| Title: | William Porter, U.S.A. to Robert Porter, Ireland |
|---|---|
| ID | 2161 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Porter, William/21 |
| Year | 1870 |
| Sender | Porter, William |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | farmer |
| Sender Religion | Presbyterian |
| Origin | Chebanse, Illinois, N.Ireland |
| Destination | Co. Armagh? N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Porter, Robert L. |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers |
| Source | D 1152/3/29: Presented by Mr Charles Best, Mullaghglass, Bessbrook, County Armagh, Ireland |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 9011004 |
| Date | 12/08/1870 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Action By Date Document added by C.R., 10:12:1993. |
| Word Count | 1658 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Chebanse August 12 1870 Dear Brother Robert Yours of the 16 July came duly to hand on the 5 of Aug but not any Papers as yet do you not get any papers from me for you dont say you do I got 4 or 5 that Thos [Thomas?] Ledlie sent belfast papers Joseph got one the same day I got your letter a Newry Telegraph but we got all the news of any importance here at 12 o'clock the day after [--?] papers in London I can tell the different phases of your land bill here before you get it there but not the Speeches for or against it. And I wrote you long ago that it would do you no good in Ireland nor will the Church bills do the People of Ireland any good. So far as reducing the burden of paying goes for if it is not tith [tithe?] it will be rent you will have to pay all you can anyhow but that makes me think of what you say in your letter about Presbyterians lossing the County a thing the [they?] never should have had for why any man or no man should be paid for for praying to God for [-----?] or others is more than I can see but you will say that they should be paid for Preaching now some of the best preachers we have here gets no pay but works all week at some calling same as Paul done we have one in Chebanse a cabinetmaker when the pay stops you get rid of a great many drones in the Church and taking another view of it the religion is not worth much if it is not worth a support but I honestly believe you in Ireland have too much what is called religion for sects & parties is its ruin an [----?] will I believe why cannot they be as here where you will hear of no man called in question about his religion. That is another Priest riden [ridden?] scheme I mean the comsitation (sic) scheme to fill the pockets of a few by collecting the hearts blood of the million I am not of the opinion of preachers I was 16 or 17 years ago and I will tell you why I sat one day in chicago listening to what you call a Covenanter in Ireland they are called scotch Presbyterians here he was an Irish man at that and not long placed in our Church well he was lecturing on the [G?] of Romans for sometime this day he was on election & predestination and he said it was an impossibility for us to change the purpose of God as to his Creatures which I believe, but now for the sequal [sequel?] a few days after I was taking sick and I did not expect to live and I sent my son and buggy for him to come and see me well he done so and the #PAGE 2 first word he asked was had I sent for a doctor I said no nor would I for if I would believe in his doctrine there was no use Well he began then to tell me that the second means was to be used and when I said what means did Christ use when he said arise take up your bed and walk with others that I turned (sic) him and then he got up in no good temper when I presumed not to swallow all his gospel and left saying to the wife that I was out of my head but any way I quit going to hear him well now I quit since I came down here going to any Church first I cannot hear a preacher & then there is not anything but comers & goers of preachers & not any presbyterians so I think I am more edified reading at home on Sunday but anyhow if there was no other obstacle I must generaly [generally?] stay at home for no boy will stay on Sunday so I must mind the place that day the wife goes sometime to the Babtert (sic) Church now I will quit the church and commence something else You mention about a man by the name of Gorgy [Georgie?] coming out here to look at land in Canada where you & wife could get 100 acres a piece if it is so I never heard of it here but even if so what would you do with it you could not raise a goat on it untill [until?] it would be cleared of timber and that is a job let me tell you never engage for you had better go into an Irish Poor House for the thing is you could [--ty?] but even if it is land for nothing you want you can get land in the states if you can find 160 or 80 of government land that is not taken up you will get it for a homestead and no one can take it off you for any debt by paying 10 Dollars for making out writings from government you can get plenty of such land that you can go and plow at once but it will be where there is no settlements but let me tell you if you ever should come to America not to be be looking for the Cheapest land nor never come because the land is Cheap you think for that is not the Consideration for the man without a dollar in his pocket succeeds 9 times out of ten better than such men as that Jorgy [Georgie?] would with his £2000 them is the kind that should never come here for the reason the [they?] want to put on too much stile [style?] thinking the [they?] will have nothing to do but oversee the work done but the [they?] will be miserably mistaken If I had room and time I could give you a history of a few such in this neighbourhood now in contrast with such men I will tell you of one American with who I have 6 4 year old steers at grass on one farm he has 1700 head of cattle grazing it is over 7 miles square and he has a dozen such and him and I and 14 servants dined all at one table and #PAGE 3 when I met him where the [they?] were branding the cattle I did not know him from any other of the men he does not farm any himself although he has thousands of acres under cultivation the way he does is this he will fence off say a mile square 640 acres & build a house a grand one and break up the land and then rent it to any one that can farm he will find you everything that is needed and pay all the bills until you can get a crop and then he gets so much less or more according as it is a good year he began 20 years ago with 80 acre now he owns over 20 thousand acres for by city property made it all so but how farms is rented in general is for 1/3 of the crop, but to return to the Canada speculation toronto is about 1000 miles from here and the State of Michigan is 400 miles away and over 1000 miles long and the nearest place from here to it is over 100 miles Canada is a cold country which you would not like and where you could not raise any corn our principal crop nothing but wheat barley & oats and they cost too much work to Harvest with labourers at 2 dollars a day corn is best for you can harvest it at any time that suits you through fall or winter you talk of coming over to see us I would be glad to see you but as to your coming to see the country what would you know about it you would see good and bad land same as if you were to go from one end of Ireland to another Rich and poor people same as there but from one end of America to another you would not see so raged [ragged?] a crowd as in Newry Market all wear good clothes but if you were to see the outside of some Homes you would say there was poverty there enter the same and you would find plenty so I think you would only be spending your money for nothing and loosing [losing?] your time either Make up your mind to come or stay for if you come you do not need to be reflecting for you can put your self in any kind of land and there is as good in this country as in the world and you can raise anything here in some parts of these united States that you can think of and a great many you dont think of but then again I dont see how you could leave while my Mother was alive, but do what you think is best & take no bodys advice for when I do I generaly [generally?] go wrong I have written you the truth as near as I know how & it is for you to decide if you were to pass by my place and look at it you would not think very much of it but if you and Jane & Thos [Thomas?] Brown was to say that I could have all and go there and live for it I would not do it but my paper is full and I must Stop I will be writing to Martha Ann and will say somethings I cannot in this I remain your affectionate #PAGE 4 love to all Brother William Porter I heard from my [poor?] Joseph he is about 1000 mile [miles?] away |
