The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-07-18
CORRESPONDENCE e OF THE PILOT.
SARGENT JOEL DOWNING TO GEN.
JACKSON.


DowNINGvlLLE, away down east in the State
of Maine, July, 1910.
DEAR GINERAL:-
In respect of your letter, dated at the Hermit
age, 23d of June, and sent to the editor of the
Nashville Union, think down along here it's
all working 'tother way from what you meant
it; and it seems to me our cause and Mr.. Van
Buren's is getting along about as fast as a crab
would run, and pretty much the same way
Go where you will, it's all log cabin and hard
cider, and there's no stopping ont. found it so
all the way from the Hermitage here, and it's
been so here ever since got here. 1t Amt now
as twas few years ago, when and my cousin
the Major used to be fighting for you. Then we
could carry every thing jest we'd mind to.
All we had to do to hurrah for old hickory,
and folks would turn out and give us a lift, ant
carry any election we wanted to, all over the
country. But folks down this way say they've
got tired of Mr.. Van Buren,. They don't think
he's SIGH great President you've cracked him
up to be. Uncle Joshua says he don't come up
to Mr.. Jefferson or Mr.. Madison, no touch to it.
had serious talk with uncle Joshua last
night about matters. You know he always went
for you through thick and thin, all weathers
and when we had tight pull here in Maine, he
was commonly the main spoke in the wheel for
us. So when | see him chairman of the log
cabin meeting-the day got here, and see him
swinging his hat with the rest of 'em, begun
to feel little streaked, and was afraid we was
goin to lose him. So got chance to get him
alone last night, and had long talk with him.
went right at him in what thought would be
his sorest pint, in the first place; and says |,
feUncle, you'll lose the post office, as sure as
your name is Joshua Downing, if you go to wa
vering about and giving up Mr.. Van Buren,, and
taking sides with old Tippecanoe"
AT that he snapped his fingers at me, and says
he, seJoel, you need MT think to come here to
teach me politics. knew politics before you
was born. | was a republican of the old stamp,
and was the first in Downingville that come
out for Jefferson against old John Adams. Then
was the days, Joel, to larn politics. We used to
have it hot and heavy, up hill and down. We t
right into the front of the battle and cit it out,
till brought over three quarters of Downing
vile to my side. So twas pretty much all over
the country When we begun the battle, most
every body was for Adams. He come in under
Washington, you know, and every body thought
of course he must sarve eight years jest as Wash
ington did But when he begun to have his
alien and sedition laws, and gag laws, and
don't know what all, why, by jings, the demo
cratic republican blood of the country was right
up You could hear the rumbling of the young
earthquake clear frem the District of Maine
to Georgia; and after fighting like tigers, we
brought Jefferson in"
swell, now" says |, ''uncle Joshua, what
does all this rigmarole about Jefferson and Ad-
ans amount toi l want you to stick to Mr.. Van
Buren,, SO as not to lose your post Office"
At that he snapped his fingers in my face again,
and says he,
s'f tell you, joel, don't care that for the post
Office, compared with the good of the country
We are fighting over almost jest SIGH battle
as we did in the days of jefferson and Adams
1iefe's Van Buren,, you know, come in under old
fiickorg and in the first ont he had most all the
country an his favor, and ;f he had dona &C be
ought 20 nc might stood his eight years. But
only see what pickle he's got us into. He's
turned the whole country topsy-turyy. cao,;zed
every oo1ys business, and madeus all b,rIx,r.
Ana think it's high time to have ch.,
And tell you what tits, Joel. the a..
republican blood of the country has -. SN,'
and II 1t don't put things straight apa;n D.. -
taken. There's been little kind of g..
IN politics good many times in fiji. -,
since we've been government. bn, e.. -
been only three times when the republican
blood fairly billed over The first time was ,ybsn
it turned out old John Adams and put in Isstsr.
son; and the second time was when Il ,,,,naa
out John Quincy adams, and put in old Hiclxo-
~; and 'tother time is now, when it is billing