Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1833-12-12
WHOLE NO. t93.
MAJOR JACK DOWNING.

ference between common "specs," and magi-
cal glasses showing by plain matters Of fact.
how much difficult it is 10 see thro the lat
ter, than il is the former.
WAsHisGToN, 80 Nov. 1888.
To my old friend MIR. Dwight Of tho
New-York Daily Advertiser who prints
non bu, my own rale genwine letters:--
/ The last letter writ you ieIpd you a.
bout the hunt we had arter the Ginerals
specks, and when we found EN- they was
all stomp'd TO bits IN his boot. The Gin
cral and all on us have been in trouble
ever since about it, for they was given to
him by Mr.. Van Buren the very day Mr..
Van Bdren came to inc him at Wash
inston as Secretary OF State, and he tel
I'D the Ginerai never to let no body han
die them are specks but himself, and that
when they got out of order, never to let
no body mend EN- but himself And do
you know SO particular was the Gineral,
that when MIR. Van Buren, was absent. I
have known him to send them specks
! clean to England for Mr.. Van Buren, to
fix EN- for him; for they had dozen lit
tie screws and springs to EN-, that some
times would get out Of order, and when
!, that was the case, you couldn't see no
more threw EN- than you could through
! Mr.. Van Buren, himself AS soon then
as we found EN- all broke to bits, as /
tell'd you in my las. letter, the Gineral
was in the greatest trouble ever see;
end he wrote right of to Mr.. Van Buren,
about it, and sent the letter by express
clear to Albany, where Mr.. Van Buren,
was; and until that express got back agin,
the Gincral could do nothing with busi-
: ness. He was as bad off as an owl in
the sun shine. So to rights the express
got back, and brought letter from MIR.
Van Buren,, and new pair of specks-
Just like the old ones (alore they was
broken there want mite ofdffersnee.
i He put EN- on, and he looked as natu-
d raj agn in EN- as ever. "Aha" says
: he, "Major, these are the specs after
all" "Tis strange" says he, 81 can't
= see things with Gov. Cass's specs, nor
Gov. Woodberry's, nor any body's, as
well as can with these, for they arc
jest like the pair broke; and then he
read Mr. Van Bwen's letter. "See here
!, now, Major" says the Gineral, chow
kind it is in Mr.. Van Buren to caution
h me, agin and agin, not to touch the
e screws; and do you know" says the
- Gineral, 'that ever since l have had
8 Mr. Van Buren with me that whenever
l. we come to read over any long state
I, ment about politics and who to appint, or
n what to do with the bank, or any thing
le that required sharp looking into, he would
oil always first examine my specs, and take
s, EN- off to the window, or to corner with
- a light, and see that all was right, and
-. koc
to me, for as he says land he is knowiiA
IT. critur) that unless l can see well into
&c, every thing, best see nothing.n
A kinder notion then Jest began to git
in my head that i couldn't scratch ou,
- all could do. And says ], General, ]
would like now peskily to examine thos.
specs; for if Mr.. Van Buren has not go
a patent for 'em (and seein he is Vice
President and don't need one) think O
Citing one myself" "Well," says tn.
- Gineral, 81 never like to refuse you moth
in; but Mr.. Van Buren made me prom
o, Use never to let nobody examine into 'em
eay ay and especially you; for" says he, "Ma
10Th 9th jor do you know that Mr.. Van Buren ha
ing notion you know good deal Sou
for contrvances, and that il is the nature O
etc; your people Down East; and il might b,
'e' he intends TO git a patent himself 70
to these very specs; and if So, he ought 4
have it, for he says thev are jest as mucl
his inrention as your letters are yourn.
WE'LL" says |, "its no matter" But
got kink in me to examine them ar
specs; and couldn't sleep, nor eat, nc
drink, till got hold on 'em. So on
night, when ] and tho Gineral had bee
readin over the Message, and it was a
finished and complete, he put his nam
to it; "and now" says he, "Major, d
you attend to the printin ont, and git a
bout 100 copies ont to send to our folk
who are distant, so they can git It a
soon and little afore the opposition folk
can send it express, (alter it is delivere
to Congress- and so he went to be.
for he was emmy most beat out. Now
2 thinks |, for a try at them spccks-for
was all the while thinkin on'em; and IN
',hy- public work couldn't 60 on without ZEN
ngs And so | snook'd 'em out, and clap
D" them on-the Gneral all the while sno
o. in like Northwestern.
. As soon as took up the Messag,
and look'd at it, ] couldn't make he a
AX, nor tail ont IL seem'd to me list, &
that all the world, like one of them show bo,
ana cs--all the letters and 6gers was "
''e in round and round, and look'd all III
n while like some of them crouds we sc
- last Summer on the grand to,cer, throw
ycnt up hats, and cryin buzza for the Gen,
rint- raj, and Major Downing, and MIR. va
fcc. Buren,; and then, agin, therswas gre