From William Wright¹

Cincinnati²

My dear John

On yesterday I received both your letters and in compliance³ with each I hasten a reply. I regret very much that this will not be in time to go by the mail steamer still I hope it will reach you before the 1st of April. One of your letters I perceive was written on the 17th of January the other on the 31st, the former must have been retained until the sailing of the mail steamer, as both came to hand the same day. The newspaper⁴ I did not receive, however I am as much obliged to you. It gave me great pleasure to learn that you have made up your mind to start for America and particularly Cincinnati, as it is universally acknowledged that a man who cannot get along in it cannot do it elsewhere. You I hope will never regret the choice which you have made, surrounded as you will be by a comparatively new country whose resources are scare half developed, the fertility of its soil unsurpassed, (and above all) populated by a people whose activity and enterprise and industry are unequalled – in Cincinnati with its 50,000 inhabitants and 40 years growth there is more machinery and varied manufacturies at work than there is in Dublin with its 240,000. This is a place of all others for a man to stick himself down and you particularly who are possessed of more useful knowledge and scientific information than a 10th of the young men who usually immigrate here. I showed one of your letters to my uncle⁵ and when he looked over your list of acquirements he asked why you hesitated, I replied that you did not for that I expected to see you before June. He then said that there would be no difficulty at all in getting employment and in some of our numerous public schools you would be a desirable person, at all events you may rely with confidence on a mercantile situation until something better would turn up. I am glad to find that your namesake’s⁶ letter corresponded with mine. Do not let him stop you in Philadelphia. I am overjoyed to find men like you Jack in the list of repealers⁷ for every man who is a radical must be a repealer of every iniquitous statute which would bind one nation to the will of another. Oh that all Irishmen would but feel that they were Irish and how soon would England respect their rights and privileges. Notwithstanding my quotations to the contrary that England never &c. &c. Jack bring out that young lady⁸ along with you, she would be a great solace to you in this far off land. The friends and companions of youth occupy a high position in our estimation. I suppose by this time you have found out that there is one step higher to be occupied but I suppose at this time it is engaged with you. I am much obliged for the intelligence respecting our old neighbours⁹ what a change has come over them in a few years. Now to answer some of your questions; I sailed from Liverpool in one of the N.Y. Packets for which I paid £5 but you can get for less by making a hard bargain for I learned while on board ship from some of the passengers who occupied the berth alongside of mine that they only paid £3 10s. The course which I came to Cincinnati was out of the way and more expensive than the one I would advise you pursue from N. York to Philadelphia is 12 hours ride by railroad, from thence you will proceed to Pittsburgh by way of the Pennsylvania and Ohio canal and railroad, the usual charge from Philadelphia is 12 Dolls. From Pittsburgh to Cin. by steam boat will be about 5 Dolls. the whole expense from N.York to Cincinnati will be under 20 Dolls. or £4.17.6. A sovereign is worth 4 Dolls and 83 cents. Gold or silver is the only money you can pay your way with or you can buy in Liverpool Mexican Dolls or Spanish 5 for one pound but you should be careful that they would be all good silver. If you could get them, I believe that they would be the most convenient. We were six weeks at sea but that is considered a long passage, it’s more than probable you might reach here before that time. I forgot to state that you will be provided with board en route from Philadelphia to Cincinnati without any additional charge. I forget what the exact amount of sea store is necessary, but be sure and provide yourself with six weeks provisions at least bring a ½ Brl.¹⁰ of good potatoes pack them well in a tight cask that will keep out water. 5lbs of good butter in a small tub, a few doz. eggs and a large share of flour and oatmeal, bring ½ lb of soda and a small portion of tartaric acid they suit in place of barm¹¹ – you mix one teaspoonful of soda in your flour dissolve the acid in the quantity of water which you think would be sufficient to make your dough you will find it very pleasant if you do not put too much acid I believe ½ teaspoonful would be about right you know what quantity of tea, coffee, and sugar would be sufficient. Some ham and dried beef are very requisite, a large loaf of bread sliced about ¾ of an inch thick and placed in a cool oven until they would be well brown they keep good a long time at sea. You will have to bring some sort of bed and bed-clothes which you can dispose of in Philadelphia. See that you have a stout water-tight sea chest large and with partitions to keep your provisions from getting loose and many a lock and key are necessary upon it also upon your bed, as you will find persons near the end of your voyage who would wish to get in partnership with your stores, you will be obliged to put up with a great deal at sea as you will have to mix with a rough set. Get a berth as near the hatchway¹² as possible and endeavour to find out that there are no leaks above it, avoid coming in a ship that there are many passengers in, do not be in a hurry choosing one nor mind the blarney of the ship brokers, if they get the money that is all they care for, you are fortunate in having a companion¹³ coming out with you or else you would have to share your berth with a stranger as they are fitted up to contain two persons. Your companion shall meet with hearty and warm welcome we have got lots of room and markets plenty so that even your voracious appetite will be appeased, come along then, your friend shall be my friend. The oldest suit of clothes you have will answer on ship board the best. I would not advise you to lay in a large stock of clothing as the style which is worn here is so different. You ought to have a large lot of shirts made as the making of them here would cost as much as the whole at home, light [tressia] duck pants¹⁴ and dark linen frock from Holland makes a very good coat you will not require much clothing in summer, they will all have to be linen or cotton goods. If you would bring out cloth and cassimere¹⁵ for a winter suit you could have them made up here in a more suitable style. It would not be of any use to you to be a Mason,¹⁶ as there are a great portion of the community opposed to them on account of the disappearance of a delinquent member some years ago in the State of New York. A number of them reside here or at least a large number of Odd Fellows¹⁷ which is something similar. You would find a heavy cloth over coat, that would come down about to your knees, very comfortable in winter also a heavy pair of boots. Boots are almost exclusively worn. In Liverpool you will provide yourself with water, can, cups, plates &c. for use on board ship, they must all be made of tin, have a small lantern made and bring a stock of candles. I am sorry I cannot give you a more minute account of the expense but I have no doubt it will be under £12 when two are travelling together it will make it come lighter on each. You will have to keep on the lookout that no person will have an opportunity of taking you in, there is so much competition amongst the proprietors of the different conveyances that it would be well to make enquiry of all of them and find out the cheapest and most comfortable conveyance. I would also advise you to examine the transient ships of Philadelphia and N. York they are generally the longest on the passage – but I have learned that they make up in comfort and convenience on account of not having so many passengers, it would not make so much difference to be a week longer at sea. There are some of them that make the trip in as short a time. I would not mind about the size of the vessel. I hope my folks are preparing to start about this time, I wish you were coming along with them. I mailed a letter to them on the first of February which I am anxious they should receive, as it contained enclosures for £30. A draft on Charles Thompson &co. of Liverpool¹⁸ for £20, and a £10 draft on the Provincial Bank at Waterford drawn in favour of Peter Mc’Queen.¹⁹ I am thus particular lest they might not go punctually to hand and payment stopped they are both made payable to my brother Thomas²⁰ the draft on Thompson’s was drawn by Geo Milne &co.²¹ and the other made payable to him and by him endorsed, to my bro. Thomas. I will make a request of you which I am sure you will readily grant that is to see all our old acquaintances and make my best respects to them as you are one of my best correspondents it is the only opportunity I may have of doing. Remember me affectionately to all the Tyndall family, see young Mary Hanlon²² and give her my best regards for her welfare and happiness strange as it may seem she it was who first created an interest in my childish affections. I will now close by commending you to kind and watchful Providence, may his almighty hand sustain you in all the perils which you will meet by sea and land may he enable you to reach here unharmed and in afterlife may he enable us to praise and bless his Holy Name for all his mercies towards us and after this weary life is past to meet with all we have left behind. I hope your father²³ will not think bad of me for urging you to come out, it is what I would have done by a brother. He nor you I trust will have reason to regret it, you need have no anxiety about a situation you will be here but a short time until you will have one – I will bid farewell and I hope I shall soon have the long wished for pleasure of grasping you by the hand. A quick and safe passage to you. May God guard you upon the Ocean and upon the land is the prayer of your

affectionate | friend and school mate | William Wright

If you can find a nice oak stick just bring it along with you.

As soon as you arrive in N.Y.²⁴ forward me a letter and if you wish anything just mention it. Mail me a letter before you start from Liverpool.

Adieu W. Wright.

RI MS JT/1/TYP/5/1816-1819

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