Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1840-05-02
MAJOR DOWNING AT THE LOG
CABjN-NORTH BEND.
Lee CABIN, NoRrB BENp,l
March &c, 1910. I
10 me Moderator Of he Do,vningpiAs Convention

and sound, and am as happy as a calm at
high water. My journey from Washington
TO this place would take about a quire Of
paper to describe, so wont undertake it;
but never was q man had such time, it
was one eternal hurrah 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 looked into my hat and seeing my
name, slept up to me at the dinner table, and
asked me if was slack Downing" telled
him when | was a boy folks called me
jack" but when | riz in the world |
thought was entitled to be called JONI
Downing-"Well," says he, care you Ma.
jor Downing ~ ''Jist So" says |. sis that
your AK SAYS he, "ashed under that bun
die 7" SIT ISL says |. "That's enuf," says
he; and out he went, and from that time til =
got here needed neither HARD MONEY o.
tavern that would let me pay a cent; al
if | could have eaten all the "Barl
offered me, guess | wouldn't W
again fora considerable spelH J..
don't think there is any use in keet
the Convention at Dowingville together
after you get this letter, the work is pretty
nigh done. There is only ONE NOTION now
all through this everlasting and etarnal
country-and the present administration
stand no more chance now than a stump
tail bull in fly time.-The only difficulty is,
folks begin to swarm over a leetle too fast,
and there are so many on 'em to claim the
honor of being on the right side, that Gin
eral Harrison will have to say as Glnera
Wellington did at Waterloo-"when SO
many have done their duty can't discrim-
mate"
got here yesterday, and inquired for the
'old Hero and was told he was out attend
ing 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 gotmy regmentals
. on, and he took me for settler. ''Wen,
stranger" says he, show do you do?"
"Right smart" says /. "How is it with
your" ''From the East p says he, "And
going Westr' "Yes, and no,' says 1:
"Well'' says he, "that sounds right, and
makes me hope you will stop in these parts"
had never seen him atore, and as | had
come to measure him through and through,
got cycling him, and we had considerable
conversation afore let on who | was,--
and when did tell him Iguess all Downing
vile, and especially our family and name
shake Of the hand the old Hero gave me.
"Why," sayshs, "Major, rise in the Ohio
arter a long dry spell, was never more
pleasing to me than TO see YOU"
"Come," says he, "come along to my
cabin, as for your stopping any where else,
it amt the book-and remember ist that
half ont is yourn." And SO back we
went-and he sent off to town and got my
bundle, and show'd me my room; and as
soon as supper was ready | was ready for
it too. And then we had a regular set to,
and hld raal talk all about most matters
and wound up with Z lcetle hard cider, and
went to bed.
It would make this letter too long for a
man who laint got ''the Thanking privilege"
to tell YOU what we talked about; nor will
!, in this letter, give you my notion about
the old Hero; for it amt one supper; one
talk, one nights lodging, or one glass Of
cider that gives man right to speak OF
another, KNOWINGLY, especially man up
for the first Office in the country.
| halnt forgot yet that letter tother OLD
Hero wrote to Mr.. Monroe; but what
have said of this one thus far, and knowing
tother one as well as do, think there is
this diiference-both on 'em are rale grit,
as their military history shows, and both on
'em have had considerable to do with
Ingins. Now, whilst one carried Ingin no.
lions to Washington aud spread that doc
trine into his party. think toiher one will
only apply it to lngns, and give civilized
folks a share that belongs TO civilization;
but as to this don't say positive ist yet.
There are some thugs like TO see here
in "THE CABIY,n and which look about right.
There are FOUR pictures hanging up here,
which the old Hero says ought to hang in
every cabin in the country, and that con-
gress ought to have printed and framed, and
sent round to every cabin that can't afford
to buy 'em,-(and leetle saving out of the
public printing would pay the hull expense)
and they-lst The Declaration OF lndepen-
dence,-2i, The Constitution Of the United
States,-3d, General Washington's Fare
we'll Address, and 4th, The Map Of the
United States. Now with these, the Gin
eral says, good honest demonstrating
well to 'em will straighten the crooks OF
party,-and as to books, he says he may
have as many as he can afford to buy
taking care to see that one at least shall
stand first on the list, and that is the BIBLE.
There is no telling yet when | can leave
here. The Gineral says he can't part with
me no how,--that folks all about the coun-
Try write him so many letters and send him
50 many questions TO answer, that he haIn't