Letter #63 to son Alex in
Australia
Glasgow, I5th.Jan'y,
1862
My Dear Son,
I wish you all a good new year and many returns of
the season.
I am now on the verge of three score and I sometimes look to the past,
sometimes to the future and on either side I see little to rejoice at. I have
not been able to do so much for myself as I expected when I left Australia. But,
thanks to my three sons, I have no fear of want before me. I sometimes think I might
have done as well in Australia.
But the remembrance that the climate did not agree
with me settles these ruminations. Will I ever go back and look on them again
occurs in my musings? But that is laid over for settlement on
a future day. But I please myself by fancying it will yet come to pass. And so
I loiter on.
I have yours of 22nd. October and I am
well pleased that matters are no worse with my Australians. The Exodus seems
not to have hurt Jack & William and I doubt not but they will yet get up the brae
with flying colours and look back with amazement that they were so long about
it. I expect that the present dissapointment in your business will be made up
at a future day. Keep on full steam and all sail up in a fair wind. A good look out far ahead is
as necessary in business as on board a Clyde steamer. I got the catalogue of
exhibition. There is a great deal of interesting matter in it and I am proud you were
so mindful.
The 'Trent' business has happily been amicably
settled. But that most foolish job has cost this country at least two millions.
It is plain it was not a sense of justice but that stern chap necessity that
caused Seward to release the captives. An army of 700,000 men is too expensive for the North
Americans. They are already out of cash and out of credit, bankrupt and issuing
false promises to pay that wont be taken long at full value. It is expected that the European
powers will interfere when disorder takes firm ground in the Northern ranks and in a
friendly spirit get a treaty concluded between the North and South.
Meantime our cotton trade is very much depressed.
The majority of the mills are on short time: some are stopped. A great
diversity of opinion prevails among the doctors about the extent of the
deficiency in our supply of cotton. Some will have it that at the present rate
of consumption the stock of cotton will be exhausted in June. Others maintain
the extra price will bring an extra quantity from India, Africa &c. and
that the present rate of consumption will be maintained till plenty is
restored.
No doubt James Hall was dissappointed in having to leave Busby. He
is off to Germany on trial and to be engaged if he is found suitable. Cunningham
Grey's mother is dead. I saw big James Pollock. The firm is doing well and they
employ 10 men. But R. McArthur says their is nothing made of estimate work for
new houses. Alteration and repairs pay. This firm employs one man.
I am still living in Camlachie. There is no
appearance of more block work at Busby, but the machines are working 12 hours a
day, 10 of them at DeLaines. Muir and Brown's is quite slack or I would have been there. I am promised a job at
Dalmonach. Alex'r Russell is also still out. Annie and Aunty are in their
usual.
The Marseilles portion of the Australian mail has
arrived. The fate of Burke and party is given at great length. The mismanagement
at Cooper's Creek is a painful portion of the intelligence.
The massacre in Queensland is a horrid business. It
appears there are 25,000 natives in that colony and it would have been a bit
becoming in the Whites to make an agreement with them and to divide the land,
so much to the natives, so much to the white man and let the white man pay for his.
Men in whom there is any spirit wont submit to be driven off their grounds by
intruders and starved without retaliating as best they can.
You are indebted to Heales & Co. for the fillip
they gave the land question., but I think O'Shannasy & Co. the better sort.
Land should be sold below £1 per acre, especially to immigrants that pay their
passages. In that case they would not require to pay so much for free passages
and more immigrants would settle on the land Instead of going half idle in an
overcrowded labour market.
I expect to see each of you with a few hundred of
acres yet and ranking as independent country gentlemen, hurrah. Hoping that
each of you is guided by all that is just & honourable.
I remain, your affectionate
Father,
Alex'r Dick.
Names & Notes on Letter #63
'Trent'
James Hall
Cunningham Grey's mother
James Pollock
R. McArthur
Mary, Annie & Alex Russell
Heales & Co.
O'Shannasy & Co.
- transcription and
Names/Notes by Ian A Scales, c.1989
Scans of the original letter (click on the image below if you would like an
enlarged version)::
