| Title: | John James Murphy to Martin Murphy, 10 February 1865 |
|---|---|
| ID | 4053 |
| Collection | Argentina - Murphy |
| File | murphy/28 |
| Year | 1865 |
| Sender | Murphy, John James |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | cattle breeder |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Uncalito, Argentina |
| Destination | Haysland, Co. Wexford, Ireland |
| Recipient | Murphy, Martin |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 962 |
| Genre | social commentary, account of the country, prospects, new church, politics |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Flor del Uncalito Dear Friends, We have such changing on the name of this place that you will scarcely know where to write to, but the old name Uncalito being so well known that it would be difficult to remove it. So the best change we can make is by adding the above to it, which means in English the Flower of the Uncalito, by which we will continue for the future. Dear Friends, By your last letter I was glad to see that you were all well and I hope in every way happy. It will be my greatest wish to hear of you continuing in this happy state as there is nothing that I can do for you to cause you to be so but is freely yours. Your account of Bess Breen’s wedding and match making was very interesting to us out here. I am well aware [of] how well they carry out this theatrical performance on such actions, and you have brave patience to look on in silence at their hypocrisy. I think it’s necessary these people should be brought to a proper knowledge of this disgusting dodging and learned to believe that you are not fools or Jackasses. Why if you be acting in this manner with them they will ultimately look upon you all as ____ of proper understanding as Jimmy Elish and their absurdity is sure to increase as it proceeds. I am surprised on these occasions and in their presence to be so degraded by them and leave their house and themselves under the impression that they have effected their object, and that they can at any time act with you as tools in their hands. Man or woman is as much in duty bound to himself as to any other to support and maintain that respect which his character entitles him to, and men are wrong if they fail in doing that as let themselves beneath the standard which their merits place them in they then become abject, mean wretches in the eyes of those that have acted the part of their too cunning friends. I imagine James had a crooked job of it, and though things be settled at present, it’s most unlikely that he is yet clear of it, for I calculate an afterclass. I am not sorry that poor James Keating missed it, though he may have got some stabs concerning it, but he will get well that, but had he have moved into Kilrane I fancy the stab would have been a more serious one. Dear Friends, In your letter you ask me about my new Estancia as is nigh this province. I thought I had given you the particulars about it before. However, I will do it now. The distance from Uncalito is that you can mount a horse in the morning, go out there and return the same day. If you choose, it is in the parish, or partido, of Rojas, which join the parish of Salto, this parish. George Furlong has moved out to it with his sheep. We expect to move three more flocks out next week. They reach from here to there in two days, so you can imagine how convenient it is to the old place. Patt and family is to move and take charge of it next week with the flocks. I am getting a Mr Brett, son to the Rev. Mr Brett, Rathmany, to take charge of Uncalito. He is a very proper young man. His interest [I expect the carpenter and mason will have left before you receive this] in the place is 1/10 for two years, or about 35,000 $ dollars or 250 £ per year clear of expense, with exception of say 50 £. Our little priest is about to come [to] reside to this parish, Salto, as he finds a great difference in the people of here and the other parishes, and gives them a great preference, for which reason he is coming to reside amongst us. We have began the new church at last, and the Irish have now either to build or [to] buy a house for our little priest Father Leahy, so you see we are busy on every quarter. There are a large congregation of Irish in this parish now, and they are flocking to it every year many of them, no great acquisition to any place I am sorry to say. The war still continue in the River Plate, be thank God we are still clear of it in the province and ____ for my time in this country I have never saw as good as year for the camps as this, everything fat and full, and nice rains during the summer, which kept everything growing. Continue to direct your letters to Barry and mother, as they will be safe to them. All the articles you sent out turned out very much to my satisfaction. There might be some simple alteration in the gig to suit the country better. The binding of the wheels flat, as the roads are soft and the wheels about five inches farther apart, that is the axel five inches longer. I think Hore charged you high for the tackling unless leather has risen since I left. However all is first rate and pleases me well. In conclusion, I have the pleasure to inform you [that] we are all well out here, and I hope this will find you all at home enjoying the same blessing. I intend to go to Buenos Aires some time in March next, from where I shall write you a letter. Until then, accept my love and I remain your dear brother, John Murphy |
