Digital History

Author:   Henry Colman
Date:1846

Annotation: Colman, an American Unitarian minister, visited Ireland in 1849.

Document: London, 18 Sept. 1846 Luther Tucker Esq.

My dear Sir, I have been some time intending for myself this pleasure but there is everything to be found in this great city excepting time; and of that, of those who have anything to do, I don't know who has a supply. . . The great political ( ) matters on this side of the water must be of immense importance to the United States. There will be a quick demand for all the produce, which is likely to come. The best informed and the most judicious and sagacious men are not without alarm for a very serious scarcity of food. The utter failure of the potato cropin Ireland is determined and the consequences are frightful to contemplate. It is quite general here; and I hope the alarm in regard to the disease among the turnips in the North is premature. The crops of oats and barley are now large -- wheat is more than average; but there will be no surplus, and there is anticipated a very large demand for breadstuffs upon the Continent. Thank God there is now peace between the two countries and that instead of cutting each other's throats they now propose to employ their natural energies much more wisely, in covering each other's backs and filling each other's stomachs. . . My dear Sir, I shall be most truly happy once more to have the pleasure of shaking you by the hand. I beg you to present my respects to our ( ), Mr. Bennett and Mrs. O'Reilly.

I am with sincere regards, Yours truly, Henry Colman.