▁the ▁b ish ops ▁of ▁the ▁nation ▁in ▁organ izing ▁its ▁structure . ▁ ▁Ch anche ▁was ▁named ▁Vice ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁sem inary , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 4 ▁succeeded ▁Samuel ▁E cc l eston , ▁S . S ., ▁as ▁its ▁President . ▁ ▁Ch anche ▁was ▁offered ▁the ▁post ▁of ▁co adj utor ▁first ▁to ▁the ▁Arch bishop ▁of ▁Baltimore ▁and ▁then ▁to ▁the ▁Bishop ▁of ▁Boston ▁success ively , ▁but ▁decl ined ▁both . ▁He ▁was ▁still ▁President ▁of ▁St . ▁Mary ' s ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁Bishop ▁of ▁N atch ez ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 0 . ▁ ▁Bishop ▁of ▁N atch ez ▁ ▁The ▁Dioc ese ▁of ▁N atch ez ▁was ▁created ▁on ▁July ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 1 8 3 7 , ▁and ▁although ▁it ▁en comp ass ed ▁the ▁entire ▁state ▁of ▁Mississippi , ▁a ▁large ▁ge ographic ▁region , ▁nearly ▁three ▁years ▁passed ▁before ▁Ch anche ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁its ▁first ▁bishop ▁on ▁December ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 1 8 4 0 . ▁ ▁Ch anche ▁was ▁consec r ated ▁March ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 8 4 1 ▁by ▁Arch bishop ▁E cc l eston ▁at ▁the ▁Baltimore ▁Bas il ica , ▁assist ed ▁by ▁b ish ops ▁Bened ict ▁Joseph ▁Fen wick ▁of ▁Boston ▁and ▁John ▁Hugh es ▁of ▁New ▁York . ▁Ar riv ing ▁at ▁N atch ez ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 8 4 1 , ▁he ▁met ▁there ▁the ▁only ▁priest ▁in ▁the