Year: 1861

| Msjor Jack Downing on esosoeiea.


he GIVES mrs OPINION ABOUT NuLIISIcAfyoN,
AND ILLUSTRATES 1T WITH LUCID ExAnPI1.


Wereproduce for the benefit Of the present
day and generation, the following letter on
Notification, from the celebrated pen Of Ma
jor Jack Downing:


| wAsunerex CRY. Jan. II. isss.


To the editor Of the Portland Courier. In the Mazlner


Church building second story, eastern end Fore srsss
away down Easfu the State Of Maine ffu
My Kind and dear old Friend:-The Pres
ident's message to Congress makes cracking
work here. Mr.. Calhoun shows his teeth
like lion. Mr.. McDuffie is cool a. . cow
cumber, though they say he's got . terrible
tempest inside Of him, that he'll let out before
long For my part think the Presidents
message is about right. was sitting 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 dayp | told him hadn't. Well, says
he, should like to have you read il and give
me your opinion upon it. So he handed Il
to me and sot down and read it through.


And when got through, now says Gin
eral I'll tell you jest what think Of this ere
business. When was youngster some Of
us Downingville boys used to 60 down to
Sebago pond every spring and hire out I
month or two rafting logs across the pond.---
And one time and cousin Ephraim, and
Joel, and Bill johnson, and two or three
more Of us hadNcach Wrapping great log to
carry across the pond. It was rather .
windy day and the waves kept the logs bob
bing up and down pretty considerable bad,
so we agreed to bring 'em along side and side
and lash 'em together and drive some thole.
pids in the outermost logs and row 'em over
together. We went along two or three miles
pretty WELL But by and by Bill johnson
begun to complain. He was always an un-
easy harumscarum sort of chap. Always
thought everybody else had an easier time
than he had, and when he was q 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 leeward side, and
he begun to fret and said his side went tho
hardest, and he wouldn't give ns any peace
till one of us changed sides with him,


Well Bill hadn't rowed but q little ways On
the windward side before he begun 70 fret
again, and declared that 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 chang.
ing so. But he only fretted the more and
begun to get mad. At last nc declared 4 we
didn't change with him in five minutes, he'd
cut the lashings and take his log and paddle
off alone. And before we had hardly time
to turn round, he declared the five minutes
were out, and up hatchet and cut lashings,
and away went Bill on his log, bobbing and
rolling about, and dancing like monkey to
try to keep on the upper side The rest Of
us scrabbled to as well as we could, and
fastened our logs togther again, though wc
had a tuff match for it, the wind blew 70
hard. Bill hadn't gone bnt little ways be-
fore his log begun to role more, and by and
by in he went splash, head and ears. Hc
came up putting and blowing, and got hold
of the log and tried to climb up on II, but tho
more he tried the more the log rolled; and
finding it would be gone goose with him
pretty soon if he stayed there, he begun 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. O, says Bill, I'll row on either side
or both sides if you want me to, If you'll only
come and help Inc before sink.


But, said the President, hope you didn't
help the poor foolish rascal out till he got
pretty good soaking. He got soaked
enough before we got to him, says /, for he
was lest ready to sink for the Inst time, and
our logs come pesky near getting scattered,
and IL they had, we should all gone to tho
bottom together. And now, Gineral, this iS


Jest what l think If you let South Carolina
cut the lashings you'll see such a log rolling
in this country as you never sec yet. The
old Ginerul started up and marched across
the floor like boy. Says he, Major Down.
ing, she sha'nt 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 bs
ready at moments warning.


wish you would jest give cousin Ephraam
up to Augusta jog to know why he dont
write to me and let me know how the Legis-
later is getting along.
| remain your loving friend.
| MAJOR JACK DOWNING.


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