Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1847-08-26
From tic National Inidligenoa.
Jack DOwning's Letters---NO. ,.

pintcd to find Pm away of here, pushin on 10
the seat Of war, and didn't call to see YOU when
come through Washington. But you must
not blame me Tor II, Tor ! couldn't help 10; the
President wouldn't let inc call; he said ! was
getting quite too thick with you, writing let
tiers TO you and all that. And when he spoke
about the Letters, he looked kind of red, and
showed considerable sponk.
SAYS he, Major Downing, have put good
deal OF confidence in you a. a friend OF my adj
ministralion; and Il you are friend to il, you
must let Gales aud Seaton alone; keep not Of
their way and have nothing TO do with them;
they are dangerous mischief making iellers,
etefnslly peckin at my administration, all
weathers Let me Try TO keep things ever so
snug, and lay my plans ever 50 deep, they ore
sure To dig them oil up, log them into the In
telligencer, and blaze ZEN oil over the county
Coniound their picters, they are the most
troublesome customers an administration ever
had; they've come pretty near swapping me
two or three times. So, Il you are my friend,
warn you not 10 be 90 thick with Gales and
Sesion.
Well, says I, Colonel, you know am
friend to yuu and your sdminislrali N, as much
as ever was 10 the old Gineral and his admin
istration; and shall stand by you and do eve
ry thing can 10 help you out Of this serspe
you've got into about the war. But don't
know as that need make me break with Gales
Nnn ottton. we've neen OH HlendS so long,
il would be kind Of hard for me TO give 'em
UP now; and don't hardly think they are
quite 40 bad as you think for. They may not
mean TO do you 50 much hurt when they put
these things into their paper, and only put
them in cause they think i0lks want 10 know
what's goin on. MI Richie sometimes puts
things into his paper that folks think don't do
you no good.
The President gave two or three hard chaws
hta .l,.N' t.,k.a Il -. n
lor, that's too true, it must be confessed and
IL annoys me beyond all patience. But then I
have 10 forgive it and overlook il, because MIR
Richie don't mean il. The old gentleman IS
always sorry ioT il, and always willing tn take
II back. And then he's such tuh old Teller
to fight the frderallsts, can't have heart to
scod AT him much about his mistakes and blum
ders.
Wen, says I, Colonel, being you've named
iederalists, want To knnw il any Of them an
finals is really supposed TO be alive any where
IN the country nowadays. Seeing such aw-
ful accounts about 'em in the Uniun paper all
me time, inquired all the way along though
New England, where they used TO be the
thickest, and couldn't get track OF one; md
when asked the folks if there was any feJer-
aisis any where in them quarters, they all
stared al me and said they didn't know what
kind OF critters they was. When ! got TO
Downngvile ] asked Uncle Joshua about il -,
tie said, in his younger days there used to be
considerable many of 'em about, but they
wasn't thought TO be dangerous, for they new
er was much given tn fighting. But he said
he guessed they'd all died on, long ago. for he
hadn'l come across one this twenty years. So
now, Colonel, says |, how is il they are so
thick in Mr. Ritchie's paper all the timer
Al that he gave me very knowing kind Of
look, and lowered his voice down almost to
Whisper; and SAYS he, III tell you how that
49, When MI Richie was a Young man he
used to hight good deal with the iederalists,
and took good deal Of pride in IL; and now
The iancies and scenes Of his youth all seem TO
come back fresh TO his mind, and he can't
think or talk of any thing else. Yon know
that's often times the way with old people
As he always used to have the name OF smart
hghtef, gave him the command of the news.
paper battery here TO defend my administration
But twas as great a mistake as twas when
sent Taylor into Mexico; didn't know my
man.
No matter what forces was gathering to
overthrow my administration, 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 of lew sQubs
with about as good aim as the boys take when
they fire crackers on the 9TH Of July, and did
about as much execution, Al last found out
away that could make the old veteran fR BIT
like Turk and hold on like a bulldog. IL
was BY giving him noiinn at any time that
he was lighting with iederalisis. Since made
that discovery he's been more belp 10 me-
whenever see the enemy entrenchinp him.
sell around me, and bringing up his batteries
10 IRE into my administration, ali have 10 do
IS 10 whisper into Mr. Riches ear and say,
"Mr Richie, the air smells Of federalism; YOU
4 may depend upon il there is federalists abroad
l.
II with what Jury the old gentleman flea round
4 and mounts his heaviest guns, and sets his pa
per battery 10 a roar. His shots fly right anC
lett, and sometimes knock down friends as wei
as foes. To be sure they don't make yer,
grt.t impression upon the enemy; but thei
thel this advantage in it: If he DOM kill o
beat ID the enemy, he keeps the adminisira
ton so perfectly covered up with smoke tha
IS The enemy can't see hnli the time where 4
fire at US. On the whole, MIR Rilrhie is a val
liable man 10 my administration, nOtwithsland
ing all his mistakes and blDnders.
Just Then the door opened, and who shout
come in but Mr. Richie himsrlf. As he open
ed the door he keiched the sound of the tw,
last words the President was saying.
mistakes and blundenl" says Mr. Richie
"A says he; "wha,, have you got something nor
Of Sent and TayloI's laundering in Mexicoi p
Nothing more to-day, saws the Presidents
was only telling Major Downing how ihei
blunders there have come pretty near ruiniDl
the country, and how il is absolutely neeesSt
ny TO get the staff out Of their hands some how
or other before they quite finish the job. In
going now TO thy one mole plan, Mr. Richie
but be careful you don't say anything about
in the Union, and blow it all up. tried ono
to send Colonel Benton on for the same pur
pose, and Congress bowed that up. Then
4. sent Trst on for the same purpose and Scot
blowed him up. Now Pm going TO send Ma
joT Downing, not rs a regular Chaplain, bu
as sort Of watch upon them, you know, Il
work round and do the business up before an
body knows il. lie isn't 10 go TO Scott O
Taylor, nor have any thing 10 do with ZEN
but 10 work his way into Mexico, and go RICH
20 Santa Anna and knock up bargain will
him. | don't care what he gives. The fac
Is, Mr. Richie, the country needs peace, an,
III have peace, cost what il will.
An excellent idea, says Mr. Richie; an ex
celent plan, sir. Pm for peace at all hazards
u ], is 10 be found anywhere 10 Mexieo--iha
y, u we can get hold of il before Scott O