on Friday get slips of it from Mr. Patterson or a copy of the paper.
I-3-o - A.L.S. - 2pp. - 12mo. - {1}
(1860)
Clarkson, C. Asher:
Marshall, M(issouri)
to
Ed(itor) Brownson's Quarterly Review(Orestes A.) Brownson):
New York, (New York)
Clarkson encloses a manuscript he has written, addressed especially to High Church Episcopalians of the South, of whom he formerly was one. He hopes Brownson will publish it; the Archbishop (Peter Richard Kenrick) of St. Louis has approved the article. If Brownson will trust Clarkson, he would like to become a subscriber to the Review, but he does want two or three copies of the number containing his article, if it is published. He asks if Brownson would publish articles advocating the monarchial form of government in preference to the republican. (The date 1860 was ascribed by a previous cataloger.)
I-3-o - A.L.S. - 1p. - 4to. - {2}
1860
(Rousselon, Father Stephen:
New Orleans, Louisiana)
A rough draft of a letter by the Administrator of the vacant see of (New) Orleans testifying to the good character of the priest who carries this letter on his journey to Europe.
VI-2-c - First draft - (Latin) - 1p. - 12mo. - {1}