The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-04-10
From The Nep York Express.
A LETTER EROM MAJOR DOWNING.
WAsnINGroN, 2d April, A. d. ls39.

WASHINGTON, ID April, A. d. 1889.
To SQUIRE BIppLE: go, your letter ten me you
had quit the Bank, and intended IL you could pos
SHY 50 manage matters, 10 90 TO farming know
this his always hen yonr notion, and tht You would
do so as soon YOU all things clear ahead and
a maR who has ben ciphering so hard as you have
for over tweaty years for the public now think
has some right TO go and dig his own potatoes and
hoe his own corn, and take a little com ort in his
own way. But somehow feel SQUIRE n leetle
wambecropt, jist as did when the Ginera left and
went home 10 the Hermi age; and though You have
left in vour place as good man to manage the Bank
asthe Gineral has TO manage the Government hope
You will keep an eve on matters and things and
give as mrch OF your advice in matters you under
stand TO Mr. Dunlap and his Cabinet, as the Gineral
does To MIR. Van Buren, and his Cabnef. The TACT
is, You and rhe Ginera always thought was made
OF pretty much the sama kind Of arf and both on
you considerably overworked yourselves, tho the
Gineral got the best p7v.
fused 10 tell the Ginera-says l. Gineral, You
are TOO good naured BY half you moi only do Go
ve'nnent work, but you DIP into priuy much all
kind Of work that NJ other Pre- sdeht ever thought
on" and the laci is the Ginera did carry mailer,
so tar or let oher folks carry him far that there
was lew things going he was not mixed up with,
TIL II gni SO al last thai almost d Lady about
the country wouldn't sci hen wiihuut writing or
calling on the Ginrrdl TO ask him which was The
most LUCKY namber Il eggs to put in The neea II
eggs or IL eggs; and il almost wore him To skin and
bone believe you was the only man that was
able 10 outwork The Gnerai and if il hadn't ben
that you was ltle younger han he was, he'd made
loah-pick on yon s he did Of prty much all the
rest Of creation. But, as said before, am con-
siderable wambecrop al your leaving public life
Tor now that tho Giner i has gone Ia home and Won
too, leel somewhat cut out. Mir. Van Buren, don't
seem 10 want nv services M how and d N COM
plain Of 'hal-1 did cxpcct 10 gel a chance Down
Elst," bnt he selected GINra,t. SccTT-a man that
ourankd me all hollow, as he does pritiy much
every man nowadays. ..
Hswsever, Ginerai Scot did mt forget me and said
that ifihere was any fighting 10 b. done among the
ha i-rnst kno
M sur il in the face; and sat down and writ
letter m rk'd "eonfdent A." 10 The "2i Brigade"
and telld EN- 10 stand firm and cb'vno orders hnt
Gineral Scnr>-that 1t was National matter, and
he was National g6Fcer--and when he said "Shoul-
der h o." then 10 march and follow him 10 H,ulion
or HIhidr, or any other place beginning h Hi
he chose to lead; and In that way they would not
only nave faufetd, but would be sure Of a Vim
t'Ld," and that was more important.
In this matter Of fighting there i one thing al
ways keep my eye on, and found Gneral Scott in
The same way of thinking; and that is to depend less
on folks who say they are ready to shed Inc I.sT
DROP Of their blood" than on folks who are ready 10
shed The first drip. Give man Eight Dollars to
make speeches in Congress, with the right Of free
postage, and you hear ennf Of last drop matters:
but when II Comes 10 camp duty, and raw beef and
stale bread, and bagnet work. then the first drop"
folks have 10 stand the racket at 8 dollars month
Itelld Gineral Scot-says /, Gineral lsuppose you
would about as leave fight eat, for that is your
tur--but for my part, seeing how things are gittn
on remarkably smart all over the country, and the
spring Of the year, too, and the new Improvements
every day, and the green leaves and grass, and the
little children all sprontng. and the canals and rail-
roads about half made, and the cotton crops Jest
about beginning, and the banks all Jest getting into
specie payments, and every thing looking about
Shck--to say nothing about the steamboats, crossing
the Ocean every week--it does seem TO me that
war won't help matters no how"
know that Major" says he" War is great
calamity and there aim only sa,e hing worse, says
he Wha, is that2" says l. ."Nationa dishonor,n
saws he-Straitening up prit,y nigh like an Aroos-
TOOK pine Go ahead you crittur," says l. " and ii
ihere IS any chcpping 10 be done Down East let me
hho". wen, you see what he has done; and all
I've 60, 70 say about THUS ia is that when Won come
TO think that man nigh upon seven lee, bigb and
s'rai' as pean pole, and all grit from one eend 10
tother, IS willing TO work like HEAVIER n al n;nt.
Soum ana southwest, North and Mort ,eas and
Dorm Esa, 70 Keep an honorable peace and watching
like link TO see that the nations honor i M a il5
Il do think, tho war would give mo ys ,,.a
bic boost up in The world in military rank mr. n,o,
who keeps the peace Is according to the Good RnnL
entitled TO NessiHg-eSpecially If war is hi, rad
There is one thing think Mr.. Van Buren, do
sarves great credit for, and that is in commandnp
the saryiees OF such man ms Gineral Scott TO ma
mage all matters of this natnr; and there is only one
thing more think is wanting, and thai The People
are entitled to; and that is some one manage the
money matters Of the country as we'll go on the
principle that II a man does right in using the best
plough he can get on his farm and sowing the best
Rrdh-JeSt 50 President does right in calling into
ihe SarVice Oh the country the b talent the country
has-the People are entitled To it-and II parry
folks grumbe, they should take out in srumbliny
Look what Party has done already for some Yea r.
back" Scratch poushing and smutiy cropsn-but
enut Of this. wv