Year: 1861



 letters of Major Jack Downing, written from Washington, January D. 1883, to the editor of the Portland Courier. General Jacksons spe- cial message on the nulificaton scheme had been communicated to Congress and the major represents himself as having an interview with the President, which he thus reports:

 l 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, day? 1 told him hadn't. We'll, says he should like to have you read it, and give me your opinion upon it. So lie handed it to me, and sat down and read it through

 And when got through, now says l, giHeral, I'll tell you just what think of this ere busi- ness. When l was youngster, some of us Downingville boys used to go down to Sebago pond every spring and hire out month or two carrying logs across the pond. And one time and cousin Ephrain, and Joel and Bill Johnson, and two or three more of us, had each whop- ping great log to carry across the pond. It was rather windy day, and the waves kept the logs bobbing up and down considerable, bad, so we agreed to bring 'em alongside and lash 'em to- cether, and drive some t6ole pins in the outer most logs and row 'em over together We went along two or three miles pretty we'll; but by and by Bill Johnson began to complain. He was al- ways an uneasy, harum scarum sort Of chap Always thought everybody else had an easier time than he had; and when he was boy al- ways used to be complaining that the other boys had more butter on their bread than he had We'll, Bill was rowing on the leewaid side, and he begun 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 little way on the windward side before he began to fret again, and declared that side went harder than 'tother, and he wouldn't touch an oar to row on that side anv longer. We told him he had his choice, and he shouldn't keep changing so. But he only fretted the more, and began to get mad At last he declared if we didn't change with him in five minutes, he d cut the lashings aud take his his log and paddle off alone. And beforA we had hardly time to turn around, he declared the five minutes were up, and up hatchet and cut the lashings, and away went Bill on his own log, bobbing and rolling about, and dancing like monkey to keep on the upper side. The rest of us scrabbled to as well as we could and fastened our logs together again, and though we had tough match for it, the wind blew so hard. Bill had not gone but little ways before his log be- gan to roll more and more. and by and by in he went splash, head and ears. He cane up pufing and blowing, and he got hold of the log and tried to climb up it. but the more he tried the more the log rolled and finding 1t would be gone goose with him pretty soon il he stayed tnere nS began to sing out like loon for us to come a19 tafa 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 voH want me to, if you'll only come and help me before 1 sink. A'I put said the President, hope you didn't help ..a f,ol;sb rascal out till he got pretty good soaking. sos ing, He got soaked enough before we got so him. says I, for he was just ready to sink for the last time, and our logs came pesky near get ting scattered and if they had we should all have fhis is just what think, if you let South Caro- lima cut the lashngs, you'll see such log rolling | in this country as you never see yet The old G,neral started up and marched across the floor like boy Says he, Major Downing she shant cut the lashings while my name is Andrew Jack son. Tell Sargeant Joel to have his company sleep on their arms every night. l told nm they should be ready at moments warning Ios him.