John Taylor, Pennsylvania to Robert Taylor, Shanrod

		[John has moved to Pittsburgh;]

[Stamped]
PITTSBURG PA
SEP 4

[Stamped]
NEW YORK
SEP 7

[Stamped]
4M
SE29
38

[Stamped]
[DROMORE?]
SE 29
1838

[Printed]
PAID


[Page 1]

                       Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
                    September 3rd 1838

Dear Brother,
                         James Gracy and his brother
informed me the other day that they had just recd
[received?] a letter from home by the hand of a Miss 
Stewart of Kernew wherein my mother expressed great anxiety 
to hear from me and in obedience to her desire as 
well as to the promptings of filial affection, to sit down
to inform you all that myself and family are all well and well 
pleased with our residence in this place altho [although?]
I am not just now in a very good way of making money;  but the 
prospects before me are both encouraging and fair. I wrote you 
from this place about the 1st April last by a young man named 
Dalzell going to the vicinity of McBrides in Mollysland, which 
letter I suppose you have recvd [received?] as we have heard of 
his arrival at home. In it I gave you a hasty sketch of the 
causes that brought me to this part of the country. Since then 
I was offered my old situation at Washington but refused to take 
it. I greatly prefer living in the west and it will ever be a 
source of deep regret to me that I did not come here long ago. 
Had I done so my circumstances would have very different from 
what they now are. It is bad philosophy, however, to regret that 
which regretting will not restore.

[Page 2]
There has been great stagnation to every kind of business in 
this country for eighteen months past owing to a general 
suspension of specie payments on the past of our Banks which 
occasioned innumerable failures with a loss of confidence and 
credit in the manufacturing and mercantile communities. Within 
a month past the Banks have generally resumed paying specie and 
confidence and credit are returning but it will be sometime yet 
before business of every kind becomes as brisk as before the 
suspension.
Our neighbours the Canadians have been revolting against the 
mother government which has created much excitement in that 
quarter. Their plans of revolt were badly concerted and easily 
as they have been effectually suppressed. A number of those 
engaged (among whom I have several intimate friends and 
acquaintances) have been tried for treason, a few have been 
executed and the others banished from the provinces. There is 
still much dissatisfaction there but the mild and human policy 
of Lord Durham the new Governor General is fast allaying it. 
The day however is not far distant when all European authority 
on the Continent of America will be totally extinguished. 
Altho [although?] some of our citizens on the borders have 
taken an active part in the revolt, yet there is nothing likely 
to grow out of it that will involve the Government of United 
States of America in any difficulty with that of Great Britain. 
You will have heard I presume before this reaches of the death 
of our old friend and neighbour John Watt. He met with an accident 
on his way from Philadelphia to this city which resulted in his 
death last June. I sent 

[Page 3]
you a newspaper or two containing the particulars, which I 
drew up and had published and which I hope you receive.
His wife, her sister and brothers are still here and well. A
family named Adams from the neighbourhood of Teagues Fort
and a young man named Stevenson from Kates Bridge arrived
here a week or two ago from whom I got very satisfactory
accounts of the neighbourhood, but neither  of them had 
any personal knowledge of you. Our old neighbours that 
live here are all well, I see many of them every day, but have 
room to mention only a few. James and Saml [Samuel?] Gracy, 
John Cairns of Kernew, James Flanagan, the Ratcliffs, Hugh 
McPoland Arthur Gallagher, Wm [William?] and James McNett, 
John Martin my old shipmate, John and Alexander Bell from near 
Dromore, John Porter &c &c I had a letter from Nathaniels son 
John a short time ago, they were all well when he wrote and 
John and Robert are good boys and said to be very good to their 
mother. When you see James Brown give my respects to him and tell 
him I would be glad to get a letter from him. Tell him too we are 
in the midst of a great election campaign for Governor in this 
state and that our candidate who will certainly be elected is 
a brother of my old friend Gen [General?] Porter of Lancaster 
he knew and who is dead [nine?] years ago. In the newspapers 
I sent, you will see my name connected with some of the meetings 
held in this city. My good kind and dear mother is getting old and 
cannot in the course of nature expect to survive long. Remember
me most affectionately to her and invoke her last blessings on her
absent and unworthy son. Remember me also to Nancy, Susanna
and all your children & believe me your affectionate brother
Mr Robt [Robert?] Taylor
                                          John Taylor

[Written on left side of last page]
Write to me soon and direct your letter simply to me at this place.
Give my respects to such of my old neighbors as still remember
and enquire after me.