1

Bishop Polk to Bishop Ellott

New Orleans, May 18, 1857

My dear Elliott:

I did not hear until within a few days how sick you have been.
You have had a very narrow escape and we are all grateful you have been spared to
us. I was on the eve of writing to you to ___ ___ but one of my clergy just from ______ told me he met a person there yesterday just from Columbia who said
your Convention had been in session and that you had not been able to make it in
time, but had arrived a day after adjournment. I am glad to year you are well
enough to be able to make such a journey. I hope you will speedily be at yourself.

I have not heard what was done at your convention, if anything, in reference to
our university movement. I fear that since your illness did not permit you to
be present that there might be consequently no proper information on the subject
and possibly no action. I have not heard if anything was done.

The House of Bishops was the first to meet. They endorsed the movement and
appointed some of their best men as trustees. My own convention endorsed it
strongly and have appointed the Rev. Dr. Leacock Ingle, George E. ______, and
Dr. ______ as trustees. I have just heard from Cobbs that Alabama passed upon
the matter with great unanimity, and appointed __________,
Col. Pollard of Montgomery _______________, Dr. Anderson ______________,
Davis writes me also from Camden he has had a pleasant convention and S.C. has
endorsed it cordially – a few preferring something else. They appointed the
Rev. Mr. Gregg of _____, Ex-Governor Manning, and _____ Pringle of Charleston
as her trustees. _________ passed through here a few days ago on his way to
meet their convention for the purpose of bringing them into line.

Otey’s convention meets today. He writes they will endorse it strongly. Atkinson
meets next week. He writes they will endorse it and send trustees also.

Things thus far look very encouraging and so far as I can learn from all quarters,
the ____ ____ prospects for success.

We should be exceeding sorry if anything should prevent our having the benefit
of the moral support of Georgia in our proposed meeting in Chattanooga. Nothing
of course would have prevented it except the state of your health all Spring, and your
not being present at your convention. I regard this effort of our meeting at
Chattanooga as the controlling influence on the future success of the movement.
It is of the first importance and should prepare a solid from and there should be
no failure of interest manifested among our own people. I hope your convention
may have acted. If not, do you not take the position the other bishops have taken
before the public of the importance of the matter which would warrant the call of
a special convention at some point to act upon the bishop’s suggestion, especially
as all the rest of the dioceses have acted and have declared for the movement.
What do you think of it?

At Otey’s request I have consented to go tot he mountains the first of next week
to meet him and we both hope to have you also for the purpose of exploring the
mountain region during the month of June with the view of seeing about a location
in advance of the meeting on the fourth of July. Can you not meet with us? If
you call your convention might it not be at some central point, say Atlanta, then