Portadown, 8th November, 1849
Dearest Brother,
I received yours from New Orleans dated 6th Setr
[September?] and now commence to reply. You wish to know
Father's mind in reference to your coming home. I wish to
be as plain as possible for the more candid and open we are
the better. He wishes you to give the matter your prayerful
consideration and upon your deciding to come home he will at
once send the amount necessary to defray your expenses
and give you as hearty a welcome as any of us ever received
& in every respect you shall be as we are.
He also says there is plenty of employment for you in
attending to the Books. I am sure it will be a far heartier
welcome than any of us ever received because you have been
longer away. As to my mind on the suject I will fully and
freely explain it as you wish and I trust the time will
never come when you and I will be reserved. May we more than
ever write and act as Brothers. My mind is that you would
come home as soon as possible and stay for one year to keep
the Books by double entry as you allude to that the gain or
loss could be [told?] for a pound stg. There has been 33 Tons
of wheat bought and sold to Mr. Langtry. I bought it on 3
Saturdays and last Saturday I got 11 Tons besides this I
have bought this season above 40 tons of oats all of which
is made or about to be made into Oatmeal. About 80 Tons of
grain in all. Of course if you were here more could be done
at it and prices are so low now there is no work. There is
one subject I would also mention not that it has been spoken
of by either Father or one of the family and that is if you
return in safety as I pray you may that you would more than
before make this your home and your Brothers and Sisters
your companions one circumstance often grieved us your not
being at home until pretty late?]
It is true that neither you nor I are little boys or
silly men but if we are in our Fathers house it is the very
least we can do in every thing indifferent to comply with
his desire. As a master of a family his authority is gone if
we, even were we 40 years of age show our contempt of one
rule of that family. Brother I know this may be against your
notions of liberty but would you be pleased or otherwise
with your child if he would disregard your wish even on
trifling affairs? As your brother, as your friend, as one
who has prayed for you, as one who thought of you and many
times wept because of your absence and whose eyes are this
moment filled with tears because of you being so far away
I would in the most earnest manner possible beseech you to
make this your home; not merely that you will board here
and attend to business but that you will feel at home when
in the company of Father and Sisters - they love you and
you love them let us manifest it preferring their company
to that of others. You ask me to be open don't blame me if
I am so. I condemn myself in all these things more than I
do you or anybody else. I don't for a moment imagine you
are wanting in affection you have given a proof you are not as
few have given I mean your faithfulness in writing [one?] too that
will never be forgotten but if spared to come home I hope
you will feel it as a home not a name but a reality. It
will not be long most likely that we will be together, some
of us may die and some may move to other places and soon all
will leave this busy world to enter a new state of being. I
should also think it better for you to return should you
prefer a situation in Belfast or Liverpool to remaining in
this town but of the [two?] I would say you would be sooner
settled in life by attending for a time also to business
here and there is money to be made by application, economy
and perseverance and I would also say a decent amount would
be settled here in one year by order and regularity; things
I am sadly deficient in.
If my father saw a round sum netted as the profit of
one years work, he is not the man to withold the recompence
to whom it would be due. As far as I know myself I have no
interest to serve, no selfish feeling to gratify but on this
sheet you have my heart and if spared I hope to change my
life and seek a new home though not tired of this one. At
present there is nothing of this kind on hand.
One request I would urge upon you and I hope you will
comply with it, that is to take your circumstances plainly
and fully. If you require anything for remaining and coming
it shall be sent you. I have felt more about you lately than
ever and would say again COME HOME. Be it ever so humble
there is no place like home. Dear Wm [William?] don't be
offended at anything I have written. I would rather suffer
myself than in the least pain your mind Oh! let us pray
more for one another and seek peace where alone it is to be
found in loving God. Write as soon as you receive this.
Love from all.
Your loving Brother,
John Montgomery.
