The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-06-23
Letter from Major jack Downing.
On BOARD THE Two PoLLIEs, AT ANCHOR,

OFF Baron ROUGE, 18th june A. D., i848
My old friend-My last letter telrd you all about my
arrival here with Capt Jumper, where we come from
and how we got here, and why we come here and how
kindly reception by cold Zac.' and that for
nigh upon three days there warn'ta stroke Of work
done any plantation for than ten miles round
and do rally believe If and Capt. Jumper hadn't
threatened to lift anchor and quit unless they went to
work upon the cotton crop, visit would have been
as bad for the crop as a visit of catterpillars.
Day before yesterday got the news Of the nomna-
ton ut Phadelphaand it seem'd to me the hull Mis-
sissipp willing to run up well rs down stream.
Every Twin critter along here look happy as hthey
had just struck trail after being lost in the woods for
a week-the steamboats, too going up and down the
river made signals to one another-and all creation
to know it as quick as Squire Morse could tell 1t
on his lightning wresand they would sheer up along
side of the Two Poes, and cheer like all posse ID.
Capt. Jumper warnt slack, tell you--and no gall go
ing to get married LOOKED finer than the Two Pol
lesand that four FOUNDER kept it up from daylight
dark, till some folks began to think Capt Bragg bat
terry was on board and tho don't like to saw It. vet
must say it the first knowd Capt Jumper to
show that he took leete something stronger that Mis-
sssipp water. thought it best to mention this be-
cause the Captain has got notion that was leete
SO myself and this the only way can account for
make any bother about It, it may be well to tell them
that Capt Jumper makes it pint wherever he goes to
mix his New England with the water Of the country
he calls it his Union drink and must say that leete
New England in glass of Mississippi water does nary
one on em any harm-and say what they may about it,
| never know d the time yet that when you put
little rae New England into any water Of any river in
the Union, matter how far West how far South it
runs that you don't find II somehow alters the taste Of
the water and in little while folks can't tell the diff
ference betwixt The Mississippi and tho Penobscotand
if that amt union, don't know what is
Yesterday we had ratification meetin, and IL
lasted putty much all day-part Of the time shore,
but most.of the time on board the Two Pollies.
The ,Gineral came board by Apartment at IL
o'clock to pay his respects to and Captain Jumper
it was the first time he the deck Of the Two
Poles-and when Captain Jumper took him by the
hand and attempted to begin the address that no End
set up putty nigh all night riting out, the Captains
heart full he blubberd right out like child
and yet he warnt frightend bit-for if fifty Gneral
Taylors had attempted to come board as enemies,
do rally believe Captain Jumper would ben willing to
try his hand alone in fitting 'em of but there he
stood shaking the Ginerals hand and trying to get
start in the address, but could not and then tried
it-but 1t was use. | never saw Captain Jumper
melted down beforehand that made me feel so wamble
crapt could not saya word And then the Gineral he
tried his hand at answer but he about bad
of as both on us. lie ook'd up-and then he the
old stripes and stars and Piu,ibus Unum waving at
the mast-head-then he looked at me and then ut
Captain Jumper-and then looked round about at the
Two Polles-and was too much for any Twin mortal
to say anything-and if he had tried it no one could
hear him, for there more than twenty steamboats,
all round, some bound down and some bound up the
river but all having heard of the ratification meeting,
had stopt alongside the Two Poes-lettin of steam
and crowds of folks humming jst as good times had
come and never could git crooked agin-so there was
to try any addresses.
But Captain Jumpers address Is all written out and
Is just as good if he had delivered it-and the
Gineral told me he had his answer all written down,
too, and would give me a copy ont. will send you
both in my next.
The Two Pollies will remain here till the Gneral is
ready to begin the grand tower The plan is as told
you in my last to go up the Mississippi and enter the
illinois river and go up that till reach the
canal that goes to Chicagotha glorious enterprise
puts the Two Polles in Lake Michigan, and then she
can go putty much all the Western creation
and after that down the Erie canal to the Hud
river pass down by Niagara Falls through
the Canada Canals and so on to Quebec and then to
Salt water, and along shore all along down East
looking in mt most places coastwise III we get to the
Gulf of Mexico, and up the Mississippi again till
reach this place-and II that wont be a tower that
will make ntsrnal tier prise folks feel pleased don't
know what will Capt. Jumper is desperately tickled
at the notion of making Ginera Cass visit ut De-
troit and thinks Gen. Cass will be much pleased To
find that in spite OF constitutional scruples The two
Poies make this trip by the aid of internal enter
prizebut the captains wonder is what airth there
is in the constitution that prohibits the nton from
add the people in their enterprise in opening chan
nels of that the two Pollies could
pretty much everywhere and visit all leading pints
the Union for this could b. done with less expense
than the with Mexico will cost and quite
stitutona toobut the captain will talk this matter
the way and when we get to Detroit. Gen.
will be able tell him what the constitution Is
about such and why IT. Ii that along the shores
Of those mighty lakes there Is not much constitu-
tional right make harbors for folks, for
all creation along sit water coast-sll these mat
tiers the captain is considerably puzzled about-and
since he has taken the notion TO make TINS iBtarnal
voyage ne has been studying the constitution putty
considerable and can find out yet why it Is that this
eyerastn Q big country can't have much taken
of intarnal as extarnal intsrest-or the captain
has a notion II this country is rightly dug out
that all eends ont can be brought into communi
cation-t will come higher f. Piuribas Unum than ell
the speeches in Congress can bring It,
The Two Poles Is in good trm-and tight as
new barn-Captain Jumper in capital pluck, and 1t
seems TO me II folks want to good times they
will keep eye to log book and set their watches
by time-and If we don't make nuthing Of dem-
gogues and rascay party folks before this tower ends
my name amt J. DOWNING, MAJoR, sc. &c.
Surp CANAL Across FtoRIpA-The beautiful