Vatican Recognition of the CSA

[Battalion]

Originally Posted by trice

3) if you are really interested, try finding a copy of
Reports of Bishop Lynch of Charleston, South Carolina, commissioner of the Confederate states to the Holy See
by Patrick Neeson Lynch published in 1905.

Originally Posted by Battalion

Found it (not easy to find).
Ordered it.

Will be interesting to see what it says.

Item has arrived.

There was a mixup which caused a delay.

Will have a look at it this even.

[Battalion]

The Reports consist of four letters dated from 3 March to 20 June 1864. They were found in the records of the United States Treasury Department. The researcher notes the existence of an “Instructions from Rome” document but this was not found among those records. The last report was written from Paris shortly before Bishop Lynch left for Rome and consequently…there are no reports from Rome.

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Reports of Bishop Lynch of Charleston, South Carolina, Commissioner of the Confederate States to the Holy See.

During a recent visit to Washington seeking historical documents, the letters of Bishop Lynch, of Charleston, S.C., herewith given, were found in the Miscellaneous Division of the U.S. Treasury Department. Dispatch No. 1, from St. Georges, Bermuda, has not been found, nor the “Instructions from Rome” to Bishop Lynch.

~

Montgomery Springs, Va.,
General Hospital,
3 March 1864.

Hon. J.P. Benjamin,
Sec. of State.

Sir:
The proposition which you made to me, that I should go to Rome as Commissioner of the Confederate States to the Holy See, has demanded my most serious consideration.

After mature reflection, I conceive it to be my duty to accede to the desire of the Government, and to accept the position.

I do it with the understanding that I will not be required to prolong my stay in Europe beyond six months; and in case, which I do not now anticipate, urgent reasons should require it, the Government will consent to my return at an earlier period.

In accepting this position, I yield my personal feelings to a sense of duty. Should it appear to you that the public interests will be as well or better served by the appointment of another, it will give me personally much pleasure to be relieved of a duty which I feel to be very responsible, and for which no previous training has prepared me.

I will require three weeks to arrange my ecclesiastical and personal affairs in view of an absence which may possibly be very protracted. I will lose no time and shall endeavor to be ready to start by the end of this month. Next week I hope to be in Richmond, when I will do myself the honour of paying my respects in person.

I remain, Sir, with great respect, Your Obt humble Servant

P.N. Lynch D.D.
Bishop of Charleston.

~

“Reports of Bishop Lynch of Charleston, South Carolina, Commissioner of the Confederate States to the Holy See.”

The American Catholic Historical Researches
New Series, Vol. 1. July, 1905. No. 3.
Twenty-second Volume.
Martin I. J. Griffin, Editor.

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...to be continued