Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-08-14

disapinted to find I'm away off here, pushin on to
the seat of war, and didn't call to see you when
come through Washington. But you mustn't blame
me for it, for | couldn't help it; the President
wouldn't let me call he said was getting quite
too thick with you, writing letters to you and all
that. And when he spoke about the letters, he
looked kind of red and showed considerable spunk.
Says he, Major Downing, have put good deal
of confidence in you as a friend of my adminstra-
ton; and if you are friend to it, you must let
Gales and Seaton alone; keep out of their way and
have nothing to do with them; they are dangerous,
misunderstanding telers, eternally peckin at my adj
ministraton, all weathers. Let me try TO keep
things ever so snug, and lay my plans so deep,
they are sure to dig them all up, lug them into the
Intelligencer, and blaze EN- all over the country.
Confound their pchlrs, they are the most trouble
some customers an administration ever had they've
come pretty near swapping me two or three times.
So, If you are my friend, warn you not to be so
thick with Gales and Seaton.
Well, says l, Colonel you know | am friend
to you and your administration, as much as ever
was to the old Gineral and his administration; and
l shall stand by you and do every thing can to
help you out of this scrape you've got into about
the war; But | don't know as that need to make
me break with Gales and Seaton. We've been old
friends SO long, it would be kind Of hard for to
give 'em up now; and | don't hardly think they
are quite so bad as you think for. They may not
mean to do you SO much hurt when they put these
things into their paper, and only put them in be-
cause they think folks want to know what's goin
on. Mr.. Richie sometimes puts things into has
paper that folks think don't do you no good.
The President give two or three hard chaws upon
his cud of tobacco, and says he, Yes, Major that's
too true it must be confessed; and it annoys me
beyond all patience. But then have to forgive ii
and overlook it, because Mr.. Richie don't mean it.
The old gentleman is always sorry for it, and al
ways willing to take it back. And then he's such
a tuff old Teller to fight the federasts can't have
. heart to scold at him much about his mistakes
and blunders
Well, says |, Colonel, being you've named fede-
ralists, ! want to know if any Of them animals is
really supposed to be alive any where in the coun-
try nowadays. Seeing SIGH awful accounts about
'em in the Union paper all the time, inquired all
the way along through New England, where they
used to be the thickest and couldn't get track OF
one and when asked the folks if there was any
fcderaliss any where in them quarters, they all
stared at me and said they didn't know what sort
of critters they was. When got to Downingvie
| asked uncle Joshua about it. He said, in his
Younger DAYS there used to be considerable many
of 'em about but they wasn't thought to be danger
Gus, for they never was much given TO fighting.
But he said he guessed they all died out long ago,
for he hadn't come across one this twenty years.
So Colonel, says |, how is it they are thick
in Mr.. RICHES paper all the time
AT that he give me very knowing kind of a look,
and lowered his voice down almost to whisper;
and says he, Major, I'll tell you how that's. When
Mr.. Richie was young man he used to fight
good deal with the federaliss, and took good deal
of pride in it; and now the fancies and scenes of
his youth all seem to come back fresh to his mind,
and he can't think or talk about any thing else. You
know that's oltentimes the way with old people,
AS he always used TO have the name of smart
fighter, give him the command Of the newspaper
battery here 10 defend my administration But
twas as great mistake as twas when | sent Tay-
lor into Mexico; didn't know my man. No mat
ter what forces was gathering 10 overthrow my adj
ministration, Mr. Richie somehow didn't seem TO
see 'em; no matter how hard they fired at me, he
didn't seem to hear it and when called to him to
fire back, he would rouse up and touch off few
squibs with about good aim as the boys take
when they fire crackers the 4th of July, and did
about much execution. At last | found out a
way that | could make the old veteran fight like
Turk and hold on like bulldog. Ii was by giving
him notion at any time that he was fighting with
federalists. Since made that discovery he's been
more help to me. Whenever | see the enemy en-
trenching himself around me, and bringing up his
batteries to fire into my administration, all | have
10 90 is 10 Whisper In Mr.. Richie s ear ana say,
" Mr.. Richie, the air smells of federalism you
may depend upon it there is federasts abroad
somewhere" In minute you've no idea with
what fury the old gentleman flies round, and mounts
his heaviest guns, and sets his paper battery in
roar. His shots fly right and left, and sometimes
knock down friends as well as foes. To be sure
they don't make very great impression upon the
enemy but then there's this advantage in it: if he
don't kill or beat off the enemy, he keeps the adj
minstration SO perfectly covered up with smoke
that the enemy can't see half the time where to fire
at US. On the whole, Mr.. Richie is valuable
man TO my administration, Notwithstanding all his
mistakes and blunders.
Jest then the door opened and who should come
in but Mr.. Richie himself. As he opened the
door he ketched the sound Of the two last words the
President was saying.
mistakes and blundersr' says Mr.. Richie,
says he; what, have you got something more of
Scott and Tayor's laundering in Mexico!
Nothing more to-day, says the President. | was
only telling Major Downing how their blunders there
have come pretty near running the country, and
how il is absolutely necessary 10 get the staff out Of
their hands somehow or other before they quite
finish the job. I'm going now to try one more plan,
Mr.. Richie but be careful that you don't say any
thing about il in the Union, and blow it all up. |
tried once to send Col. Benton for the same pur-
pose, and Congress bowed that up. Then sent
Trist on for the purpose, and Scott has bowed
him NJ Pr 10 canl Major npxunnu