Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1861-02-08
DowNlNG ON SECESSION.

MAJ. SACK DOWNING ON SECESSION. |
We reproduce for the benefit of the
present day and generation, the follow
ing letter on Notification, from the cell
ebrated pen of Major Jack Downing:
WASHINGTON CRY, Jan. IT, 1888.
To the editor of the Portland Courier,
in the Mariners Church Building,
second story, eastern end, Fore street,
away down east in the State of Maine.
Ny KIND AND DEAR OLD FRIEND:-l
The Presidents Message to Congress
makes cracking work here. Mr.. Cal
houn shows his teeth like a lion. Mr..
MoDufie is cool as cowcumber, though
they say he's got terrible tempest in
side of him, that he'll let out before
long. For my part 1 think the Presi
i dents message is about right i was
setting with the President in the east
room last night, chatting abouts one
thing and another, and the President
says he, ''Major Downing have you read
my message that sent to Congress to-
day9" 1 told him hadn't. ''Well,
says he, ssIzshould like to have you read
it and give me your opinion upon it.
SO he handed it to me and l sot down
and read it through.
And when I got through, now, says |,
Gineral, I'll tell you jest what / think
of this ere business. When | was
youngster some of us Downingville boys
used to go down to Sebago Pond every
spring and hire out month or two
, rafting logs across the pond. And one
time I and cousin Ephraim, and Joel,
and Bill johnson, and two Or three
more Of Us had each whoppiug great
log to carry across the pond. 1t vas
rather a windy day and the waves kept
the logs bobbing up and down pretty
considerably bad, so We agreed to bring
EN- along side and side and lash EN- to-
, eether and drive some thole-pins in the
! outermost logs and row 'em over toge-
ther. We went along two or three
miles pretty we'll. But by and by Bill
Johnson begun to complain. he was
, always an uneasy harumscarum sort OF
chap. Always thought everybody
else had an easier time than he had, and
when he was boy, always used to, be
complaining that the other boys had
i, more butter on their bread than he had.
Well. Bill was rowing on the lcward
side. and he begun to fret and SAID his
side went the hardest, and he wouldn't t
give us any peace till one of US changed
! sides with him.
Well, Bill hadn't rowed but little
e ways on the windward side before he
begun to fret again, and declared that
y side went harder than 'tother, and he
> wouldn't touch to row on that side any
+ longer. We told him he had his choice,
and he shouldn't keep changing So
But he only frettcd the more and begun
. to get mad. At last he declared if we
: didn't change with him in five minutes,
r he'd cut the lashings and take his log
, and paddle off alone And before we
= had hardly time to turn round, he de-
7 clared the FIVE minutes were out, and up
, hatchet and cut the lashings, and away
r went Bill on his own log, bobbing and
r rolling about, and dancing like mon
o key to try to keep on the upper side
$ The rest Of us scrabbled together as well
t as we could, and fastened our logs to-
gether again, though we had tuff
p match for it, the wind blew so hard
Bill hadn't gone bit little ways before
t his log begun to role more and more
h and by and by in he went splash, head
| and ears He came up putting and
: blowing, and got hold of the log and
4 tried to climb up on to it, but the more
$ he tried the more the log rolled; and
1t finding it would be gone goose with him
e pretty soon if he stayed there, he begun
IS to sing out like loon for US to CONF
V and take him We asked him which
e side he would row if we would take hi;
r Hog into the raft again. o, says Bill
!, I'll row ON, either side or both sides il
you want me to, if you'll only come anc
help me before sink.
st But, said the President, [ hope yor
e didn't help the foolish rascal out till hc
g got pretty good soaking. He go
soaking enough before we got to him
: says [, for he was jest ready to sink fo
o the last time, and our logs come pesky
IS near getting scattered, and if they had
,e we should have all gone to the bottom
together And now, Gineral, this is jes
i, what I think: if you let South Carolins
r. cut the lashings you'll Il see such log roll
% ing in this country as you never saw
ct yet The old Gineral started up ant
st marched across the floor like boy
II Says he, "Major Downing, she shan
cut the lashings while my name is An
drew Jackson. Tell Sargent Joel Il
have his company sleep on their arm'
every night" told him they shoulc
e be ready at moments warming.
is 1 wish you would jest give cousit
h Ephraim up to Augusta jog to know
It why he don't write to me and let m,
IS know how the Legislator is getting
l. along. Iremain your loving friend,
q MAJOR JACK DOWNING
q Tom Corvyin's Wit. So -1
10 "hiIa