Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-06-23
MAJ DoWNING's CoRREsPo NDENCE
SENATE CHAMBER, }
Washington, 14th June, 1884. )
TO MAJ old friend Mr.. Dwight Of the NeD York
Daily !lduertiSer.

Washington, 14th june 1884,
TO MAJ old Jricad Mr.. Dwight Of the Neo York
Daily .ldpertiser
Ever since | got back here from New York
where went to duces tec~m some OF them Pet
banks as ! tefd you III my last letter, have
cot more than SO letters from different folks, all
Wantin to know when was coming out with
my "report." But you see it amt my way to
blab right out to all creation all the intorma-
ton cit, especially when it is plagy tough work
10 git it-you know tell'd you when was in
New York, that you mustn't be sharp set on
hearin any thing from me about the eXamina-
ton of the pet banks until | had telld the
Senate all know'd, and let them take it up
first as | am in their service now. When L
cot back here found the hull Senate busy with
the most office accounts. And their haint been
no room yet for me to wedge in my" Report
and don't see that there will be room yet Tor
rood spel-for as soon as the Senate got threw
the Post Office conSarnS, some on EN- turn'd
rite to and are going to look at the Land office,
and the Indian affairs, and the Contracts-and
the CuStum house business.
There is ugly work yet to Git threw, and If
the people only know'd as much a., DO, what
plagv tufT time some Of the Senators have in
trackin out this business, they'd think it warn't
an amazn easy Office to be in--ts bad enut to
track fox over q clean open field when the
dogs are all well train'd--but 10 follow him
threw all manner Of doubles and tWistinS and
briers and marshes, sometimes over rivers ana
creeks, and then agin crossin swamps and
stubble, and parcel Of dogs belongn to other
folks yelpin and barkin on wrong tracks, just to
lnislead the true noses, then tell you it is pla-
oy hard work But we have got some rale good
leaders now, and they have got their noses on
the RIGHT track, and tho they may be puzzled
spell they'll 90 on till the old fox is driv rite in
to his last hole; and if there is a brush left to
him they'll have it.
see the folks are good deal struck up about
the Pest Office business, it warlt nothn new to
to me, and l suppose to you mother; for in my
letter TO YOU Of 10th January last, you'll see
them accounts Of the Post Office made me split
up more than three and half cords of hicko-
~ one night, just tryin to straiten 'em tor the
GiDerai. The worst ont is, the Senate can't
find cut the hull matter; they can ony find what
EIhe Government can't hide, but there is a
GOOD dee, yet to be scratch'd up l don't like
to Guess about il; for that amt my natur; but as
far as car cali;late, you'll see afore long that
Ills Pcs Office business Amt nothin worth
tilirl:i. c., when you come TO see what plagy
nole f:glc3y and reform has made in some other
Offices.
-tel'd you NO or three times afore, in some
of 13y letters. the notion got in my head why
lie G;neIli was 50 keen, in gittin hold OF the
deposits out C Squire Biddle's Bank and siftn
:em round among & good many Banks, You
sec the Government" has been doin good
leal III the WCy Of Glory and reform, and
COCO MANY folks found that was the easiest road
to travel on; but the worst ont vas, Congress
couldn't make TO appropriation to pay for Clio
w. end Squire Bidole kept his accounts So snug
"IMe Go5ernmant' couldn't git dollar out of
lis Bark w::hcut the peoples KNOWN ont and
sc the ony W2y to cit at the chink, was TO set
folks 10 Wovii first yelpin like all natur agin
"ttc u2o1sier," and when they thought the peo-
ole Wou,G agree to it, slap-dash! THE Goper,a-
..seaatn went right at the Bank, and took the
nlony out ont and put it first in the pet Banks,
and then begun to hustle and shuttle it about
from one eend Of the country to the other; and
i cakate by this time q prtty considerable
share ont has gone to "Glory," and the rest
ont has gone along with some of the other lost
rights Of the States, that Mr. Van Buren, used
to tell about spell ago.
hear q good deal said here, but don't know
sartin yet, myself that there is rale trouble
among some folks about "The Government
and 'FYhe Government" ITSELF amt over and
above quiet. There is ony one way to Git the
General and his folks out OF the sCrape they |
have got in, and that is, for Congress to pass a
law right off, sayin, "Ihat no man shall be al !
lowed 10 figul up, or examine Into any account |
made out by "The Government" but take it all |
for inv and gospel, so long as the Gineral puts |
his name On one eend ont, and Amos Kindle |
puts hIo'N on totel; ana ii any man III or out, |
Of Congress should dare to snook into such ac-
counts, the Gneral should be allow'd to Try HIM |
under the Cd section.s
II the Senate had ben like tolheI house this |
session do rally believe some SIGH law would |
4 ben past, and evly thing now about "Thc |
would u ben as strait as beau |
pole. instead Of Dein all tur1'd upside down, a ID |
as crooked as a rams horn.
In your last letter 70 me you want to ,.row
low things are workin in the Cabinet, and how
things are goin to work. Well that's pretty hard !
+.lln--;lId don't believe any mortal can tell
,e. If wild b. rim to work ono way or toher prot-
y soon now; but which way, or what way, IS
hard to say, tho have my notion about it. 1t
was pretty much so once when va boy
vent out hucklcberryin, and not being very p4r-
ocular, suppose eat little too many on 'er1
ind afore got home was am4zin sick could
lust reach home and that was all.
My poor old mother was desperately fright
md, and she went right out and scrap'd some
elder bark to make tea ont, and / took a good
rink as hot as | could swallow it, but this only
made things worse. rolpd over one way, and
he tuinbled me back t'other way, md to rights
for Do - L.