Letter within a Journal Entry: April 25, 1842

Dear Patrick,

Hi, how is life back in Ireland? Margaret and I have just got off of the ship for almost three days now and have had a baby and he is a boy. We named him Michael after your father. I am sorry I wasn’t able to go to your father’s funeral, but we were homeless after we got kick off our land by the landlord. It is horrible that people in Ireland are not allowed to own land. The bloody English take over our land and rule it unfairly. I mean it wasn’t until 1828 that Daniel O’Connor or any other Irishman could sit in the English Parliament.

What is happening in Ireland? Is the famine over? Are the potatoes okay to eat now? I am missing Ireland so much. Maybe if everything is all right with the blight I might move back there. Anyway, how are you? I wish I could be there for you but Margaret wants to raise Michael in a land where he is not tortured for his Roman Catholic religion. She says that she doesn’t want him to suffer like we did, and I agree with her. Maybe, if we get enough money we can visit you sometime. I know that you were wondering how America is so the rest of the letter explains my situations and what America is like:

I am sorry to say that America is not that great. All of the stories of America that we heard in Ireland aren’t true. For example the streets aren’t paved with gold. And that is just bloody horrible because I left Ireland because of those stories. But at least I got away from those rotten potatoes. Unlike things you may have heard, finding work is very hard. For some reason, in several (places) there are no Irish policies. They tell me that I am not welcomed to apply for the certain job because, said one person, “ The Irish will ruin America”. Despite that obstacle I have found a job. I am a construction worker. I took the job for little pay because I was very desperate at the time. I work 12-hour shifts and am under harsh working conditions. Yesterday, Tom, a fellow worker, was killed. He was climbing to the top of the structure we were building, when suddenly it starts raining. He slipped off the structure and fell to the ground. His funeral is tomorrow; I am obliged to pay my respects for all of my fellow workers. There is a lot of racial prejudice in America. I think the natives are afraid that the Irish will take over America. But, by the way things are going for us, Irish, I doubt that we will even be able to stay in America. I am afraid that the Congress of America (It is kind of like the Parliament of Ireland) will kick all the Irish out of America. And I think this is possible, I mean how else can there be places where the Irish are not allowed to work or stay at, and this country’s main document is the Constitution, which in its first line says that all men are created equal. Also people are calling me names that the bloody English used to call us in Ireland. One man called me a stupid mick, and another called me a cheap patty. Why are people so rude? I mean I treat them nicely and I never call anyone racial names.

Even though I am educated, I cannot go to school because school costs money, which I don’t have, and also I need to use all the money that I get from my job to support my family. Hopefully, when little Michael grows up,

he will be able to go to school and get a high paying job. But, there are some good things about America. I own my own apartment (small room) and I am allowed to practice my own religion freely. Also, there is plenty of food here, so I never starve, unless I am out of money for the week. I would love to see you again. Please respond to this letter immediately. I wish to hear how everyone is doing. Also, please tell everyone that I am okay. I miss you a lot.

Your Best Friend,

Thomas O’Connor