| Title: | Joseph [Carswell?], South Carolina, to Margaret Sinclair, [?] |
|---|---|
| ID | 589 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Carswell, Joseph/25 |
| Year | 1822 |
| Sender | Carswell, Joseph |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | mentions having servants, plantation owner? |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | South Carolina, USA |
| Destination | N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Sinclair, Margaret |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | he's her suitor |
| Source | D/3305/4/1: Deposited by Dr. K. A. Miller. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9805355 |
| Date | 02/01/1822 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 14:05:98. |
| Word Count | 753 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | South Carolina Spartanburgh district Crossanchor 2nd Jany. [January?] 1822 My Dear and faithful Margaret I am favoured with your kindness of the 16th Sept. last ; in which you acknowledge the receipt of a letter from me about a year ago or a year before that date - you say you answered it. I cannot dispute your word, but I pledge you my honour I never at any time or times received from you any letter or letters or coppies [copies ?]of a letter whatever. The not receiving of which was the sole and only cause of my too hasty resolution : but as the curst [crust ?] of a pie was made to be broken so for your sake my resolve can be changed - and it is in your hands still. Even as I am faithful you may discover I am equally generous for I make allowance for all those miscarriages in letters and hasty resolutions which both sexes are too apat to make an meeting with disappiontments. But I thank god I do not give way to disappointments of life so as to sink into dispair nor the injuries of life so as to pursue revenge nor the evil examples of the world so as to follow them into sin - no, I overcame disappointments by fortitude Injuries by forgiveness and evil examples by forgiveness of mind. I am sorry my dear Margaret to discover your pen commanded by so much reserve your words are if possible more reserved to me than they would be to one whom you believed a [___?] on his first visit to you. I fondly hoped otherwise nor could I have believed my Margaret would write or speak to me with resevere at all. Had I received your letter I should in this or in next month have been at home - my heart deplores I have not received it - my not getting it may in all probability deprive me of enjoying the tranquil smiles of my Margaret But my unfading hope that charmer of the [stained] is not yet blasted, she imparts to my [stained] all her kindred energy that in the purest hearts burn the brightest, I trust and hope to behold you the undisputed Mistress of Crossanchors when your lover now in affluence enjoys all the blessings of a single life what man could request or what heaven think necessary to bestow. If I recollect aright I stated to you in my letter to which you allude that if you refused me your hand my feet should never tread on Irish ground. Your might easily discover from that sentance what my motives were - you are obliged to believe them pure and disinterested. Would I leave my home and my business for twelve months in the care of servants and others ? would I brave the dangers of the sea there and here against ? for what ? My soul answers aloud for nothing under heaven but you - whose smiles would be my only joy whose happenings my constant ease. I should have prepared to have went home immediately after receiving this letter from you had it been more explicit, but I will not go on an uncertainty as no other inducement could be held out to make me go but you - If you will write to me immmediately on receiving this and tell me in plain words you will give me your hand and heart - you will be mine and I may depend on you that will induce me to visit Ireland and nothing else I will immediately then on the reception of your letter perpare to go home and will be there either in the latter part of this year or in the beginning of next - our distance is too great to admit of trusting. You can get Robert or Mr. Campbell to forward a letter immediately for you - I have sent this letter by itself and according to your request mentioned it to none I shall be vey impatient of your answer Mean time I remain your affectionate and unchangeable Joseph N. B. you mention the first opportunity you have of doing will to embrace it - you now have an opportunity of making your life easy the balance of your days your broad crowned with contentment and with plenty - this your good sense will consider better than to live with those in Ireland - (in that wretched place) when marriage is made a matter of epiculation & not of love. |
