| Title: | William Hutton, Quebec to John McCrea, Strabane, Co. Tyrone. |
|---|---|
| ID | 1512 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Hutton, William/31 |
| Year | 1854 |
| Sender | Hutton, William |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | Presbyterian |
| Origin | Quebec, Canada |
| Destination | Strabane, Co. Tyrone, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | McCrea, John |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers-in-law |
| Source | D2298/4/2/5: Presented by Messrs. Wilson & Simms, Solicitors. |
| Archive | Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9307042 |
| Date | 20/10/1854 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Action By Date Document added by S M, 05:07:1993 |
| Word Count | 1436 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Quebec Friday October 20 1854 Dear John I begin a letter today hoping I may have the pleasure of acknowledging receipt of one from the North when our old country mail arrives - The loss of the Artic & [and?] 322 lives has caused a very serious [-----?] over the certainty of our Transatlantic communications - especially having happened in very smooth calm water & [and?] under different circumstances from the casualties usual at sea - the loss of life in every way by these horrendous battles shipwreck - Cholera - yellow fever - plague &c &c [et cetera et cetera?] must inflict a vast amount of deep & [and?] wide spread woe amongst Gods creatures & [and?] amongst such almost universal calamity who can measure the depth of gratitude that ought to warm the hearts of those who still continue in a happy land unscathed in self - family or friends! - I cannot help rejoicing that we are so situated - we & [and?] ours - altho' [although?] there is indeed much to lament for others pain They talk of illuminations and rejoicing for the victory - it looks to me like laughing at a funeral - The disease must have been very bad indeed if the remedy is not worse The wonder is that one tyrant should be allowed thus to trample on human life without being dethroned - Providence is taking these (to us) extraordinary means to work out some wonderful change in his widespread family I had a letter from Joe today he is gone to Toronto to pass as a barrister & [and?] sollicitor [solictor?] in chancery next month - I fear he will not go home to Ireland this Autumn - The Be. Be. Co. requires him so much that he cannot leave - They give him 300 pounds a year & pay his expences [expenses?] Board whilst working for them - He says his Mama is quite well & [and?] Francis & [and?] Anna - the other three Mary Sarah & [and?] Eliza [----?] are with me - we have a nice cottage a mile out of the City - ready furnished - I think Fanny & [and?] Francis will come down about xmas [Christmas?] after Anna's confinement her Mama remains with her until then - We had a letter from Willie stating that he was so busy he would not get away from Toronto - I received the Standard & [and?] Whig - The a/c [account?] of Mr Gowdy's reward & [and?] [-----?] was very interesting - I wish him much joy - I was pleased at his allusion to our old & [and?] excellent friend Mr Mulligan & [and?] in your house too some 21 years ago. His speech was an excellent one - full of pith & [and?] most happy remarks well fitted together & [and?] judiciously applied It was a very handsome present well befitting the spirit of Stevenson Mitchell I sent your last note on to Fanny. You are mistaken about our imports & [and?] exports In all new countries the Imports exceed the exports - & [and?] always to a great extent in Canada & [and?] as long as Exchange is at a reasonable rate it shows that the Balance of trade is not much against us – #PAGE 2 We pay for our imports by the capital brought in by emigrants or rather immigrants & [and?] by the large sums brought in by British Capitalists - for example our 1100 miles of rail road now being built by our English brothers with English Capital will cost nine millions of pounds sterling & [and?] will yield no return of principal or interest for three years or more payable out of Canadian funds - the rail road yields nothing till put in operation & [and?] then interest not principal - they have spent two millions already without any return The sums brought in by immigrants also are larger & [and?] much of this money goes to pay for importations - old countries must export produce in order to be able to import - but we import money which pays for goods imported - I sent you in 1852 a book of Trade Returns compiled by myself which will show you that our imports far exceed our exports - the best criterion whereby to judge of the prosperity of a country is by her imports - provided Exchange is not heavily against her. Saturday October 21. We find that the account of the great victory & [and?] surrender of Sebastopol was premature - but it is very probable that such will be found to have taken place when the next advices arrive The mail by the Africa will not be here till Monday - the news came by telegraph as also that of the discovery of the remains of Sir John Franklin & [and?] party - all starved to death near Buck's [-iner?] in Spring 1850 no particulars yet received - It will be a melancholy satisfaction to Lady Franklin & [and?] friends of the deceased even to be assured of their fate however calamitous - certainty is less distressing than doubt in such cases the oppression of grief may be heavier for a time but it is less lasting & [and?] less wearying when the extent of the evil is known - our annexation = loving neighbours appear to have a great hankering after Cuba & [and?] I fear the President is encouraging the fillibustering [filibustering?] rascals for the sake of popularity - It appears also that they have an eye to some of the Russian possessions in the North of this continent in order to extend their already boundless territory - They have large sums in their treasury & [and?] are looking out for some investment for it - Canada is at present so happy in her own govt. [government?] laws that they have no hope of annexing her & [and?] sad indeed would be the day that would see us annexed to such unpricipled [unprincipled?] slave holding grasping repudiators Our Canadian Parliament is at present sitting - my friend Hincks is out but his principles are being fully carried out by the Conservatives who have taken office with the avowed intent of doing so - our state funds for religious purposes will be all appropriated to secular purposes next week - except that present encumbents will be paid during their lives - We shall (after their decease) have to pay our spiritual advisers as we do our medical or legal - The voluntary principle works well amongst the religious persuasions where it is adopted – #PAGE 3 I am much obliged by your circulating a knowledge of my little emigrants guide - I am glad to think that it meets very ready sales - The Emigrants on board ship coming to Quebec are in possession of numbers of copies & [and?] have had several letters of Capitalists led hither by it - They will not be disappointed if they act upon its suggestions - We have had no letter from Sam lately - He is still in Buffaloe [Buffalo?] - he wrote to F. [Fanny?] as I think I told you asking for money to take him home & [and?] giving a truly woeful a/c [account?] of himself F. [Fanny?] sent him a few shillings but thought it worse than useless to comply with his request - a letter directed Buffaloe [Buffalo?] State of N. [New?] York would meet him if you wish to write The girls often walk into town from the cottages to accompany me home - take books - they have the use of a very large public library with all the latest publications - periodicals etc [et cetera?] these latter are so numerous & [and?] contain so much of the pith of every work that is good that one can read scarcely any thing else - & [and?] tp keep up with the times one must read a quite many of these - We were glad to hear William of Grange continues improving - With much love to all your dear circle & [and?] to dear friends at Farmhill Grange Leck Magheragh [Maghera?] Lisnanow & [and?] very kind regards to that most worthy & [and?] good friend Brother Alexander when you see him Believe me Your ever loving Brother William Hutton I receive the Standard & [and?] Whig regularly - F. [Fanny?] is delilghted to see the former - Saturday 3 p.m. Oct [October?] 21st 1854 You will have this on the 6th of Nov [November?] a happy Holy [--?] to you all |
