| Title: | Wm. S. Crawford Co. Down to J. S. Crawford, New York. |
|---|---|
| ID | 750 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Crawford, William S/216 |
| Year | 1835 |
| Sender | Crawford, William S. (Sherman) |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | politician |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Co. Down, N.Ireland |
| Destination | New York, USA |
| Recipient | Crawford, John S. (Sherman) |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | father-son |
| Source | D 856/D/44: Sharman Crawford Papers Presented by Crawford &Lockhart, Solicitors. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, N. Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9702145 |
| Date | 31/12/1835 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LTE |
| Log | Document added by LT, 10:02:97. |
| Word Count | 1449 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | to be forwarded by the first Liverpool packet John S. Crawford Esq. care of Messrs Sharman & Gillilan Pearl Street New York p [per?] St. Andrew Packet of 8th Jany 1836 Cburn [Crawfordsburn?] December 31 My Dear John I received your letter of the 22d of November - and within the last few days I have received and accepted your bill for 50 - Your two former letters also came to hand in one [voice?] - and were answered - but from what you state it seems doubtful whether you will receive this or these first - I shall endeavour to forward them in the manner you desire - several Newspapers have been forwarded to you - containing accounts of the dinners given to me &c - I forget whether any of them had taken place before you went away - there were first -Bangor- 2d Holywood - 3d Kircubbin - 4th Castlebar in the County of Mayo - where I went with a view of ascertaining the condition of the Peasantry - and I am invited to a public dinner to be given to me at Banbridge on the 14th of January next - The prominent features at all these dinners have been the weather and the Landlord and Tenant Act - but they have not been destitute at the same time of a strong expression of independent and liberal principles - and all of them have been attended by individuals formerly opposed to my views - and I understand this will also be the case at Banbridge - It is very desirable to observe this approach to better feelings among the parties - and I have not failed to encourage it. - a strong feeling is rising in the Province of Ulster among the Presbyterian Body - of all Classes - in favour of the voluntary principle with regard to Church affairs - several able works have appeared - and the Scotch are also taking up the matter with great ardour: - but the most remarkable thing is that it is emanating here from the Orthodox Party - and from the Covenanters and Independents - Methodists and all the sects of that Class: -certainly - I think the flame has been chiefly kindled by my own exertions last Session of Parliament - and since that by my pamphlet to the Dundonald Electors: - O'Connell still holds back on the Tithe question - not a word from him on that subject - you know he wrote a remarkable letter to me last year - This gave me a privilege to address him now on the same subject - I [immediately?] took advantage of it - and have lately published one to him - calling on him for a declaration to the people of Ireland of the course he intends, or wishes them to [pursue?] - I apply some extracts from his former letter - and show the variance of Lord M's Bill with the principles which he advocates and call upon him - as the Lords refused these modifications to temporise with the subject no longer - and to give no [support?] to any measure which he does not consider final - this is the substance - the appeal is made with respect and civility - but certainly the case is put very strongly - and by implication rather conveys a charge of inconsistency: - The letter has attracted public attention more than anything I ever published: - and I think it will by highly important in increasing my influence in Ulster - because it will be clearly manifest that I am not a joint of the Tail of the Great man - it is now ten days since the letter was published - and not one word of reply - There was a newspaper just into the office containing the letter - (you do not say whether we are to alter the place of sending the Newspapers as well as the letters) - The Tories have been victorious in a couple of County Elections in England and were triumphing very much on this act [account?] - but their spirits have been cast down by the result of the Elections for municipal Corporate Officers in the Towns of England - the Whigs and Radicals have in general carried the Elections by vast majorities - The Ministry are therefore safe enough for the present - although their majority will probably be very small - because the Tories could not do anything if they were in power with such an opposition as they would have to contend against - and to repeat again the trick of the last Session would be a rather dangerous experiment - Peel certainly will never try it again till he is sure of a powerful support - and I think the day for that is now past - or else very far distant in futurity if it ever arrives - Parliament meets the 4th of February - by which time I intend to be in London: - I think it probable your Mother and the Girls will go about the same time to Cheltenham - and remain for a while there - the Crawfords of Cork are staying at Cheltenham - and they will make it pleasant for our people - and then I can sometimes go to them for a couple of days - after some time they will probably move nearer London - I suppose James will be sometimes with them and sometimes here - of course Fredk [Frederick?] will be pretty stationary - Charles I expect will be in London with me attending a Law Office - and Arthur will be in Dublin and the Boys at School - I shall go up to Dublin on the 15th to attend a meeting of a new society formed there for the promotion of the liberal registry it is most extensive and influential and joined in by the Leading Whigs - it is confined solely and exclusively to the Registry - so I hope there is no danger of our splitting upon Irish Politics - as all questions of this kind are to be avoided except some leading Bond of Union, in which all may concur. - We have had a very mild but very wet winter - till within the last ten days - when we have had some very dry weather - and a few days smart frost - but this soon went off and has been succeeded by mild, and reasonably dry weather - we have had no snow at all - so I presume we shall have one of our usual soft winters and cold Springs. - I am happy to say - I think the feeling in favour of a modified System of poor Laws is rapidly gaining ground - it is warmly advocated by all the London papers - and the evening just says it will be introduced - now the Evg [Evening?] Post would hardly say so - unless it was acceptable to Government - but still O-C [O'Connell?] is silent also on that question but if public opinion decides it - O-C [O'Connell?] must go with the current, and lead it - I am happy to think I have been an important means of promoting the support of this question in Ulster - Not one word either from O C [O'Connell?] about my Landlord and Tenant Bill - however the people are taking it up warmly - and I think he can not oppose me: - it is strange how he seems to shun anything that I support: - how odd that a man of his superior rank in intellectual argument should appear to feel any Jealousy - of me who has no pretensions or desire to enter into any competition with him for public favour - you will make your observations abt [about?] American Poor Laws - and how they work - There is to be the Grand annual Tory dinner in Belfast on the 15th of January - I am told it is to be attended by a great number of Grand people - Emeran Tennent in the Chair. - No answer (at least published) from Sir Robt. [Robert?] Peel to the Derry invitation - It is generally supposed he will not accept it - (He has refused it) - January 4 - I am sending this off in the manner you desire - Your Mother I believe has written two or three letters - which I suppose you will have received before this - but in case you do not I shall mention that one of them acquaints you of Mrs [Jeaves?] death She went off after two or three days sudden decline - no complaint but just failure of nature She has left some legacies but the great part of her money to James Crawford Ever Yours |
