Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1834-01-16
MAJOR DowNING's CORRESPONDENTS
wAsHIsGToS, 9th Dec. 1893.
To my old find Mr. D,eieM Of tie Neic
York Daiiy .4dreTtssr

y
My last letter to you tell'd you oil
that trouble the Gineral got in about the
buttons, and if it hadn't ben for me
he'd ben in a pretty scrape with that
Tailor.-The Gineral haint forgot that
yet, nor wont SO long as he wears but
tons.
You know I've ben telin you along,
about my fears of mony troubles
well it's bad enuf-and is goin to be
worse yet or | know nothin. And the
Glneral is beginnin TO think so too.
All our folks about us here don't feel
it for they all have got fat ofiices-but
| know the people feel it who haint got
fat oificcs--and until they speak up,
things will 60 worse and worse--every
letter git now is full Of trouble ana
distress--and tcll'd the Gineral 10th.
or day, says Gineral, We must look
into this matter now | tell you-why,
says he, Major, the Government amt
to blane--every man about me says
it amt his fault. Well, says !, some
one did it Pm certin---things went
smooth enough, says /, till we got to
dablin and medlin in money matters
and the Bank, and now its all heads
and pints, and when we say i, amt our
fault, says |, it's pretty much like a
man putin long pole over a fence on
a swiyel-and after pullin one end
round with a jerk if he knocks over
dozen folks with the other end say it
amt his fault-now it's pretty much
list SO with the Bank, says |, and if
you can't sec it, all | can say is can.
Well, major, says the Gineral, some
thing must be done any how, for |
begin to think that politics and money
matters don't always work together.
I'll call all our folks together, says the
and we'll have full Cabinet
and look into this matter, and do you
Major prepare yourself, for Pm goin
to turn over u new leaf, that Pm deter
mined on; and with that he issued or.
ders for every man to be at the Cabinet
Chamber the next day just after break
fast--and went to work putin down
all my notions IN writing, for | expect
ed rough time, and a pretty sharp
set Of fellows to beat ofl.-and thinks
as it is the fashion now.a- days to read
papers to the Cabinet, I'll give 'em one
that will be worth reading, and guess
it will be the last one that the Senate
will ask an official copy of in one
while. 1t took nigh upon all night to
write it out--and | sprung to it, for
think the time is come to let some folks
see they haint got green horn to out
wit when they try me.
And SO the Gineral had EN- all up in
the Cabinet Chamber yesterday, and
such an overhawlin | never see--I sat
all the while with one foot on the table,
within piece of shingle, and the Gin
eral was walking round among 'em,
tellin about the troubles in money all
about the country, and asking how we
are to git out Of the scrape--l kept an
eye on most all on 'em, and both ears
on pritty much the hull OMEN, and
such winzin and tangle | never see
since the day all Downingville cum
over TO the Jackson side, and that was
jist alter his election-They thought
was detarmin'd the first to go off to
say nothn-And to rights | heard one
chap just behind me tell the Gineral
"there was one Major in the Cabinet
who made pretty much all the trouble,
and that he was writin letters that
went all the while agin the rest on 'em,
and if it warn't for him they could
make the people believe just what they
wanted-that it was his fault, that the
Cabinet was obliged to shift their
ground about the Bank, and cross
tracks every day. If it hadn't been
for him the deposites would have been
removed because there warn't no "Safe-
ty Fund" in the Bank, and the PEG.
pie been contented-and if it warn't
for him the Government could now
make the people believe that Biddle
was the sole cause of their being no
money now a days." and so on. Jest
stopped within a mint and cast my
eye over my left shoulder, and the fel.
low dodg'd behind the Gineral in a
flash, and when look'd round the
ring | found pretty much the hull on
'em looking at me, and there warn't a
word said-And 10 rights, the Gineral,
he walk'd up TO me and stop'd right in
front, and look'd me strait in the face,
says he, Major, you've heard all that
is said-and | should like to know
what you have to say in reply, no man
shall leave this room says the Gineral'
till this trouble is clear'd up. "Major, -
says the Gineral, land his lips began
to quiver) | tell you Major, says he,
il would take a good many men to
convince mo that vngt ainf what | have