Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1833-11-09
THE DOWNlNGS.

THE DOWNlNGS.
The celebrity of major Jack Down
ing has created AN intcnse and very
curiosity In the pubic mind,
to Know something OF has origin aud
ancestry. Hoping that some oi the
downeast ant,quaraes anu geneaiOgists,
will favor the world with the iniorma-
ton dcsireu, submit to your disposal
the following imperfect notice Of Sir.
George DUwAAns, one Vi the MAJORS
which 1 have drawn from AN
lntei estlng ana Learned work now in a
OF puolieatioC, in Dumbers,
s..Memorlai Of the Graduates
OF Harvard University, la Cambridge,
Mass; commencing with the hsst
class, ll41;by john r armer, Cor. Sec.
OF the ". al. hist. Society,"
George downing was born in Lon
don in l624, aud accompanied lis
parents to tins country when a oat ,iais-
teen years OF age. Ais fatner, Eman-
ual downing, was great friend OF n.
aud brotber-in-law Of john
Winthrop, one ofthe principal iounders
and first governor Of Massachusetts.
George received his education at iias-
var. College. About 1916 he returned
to England, when he was soon brought
Into notice, being, as Gov. Winthrop
says, ''ayery able scholar, and OF ready
vt and fluent Ltterance." ne was
appointed Chaplain in the regiment
of Col. John Jkey /, IL the army OF Lord
Fairfax, vino had Command Of the
forces in the north. In
1853 he was cornmissary general, and
about the same time scout master ges-
eral, Of the English army in Scotland.
In the same year he was employed in
with the Duke Of Savoy.
He seems to have been fitted BY nature
for scenes of political manuOevering;
and his principles we're ofsuch flexible
that ne could easily accom-
nsodate them to any service which the
times required.
In 1856 he visited the French king
on public business, and communicated
his instructions in Latin. In 1857 he
was appointed minister to Holland.
In March, 1862, while in that country,
in order to show his zeal and love for
his majesty, he procured the arrest Of
John Okey, Miles Corbet, and John
Barkstead, three Of the Judges who
had condemned to death Charles l.,
and sent Them 10 England for trial.
Okey had been the friend of downing,
who served in his regiment as Chaplain.
With the other two he had cosperated
ia the cause of the parliament. His
conduct, therefore, in this transaction.
was justly reprobated.
He also spoke Of Cromwell as a trail
tor and rebel. In 1868, he was
created a baronct. He informed
Peby =, that when in Holland. @Hel
had so good spies, that he hath had
the keys taken out OF DR.. Wits (the
Dutch ministeD pocket when he was,
abed, and his closet opened and papers
to him and left in his hands
for an hour, and carried back and laid
in the place again. and the keys put
into his pocket. He says he hath had
their most private debates, that have
been between but two o. three Of them,
brought to him, and IN an hour after,
that hath sent word thereof to the
King" In 1911 be was again cent to-
Holland, but returning before he had
the business u his mission tol
The Subtraction Of the king, Wa i'm
prlsoDed IN the tower. He vas alter
yards restored to royal favor. In diff
licslties in which the New England
colonies bad with Charles III. from