life cant possibly make any reasonable objection if the[y] can raise as much as will pay
their passage. now I can say in truth I would not be afraid of starvation was I to land in
any port in the United States with not more than one Dollar in my pocket to begin
I
might feel myself a little dependent but a fellow that will put his hand to anything he can
get work if he will do it Seven days in the week & can earn a Dollar every day he sees.
you were saying in yr last that you were advis d to send Wm to Doc Bells, but I would do
no such thing nor prepare him for College either for he would not be 6d the better for
either one or the other, here & this is the place he ought to aim for, but let him try and
keep in memory his Greek & Latin for here he will find it very essential & if he was here
there is no doubt but he would find employ enough
you seem anxious to know some of
my adventures since I left home. I will begin and tell you some of them as the[y] happn°
after I landed in Philadelphia I enquired for John Wright and I found him and I likewise
met with Sam Hall there1. I told them my business & implord their aid in proc[uring] me
a situation and indeed the[y] both deserve Credit the[y] both done what the[y] could and
the[y] likewise told look out myself--and if I met any Mercht. that take me if the[y]
want a recomendation to refer the and they would recomend me, well I walked about
[for] Three weeks making enquirey every day wit[hout]...my Spirits at length began to
fall for d[oubt] and my heart was nearly on a par. I knew tha [t]
I applied for
weaving in the Shop along John Scott & it hapnd there was one loom I went & told
John W. & S.H., I was going to to weave & John told me not to accept of it there was a
merchant that he expect in tow[n]...days that he was almost Sure would take all w fail
that I could begin to weave. till the merch¹ returnd & he said he had a young man
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.
