about Twice the sum if he is aprovd. of. I think it would be well if William would learn a
smattering of Mensuration for almost every farmer wishes to have his sons able to
assertain their own land and what it contains & it is very necessary for this country
may[be] called nothing else but a wooden country you might travel hund. of miles
without comeing to a fence or ditch.
Fear Father I wish you would take it into your head to cross the ocean that you might
enjoy the privilages of a free people what nature teaches us to look for, only is fradulently
taken away from us by force and arms. I speak what I think & I think it commendable &
the best thing you could do both for yourself & famly is for to try & see what you can sell
your land at & in the name of god try & come out to America for the longer you stay
where you are the worse. you may work hard from one yr end to another and has nothing
to show for it but here thank god it is quite the contrary
if you rent 30 or 40 acrs of
Land here the produce of 3 or 4 will pay for all and that is something worth looking at. if
you want to purchase in the Illinois State and different others you can buy a Quarter
Section I believe about 165 acrs by paying 80 Dollars down & the Balance inside of 5
years at 2 Doll. per acre -- of better Land than you have in Ireland & all the rent or taxes
you have to pay off it is one cent for every hundred Dollars worth you owe annually, & in
the name of god venture out what greater encouragement can you look for and I think
there is another raisin that might be an object to you in coming out Soon is that I think in
2 or 3 yrs more the passage will be twice as much as it is now. but if people only knew
half the advantages that lies in this country the[y] w never rest nights nor day till they
would get out of Bondage young Single people who wishes to advance themselves in
James Richey, Trenton, Kentucky, to his parents, Ireland, 13 August 1819
Description
James Richey relates to his parents of news of mutual acquaintance in the Montreal, but James wants him to quit the "British Settlements" which he despises and come to America. Richey wants his brother William to make the journey to the United States as he knows that 'an English teacher here is worth £80 a year and a classical Teacher about Twice the sume if he is approvd. of". He also asks his father to consider emigrating there also with his family and 'enjoy the privilages of a free people [...] fradulently taken from us by force and arms'. Richey advises him of the benefits of America for farming considering that "the longer you stay where you are the worse" and that single people who can afford the passage should not be afraid of travelling with 'not more than a Dollar [...] as a fellow will put his hand to anything he can get work if he will do it". Richey gives news of 'some of his adventures" after he landed in Philadelphia, finding work with a merchant Mr Broaddus, who treated him as a brother, "I went up to him with my hat in his hand as humble as any Irishman [...] put on yr hat said he. we are all a free people here". Richey noted that "There are but few Methodists in this part of the country" so he instead went to a "Presbeterian meeting house" and hoped that this letter would be used as a means of encouraging his acquaintances to emigrate. He concludes by again recommending his family leave Ireland noting that two families could travel together nearly as cheap as one.
