SYME, John re Charles BROWN

National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 1011

Pittenncrieff by Dunfermline NB

7^th October 1819

Sir,

I take the liberty of troubling you in behalf of Mr. Charles BROWN who is near to 60 years of age and has a wife, a daughter about 16 years and four sons the eldest 14 and the youngest 8 years old. Mr. BROWN was bred a farmer and in the early part of his life was a good deal employed in rearing black cattle and sheep. Latterly he turned his mind mostly to arable farms in which line he was very successful but unluckily when the rage for farming was at the highest in the country he took the lease of a considerable farm in Stirlingshire upon which in the way of improvements he expended his whole capital and in that situation when the fall in prices took place he found himself unable to pay his rent and his landlord not having the same feelings with most other proprietors upon that occasion refused either to give a reduction of rent or to allow time for payment of part of it till Mr. BROWN should get the benefit of his improvements, and in that way he and his family were reduced to a different state from that in which they had been accustomed to live. And now in consequence of the resolution of Parliament to establish a colony at the Cape of Good Hope he would be disposed to remove with his family to that quarter and perhaps could get a carpenter & a smith to accompany him. He wished to have got a Doctor currently Professor of Agriculture in the University of Edinburgh to write a letter of introduction but during the vacation he is seldom at home. I therefore use the freedom to mention the matter to you and when the Doctor returns you may rest assured a more favourable account will be procured of Mr. BROWN's qualifications than I can possibly give. I can however have no hesitation in recommending him & his family as a sober industrious and respectable sort of people and in saying that they [obscured] to others to deposit the respective sums required from emigrants. May I therefore beg the favour of you to let me know at what time it is proposed they shall leave this country and to inform me as to such other particulars as may be useful in enabling them to prepare for their departure. I may perhaps have troubled you improperly but in that case I trust you will excuse me & be so good as to forward this letter to the proper office.

I have the honor to be with great respect Sir

Your most obed't & faithful humble serv't

John SYME

National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 1038

Pittenncrieff by Dunfermline NB

20 October 1819

Sir,

I had yesterday the honor of your letter of the 16^th inst which I have communicated to Mr. BROWN who must of course give up thoughts of leaving this country with his family this season but as he has no prospect of getting into any employment here he has still a desire to emigrate and he would prefer going to the Cape of Good Hope under the protection of Government to any other settlement. May I therefore use the freedom to ask the favour of you to give directions for his being placed upon the list of applicants for next season so that he may then be certain of having himself & his family included among the people who will then probably be sent out, and as soon as Dr CO[obscured] Professor of Agriculture in the University of Edinburgh returns home or at any other time that it shall be required he will get from him a certificate as to his character & ability as a farmer as I took the liberty to mention in the letter which I formerly troubled you with.

I have the honor to be with great respect Sir

Your most obed't & faithful humble serv't

John SYME