Full text of Letter

Contents of Letter in English
Cobourg 26 Sept 1832

My dear Cleary,
     Your esteemed letter of the 16th May last I received a few days since; I assure you it gave us and all your friends here much pleasure to hear of your comfort and happiness in a far distant land being fully conscious that when your country requires your services you will always be ready to resign home , happiness and comfort to support her glorious cause.
     You know I am an uncompromising Tory, and as I know you were, and that you can never change your sentiments in regard to our common country. I need not make any remark as to what is our duty, being fully satisfied that you never have, nor never will, lose sight of it.
     I took measures immediately on the receipt of your letter, for disposing of your Delhi property. And regret that I did not receive your letter a week earlier, as there was an English family here in search of a purchase which I think Delhi would have suited. – he had a few days before moved to the westward – I do not doubt but that I shall, if not this season now nearly closed, in course of next season meet with a purchase at a fair price, in the mean time I have taken measures to secure back the reserve which was sold at Sheriff’s Sale as a chattel, it was purchased by Campbell & myself, we have applied to the corporation of King’s College to purchase the right of soil, which the Bursar answered will be complied with as soon as their Surveyor shall report the price or valuation he has put on said lot. I fear that he may value it very high. But as it is of the greatest consequence to the rest of your property, the retaining of the reserve, I should think it advisable to sacrifice something to keep the estate enteri [entire].
     We have had a very large emigration this season, but the dreadful effects of the Cholera, has nearly paralized every thing - happily the dreadful scourge has nearly subsided at Quebec & Montreal - in Upper Canada there has not been but very few cases for this last month - we have been most fortunate in Cobourg, having lost only one of our inhabitants by the pestilence up to the present time; altho' the Steamers run daily landings at out hospital, patients in every stage of the disease most of whom died - Kingston & York (now Toronto) suffered much, but few of the respectable part of the community were victims.
     I can give you no information as to Fraser, I heard some time ago that he put the allowance he received for his commission into the concern of his brother in law DuPont & Co. – and from what I have heard of them, I have little hope that this step will better his condition. – I received two letters from Fraser since he went to Quebec, both of which were couched in such extraordinary terms, that I did not condescend to answer either of them – which of course puts an end to all communication between us; when a man departs from what I conceive the direct path of rectitude & honor, I do not desire his acquaintance any longer. It is a matter of some comfort to you, that Campbell & myself took the precaution to make him redeed the Delhi property to us for your use, otherwise now that he is in the hand of Philistines, much trouble and … might have been thrown in the way, in the event of making sale. He has now no clam whatever, and I have no hope that you can ever recover a single shilling of the interest due to you on the mortgage. – in the event of making Sale I shall immediately remit to your agent in London such part as we can get pain down, & the residue periodically as they fall due, - it will be necessary to give a long credit on the principal part for the purchase money, in order to secure a good price, which will suit your views to receive interest, probably better than principal - of this however, I shall keep in mind that you have suffered some inconvenience by the failure of McDonald & Co. and that a proportion(?) of the purchase money down will be acceptable – rely upon me that every thing that can be done to your interest shall be most scroupulosly [sic] attended to and of every movement I shall give you immediate information – I was much mortified to find on application at the Star Office to alter the route of your paper, that not a single number had been forwarded, in consequence of the person to whom I gave the order, having mislaid it – I have taken care to see that the papers for the last 2 weeks have been duly housed(?) in the Post Office addressed to care of Mr. Champion Guernsey, which I hope you will receive in due course.
     I trust that this will be delivered to you by our mutual friend Mr. David Rusiken(?), he poor fellow, visits England and France for the benefit of his health, and I sincerely trust the change may have the desired effect. – of our thing I am quite sure that he will willingly travel 100 miles out of his way to see you – I refer him to you for all domestic information, which he has it in his power to afford you a great deal of; he spent a week with us a short time since.
     All your friends named in your letter are living & well – Connery Webster is still inclined to the bottle, he lives in Monaghan and has an excellent farm. The other lives at Peterboro with Dr. Hutchinson – Alexander McConnell is still Governor of Peterboro he is in excellent health – I hope I shall hear from you frequently – Mrs. Bethune unites with me in kindest regards

I remain, My dear Sir, Yours very truly
J. G. Bethune

R.G. Cleary, Esq.

Offered by Berryhill & Sturgeon, Ltd.