Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-02-07
MAJOR DOWNING'S LETTERS.

MAJOR DOWNING'S LETTERS.
TThe Harpers have in press, and nearly rea-
dy for publication, volume containing all the
Letters Of the gallant Major. The work is on
y delayed by the engravers, who have not yet
completed the illustrations which are to accom-
pany the volume The last letter received from
the Major by the Editor ofthe New York Daily
Advertiser, appears not to be given entire. The
following extracts from it, however, will proba-
bly, be read with interest
MAJ. DOWNING'S CORRESPONDENCE.
To ma old friend Mr. Dwight of the Ne1o- York
Daily ADVERTISER.
WASHINGTON, January 81, 1884.
| and the Gneral have had good many
talks about Nckremancy and financy ever
since show'd him that game of Mr.. Van Bu-
ren's with the cups and balls; and every day
after breakfast, we talk and practice SPELL
The Gineral will say, come Major now let's
suppose this here cup is SIGH Bank, and this
lump Of Sugar is the deposit in that; and then
SIGH cup is SIGH a Bank, and that are sasser is
SIGH a Bank; and so we 60 on, till we turn bot
tom up all the cups and all the sassers on the
Table, and take nigh upon half the Jumps of SUI
Gar out of the Sugar dish; and then we go to
moving and sliding, and playing hocus pocus,
and the Gineral gifts so tickled att (now he is
gittn to know the game,) that am peskily a
feard he'll forgt there is danger in it, and Mr..
Van Buren, has been tellin him " the Govern
ment" can't hold together no way unless this
game is kept up:
The news Of the great meetin at Tammany
Hall has jist got here by express; and honest
Amos, and Mr.. Van Buren,, and hull raft Of
our folks come right in, enymost out of breath,
to talk aboutsthe "glory" ONT to the Gineral;
and they tell the Gineral that if ony one hun
dred folks go to that are Hall, there, there is
more dependence to be put in their resolutions,
than in any other resolutions, no matter if all
the rest of that big city agree to 'em. The Gin
eral cannot contradict this, because, as he says,
Mr. Van Buren, knows more about York State
than all the rest Of creation. | was tellin the
Gineral what Zekel BigelOw lld me, in his let
ter about the vote of the Legislator of York
State, consarnin the Bank-that the last election
in York State was no guide on this matter-that
the Clay Party, and the whole opposition party
to us, didn't do nothin, but kept saying among
themselves, give 'em rope,"" make no oppo-
sition," and in many places we had it all our
own way; and that the ony fightin was among
our own folks; and in some places, we come
pagy nigh beatn ourselves. But II the cleo
ton was to go over now, the people Wouidht
elect critur in that state who voted in favor of
the resolutions The Gineral says he don't be-
leve it; and that Zeke is wrong; and that Mr.
Wright in the Senate, says as much-and you
cant make fright ovrong, Major" says the Gin
eral, (the Gineral is plagy witty sometimes,)
well says Gineral, what do you think of them
memorials and petitions comm on here from
New York? There is names enuf there, says l,
to carry any election agin us. Yes says the
Gineral, there is good many on EN- sure enuf
but Mr.. Van Buren, says that one rale Tamma-
ny man is worth thousand on EN-; and he has
written on to git up petition in old Tammany;
and then you'll see Major how the cat will Jump
Our folks there have got somethin to lose, if they
don't work sharp The opposition folks haven't
got no offices to lose, and they know they
haint got no chance for any vacancies when
there is any. Now our folks have-and that
makes em pretty keen.
Well, says l. there is somethin in that, Cine
ral--but, says |, suppose meetin Of mechanics
and land holders, merchants and traders, and
all kind of folks who don't git their Twin out of
offices, but work for it in trades of all kinds,
and who have families to support-folks who
love the laws, and say they must be executed
suppose, says |, they call meetin in New
Y DIRK, and instead of meetn at night in tav-
ern all lighted up, and with picters at the win
dows should all come together at MONDAY in
the Park there is front OF the City Hall, where
[ and YOU shook hands with so many folks last
summer and should pass resolutions, ten us
they BELIEVED we was wrong in having any thing
to do with taking the public money-that it be-
ongd to Congress only to manage such things
for then--and that it was owing to this that con-
idence and credit is destroyed, and they are
then says? Well says the Gil
1era until the people do that it amt my fault
Major in believing that they think we are doin
ust right. But, says l, suppose they do, and
high upon all the city goes there? Then Ma
or says the Ginera reckon it would stump
ls-but suppose if we call in Mr.. Van Buren,
lie can show us with the cups and balls how to
LAY them. We'll, says |, he may; butt guess it
would stump him too trihe.
The Major goes on to show the Gineral the
ature and bearing of the great question and