The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1840-04-30
From the New York Express.

s.he MAJOR" which, TO guarantee theil
authenticity, will appear first in print un'
der the Figure head" originally design
ed for him.
We are glad he is where he is-though
he is seldom out of place any where. We
congratulate the country generally, and
the Old Hero in particular, (who has been
designated as the standard bearer at the
head of the great Democratic Wing Col
umn,) that he has at his side a valuable
and trusty friend-and have little doubt
that the Majors letters from the Cabinet
of the Cabin,'' will traverse, trumpet
tongued, over the land, and infuse new
life in the present palsied, chained and
trampled energies of the country.
MAJOR DOWNING AT THE LOG CABIN, NORTH
BEND.
Log Cabin, North Bend,
March 26, 1910.
To the Moderator Of the Downingville
Convention
Respected SRI got here yesterday
safe and sound, and am as happy as a
clam at high water. My journey from
Washington to this place would take a.
bout quire of paper to describe, SO |
won't undertake it; but never was man
had such time-it was one etarnal hur-
rah from the time / crossed the Potomac
till struck the Ohio. didn't care the
first go off to let folks know who was
or where | was going but one chap look
ed into my hat, and seeing my name,
slept up to me at the dinner table, and
asked me if was 'Jack Downing" l
telled him when I was boy, folks called
me "Jack,' but when | riz in the world
| thought was entitled to be called John
Downing. "Well," says he, 'sare you
Major Downing %" Jist so,'' says l..
''Is that your ak, "says he, 6 dashed under
that bundle q ut isl says I.-"That's
enuf," says he, and out he went; and
from that time till l got here needed
neither hard money or paper currency !;
there warnt stage or a tavern that would
let me pay cent, and if l could have
eaten all the 'Barbeques' offered me l
guess I wouldn't want to eat again for
considerable spell.
l don't think there is any use in keep
ing the Convention at Downingville to
gether after you get this letter, the work
is pretty nigh done. There is only one
notion now all through this everlasting
and eternal country-and the present adj
ministration stand no more chance now
than stump tail bull in fly time. The
only difficulty is, folks begin to swarm
over little too fast-and there are so
many OMEN to claim the honor Of being
on the right side, that General Harrison
will have to say as Gineral Wellington
did at Waterloo" when so many have
done their duty can't discriminate.
I got here yesterday, and inquired for
the old Hero and was told he was out
attending to ploughing up some bottom
land, and | went off looking for him ;
and sure enuf | found him busy as bee
in tar bucket, and twice as spry.
hadn't got my regimentals on, and he
took me for settler. "Well. stranger"
says he, show do you do ?''-" RICH,
smart" says |. Glow is it with you?"
''From the East ;" says he, 'sAnd going
west 2" eyes, and no. says |. "Well''
says he, "that sounds right, and makes
me hope you will stop in these parts. -
had never seen him afore, and as I had
come to measure him through and through,
got cycling him, and we had considera-
BILE conversation afore let on who | was,
and when | did tell him guess all
Downingville, and especially our family
and name would like to see the right down
hearty shake of the hand the Old Hero
gave me. "Why," says he "Major, a
rise in the Ohio arter long dry spell,
was never more pleasing to me than to
see you.'' ~
!" Come, 'says he, s'come along to my
cabin, as for your stopping any where else
it amt the book-and remember jist that
half ont is yourn." And SO back we
went-and he sent off to town and got my
bundle, and showed me my room and as
soon as supper was ready was ready for
it TOO. And then we had regular set to,
and had d raal talk about most matters
and wound up with little hard cider, and
went to bed.
1t would make this letter too long fol
man who haint got "the franking privil
| eye, ITO tell you what we talked about
nor will l, in this letter, give you my no.
ton about the Old Hero; for it amt one
I supper, one talk, one nights lodging. OF
/ one glass of cider that gives man RICH
to speak of another Knowingly, especially
man up for the first Office in the coun
try.
I haint forgot yet that letter tother oil
! Hero wrote to Mr.. Monroe; but what
have sad of this one thus far, and know
ing tother one as well as do, I think
there is this difference-both on 'em art
rale grit, as their military history shows
and both on 'em have had considerable te
do with 1ngins. Now. whilst one car
ried Ingin notions 10 Washington, and
spread that doctrine into his party,
think tolher one will only apply it to In
gins, and give civilized folks share tina
belongs TO civilization; but as to this
don't say positive jist yet.