1814 Feb. 21
Grassi, S.J., Father J(ohn)
G(eorge)t(own), (District of Columbia)
to Father (Simon Gabriel) Bruté, (Mt. St. Mary's)
Emmitsburg, (Maryland)
Grassi avails himself of the journey of Father Edward Fenwick to Emmitsburg to thank Bruté for his letter of December 27, particularly for the observations on the "Pious Guide" but their corrections will be of no avail since Father Francis Neale has been so busy with other affairs and the printer will object to further delay. Dornin has advertised the book but if he does not begin Mr. Milligan of Georgetown will begin to print it. Grassi received the volume of Fenelon sent by Bruté through Father (Francis) Beschter. He does not know if Father Ladavière has left America for France. As Fenwick is ready to start he must close.
P.S. He sends his regards to the men at the seminary; also to Mrs. Paton. He is pleased that she has made her first Communion.
II-3-n A.L.S. 2pp. 4to.
2
1814 Mar. 29
Grassi, S.J., Father J(ohn)
G(eorge)t(own), (District of Columbia)
to Father (Simon Gabriel) Bruté, (Mt. St. Mary's)
Emmitsburg, (Maryland)
Grassi has been shown a letter Mr. Vespres received from France saying that Pope Pius VII is at liberty and had set off for Rome. Grassi is expecting confirmation of this good news. He hopes that Bruté is well. One of their masters Mr. Bowling seems to have consumption but the directions of Drs. Chatard and Brown of Baltimore seem to have good effects. Mr. Henry Lee has left Georgetown and is in St. Mary's County, teacher in a private family. The good he heard about Joseph Byrne has resulted in bringing him to Georgetown. Father Ladavière is still in New York waiting a chance to go to France. Mr. Ringold whose boy was in Bruté's seminary has decided to become a Catholic. The Jesuits in New York are about to abandon the school they had begun there. After that Father (Benedict) Fenwick will be able to think more about their magazine. He sends his regards to the priests at the seminary and to Miss Patton.
II-3-n A.L.S. 2pp. 4to.
2
1814 Apr. 11
Grassi, S.J., Father John
G(eorge)town, (District of Columbia)
to Father (Simon Gabriel) Bruté, (Mt.) St. Mary's Seminary
Emmitsburg, (Maryland)
Grassi delights to write to Bruté and since a French gentleman from Norfolk will take the letter he will tell Bruté about their institution in New York. The house with adjacent properties is in the possession of the superior of the Trappists Dom Augustin l'E(s)trange. He is living in it with 4 religious with whom he came from Europe. Since they could not maintain both houses Grassi was afraid the New York house, if abandoned, would fall into Protestant hands. Father Augustin arrived at the right time. Father Ben)edict) Fenwick being released from that care can now concern himself with the proposed publication. Father Ladavière is still in New York hoping for sailing for France. He presumes that Bruté is busy at Easter time. All at Georgetown send their regards. Father Cary is well. He asks to be remembered to Dubois, Duhamel, and the rest.
II-3-n A.L.S. 2pp. 4to.
5
1814 Apr. 21
David, Father J(ean), St. Thomas Seminary
(Bardstown, Kentucky)
to Father (Simon Gabriel) Bruté, Mount St. Mary's Seminary
Emmitsburg, Maryland
It has been so long since David heard from Bruté that he thought he had gone to Martinique. He presumes that the letter will find him at Emmitsburg. St. Thomas progresses: Father (Peter) Shaeffer is ordained priest, Desrigauds, subdeacon and three received tonsure, Robert Abell, John Mitchell and Ignatius Reynolds. Reynolds now studies Virgil and Sallust. There are 5 students in these classics. Shaeffer continues the tract on marriage, Desrigauds that of de ecclesia. Gras with another prepared for tonsure. Vincent Badin advances a bit, solidly. They have lost one who was zealous but David was pleased to see him go. He was replaced by a school teacher in the neighborhood who had sought admission but whom David had refused for more than a year. This keeps their number at twelve, all they can support. They do not have only consolation, but Father (Guy Ignatius) Chabrat is a great consolation. Kentucky needs missionaries and David needs some one to share his tasks. He hopes that their chapel of St. Thomas will be under roof by next August. It will be the cathedral for these years. They are forming a society for which St. Thomas will be the mother mission with the Bishop as superior, where they come for retreat and in their old age. The missionaries will go out two and two, a young man with an older one. They have 7 sisters at Nazareth who have set up a little school. It seems that Father (Jean) Dubois has finally agreed to send them some sisters, but he complains in his letter that David has not formed them into a society and given them rules. David has always asked for the rules but not for sisters if they would be obstacles to what they want to do. David has written to Dubois and Sister Kitty agreeing that they will be subject to the Sisters at St. Joseph but insisting that the superior be not called sister servant which he regards as inappropriate for the boarders. In their country that means a slave. David has asked that they form the sisters for Kentucky but that the Bishop (Benedict Joseph Flaget) name the superior. There will be a modification of the rules to suit the surroundings. Sister Kitty says she will wait for David to send some one for her, but David finds this difficult to do. Dubois can find some Catholic family emigrating to Kentucky to bring her. Father (Jean) Tessier who has the bishop's money can pay. David has not yet received the rule. They will probably come by someone from Baltimore or by Father (Edward) Fenwick. David ends the letter to get it to the post by the young reverend.
II-3-n A.L.S. (French) 4pp. 4to.
7
1814 Jun. 24
Grassi, S.J., Father John
G(eorge)t(own), (District of Columbia)
to Father (Simon Gabriel) Bruté
Emmitsburg, Maryl(an)d
He writes to tell Bruté that considering what great good Father Miguel can do in France he consents that he go back to his native country. He intends to start next Monday for Richmond to settle his affairs and after returning will go to France. He offers his services in France to the priests at Mt. St. Mary's. However Bruté should not send a letter but come himself to Georgetown. If he knows when Bruté would come he would have Father Cary come also. He will expect him Monday and Tuesday week.
P.S. He does not write of many things since he expects to see Bruté.
II-3-n A.L.S. 2pp. 4to.
1
(1814) (Sep. 9)
--------
1814 Sep. 7
Lelange
Angers, (France)
The birth of Napoleon Joseph Perche on January 10, 1805 from the register of Angers. "Before Anselm Francois Rene Papiau(?), public official, there appeared Florent Perche, journalist, who presented a male child born that day at 2 in the morning, the son of himself and Marie-Jeanne Berthelemy his wife, married in Angers in the parish of St. Michel du Terre July 11, 1786. The name given to the child was Napoleon-Joseph. The declaration was made in the presence of Jean Behier, tin-worker, aged 42 and of Pierre Menard, shoemaker, aged 38.
D.S. (French)
--------
1814 Sep. 9
Arnail, Father (?)
Angers, (France)
Excerpt from the register of baptisms, marriages, etc. in the parish of Notre Dame of Angers: "On January 10, 1805, the undersigned baptized Napoleon Joseph, born this morning, son of Florent Perche and Marie Barthelemy, the godfather Florent Perche, the godmother Marie Perche, brother and sister of the child. father Brisset, vicar."
D.S. (French)
V-4-c D.S. (French) 3pp. 4to.
5
1814 Sep. 13
DuBourg, Father L(ouis) W(illia)m, Apostolic Administrator of Louisiana
Point Coupee, Louisiana
to Father Simon (Gabriel) Bruté
Emmitsburgh, Maryland
He acknowledges Bruté's letter of July 10 which he received yesterday while on a visit to his diocese. He did not regard the matter that Bruté mentions of importance until he received Bruté's letter. Early in 1813 two Baptist missionaries asked him in New Orleans to countenance a distribution of French and English versions of the Bible. He told them that a promiscuous reading of the Bible would produce more harm than good. DuBourg did express a wish that translations of the New Testament could be distributed but that he would not approve any translation that had not been approved by the Church. The gentlemen seeded to agree, implying that they were not trying to advance any one church. He had no idea that the translations were to be distributed only to Catholic regions and were those translations that the church had disapproved. He examined the French text and by comparing it with the original in some important texts he concluded that it was a Catholic version. However he did not subscribe or order any number of copies, and it was not until after their departure that he discovered that it was Calvin's translation. Bruté can publish these details to show that DuBourg has not departed from the conditions he laid down. The words that the gentlemen have spoken about his liberality in receiving the Bible from Protestant hands can mean nothing else than his willingness to do good. Catholics had the Bible fifteen centuries before Protestantism and for them it is the word of God.
(P.S. in French) He writes with on leg on a pillow and suffering from contusions occasioned by his fall from a carriage from which a horse had run away. He could have been killed or thrown into the river which would have been the same thing. Bruté can use what he has written as he wishes. DuBourg does not want a war of paper. He greets Dubois, Duhamel, and sends his regards to Mother (Seton) and her daughters. He believes that Didier should return to France but Bruté should remain. Which will be his fate he does not know.
II-3-n A.L.S. (P.S. in French) 4pp. folio
1