| Title: | Horace Greely, New York to Vere Foster, Dublin. |
|---|---|
| ID | 1230 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Greely, Horace/16 |
| Year | 1852 |
| Sender | Greely, Horace |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | prob. emigration politician |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | New York, USA |
| Destination | Dublin, Ireland |
| Recipient | Foster, Vere |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | business |
| Source | D 3618/D/8/5: Deposited by the late Mrs A. C. May. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9405181 |
| Date | 04/06/1852 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 09:05:1994. |
| Word Count | 760 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | New York June 4, 1852. Dear Sir: I did receive your former letter but on the eve of one of my frequent flying trips into the country on business; and when I came back it had vanished My life is a very hurried one; I have not known what Leisure is for years; and though I write many letters, I nevertheless leave many unanswered. I shall not be so with yours just received. Your circular is very good in the main. I will indicate a few improvements. 1. The State of Virginia though first colonized of any, is to-day the best ground for the immigrant. It is now constructing heavy Public works, besides profiting largely by those of Maryland. Sand is very cheap there; the climate admirable; water power abundant; [-------?] unsurpassed; and the Western half is little cursed by Slavery. Emigrants who come over in bodies can buy land cheaper and will find the climate more agreeable in Western Virginia than in cold Upper Canada, Wisconsin, &c. 2. You state the wages of Mechanics among us too high for an average of the Country Such prices prevail in cities; but Labor (like living) is considerably cheaper in the open country. I think European Mechanics who can get $1 and board for working in the Country may consider themselves well paid; $1. 1/4 without board may be a fair average. European laborers, being undereducated, and not so generously fed as our people, are less vigorous and efficient; consequently, their labor will not command the best prices of American labor. We mow, reap, chop, &c. a far larger area in a day than Europeans do. Digging is about the only vocation wherein they can hold their own with us. They are very awkward in handling our tools and conforming to our ways when they first come here. I think therefore, that an Irishman just landed who can find some really good American farmer who would give him $60 to $80 + and board for a years faithful labor, and [-----ise?] to instruct him in our ways, ought to accept it at once. Those who find work in the cities receive more but save less; and it is common remark that the Irish are more difficult to satisfy in the matter of wages than any other people. Pray urge them not to strive for high wages, but look more to the peace of working during their first year [---?] to earn high wages thereafter 3. You are wrong in despatching [dispatching?] Emigrants to New Orleans as late as the first of April. That will often land them there in June and even July when Cholera, Fevers, &c render that a terrible ordeal to the unacclimated foreigner who lands saturated with the miasmas of a crowded steerage. New Orleans is from November to April the best place for a stranger to land in America; after April, no immigrant should think of landing there until November again 4. Those whose destination is New York, Philadelphia, &c. should endeavor to land in March, April or May - as near the first of May as possible. After that time, farmers have engaged their help for the season; the climate grows [-----ing?] to European constitutions; and labor is with difficulty obtained. Of course those who have means or reliable friends to help them to work can land almost any time; but those who come later than the 1st of October must expect a hard winter Work is very scarce here during the winter months and not much better anywhere but in the lumbering regions where Europeans are worth very little. A Yankee will outchop half a dozen of them. 5. [B-----?] & Brothers have now a connectiion with Erin. [----?] & [------?] here and give small drafts upon them. These are perfectly good; still, Bank of England Notes and British gold are better still. 6. No one should board or stop in the city a day unless he has friends here. If he be ever so ignorant or destitute, he can buy a passage if he can pay for board, and [-----?] not to stop here an hour. If he lands without a penny, let him walk immediately northward until he leaves the City out of sight, and then begin inquiring for work on any terms. I have thus given you all the suggestions I can in addition to a correction of those printed in your Circular, which I consider very good in the main, and calculated to obviate much disappointment loss and misery. Yours, Horace Greeley 154 [-------?]. N.Y. [New York?] Vere Foster, Esq Post Office Dublin Ireland. 1852 N.York [New York?] June 6 H. [Horace?] Greeley Emigration |
