The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-01-02
Maj. Jack Downing on Secession

To give thee all the rest"
Maj. Jack Downing on Secession
lie gices his opinion about Nuzlifcation,
and illustrates it aoiM Lucid Erample.
We produce for the benefit of the present
day and generation, the following letter on
Notification, from the celebrated pen Of
Major Jack Downing:
WASHINGTON Jan. H. 1883.
To the editor of the Portland Courier In the Mari
ners Church Building, second story, eastern end,
Fore street, away down East in the State Of Maine.
My KIND AND DEAR OLD FRIEND The
Presidents Message to Congress makes crack
ing work here. Mr. Calhoun shows his teeth
like a lion. Mr.. McDuf1le is as cool as
cucumber, though they say he's got terri.
BILE temper inside of fhim, that he'll let out be-
fore long. For my part think the Presi-
dents message is about right. / was sit
ting with the President in the east room last
night, chatting about one thing and another,
and the President says he, Major Downing,
have you read my message that sent to
Congress to day told him hadn't We'll,
says he, | should like to have you read it
and give me your opinion upon it, So he
handed it to me and sot down and I read
it through
And when / got through, now says
Gneral, I'll tell you jest what l think OF
this ere business When wasa youngster
some of us Downingville boys used to 90
down to sebago pond every Spring, and
hire out month or two rafting logs across
the pond. And one time | and cousin
Ephram, and Joel, and Bill johnson, and two
or three more of us had a Wrapping big log
to carry across the pond 1t was rather
windy day and the waves kept the logs bob
bing up and down pretty considerably hard,
so we agreed to bring them together and
drive some thole pins in the outermost logs
and row 'em over together, We went along
two or three miles pretty WELL But by an
by Bill began to complain. He always was
an uneasy harum scarum sort ola fellow
Always thought everybody else had an easi-
er time than he had, and when he was a
boy, always used to be complaining that the
other boys had more butter on their bread
than he had. Well, Bill was rowing on the
lewlrd side, and he began to fret and said
his side went the hardest, and he wouldn't
give us any peace till one.of us changed sides
with him.
Well Bill hadn't rowed but a little. ways
on the windward side before he begun to
fret again, and declared that side went hard
er 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 fretted the more
and begun to get mad. At last he declared
If he diden't change with him in five minutes,
he'd cut the lashngs and take his log and
paddle off alone. And before we had hardly
time to turn round, he declared the five
minutes was out, and up hatchet and cut
the lasbin~s, and away wo1t MI on hisown
'os, bobLias aal rolling about, and dancing
like monkey to Try to keep on the upper
side. The rest of us serabbled to as we'll as
we could, and fastened our logs together
again, though we had tuff match for 1T, the
wind blew 50 hard. Bill hadn't gone but a
little ways before his log begun to role more
and more, and by and by in he went splash,
head and ears. He came up putting and
blowing, and got hold of the log and tried to
climb up on it, but the more he tried the
more the log rolled ; and finding it would be
gone goose with him pretty soon if he stayed
there, hebegun to sing out like loon for us
to come and take him. We asked him which
side he would row if we would take his log
into the raft again. 0, says Bill, I'll row on
either side or both sides if you want me to,
ifyoull only come and help me before
sink.
But, said the President, hope you didn't
help the foolish rascal out till he was Just
ready to sink. He got soaked enough before
we got him, says /, and our logs came pesky
near getting scattered, and if they had, we
should all have gone to the bottom together.
and now Gineral, this isjest what think i!
you let South Carolina cut the lashings you'll
see such log-rolling in this country as you
never see yet. The old Gineral started up
and marched across the floor like boy
Says he, Major Downing, she shan't cut the
lashings while my name is Andrew jackson
Tell Sargent Joel to have his company sleep
on their arms every night. ! told him they
should be ready at moments warning.
wish you would jest give cousin Ephra;m
up to Augusta a jog to know why he don't
write to me and let me know how the Legis-
later is getting along.
remain your loving friend,
i MAJOR JACK DOWNING.
1 REMAINS OF AN ANCIENT MoSsTER-In
the National Democrat, published in Rapides
Parish, we find the following:
Our friend, B. Maletret, has disentomhed
the remains of some gigantic antedeluvian