The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-07-29
From the National Intelligenter.
Downingvlic oway dOCn East,
IN the STATE Of Maine, July 6, 1874

III WC tDtutC " -Atth'i "p"J -
Mr.. GALES & SEAroN: My Dear Old
Friends: My letter to you on board the
steamboat on Long Island Sound was cut OIL
so short by the bells ringing tr US to get
ready to 90 ashore, that | didn't get nan
through telling you the talk l had with the
President that day; and we've had so mueh
talk since, and seen so much on the Journey
that | shan't be able to tell you one-llalf nora
quarter ont in a letter. 1t would a X Il
whole book to give you a good nouon OF inc
whole story. But the President VIII be pacK
to Washington before you can get TINS let'er'
for he started to go back last SATURDAY ~
Won can get the whole account OF the journey
from HIM He'll be delighted to set down
and tell YOU all about it for he's been amaz-
inglv pleased with the whole journey, from
to00 to bottom. He's been on his high-hecld
boots all the way. Instead Of GROWN more
stoopin by bowling so much, it seems as If he
stood strainhter than ever. He told the Gov
ernor, in his speech at Augusta, Saturday,
" It seldom happens that the course of any
mans life is mark'd by SO distinguished q re-
%ceptiou as has been accorded to me to-day
We'll, so it has been all the way along hur-
raining, and eomplimenting, and firing, and
speeches, and dinners, and suppers, and
shaking hands. On board the steamboat
from Portland to Augusta we got a little
breathing time, and had a good long talk.
Saws the President to me Now Major says
| he. I want YOU to be candid. No one Is a
true friend to one in q high station unless he
| will be candid and speak the truth. Anu now
Major. | don't want YOU to tlatter me want
| YOU to be candid and tell me jest what you
think. You went along with President Jack
son when he made his W down East, and
had a chance to see the whole Spcration and
now | want YOU TO tell me candldly, It you
think the people was any more fond OF nm
than they are Of me. ,
We'll, now Colonel, says ], not wishing to
hurt your feelins at all, but seem you've Ask
ed nv candid opinion, | wont deny but what
the neople are very fond Of you, amazlnly
fond, perhaps as fond as they can be. But,
after all, these times amt exactly equal to old
Hickory's times.
Well. says I, the people AL seem to be
amo2in fond. but some how it seems to have
A sort of modor-i1-iag SA0p about 1t; 1t don't
seem to be 50 real hearty as they showed to
old Hickory.
wen now, Major, says he, and he reddcn
ed a little when he said this; says he, that on
" shows how strong your preiudices set in tA-
yor of the Old Ciaerat. But / thought You
was = man of a. stronger mind and sounder
iudrment. cant agree with you against The
IcyiIencc Of nv " senses. Did you notice
all the way along how thick tAe crowds flock
ed round me to Shake hands with ne?
Yes. saws |; but they didn't 20 1t with sucl
a rush as they dbl when my Old friend tA'
G;ncral co e this way, They %jSrred arount
Aim 50 they had to climb over each other
heads to get at him. And | had TO take ho!'
sometimes by the hour together and help hin
shake hands with 'en, or he never woul'
have cot through with one-half Of en-.
Weil then, says he, did you mtnd how lou'
. they chccred and hurrahed wherever we coa2'
YES, Colonel, SAYS I, I heard all that; but
NV gracious wherever old Hickory mad
his appearance, the crowd roared night gu
0 like thunder. ,,,,
Wen, Major, says he, they couldn't beo
+ them cheers that the Democrats ana Cap
- Rynders give me at Tanlmany Hall, ! know
thunder Itself couldn't beat that. It's no use
E Major, for you to argue tke pint no Pres
dent ever received such marks OF honor lrof
i the people before, | am sure Of that mea'
the whole people, Fcderalists as We'll rs Deu
ocrats; chat is, it there is any such people
Fedcralists now days, and Mr.. lucile say
\ there is. Only think, the od federal state
Massachusetts, did the business up as han(
=, some and seemed TO be rs fond oil me as oo'
ernor Hills State l couldn't see any ditfe'
~ cncc. You must confess, Major, that eve
YOUR OLD friend Hickory didn't receive
:. much honor in Massachusetts as | have.
q NYcl now, says |, Colonel, don't want
hurt your f%eelins, but you are jest as mu(
mistaken as you was when you sent ola llous
> and Ready into Mexico. Have you torg
y. how they took the old Gineral into CamDrid!
IN College and made Il Doctor OF hum
III WHO cares for that ? says the Colonel sa
he, turning up his nose, didn't the Democrf
and Captain Rynders take me INTO lamma a.
., Hall and make a Tammany OF me N
"a no. Major Downing, it's no use for you to q
~ cue the pint against my popularity tor L
u @@ot ewes and | can see; and | tell you, ant
-: ~ want YOU to mark my words, | tell you, l
u more popular with the whole people than c
We cr old Hickory was in all his life. He "
u very popular with the Democratic party,
~ am fully persuaded he hadn't such a he
No. upon the affections of the whole people a
M have. "
~ Here the President got up and walk
'ad about the floor, and seemed in a deep stu
Nv w for as much as five minutes. At last says |
~" Major, | missed a fgger in my speech th'
~ at baltimore 'tothcr day. ! sec 1T now, a
NC nc | don't know exactly how to get over it
How so ? says |.
,,G- Why, says he, l ought not to have SO
, ,Ig, RIGHT up and down, pint blank, that sho
't retire when this term was up. ! should o.
,,;s- talked about my desire to retire to priv
GlI life. I was too hasty, and committed my
too soon. There never was a better cha.
Ma for any body to be elected than there is
me now, if I hadn't made that unfortunate
The mark. jackson stood twice, and Jeier
7er- stood twice, and suppose it is really my
we'll tv to serve my country as long as they die
Give But if | should undertake to run agin, 81
ally they would bothrowing that Baltimore spc
will in my teeth.