3
or deist who Sits in obscure darkness in Some of the wild wilder-
ness of this broad Continent remember the mision of Jonas his reluctance
and proceedings
in writing these lines I feel timid and dismayed S[t]ill
So far I proceeded
ye may choose for yourselfs
in Case you were to come
out you would do well to get yourself recommended from your parish Priest
and the Bishop of the Diecious and if you could get the Bishop for to
recomend you to Rt Revd Dr Huges Bishop of Newyork
I should think you ought to proceed with confidence
It is to the
States I would recomend you to go if possable the horable state of
Times at home is alarming
it has retched the ears of the christaen world
we are all Commanded to flee from danger if possable (remember the
Farmer who Sent for his neighbours to reap his garden they failed
he sent for his friends
they failed
he and Son determined to reap it them
self
it was then and not untill the Lark removed her nestlings)
if that
great philosofer Franklin crossed the atlantic full of riches in place
of one Shilling when he landed perhaps he never would Command the
Thunder and bottal the lightning as he did
innumeral are the instances
History furnishes of individuals who were forced to bid adeue to their
Countrys perhaps by evil government or accidental want whose
memory is now immortallized and whose name is now the thame of
[page 3]
The historian past and Statesman
Self relyance good behaviour joined
with a full Confidence in the Allmighty God and a full resignation
To his devine will is the Surest Barge to Sail in this fluctuate
a
ing world
again you are to bear in mind that I dont take it uppon
myself for to insist that ye would Come out for fear of a disappointment
but this I say pleanty that if I was at home Surrounded by the
deluge of evils that hangs over and is at present overflowing my Dr
Country that I would fly like the bird from the fowlers fatal eye
If his power I could not brave
I would disdain to be his Slave
My ever Drs as for my State hear at present (let others paint the grate
riches they gain in this place as they please / I have pledged myself before
to be candid and always [truthful] in my letters) after my disappointment
Daniel T. Shehan [and Margaret Shehan], Stony Creek, near Hamilton, Canada West, to his mother, Mary Shehan, Ballylongford, Co. Kerry, 15 April 1847
Description
Daniel T. Shehan notes the "awfull picture" of Ireland which his family must bear at home, while he also laboured in severe weather and poor health. He reports of the birth of his son, named Thomas, in memory of his late father and late brother. He strongly advises that his Irish family sell up and come to Canada as "ye could not be worse of hear [off here]". Shehan offers to help them settle in and suggests his brother John could finish his three years in college in Canada and perhaps administer to the natives [as an ordained priest]. He then recommends they go to the States if possible. Shehan also mentions he has written lines in memory of his uncle Henny Breen, his son Thomas in Tralee. Appended to the end of the letter are some lines from Margret Shehan (Daniel's sister) to their mother advising her she had a son the previous January and advising her brothers, James or Daniel to "come to this country".
