The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-01-28
For The Southern Press.
The Lef-d0wn Platform.

A platforms wanted, builders ALL
Give your attention TO the call,
You may hand in proposals sealed,
Your bids shall never be revealed.
Thus advertised the platform makers,
To all the Let-down undertakers,
II must be made Of seasoned lumber,
The sleepers long, and strong, but timber.
is for jumping exercise,
And needs spring TO fall and rise,
70 let the jumpers show their action,
To each observers satisfaction.
Shou'd they rise high, they u sink as low,
And though both up and down they go,
VII still their level find at last,
When hours Of exercise are past.
The plans were opened and compared,
With scrutiny both close and hard,
Some bidders South themselves awaited
or Northern aid, and thus prevailed.
The contracts closed. the platform built,
On it they crowded all full tilt.
Began TO jump, but twas 90 timber,
Suspicion seized them, lest the timber
Was but cheat; and would give way,
And cripple all of them some day.
Then of they leaped, a council called
To have the platform overhauled
Still said twas good, but fearing breakers,
Took bonds Of all the undcrtakers,
To keep the platform in position,
Whilst they examined its condition.
day of conference is chosen,
Commissioners more than dozen,
Appointed by this council grave
AT Washington in deep conclave,
To.fx by calculation sure,
How much this platform can endure.
The twenty-second is the day,
When Washington was born. They say,
He built platform too, and we
Can make as good one as he.
But still tbs safe advice to take,
And thus we III proclamation make,
Let all the friends both South and North,
OF timber platforms, now come forth.
Union meeting let US have,
Let each his judgement freely give:
Decide exactly of what timber
To make platform safe, but Timber
That Jumpers may spring up and light,
Some rising high, whilst sinking some,
But all to the same level come,
Give in this scesa,c compromise,
The South the fall, the North the rise.
The news was advertised around,
But much of discomfort was found,
For other platforms builders said
Well loose our timber, if this trade
In Let-down platforms shall succeed:
To this result we're not agreed.
The advertisers in their turn,
Began the danger to discern,
For they were holders in the stock
Ofplatforms, and foresaw the shock
Which in the market must be felt,
IL Let-down platforms should be built,
And theirs abandoned, we won I come
And join your counses, but stay at home
Besdes we are not fond Of swinging,
We leave to you the fun of sprnging,
Keeping our platform smooth and level
Giving the Let-downto the devil
A thing on rotten sleepers laid,
A Democratic dead fall made,
A trap for their destruction planned,
Whilst Wings around the edges stand,
Listening to hear when first il cracks,
And leaping of to save their necks.
The Let-down jobbers looked amazed,
Each at the other wildly gazed,
1t threw the party all aback,
And forced them on another track
This promptly taken, they endeavor,
To give their platform general favor,
They set to work with paper pledges,
To make it strong, instead Of wedges.
Pledges, if ever they should ride
On any platform, to decide,
For the Let-down but to suggest
That no platform at all is best,
Unless indeed for present use,
To give our friends a fair excuse
To choose candidate to run
In the campaign now just begun,
To rule on all now in the way,
And clear the track for Com and CLAY.