The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1847-07-23
AIoior 1atk Duwnius.
Another Letter from the original
lack Downing.


The National Intelligencer Of this
morning says:-It was with r. Il satisfac-
ton thar we recognised again. yesterday,
among our letters from the Post Office,
the hand writing of our friend Major
Jack DocRRg. His personal associations
as,our readers know, have always been
with those who have il a mortal offence
in Lew to the extent of ~1enouncing
it as moral treason-that We have not al
ways approved of their principles or
their measures: but. some how or other.
our feelings have always yearned To- tie
MAJOR. There is such a transparent
honesty in all his thoughts, and such a
kindness Of heart %perceptible in all his
motions, that we would rather at any
time receive even a rebske from him
than the praise Of some folks. If it be a
pleasure TO us, as it is, to be able to differ
from public men, to canvass their cas-
uTes, and even 10 censure them, where
censure is deserved, without choriShing
any thing like personal malice towards
them, the reader may imagine what val
no we place upon the correspondence OF
a true hearted man like Major D0wRtag,
who has not suffered his friendship for
us to be sundered, or even shaken, by
the many differences of opinion about
men and measures that have grown up
between us for the last twenty years.
We arc right glad to understand, from
what he says at the close Of the following
letter, that it is not the last we may eX-
poet from the Major.
DOWNINGVlLLE, AWAY DowN EAST,
STATE OF MAINE, July 6, lS47.
Mn. GALES & SEAroN:-My Dear
Old Friends: My letter 20 you on board
the steamboat on Long Island Sound was
cut off SO shortly the bells ringing for
us to get ready to go ashore, that didn't
gethalf through telling you the talk lhad
with the President that day; and we've
had SO much talk since, aud seen so
much on the journey, that | shaut be able
to tell you one half nor a quarter ont in
a letter. 1t would take a whole book to
give you a good notion of the whole sto-
ry. But the President will be back to
Washington before you can get this let
ter, for he started 10 go back last Satur-
day; so you can get the whole account of
the journey from him. He'll DO delight
ed to set down aud tell you all about it;
for he's been amazingly pleased with the
whole journey, from top to bottom. He's
been GA his high .heeI'd boots all the way.
Instead of CROWN more stoopin by bow
ing SO much, it seems us if he stood
s,raigbter than ever. He told the Gov
ernor, in his speech at Augusta, Saturday,
at seldom happens that the course OF
any mans life is mark'd by so distinguish
ed a reception as has been accorded to
me to day" Well, so it has been all a
long; hurrahing. and complimenting, and
firing, aud speeches and dinners. and sup
pers, and shaking hands. On board the
steamboat from Portlan toAugusta we got
n little breathing time and hada good long
talk.
Says the President to me: Now. Major
says he, | want you to be candid. M
one is a true friend to one in a high sta.
ton unless no will be candid and speak
tho truth. And now, Major, | don't
want you to Aatter me; | want you to be
candid and tell me Jest what you think
You went along with President Jackson
when no made his our down East, and
had q chance to see the whole operation
and now | want you to tell me candidly
ifthe people was any more fond of hin
than they are Of me.
Well. now, Colonel, says I, not wish
ing to hurt your feelins at all, but. SEER
you've asked my opinion, | won't deny
but what tho people are very fond of you
amazingly fond, perhaps as fond as they
can be. But. after all, these times ain'l
exactly equal to old Hickory times.
But what do you meant says ho.
Well, says |, the people all seem
10 be am1zin fond, but some how il; seems
TO have a sort of mathematician Show a.
bout il; i don't seem to DO so real hearty
as they showed to old Hickory.
Well, now, Major, says he, aud he red,
denod "A little when no said this; says he,
that only shows how strong your preju-
dices set in favor of tho old Ginoral. But
thought you was a man of stronger
mind and sounder Judgment. | cant a,
gree with you against the evidence Of my
" senses. Did you notice all tho way
along how thick tho crowds hock'd u
round me to shake hands with mel
Yes. says ]; but they didn't go it with
such a rush as theydid when my old friend
the Gineral came this way. They jam.
med around him so they had to climb over
each others heads 10 get at him. And
had to take hold sometimes by tho hour
together and help him shake hands will
'em, or he would never have got through
with one half of 'em.
Well then, says he, did you mind how
loud they cheered and hurrahod where
ever we come alongl
Yes, Colonel, says |, heard all that
but, my graciousl wherever old Hickor!
made his appearance, the crowd roare,
right out like thunder.
Wen, Major, says he. they couldn.
beat them cheers that the Democrats an
Captain RyndGrs give me at Tomman
Hall, know; thunder itself couldn't bot
that. It's no use. Major, for you to Al
que that pint; no President ever recoi,
I'D such marks Of honor from the peopl
before, / am suro Of that; | mean III
"-