Mr Downing receives a Captain's Commission in the United States Army with orders to go and protect the inhabitants of Madawaska,

Washington City, the 20th day of Oct. 1831.

To the Portland Courier away down in the State of Maine, to be sent to Uncle Joshua Downing up in Downingville, this with care and speed, and dont let any body see it.

DEAR UNCLE JOSH, I've got it at last as true as you re alive, and now I dont keer a snap for the fattest of 'em. I'll teach them are young chaps down to Portland that used to poke fun at me so because I did n't get in to be Governor, that they must carry a better tongue in their heads, or they'll find out who they are talking to. I guess they'll find out by and by it wont be healthy for 'em to poke fun at an officer of my rank. And as for Jemime Parsons that married the school master winter before last, when she had promised as fair as could be that she would have me, she may go to grass for what I keer; I would n't have her now no more than I'd have a Virginny nigger. And I guess when she comes to see me with my regimentals on she 'll feel sorry enough, and wish her cake was dough again. Now she's tied down to that clodpole of a school master, that was n't fit for a school master neither, for he has had to go to hoeing potatoes for a living, and much as ever he can get potatoes

enough to keen 'em from starving when if she had only

And when he

There's nothing like trying, in this world, uncle; any body that tries can be something or other, if he dont get discouraged too soon. When I came on here, you know, I expected to get one of the great Secretaries' offices; but the good old President told me they had got him into such a hobble about them are offices that he could n't give me one of 'em if he was to die. But he treated me like a gentleman, and I shall always vote for him as long as I live, and I told him so. found out that I was a true genuine republican, says he, Mr Downing, you must be patient, and I'll bear you in mind, and do something for you the very first chance. And you may depend upon it Mr Downing, he added with a good deal of earnestness, I never desert my friends, let that lying Stephen Simpson of Philadelphy say what he will about it, a good for nothing ungrateful dog. And he fetched a stomp with his foot and his eyes kind of flashed so fiery, that I could n't help starting back, for I did n't know but he was going to knock me over. But he look'd pleasant again in a minute, and took me by the hand, and now, says he, Mr Downing, I give you my honor that I'll do something for you as soon as I possibly can. I told him I hoped he would be as spry as he could about it, for I had but jest ninepence left, and I did n't know how I should get along very well, in a strange place too. But he told me never to mind that at all; I might come and eat my meals at his house whenever I'd a mind to, or he would be bondsman for my board where I put up. So I've worked along from that time to this, nearly four months, as well as I could, sometimes getting a little job of garden-work, and sometimes getting a little wood to saw, and so on, nearly enough to pay my expenses. I used to call and see the President once in a while, and he always told me I must be patient and keep up a good heart, the world was n't made in one day, and something would turn up for me by and by. But fact, after digging, and sawing, and

waiting four nths, my patience got most wore out, and I was jest upon the point of giving up the chase, and starting off for Downingville with the intention of retiring to private life; when last night, about seven o'clock, as I sot eating a bowl of bread and milk for my` supper, a boy knocked at the door and wanted to see Mr Downing. So they brought him into the room where I was, and says he, Mr Downing, the President wants to see you for something very particular, right away this evening. My heart almost jump'd right up in my mouth. My spoon dropt out of my hand, and to eat another mouthful I could n't if I was to starve. I flew round, and washed my face and hands, and combed my head, and brushed up as well as I could, and should have looked tolerable spruce if it had n't been for an unlucky hole in the knee of my trowses. What to do I did not know. It made me feel bad enough I can tell you. The woman where I boarded said she would mend them for me if I would take them off, but it would take her till about nine o'clock, and the President was waiting for me, and there 'twas. Such a hobble I never was in before. But this woman is a kind good creature as ever was; she boards me for four and sixpence a week, considering that I split wood for her, and bring water, and do all sich kind of chores. And she always had some contrivance to get out of every difficulty; and so she handed me a neat little pocket handkerchief and told me to tie that round my knee. Being thus rigged out at last, I started off as fast as I could go for the President's.

When I went into his room, the old gentleman was setting by a table with his spectacles on, and two great lamps burning before him, and a bundle of letters and papers in his hand. He started up and took me by the hand, and says he, good evening Mr Downing, I'm very glad to see you; you are the very man I want now, above all others in the world. But how is this, said he ? looking at my knee. Not lame, I hope? That would

be a most unfortunate thing in this critica, oment. It would knock my plan in the head at once. I felt kind

of blue, and I guess I blushed a little; but I turned it off as well as I could; I told him I was n't lame at all, it was nothing but a slight scratch, and by to-morrow morning I should be as well as ever I was in my life. Well then says he, Mr Downing, set down here and see what I've got to tell you. The old gentleman set himself back in his chair and pushed his spectacles up on his forehead and held up the letter in his hand, and says he, Mr Downing, here is a letter from Governor Smith of Maine, and now Sir, I've got something for you to do. You see now that I was sincere when I told you if you would be patient and stick to the republican text, I would look out for you one of these days. I'm always true to my friends; that lying Stephen Simpson might have had an office before now if he had behaved himself.

Well, dear sir, said I, for I felt in such a pucker to know what I was going to get that I could n't stand it any longer, so says I, what sort of business is it you 've got for me to do? Says he, Mr Downing, I take it you are a man of courage; I have always thought so ever since you faced Mr Eaton so boldly on Mr Ingham's door steps. Tho' I was sorry your courage was not displayed in a better cause, for that Ingham is a rascal after all. I told him as for courage I believed I had some of the stuff about me when there was any occasion for it, and that I never would stand by and see any body abused. Well, says he, we must come to the point, for the business requires haste.

Governor Smith writes me that there are four of your fellow citizens of Maine in a British jail at Fredericton, who have been taken from their farms by British constables and sheriffs and other officers and carried off by force to prison. By this time my very hair begun to curl, I felt so mad, and I could n't help jumping up and smiting my fists together, and saying pretty hard things

about the British. Well, says the President, I like your spunk Mr Downing; you 're jest the man I want in this business. I'm going to give you a captain's commission in the United States' army, and you must go down there and set that business right at Madawaska.

You must go to Maine and raise a company of volunteers as quick as possible, tell 'em I'll see 'em paid, and you must march down to Fredericton and demand the prisoners, and if they are not given up you must force the jail, and if the British make any resistance you must fire upon them and bring the prisoners off at some rate or other. Then write me and let me know how affairs stand, and I 'll give you further orders. At any rate you must see that the rights of Maine are well protected, for that state has come round so in my favor since last year I 'm determined to do every thing I can for them; I tell you Mr Downing, I never desert my friends. So after he gave me the rest of my orders, and my commission, and a pocket full of money, and told me to be brave and if I wanted any thing to let him know, he bid me good night, and I went home. But I could n't sleep a wink all night. I was up before day light this morning, and I 've got two women to work for me to day fixing up my clothes, and I shall be ready to start to morrow morning. I want you to keep this matter pretty still till I get there, except that you may let cousin Ephraim know it and get him to volunteer some of the Downingville boys for my company. I want to get them pretty much all there if I can, for I know what sort of stuff the Downingville boys are made of, and shall know what I've got to depend upon.

In haste, your loving neffu,

CAPT. JACK DOWNING.