1-268 (Original)

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My Dear Wife, I take the favourable Opportunity of writing these few lines to you hoping they will find you and Family in as good health as I am at present. Thanks be to god for it. I would have written to you Before now but I was not in a Settled way of doing so. My Dear Wife we sailed from the Cove of Cork on the 11th of May 1823 and dropped anchor in Sydney Harbour on September 2nd 1825 and we had a very favourable passage thanks be to god. I was never sick on the voyage. My Dear wife I have sent a petition for you home signed by the Governor and the Priest of this colony to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland which I hope you will get yourself in readiness and the said petition is directed to Richard Cox Bowden and Parson McShane and the Parish Priest the Revd. Father Darcy which I hope they will do everything in their power for you to get out to this Colony my dear Wife you will go to Mr. Bowden Esq. and tell my aunt to go along with you and tell him that I expect that his Honour will be so good as to get a mitigation of my sentence as I know that he can do it if he wishes as I have no other gentlemen to depend on but him as it is a poor thing to be a lifer in this colony. He can't have his liberty till he served eight years to Government and a seven years man four years before he can do anything for himself. Therefore I expect his Honour will take it in consideration. 
Therefore my dear wife I expect you will be not in any ways daunted in coming to this country for I assure you if you were in this colony we were never happier at home than you would be here as for the passage you need think nothing of it from the first week and I expect as I can't go to you that nothing will keep you from me. 
My dear wife you will get your eldest son from the trade as it is a very bad trade in this country and now my dear wife get yourself and your family in readiness and take very good care of them on the voyage and if it be as that your eldest son is not let out along with you leave the second son along with him in the Depot and they will be in Company and together which Mr. Murphy will direct you to do everything that is necessary. Give my best love to my mother and let her know that I am very well and that I hope that I will never die till I see her again. Tell Charles McCarthy that his son has left the place that he was in and removed to Parramata 15 miles from Sydney and is very well in health and I sent him the two letters because that I could not go myself I live a government servant to Messrs. Berry and Wollstonecraft the two best masters in this colony living within thirty yards of the warf where you are to land in. If you have an opportunity of writing to me before you come out write three letters and if you can send them out by hand if not direct your letter to the Reverend Father Terry and another to Mr. Connor Debity Superintendant of Government Barracks and another to Messrs. Berry and Wollstonecraft Esqrs tell my dear mother that I am very well and that I can live as well here as people at home that assumes £100 rent. As for diet I have the best. Remember me to all enquiring friends
PS.... when you come ashore go to the priest and he will direct you where to go if you were here with me I could get £50 per year and £25 for Jonny from any gentleman.
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