| Title: | Extract of a Letter on Canadian Emigration |
|---|---|
| ID | 3927 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | 1821-30/77 |
| Year | 1827 |
| Sender | unknown |
| Sender Gender | unknown |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | unknown |
| Destination | unknown |
| Recipient | unknown |
| Recipient Gender | unknown |
| Relationship | re emigration |
| Source | The Belfast Newsletter, Tuesday, 19 June, 1827 |
| Archive | The Central Library, Belfast |
| Doc. No. | 9802464 |
| Date | 15/01/1827 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 09:02:98. |
| Word Count | 424 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | EMIGRATION. As the spirit for emigration has become so very prevalent of late, we think the information contained in the following extract, will be acceptable to those families who are intending to leave their native homes, and also to those who have relations in America:- EXTRACT OF A LETTER ON CANADIAN EMIGRATION Among the many accounts which of late have appeared respecting emigration to our American colonies the following deserves notice, from its conciseness and apparent candour. It is an extract of a letter from a gentleman in Montreal to his friend, dated 15th January, 1827, and is the result of observations made after a ten years residence in that country: - "I am grieved to perceive that the distress amongst my countrymen is in no way alleviated. What a pity it is that Government does not take some effective measures to promote emigration to this country on a large scale? Starvation here is known only by name. The lowest class of industrious people can always make a substantial living, provisions being cheap and abundant. Our climate is much healthier than yours, and our soil is no way inferior, while thousands of miles of excellent land are tenanted only by the wolf and bear. The manner in which a labouring man gets on in the woods is this - he hires himself to a settler some time established, nigh his own land, for a month, and is paid in flour, potatoes, pork, &c., there being little or no money.- these provisions enable him to work a month or two on his own farm. he again goes out, again resumes his labour for himself, and has for the second year enough of the substantials of life, say Indian corn, wheat, potatoes, &c.; and, as there are neither rents nor taxes, he, after the third year, cannot consume all he raises so he barters away his supplies for other necessaries or luxuries. This cleared land is annually increasing in extent - his comforts are multiplying, he is without debts or other cares incident to life in Europe.- He is independent of foreign contingencies. Even his clothes are manufactured by his own family, or by his neighbour, who takes pay in kind. His cattle are increasing, and, at the end of 15 or 20 years he can leave his family easy. This life, it seems to me, is far superior to that of a labourer or mechanic in towns, where scarcity of employment, dearth of provisions, and lowness of wages are perpetual sources of misery and discontent." |
