The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1855-01-02
LETTER FROM DOWNING.
Letter of instructions to President Pierce and
Cabinet.
OAsrENp. October is. 1884.

DEAR GINERAL:-Wc are all proving rounC
here. and doing the best we can, though WI
haint made out to fetch matters to head yet
/ but guess we arc in pretty fair way for IT,
Our teams got grit enough, and, by jingo
they'll haul the load they hitch on to, or some
tbin's got to gisc way. MIR. Buchanan and
Mr.. Mason isn't qnite spry enough; they arc q
little on the old f,gy fashion, and not always
| ready TO come up to the scratch; but with Mr.
| Sickles spurrn up ono side. and Mr.. Sandois
spurrin on lother side. and Mr.. Sonley drvr
up behind, wc make out 10 get pretty good
pull out of them sometimes. We have got
things so far ahead here that Mr.. Sicklcs and
Mr.. Sanders thinks hal bott, write dos
patch 10 You and the Cabinet to home and give
some instructions how to 90 on.
| I'll tell yon what tits, Ginersl. (when cal
you Ginc,al l sometimes ecnamost feel ns If
was writin to Gneral Jackson again:) say
Gineral, I'lItell You what It's them three s.
| (Sickles. Sanders, and Souloy) are The three
smariest chaps that ever growed in North
| America. They make Europe stan round. and
no mistake Mr.. Souley holds old Spain be-
tween his thumb and finger, and whisks her
about jest as hos a mind 10. Queen and all;
Mr.. Sanders lays down the Democratic law to
France, and sians pretty fair chance to be
chose President OF the new French Republic
after Napoleon goes out: and as for old John
Bull. I'll be licked if think tho crittor dares
tn stir an inch while Sckles hold him by the
horns.
Lsupposo you've secn them lctters-how
Mr.. Sickles snubbed Peabody. tho great mer-
chant banker, about the 4th of July dinner. -
Cnpiia, wasn't itl Yo sec, Mr.. Peabody gin
a 4th of July dinner He's always doing sich
things; or givin away money for somethin or
other; for they say he's got money enough to
buy kingdom. Wall, he invited Mr.. Sckcs
TO come aud jine tho rest Of us and have a
good set down. But. ye soc, Mr.. Peabody
didn't know how much patriotism and real
Democratic grit there was slowed away in Mr..
Sicklcs', breast: he had no idoa ont; and that
was tho rock ho split on. You'll hardly be-
lievo me. Gincral, when say it, but it's a fact
Mr. Peabody had Englishmen there to help eat
that dinner. It's a melancholy fact, but it's
true. II he had half table full of cannibals
we could all stood il and fit our way through;
but Mr.. Sicklcs couldn't stand Englishmcn. -
tIo bad too much Democratic blood in him for
Il at To mix up Democrats and Englishmen
at the same table was awful. But that wasn't
the worst of it. When Mr.. Sckles got there
no couldn't hardly believe his own eyes; for
thero was portrait Of the Queen hung right
MP IN the same room with Gincral Washington!
Wasn't that stumper: No wonder Mr.. Sick.
less Democratic blood billed over. Bot that
wasn't the worst of it. when they come 10 give
the toasts. they toasted the Queen! The rest
of the folks stood up tn drink the toast but
MIR. Sickles grit his teeth and sot down as hard
as thousand of brick; and be felt so dsgos-
ted he couldn't eat another mouthful. And
who" tic uIusc. iuvrca,c-yno insult, struck
up 4" God save the Queen, Mr.. Sickles took
his hat and marched out. There was spnnk
that young America ought to be proud OIL
That Mr.. Buchanan didn't take his hat and
walk out too. only shows that hos an old fogy.
We've held our Congress, and got things in
a midling good train though as said befnre,
we haint brought matters to II head yet We
managed better than your Congress does. Wc
didn't stop to ankle so many long -windod spoe-
ches but talked right to tho pint. and got thro'
in few days. The members chose me Pres
idcnt of tho Congress the first thing; for they
said iha, was nearest akin to Ginerai Jack
son of any of 'cm, and honor belonged TO mo;
So had to take tho cheer. ] returned thanks
for the honor. of course, and then proceeded
to business. beginnod by callin for the re-
ports of tho committees that had tho business
in hand aforo we met.
called for tho report on England first, ou,
of respect to her being our venerable old
mother. Mr. Sickes, who was tho head Of
that committee reported that John Boil was
an old fogy, had found it very hard to mako
any Impression on him. Tho people all seem
cd to DO lied to the Queens apron strings. aud
didn't seem 10 care no moro about Democra-
CIV than horse does about his grandiathcr.-|
Still hs had fifth to believe that they could he
made to take it, and when tho limo comes no
was ready TO off his coat and roll up his sleeves
and whio it into EN-. [Chccrs.
Upon tho question of accepting Mr.. Sickless
report, Buchanan rose and said he o. jectcd to
the term old fogy. ho never did like tho term,
and lie thongbt it would do more hurt than
good in tho report. and ho moved that il bo
strack out Mr.. Sanders said no; that was
tho cream of the report, and no objected TO its
being struck out. 1t was then put TO vote,
Mr.. Buchanan and Mr.. Mason voted to strike
it out, and tho rost vote, to keep It In; so old
for stands in tho report by strong majority.
then called for the report on France.
MIR. Sanders made long report; but tho
substance was that tho Democratic crop in
F'ance wasn't quito ripe enough io harvest
Napoleon had filled tho peoples hoads so full
of the Eastern war and glory that they couldn't
think OF norhin' el<c. Hut. said Mr.. Sanders,
(" there's good time co nin', boys; wait lit
Ito longer ICheers.j
Mr.. Sandors's report was unanimously ac-
ccptcd. with provso that. whilc We had 10
wat ilttic longer, we SHOULDN'T STOP wOrkln,
but keep stirrin round and trying to get up a
muss somehow as soon as possible.
thcn called for tho report on Spain.
M. SonIcy roso. with fro in his oyo and
honey and thunder on his tongue. Ic repor-
ted that ifthere was any sch thing as getting
sunbeams out of n cowculnbcr ho could do il.
and he had como pesky near kindin tho famo
of Democracy from ono end of Spain to tother.
He had chorned tho cream of Spanish Dcmoc
racy, churncd il we'll, and tho butter began to
come and swim on tho bntiermk, and he
thought ihe bisncss was done: bot when he
looked into the churn again. to his Management
tho wtehcraft of dcspodism had got the upper
hand. and the butter was all melted back again
into tho butter milk. But says hc. as true as
Jackson Hogged the British at New Orlcans.-
I'll have red hot horse shoe before long to
put into that churn, and then butter MUST
come. LChoers.]
So you see, Gincral how things is over here.
We cant do much jest vet, but you may depend
on II there is great times ahead. You and
Mr.. Marcy and the rest must hold on and try
10 keep things snug and tight at homo till we
uo our Govafnf,ao dor % ov bora md