The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-09-02


1t all seem to come back fresh to his mind, and
y he can't think or talk about any thing else
e 1ou know that's oftentimes the way with old
e people. AS he always used to have the name
c OF smart fighter, give him the command
= OF the newspaper battery here to defend my
: administration. But twas as great a mistake
y as twas when | sent Taylor into Mcxico |
= didn't know my man. No matter what forces
was gathering to overthrow my administers
| ton, Mr.. Richie somehow didn't seem to I'M
dcrstand '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 squbs with about as good
aim as the boys take when they fire crackers
on the 4th ofJuIy, and did about as much OK
ecution. At last found out way that
could make the old veteran fight like Turk
and hold on like bulldog. IL was by giving
him notion at any time that he was fighting
with federalists. Since | made that discoy-
cry he's been moro help to me. Whenever I
see the enemy entrenching himself around
me, and bringing up his batteries to fire into
my administration, all | have to do is to whis-
per in Mr.. Riches ear and say, Mr.. Richie,
the air smells Offederalism A.; you may depend
upon it there is fedcralisls abroad somewhere.'
In minute, you've no idea with what fury
the old gentleman flies round, and mounts lis
heaviest guns, and sets his paper battery in a
roar His shots fly right and left and some
times knock down friends as we'll as foes. To
be sure they don't make a very great impress
ion upon the enemy but then there's this adj
vantage in it if he don't kill or beat off the
enemy, he keeps the administration so per-
tectly covered up with smoke that the enemy
can't see half the time where to fire at US
On the whole, Mr. Richie is a valuable man
to my administration, Notwithstanding all his
mistakes and blunders
Just then the door opened, and who should
come in but Mr.. Richie himself AS he O.
pened the door he lletchcd the sound of the
two last words the President was saying.
Mistakes and blunders ? says Mr.. Richie,
says he; what, have you got something more
Of Scott and Taylor's laundering in Mexico !
Nothing more to-day, says the President. |
was only telling Major Downing how their
bIunders there have come pretty near ruin
ing the county, and how it is absolutely nee
essary to 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,
MIR. Richie but be careful that you don't say
anything about it in the Union, and blow it
all up. | tried once to send Col. Benton on
for the same purpose, and Congress bowed
that up Then | sent Trst on for the same
purpose, and Scott has bowed him up. Now
I'm going to send Major Downing, not as a
regular Chaplain, but as a sort OF watch up |
on them, you know,to work round and do the .
business up before any body knows it. lie [
isn't TO 90 to Scott nor Taylor nor have any |
thing to do with 'em, but work lis way into .
Mexico, and 90 right to Santa Anna and
knock up bargain with him. ! don't care
what he gives. The fact Is, Mr. Richie, the
country needs peace, and I'll have peace, cost
what it will.
An excellent idea, says Mr. Richie; an ex-
cellent plan, sir. I'm for peace at all hazards,
if it is to be found any where in Mexico
that is, five can get hold Oft before Scott or
Taylor does. And think Major Downing is
Just the man forit-a true stanch democratic
republican and whatever he does will 90
for the benefit of the Administration. Now
the country's shins are aching pretty bad with
the war, if we can fix up good smooth peace
right off, and not let Scott or Taylor have
any hand in it, who knows, Mr.. President but
it might make our administration so popular
that you and | might both be elected to serve
anothGriour years?
But when is the Major to start?
Right oil tonight says the President, or,
rather, in the morning before daylight--bc-
fore any body in Washington finds out that
he has got back from DowningvilIc. l have
forbid his calling at the Intelligencer Office,
and don't want they should find out or mis-
trust that he's been here. Ifthcy should get
wind of the movement, they would be sure to
throw some constitutional difficulty in the
way, and try to make bad botch of the
business.
The President shot me into his room, and
charged me not to leave the house, while he
sent for Mr.. Buchanan and Mr.. Marcy to fix
up my private instructions. While he was
gone, Mr.. Richie fixed me up nice little
bundle of private instructions too, on his own
hook, modelled, he said, on the Virginia
Resolutions of '9S. Presently the President
came back with my budget all ready, and
give me my instructions, and filed my poch-
cts with rations and told me how to draw
whenever | wanted money; and before day
light was off good piece on the road to
the war
To-day met a man going on to carry let
tiers to the Government from Gineral Scots
side of the war, and made him stop little
while to take this letter to you; for | was
afraid you might begin to think was dead
He says Scott is quite wrathy about the Trist
business, and wants to push right ona and take
the city of Mexico, but Mr.. Trist is disposed
to wait and see if he can't make bargain
with Santa Annals men. shall push along
as fast as can and get into the city of Mex
leo if possible before Scott does, and if | only
once get hold of Santa Anna, [ have no doubt
shall make a trade.
don't know yet whether I shall take
SCOTS road or Taylor's road to 90 to the city
of Mexico; it will depend a little upon the
news get on the way. Two or three times,
when | have been stopping to rest, | have
been looking over my private Instructions.
They are iust rate, especially Mr.. Riches.
/ remain your old friend and the Presi-
dents private Embassador,
MAJOR JACK DOWNING.