Letters 1843—1844: McCoy (Canada)

I received your letter dated 13th, February which gave me great pleasure to hear of your welfare and prosperity, but am sorry to hear of the Accident that happened to your Uncle But I hope by this time he is quite recovered and it may prove a salutory lesson to him in future to take care of himself. Health is the greatest blessing that Heaven can bestow upon man, we therefore cannot be too cautious in using it properly. I would like very much to witness the process you use in extracting the Sugar from the Maple tree. And I know that Vinegar is made from Sugar from Molasses & from raisins. I have spent some years witnessing the Manufacture of it from these ingredients. but I always immagined that molasses could only be obtained from the Sugar cane, and how it can be taken from the Mapletree is a mystery to me. Our City and Country is in a deplorable state for want of trade, there is little or nothing doing in any business[.] The Agitation for the repail of the Union is qoing on so strong that people that has money & would give employment {page 2} [em]ployment knows not what to do, they are afraid to lay out a shilling except that the mearly {?} cannot help, so that in the midst of plenty there is hunger and want. I might almost say downright starvation, our two City workhouses are quite full. The mendicity is full and the Street Beggars never was so plenty, we can scarce get the light of the door for them, as soon as one set is gone they are succeded by another, and so on from 7 in the morning to 9 or 10 at night, it is heartrending to witness the deplorable state of the poor of this country, the landholders and Householders are so harrassed paying poor rates that they will give nothing to travelling beggars, so that the unfortunate wanderers are actually in a state of starvation. Mr. {Daniel} OConnell is busily employed in Agitiating the Repail, there is not a day passes but what he has a meeting somewhere for that purpose, but Sunday is his great and principal day. as on that (not being a working day) he expects every man from ten to fifteen round to attend his meeting. on the first Sunday in May he had an immence meeting on the Curragh. the Sunday after he had one in Mulligan, the Sunday after that in Henagh, then in Longford, next in Drougheda and so on every Sunday a meeting in some principal town and the weekdays is occupied with meetings in different parts of the City & the little insignificant towns through the Country. Government knows not how to act, it is certain that they anticipate something dreadful for the Country is full of {page 3} Troops, and every day they are pouring in more. What frightens and vexes the Government is the regularity and quietness with which these meetings are conducted, they assemble, discuss the business they meet for, and then disperces to their homes with the greatest regularity and peace. Therefore Government can find no pretense whatever to prohibet such meetings.

My dear Children, I am happy to hear that (except the unfortunate case of your Father) you are all well, not in health only but that you enjoy every other blessing profusely. Oh! with what gratitude should you lift up hearts and hands to Heaven with Praise and Thanksgiving to that kind & Merciful God & Father who brought his boundless Mercy and love, was pleased to remove you from this land of sorrow and distress to that Land of Plenty, of Peace and ease,- Thanks be to God I and all of your friends in this place enjoy excellent Health, if we only had employment to keep our mind and our thoughts in proper tune, I seldom get a days work, and James was idle for upwards of three months till about a fortnight ago he met with a job, but he cant tell how long it may last, his family was in a dreadful state while he was idle I wish it may be the means of teaching them how to manage their income now while he has work. Henry has been partially employed since he returned from London in the beginning of February until last Saturday when he was disemployed, since then he has tried every house in Dublin of that trade but without success, We cannot find a Master for Robert of any calling, I believe the people are afraid to take apprentices to any business,- Kate is living with a Mrs.Frazer in lower Dorset street since the beginning of March she was prepairing herself for Canada and expected Eliza Cunningham would be along with her, but when she found Eliza could not go this - {page 4 (around the address)} season she settled herself in Dorset St. - When Mr.Conwa failed they were indebted to Eliza ten pounds, all she could get from them since was One Pound, but she expects to work some more out of them before next spring when she and Kate are intended with blessing of God to quit this distressed and degraded country for ever -

It is time for me to conclude. I have said a great deal of nonsense & trash, which I beg you will excuse me for, Be so good as to give my kind regards to Father & Mother. Your Brothers & Sister joins me in love to you,- And believe me to remain

Yours truly {signed} James Armstrong

Dear William & Mary/

On the 30th, of May last I received your last letter which was dated the 7th April so that I may now say that it is thirteen months since I heard from you, it is a long time to remain in ignorance of what may be your fate. And perhaps it would be better to remain continually in ignorance than to be certified of what may be your fate. I have different times read accounts of the native Indians rising out on the poor defenceless settlers and scalping & murdering & burning them and all they had, And often thoughts will intrude themselves upon me that perhaps something nearly similar might have occured in your case. But you have never intimated to me that you ever saw or met with any of them. Perhaps there is none of them in that part of the country, so much the better they are a kind o fneibours I would not covet to live near. However I trust there is no danger in rescet of the Indians and that you are all in good health both Old & Young and everything prospering with you {page 2} Thanks be to God I enjoy good health, and you see by the commencement of this letter that I have left Bridgeport St. and that I am now living in Watling Street, Kate for some considerable time back thought that I was not so comfortable in my Lodging in Bridgeport St. as I should be, besides she thought should it please God to visit me with sickness or any other complaint there would be no person to look to me, so she was determined that I should leave such lodgings. Accordingly when her second Year with Mrs. Frazer was expired she gave up service and we took a room in Watling St. And Bob, &her, &I, live very comfortable. her late Mistress has recommended some respectable washing which keeps her employed, And Robert earns five shillings weekly at the Warder Office and I earn something some times myself so that when all is put together we live comfortable. I have not heard from Henry since March, the Regimen was then in New Castle on Tyne, and he was after being a long time in Hospital with soar Eyes, but was then getting better,- The Regiment has been removed to Manchester but he has not wrote since he came there -{page 3}James is well in health, has three good children if they had their due, has a most infernal Blaggerd Drunken Wife (if she be a wife) And that is all he has to boast of - I understand that Mr. Henderson and his two Daughters are living at Irishtown, and composes his whole family, his son Richard is Dead, he died shortly after serving his time to Doctor Betty - Dear William, I would be glad to hear from you, if this reaches you write to me and let me know everything that has occured there twelve months back - Kate has forwarded a good many newspapers time after time and she would like to know if they all went safe to you - My kind regards to your Father & Mother and all the family - direct your letter to Wattling St. -

I remain

Your ever

Affectionate Father

{signed} James Armstrong

A happy New Year to you all on the Western side of the Atlantic. "And, oh! may you be happy still.- My Dear and much beloved friends & Children. Your letter of the 7th.Septr. came safe to us. And gives us great pleasure {page 2} pleasure and comforrt to know that you are all well. Oh! dear children, you cannot bless and praise God half enough for his tender Mercies to you. He has taken you out of this Miserable land of trouble and distress & has settled you in a Quiet fertile and happy land, far from Anarchy and Bloodshed which this {page 3} this unfortunate country every day produces. He blesses you with health & strength to labour & improve your farm, and that labour together with your cattle He blesses with increase. Oh! thanks and praise the Lord for his mercy and kindness to you,- Praise be God I and all of us here are well in health. thank god neither pain or aiche troubles me, in short I have never had so good health in my life as I have had these few years back. Kate has plenty of work & she contrives to get through it all herself. I want her to get in help but she is not willing to do so,- indeed i'm afraid she'l hurt herself by {page 4} by working so hard. Bob is still in the Warden Office, but "no trade" James is well and has some work but Ellen is as bad as ever. We expect Henry will be with us on leave in a few days,- We are to have the Militia embodied in these countries and i'm told the Ballotting will take place next month. however I will send you a newspaper from time to time, which will let you know the state of things better than I can tell you everything is very dear in this country. & no employment so that the Poor are almost starving I would say more if I had room. My love to all our friends - {signed} Ja.Armstrong