Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 37.djvu/77

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McLoughlin Letters, 1827–49
61

and I do not regret the sum if he makes a Good use of it though it is not what a man spends which makes him Respectable It is his conduct and capacity that must do it. But if he acts otherwise than he ought and forgets what he owes to his friends to himslf and to me he is not to have one penny if he will not act as I wish and he ought he must support himself I have not the means to support an Idler and if I had I would not do it. I Respect myself too much to Labour for a person who does not Respect himself this as you may suppose is a subject on which I feel deeply and therefore I have been insensibly led to dwell on it longer than I intended when I began and I will conclude by praying that the Almight may in his infinite Mercy touch his heart and lead him to the paths of Virtue and Religion and what will afford him happiness and Honor in this World and in the World to come. . . . Believe me to be My Dear Cousin

Yours Truly

John McLoughlin


DR. JOHN MCLOUGHLIN TO DR. SIMON FRASER

Fort Vancouver 4th Feby 1837

My Dear Sir

I have before me your Esteemed favour of the 19th April last and I presume I need not say that it is impossible for me to express how much I am Disappointed and Grieved at the account that you and others of my Correspondents give me of John. You say you do not know how he supported himself last Winter it appears Mr Moffatt paid him on my Account

8th Dec 1835
£25.
5th April 1836 paid J McL order to J Murphy
14. 19. 3
13""""Watson & Black
30. 12. 6
14""""J Orr
9. 33
27""""to purchase Hat & Boots
5.

£84. 14. 9

which is spending freely for a man who is Dependent on an other and is proof of his Want of pride and Respect for himself as certainly if he had any when such Excellent oppertunities have been afforded him and so much Money spent on his Education he would feel so much ashamed to find himself yet unable to earn his own livelihood and to be obliged to Depend for his support on the Labour of an other that he would not if possible shew himself before those who knew this Untill he had by his