| Title: | John James Murphy to Martin Murphy, 24 May 1865 |
|---|---|
| ID | 4056 |
| Collection | Argentina - Murphy |
| File | murphy/31 |
| Year | 1865 |
| Sender | Murphy, John James |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | cattle breeder |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Buenos Aires, 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 | 981 |
| Genre | politics, emigration, family finances, local economy, sending money |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Buenos Aires My Dear Friends, I am in receipt of your letter of April 6th, which arrived a day or two after the Zíngara. The passengers landed all in good health, and pleased with the voyage and the treatment they received from their Captn. There are, as you may see by the papers, great preparattions making for the war, which has already been declared, but it is considered it will not extend or spread further than where it has commenced. If so we shall be far off from any of those evils that so widely spread around the seat of war in every country. The army from here are on th about to march as the last of the present month to join with the forces of the upper provinces, to march against Paraguay. The seat of war I need not say more on this question as the papers I send you will give you more particulars. But it’s generally believed that Paraguay cannot stand any time against the allied forces of Brazil and the Argentine Confederation. Paraguay is I believe about three hundred miles from here up the River. I am sorry to hear that the times are so bad at home, but they could not be otherwise from the way things were going on at my leaving. And I fear there is but little hope of improvement, unless there be some extraordinary change made in the land law. You speak of William Murphy but I can by no means give him any encouragement to come to the country, unless he can find no employment at home. I expect you did not get my letter in time to send out the Bricklayer, but it’s just as well and you need not do so until further instructions. I told you in a previous letter how to arrange things relative to sister Margaret, and also gave my opinion to the best of my ability on the subject. I see the papers that the cash invested in the National Bank of Liverpool is doing very little for us. If I had it here now it would be gaining 24 per cent per annum, as I am myself paying that interest at present and many others paying more, even up to 36 is being paid. Now in case this reach you before you have sold the shares to arrange for Margaret’s wedding, sell off all, keep what you may require, and send me out the rest. You can speak to Mr Kennedy and get him to do it through the Mana & Co. Bank, payable in Bs. Ayres. Keep also the amount you require to pay for the passage of those I send for. I am sorry to hear of the death of Uncle Patt and Aunt Mary. The Lord have mercy on them both. The wool & ostrich feathers I cannot send you this year as I was in Bs. As. from the time I received the letter, until the wool came in to be sold. I was there about the land I bought. My Dear Friends, I am not yet married nor is there any sign of it more than when I left you. My mind is as yet perfectly free of any compromise whatever Mrs R. is yet in this country. I see no change in her, neither is there any thing remarkable in her behaviour. I expect if sister Margaret get married you will be coming out here. I will not at present offer you an advice on the subject as you already know how solicitous I am for your welfare. I sometimes have a notion to sell half of my last purchase so as to clear myself of debt. I am sure at any time to get my own money, for it at least selling the half of it leave the other half just the same size as Uncalito, which between the both leave me 1½ square league of land, or 8,250 acres. Dear Friends, the times are very bad now in Buenos Aires (not with the labouring class as there are always plenty of employment), but with speculators and those that have involved themselves heavily in debt by speculation. Money is hard to be got even at 2 per cent interest, even on good security. Stock of any kind as also the fruits of the country cannot be sold even at a reduction of 50 per cent of the price it was some time ago. The Banks has refused to give money on any security, unless to customers, and that at 18 per cent per annum. You can see by the paper [that] the market price of produce has fallen considerably. Dear Brother, I here enclose to you a bill for eight pounds 8£: six pounds 6£ for William Furlong (Grawlhole) sent to him by his daughter Mary, and two 2£ for Frank Doyle’s mother, sent to her by Frank her son, to be given to Martin Barry for her. Frank Doyle is I believe desirous that the money should be given her occasionally in small amounts. But Frank’s letter to Martin Barry will likely specify the particulars. I had a notion to retain the money for this Bill, and for you to pay it out of the shares when sold. But fearing there might be some disappointment, I afterwards thought better to send it. You can get it cashed and retain the 2£ for Frank’s mother. Captain Stocks of the Zíngara is to write to you on his arrival in Liverpool. He will bring any passengers you choose to and on my name. You can be looking out for two or three men that you think will answer. The Zíngara is not likely to be in Liverpool before the latter end of August or the first of September. |
