James J. Wright, Santiago de Cuba, to Martha Wright, No. 7 Christ Church Place, Dublin, Ireland
Item
Rights
Permission to publish from the Historical Library of the Religious Society of Friends in Dublin
Publisher
University of Galway
Format
JPG
Type
Manuscript
Number of pages
3
Source
Historical Library of the Religious Society of Friends in Dublin
Creator
James Jenkinson Wright
Identifier
Portfolio 35X_L27
Date
1844-03-01
Surname
Wright
Firstname
James Jenkinson
Title
James J. Wright, Santiago de Cuba, to Martha Wright, No. 7 Christ Church Place, Dublin, Ireland
Translator
Kerby A. Miller, Patricia Miller
Description
James J. Wright, Santiago de Cuba, to Martha Wright, No. 7 Christ Church Place, Dublin, Ireland
Transcript
001
Santiago de Cuba March 1st, 1844
My dear Aunt Martha,
I received the other day, your very acceptable letter of 12 Mo 28th 43, and sympathies with you in the trouble of moving your residence for really I hold it to be one of the heaviest of the minor miseries of life, and even although the change should turn out pleasing the discomfort of unsettling is at the time of
moving not the less felt. I hope you have got rid radically of the polypus, for however we may philosophise to ourselves that at our time of life, that we ought naturally to expect ailments, and the trials which flesh is heir to, nevertheless the afflictions with which we are afflicted are not the less physically felt, and it is with joy and thankfulness that I feel myself rid of the disease of the heart which troubled me for some months, although I still suffer from a morbid action in the kidneys, that is sometimes tormenting though not dangerous. I hope the sweetmeats reached you on your birthday and that you tried their goodness in commemorating it, for we have but few things here rarities with you, to indulge my desire of remembering you therein, perhaps specimens of copper ore is the most particular of the class of specimens that we have, and I think if my memory serves I sent you some of them: we are now bankers and agents for two mining companies, for whose accounts we shift annually
about 20.000 tons of ore to Swansea, but we hold no interest at all in the mines ourselves acting solely for commission.
I do not think that the repealers have any chance of success from insurrection, unless they wait patiently for the diversion of a continental war, and even then although O’Connell might have the masses with him, the intelligence and influence of the country would be against, and that aided by England, would make his succeeding even after a long and bloody struggle more than doubtful, my
own political opinion on that head has somewhat changed of late, and I begin to think that Ireland ought to be self governed, but I dread the arriving threat of revolution. The view of the Four Courts pleased me.
002
I have positively determined health as it now is, to leave here as near the first of April I can find a direct opportunity to New Orleans and from thence up the river to Ohio and I have written to Nehemiah to meet me on the way about as low as Tennessee, in order to examine the agricultural prospects in Illinois and Indiana, for I think the family augmenting as it is altogether too much cramped up in Belmont, and that perhaps a purchase for them of sufficient ground in either of those States, would offer greater advantage to them and if so I shall see what can be done in the matter.
I have a letter from Nehemiah of 3th of 2 mo he says "Father is about as
“usual indeed better that when I last wrote to thee, he is far from melancholy, most
“of the time cheerful and lively, but being somewhat deaf is a great inconvenience
“to him, Uncle William comes frequently to see him, and stays much with him,
“and he is unquestionably the very best of company and he is perhaps entirely
“over the effects of his fall but he seems rather yielding to the infirmities of age,
“he is I believe getting along very well, and is a good farmer, and a first rate
“manager of his affairs, and enjoyed himself well keeping clear of debt or
“very nearly so, and was pleased in getting a letter from his daughter Abigail
“by this week's mail" and that all the other members of the family are doing well and in the enjoyment of good health.
Do not believe the newspaper reports of this island, they are all falsehoods got up by faction, we never were in possession of more perfect peace and tranquility, with a military and naval force fully capable of preserving those great blessings, and the finances of the colony paying all charges thereof, and remitting a handsome surplus to the mother country, you may place implicit confidence in what
I say, for my position is such, that all leading matters are made known to me, and I do not repose in the confidence that the government knows what it is about, but that I myself know what they know think and do and can form my own conclusions from the premisses.
003
I have stated my determination to leave this for Ohio where I intend to stop for some time, and then proceed to the Atlantic States, but much as I desire once more to visit my native land, I do not feel so sanguine in being able to effect it, unless my health improves by travel, for in advance life with bodily ailments, the quiet of a resting place and the comforts of it is of vast consideration, and as the probability is that I may be called back to this within a year, I fear sometimes that I can not feel assured of crossing the Atlantic without suffering for it, however let us hope for the best, and as I shall address you from Ohio I will then inform how I get on travelling and of my hopes and expectations for the future, whether Ireland be the word or not.
Please to direct for me after you receive this
James J. Wright
attention P. S. Burling Esq.
Philadelphia
I remain with best love to all relations and friends assuredly thy affectionate nephew.
James J. Wright
Santiago de Cuba March 1st, 1844
My dear Aunt Martha,
I received the other day, your very acceptable letter of 12 Mo 28th 43, and sympathies with you in the trouble of moving your residence for really I hold it to be one of the heaviest of the minor miseries of life, and even although the change should turn out pleasing the discomfort of unsettling is at the time of
moving not the less felt. I hope you have got rid radically of the polypus, for however we may philosophise to ourselves that at our time of life, that we ought naturally to expect ailments, and the trials which flesh is heir to, nevertheless the afflictions with which we are afflicted are not the less physically felt, and it is with joy and thankfulness that I feel myself rid of the disease of the heart which troubled me for some months, although I still suffer from a morbid action in the kidneys, that is sometimes tormenting though not dangerous. I hope the sweetmeats reached you on your birthday and that you tried their goodness in commemorating it, for we have but few things here rarities with you, to indulge my desire of remembering you therein, perhaps specimens of copper ore is the most particular of the class of specimens that we have, and I think if my memory serves I sent you some of them: we are now bankers and agents for two mining companies, for whose accounts we shift annually
about 20.000 tons of ore to Swansea, but we hold no interest at all in the mines ourselves acting solely for commission.
I do not think that the repealers have any chance of success from insurrection, unless they wait patiently for the diversion of a continental war, and even then although O’Connell might have the masses with him, the intelligence and influence of the country would be against, and that aided by England, would make his succeeding even after a long and bloody struggle more than doubtful, my
own political opinion on that head has somewhat changed of late, and I begin to think that Ireland ought to be self governed, but I dread the arriving threat of revolution. The view of the Four Courts pleased me.
002
I have positively determined health as it now is, to leave here as near the first of April I can find a direct opportunity to New Orleans and from thence up the river to Ohio and I have written to Nehemiah to meet me on the way about as low as Tennessee, in order to examine the agricultural prospects in Illinois and Indiana, for I think the family augmenting as it is altogether too much cramped up in Belmont, and that perhaps a purchase for them of sufficient ground in either of those States, would offer greater advantage to them and if so I shall see what can be done in the matter.
I have a letter from Nehemiah of 3th of 2 mo he says "Father is about as
“usual indeed better that when I last wrote to thee, he is far from melancholy, most
“of the time cheerful and lively, but being somewhat deaf is a great inconvenience
“to him, Uncle William comes frequently to see him, and stays much with him,
“and he is unquestionably the very best of company and he is perhaps entirely
“over the effects of his fall but he seems rather yielding to the infirmities of age,
“he is I believe getting along very well, and is a good farmer, and a first rate
“manager of his affairs, and enjoyed himself well keeping clear of debt or
“very nearly so, and was pleased in getting a letter from his daughter Abigail
“by this week's mail" and that all the other members of the family are doing well and in the enjoyment of good health.
Do not believe the newspaper reports of this island, they are all falsehoods got up by faction, we never were in possession of more perfect peace and tranquility, with a military and naval force fully capable of preserving those great blessings, and the finances of the colony paying all charges thereof, and remitting a handsome surplus to the mother country, you may place implicit confidence in what
I say, for my position is such, that all leading matters are made known to me, and I do not repose in the confidence that the government knows what it is about, but that I myself know what they know think and do and can form my own conclusions from the premisses.
003
I have stated my determination to leave this for Ohio where I intend to stop for some time, and then proceed to the Atlantic States, but much as I desire once more to visit my native land, I do not feel so sanguine in being able to effect it, unless my health improves by travel, for in advance life with bodily ailments, the quiet of a resting place and the comforts of it is of vast consideration, and as the probability is that I may be called back to this within a year, I fear sometimes that I can not feel assured of crossing the Atlantic without suffering for it, however let us hope for the best, and as I shall address you from Ohio I will then inform how I get on travelling and of my hopes and expectations for the future, whether Ireland be the word or not.
Please to direct for me after you receive this
James J. Wright
attention P. S. Burling Esq.
Philadelphia
I remain with best love to all relations and friends assuredly thy affectionate nephew.
James J. Wright
Language
English
List of contributors
Kerby A. Miller
Patricia Miller
Giselle Gonzalez Garcia
Margaret Brohony
Cristian Sanchez
People
James Jenkinson Wright
Martha Wright
Jonathan Wright
Location
Sophie Estate, Santiago de Cuba
New York City, United States
Dublin, Ireland