To: Mrs Wm [William?] Sharman Crawford
Crawfordsburn,
Bangor
County Down
Ireland
From: John S [Sharman?] Crawford
c/o Sherman and Gillelan,
Pearl Street,
New York
U.S.A.
November 9 1835
Nov 9th 1835
My Dr [Dear?] Mother
The letter which I wrote from on board
the Virginian would inform you of my having
arrived within sight of American ground _
this of my having landed we had [most?]
speedy voyage. Captain Harris has been
sailing this 7 years as Captain of [one?]
these ships and this is the best
passage he ever made we [win?] by [far?] the
sailors reckoning only 22 days as they do not
the day of sailing or arrival but by [-----?]
we were 23 days and 8 hours _ most fortunately
the party pulled very well together which is
by no means the case always therefore on the
whole I consider myself most fortunate _ there
are two or three of the passengers whom I wish
to introduce to you as they will be [not?]
[-------?] acquaintances for the time being _
first [Mr Laird Junior?] this gentleman
is a [glaseven?] merchant I rather think that
I will meet him either in [New ------?] or
Mobile which will be very pleasant for me Mr
[Tighe?] another passenger and Mr Riddell are
both at the Hotel the former has been in
America before and is completely [up?] to
everything he has been of the greatest service
to Riddell and in directing [as?] to what is
worth seeing and what is not Mr [Tighe?] is
from West Meath and knows every person in that
neihbourhood [neighbourhood?] Riddell is
connected with the first families in Scotland
#PAGE 2
and England he had letters of introduction to
Mr White who has been as civil to him as can
possibly be we left our cards at his home on
Wednesday he called us on Thursday took us
both to grand Ball at the house of a most
aristocratic lady introduced us to the
greatest Belles [--- ---?] the greatest
fortunes of the [house?] and invited us to
dine with him on the following day he gave us
a very handsome entertainment but you must be
content with only a [----?] summary of my
[proceedings?] as to say everything that I
could take up too much room _ I called on
Counsellor [Sampson?] he as my father
anticapated received me most cordially but I
am sorry to say that I am affraid [afraid?] he
is on his last legs _ Doctor Mack-vin [Mackevin?] who
called on me the instant he heard of my
arrival [fears?] Water on the chest but as yet
Mr Sampson does not know his danger he is
going to write to my father to ask him to
[transact?] some business with him and he
likewise will send a memoir of his life which
he published some years ago _ of course you
will wish to know what are my first
impressions with regard to New York and the
people first [then?] no one I think on his
landing cannot but be astonished at the extent
of the shipping the [hurry?] and bustle of
business going on Not an idler to be seen
any[where?] the Buildings all new in every
street houses building up and taking down the
small ones to make room for larger and new
acommodations [accommodations?] in short I am
greatly pleased with New York it is so
different from anything of the kind that I ever
saw before to give you an idea of the thriving
state of this city the census has just been
completed and in the past 5 years the
population has increased upwards of 50,000 the
[minutes I have ---- before &?]
[--------?] As to the people it is too soon to
give an opinion on them but I shall venture
one with respect to the Ladies But remember I
[formed?] my observations on the experience of
two Balls and may have reason to change it
more accurate acquaintance Well then they seem
#PAGE 3
to do everything for effect and to excite
admiration their [promenade --------?]
[----- ---?] they demand the most
obsequious attention from the Gentlemen which
they are fools enough to give and in fact the
Ladies think that since they allow the
Gentlemen to spend the whole day in
[--------?] house by themselves that
forsooth they must dance attendance on their
Highnesses all evening _ I am greatly amused
with the [candour?] of them one of them told
me that they could not have Public Balls for
all the [--------- attended?] and thrust
themselves into their partis [parties?] they
then asked us how we managed this in my
country in short I [perceive?] that although
[there?] are no tittles [titles?] nor will
allow there is any difference of rank between
the [Dissident?] and his [Jailor?] there is
as much Aristocratic feeeling [feeling?] and
nonsense as with us and it is the less
excusable here for they are in passion if we
tell them but with us we admit the charge and
act openly on it _ I intended to have said
everything in this [sheet?] But I find I must
put you to the expense of double postage, and
perhaps not have said everything that I might
have done _ one of my fellow passengers Mr
[Mills?] an American happened to mention the
name of Bryson and on speaking to him I found
it was my friend; Mr Mills the day after I
landed met Bryson and told of my arrival so
on Wednesday up came Mr Bryson to call upon
me and to take me to the polling places, the
Election for a Representative to Congress was
to close that evening the vacancy occurred in
consequence of the retirement of Mr White he
took me down to the sixth Ward which is
esentially [essentially?] Irish and I spent
some minutes very pleasantly looking at them
delivering the Ballots, and being examined
with regard to their identity but the fun was
attending the Meeting at the Hall at 8 o'clock
the [scene?] was-- [wasnt?] a [new sight?] to me,
but it was to Riddell whom I introduced
[there?]; I need not say more than I said to
Mr White that nothing could be more like the
#PAGE 4
closing [scene?] of a contested Election in
Ireland as far as noise, shouting [&c a?]
[-----?] the answer he gave me was it would
be very curious if there was not a strong
similtude as one half of the Gentlemen there
Irish born and one half of the remainder of
Irish parents Mr Bryson has immense influence
in New York at Elections, he is a downright
democrat acknowledges that it was a total and
complete separation he wanted at the time of
the Rebellion and will always do so _ he is
chairman of the nominating Committee he has
made his fortune, filled up his [tanholes?]
and has nothing to do but to appoint
Representatives to Congress. Mr White says he
would beat any other man if he chose to stand
but he has too much sense to do so as he is
not at all suited for a deliberate assembly _
But now it is time to say something of my
movements, I will remain here certainly for a
fortnight still then proceed to Philadelphia
and Baltimore and be at Washington the first
week in January _ for untill [until?] then,
they do not [enter?] on any important
business I shall be at no loss for the very
best letters of introduction to Old Hickory
as he is called [Van Buren?] who will be
the next president Webster, Clay, in fact I
have only to make a selection and I can have
as I wish __ you will direct my letters for
the [future?] to me to the care of Miss
Sherman & Gillelan Pearl St New
York they have kindly offered to do anything
for me in the way of money concerns or
anything else [--?] Miss Brown would also do
it but got well acquainted with Mr Gillelan
on my passsage [passage?], and as he
corresponds with the Belfast Merchants
direct, it will answer better _ these are my
arrangements for the present _ I cannot
except to hear often from home but if there
should any important circumstance take place
either in the political or domestic [state?]
let me know __ perhaps you will not hear
from me again from New York _ The packet
sails early tomorrow and is now bed time so
adieu my Dearest Mother
J C S C [John C Sharman Crawford?]
#PAGE 5
I expect that I will send you a small parcel
containing a map of the Country & Sampsons
Memoirs in about a fortnight the map is so
marked out that you will be able to trace my
progress
very accurately
