Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-05-02
Letter From Major Jack Downing.
WAsuINcrnN Anril 1hth 1890

Letter From Major Jack Downing.
WASHINGTON, April 18th, 1862
To the Editers of the CarcaShin:
SURs-Fve been kinder sick sence | writ
you last. The truth Is, this CLIMATE in the
spring is raely very weaknn to the constitu-
shin. Linkin too, has been terribully anxus
about war moose, and the nigh approach of hot
weather. But the great subjeck which the
Kernel and | have been considerin, is the
'contrybands." What is to be done with 'em?
That's the questshin, and Linkin ses he'd like
to see the teller that can tell him. One night
Linkin got big map, an he sot down, and
"Now," ses he, "Majer, let's take look at all
creaShin, an see eft ther amt sum place whar
we kin send these pesky kinky heds, and get
rid of EN- "Wal," ses |, KERNEL, I'm agreed"
30 we went at it. First Linkin put his finger
on Haty. 'Now, ses he, 'ther's an Hand that
jest suits the nigger constitushin. Suppose
they 90 thar" But" ses |, "Kernel. thew
won't 90, an ef they did, they wouldn't do
nothin." Wal" ses he, mo matter, eff thew
won't trouble us here emmy longer" But
ses ], 'ther's one more resin. The iland amt
large enutf to hold all the niggers-four mil
lions or thereabouts." WAL" ses he. .ther's
Centnl Ameriky-what do YOU think of that
spot?" WAL" ses I. Kernel that's a fine
country materially. The Creator fixed it up
on a grand skale, but YOU can't make treaty
with 1t, emmy more than YOU can count the
spots on little pig, when he keeps runin
about the hull time. The truth Is. YOU can't
tell who'll be President of 1t from one mornin
to the next, and the niggers YOU send there
might all Get there throats cut Jest as soon as
they landed" Wal" ses Linkin. .that's a
slight obiecshin But let's turn over TO Afrikv.
There's Lbery, how would that do. Maier?"
Wal" seS /, !" Kernel. that country IS about
the biggest humbug of the hull lot Fust off.
sum raly good peepul thought it was coin 10
amount TO sumthin, bat after forty years of
spendin money on it. ther ant anv more
chanSt OF civilizin Afriky in that way than
ther Is of maxim a rifed cannon out of a bass
wood log. \ few dominys. who can't CIT ennv
boldly willn to hear 'em preach. hev got hold
of 1t, an are maxim a good thing out of il.
As for sendln our niggerS ther, why IT would
take all the shippin of the world. and more
money than Chase could print by steam in
YEAR Wal" ses Linkin. where on arth
kin we send 'em?" Now" ses l. Kernel.
I've got an dee of my own about that matter.
l think they are best off where they are, but
ct YOU must ut rid Of 'em. | would send 'em
all to Massachusetts Peepul who are so
anxus 70 have other folks overrun with free
niggers, ought TO be wilin TO share sum OF the
blessins themselves. SO let all that are here
In Washington be sent rite off 10 Boston"
I" les, that might do, ses Linkin,' but then,
ef they are entitled 10 their freedom, thev
orter be allowed TO 90 where they are a mind
to- q" But" seS |, ''sum States won't have
EN- al all, an they can't 90 there. So what's
10 be dOneI' oval /" spS Iinkin Il tell Won
wh;h Is, Majer. this Is an almighty tuf' subjeck.
| know something about splitting rails, and
what hard work Is ginerally, but this Niger
questshin has puzzled me more than emmy
thing | ever got hold of before "Wal," ses
|, l,"kernel, | kin explain the resin why" Ses
he: Let's hear you, Majer." wal ses |,
hernel, where do you carry your pocket