LETTER LI.

In which Major Downing describes the arrival of Sargent Joel with the Company at Washington.

Washington City, Jan. 4, 1833.

To my dear Cousin Ephraim Downing, what watches the Legislater at Augusta, away down east, in the State of Maine, while I stay here and look arter Congress and the President.

DEAR COUSIN,-Sargent Joel got here day before yesterday with my hearty old company of Downingville boys, that went down to Madawaska with me last winter. They cut rather a curious figure marching through Pensilvany Avenu. One half of 'em had worn their shoes out so that their toes stuck out like the heads of so many young turkles, and t'other half had holes through their knees or elbows, and Sargent Joel marched ahead of 'em swinging his piece of an old scythe for a sword, and inquiring of every one he met for Major Jack Downing. They all told him to keep along till he got to the President's house, which was the biggest house in the city except the Congress house, and there he would find me. I and the President were setting by the window in the great east room, looking out and talking about Mr Calhoun and so on, when the President begun to stare as though he saw a catamount.

He started up on his feet, and says he, Major Downing, if my eyes dont deceive me there 's Nullification now coming up Pensilvany Avenu. He begun to call for his pistols, and to tell his men to fasten up the doors, when I looked out, and I knew Joel's strut in a minute. I, dear Ginneral, that's no nullification, but its what 'll put a stopper on nullification pretty quick if it once gets to South Carolina. It 's my Downingville Company

Says

commanded by Sargent Joel. At that the President looked more pleased than I 've seen him before since he got the news of the vote of Pensilvany. He ordered 'em into the east room and gave 'em as much as they could eat and drink of the best the house affords. He has found quarters for 'em in the neighborhood, and says we must be ready to march for South Carolina whenever he says the word.

But I'll tell you what 't is, cousin Ephraim, I begin to grow a little kind of wamble-cropt about going to South Carolina, arter all. If they 've got many such fellers there as one Ginneral Blair there is here from that State, I'd sooner take my chance in the woods forty miles above Downingville, fighting bears and wolves and catamounts, than come within gun-shot of one of these Carolina giants. He's a whaler of a feller, as big as any two men in Downingville. They say he weighs over three hundred pounds. About a week ago he met Ginneral Duff Green in the street and he fell afoul of him with a great club and knocked him down, and broke his arm and beat him almost to death, jest because he got mad at something Mr Green said in his paper. And what makes me feel more skittish about getting into the hands of such chaps, is, because he says he could n't help it. He says all his friends persuaded him not to meddle with Ginneral Green, and he tried as hard as he could to let him alone, but he 'found himself unequal to the effort.' So Green like to got killed.

The folks here sot out to carry him to court about it, but he said he would n't go, and so he armed himself with four pistols and two dirks and a great knife, and said he 'd shoot the first man that touched him. Last night he went to the Theatre with all his arms and coutrements about him. And after he sot there a spell, and all the folks were looking to see the play go on, he draws out one of his pistols and fires it at the players. Then there was a dreadful uproar. They told him he must clear

out about the quickest. But he said if they 'd let him alone he 'd behave like a gentleman. So they went on

with the play again.

By and by he draws out another pistol and points it towards the players. At that there was a whole parcel of 'em seized him and dragged him out into another room, big as he was. But pretty soon he got upon his feet, and begun to rave like a mad ox. He pulled off his coat and threw it down, and declared he'd fight the whole boodle of 'em. The constables were all so frightened they cut and run, and nobody dared to go a near him, till he got cooled down a little, when some of his friends coaxed him away to a tavern. Now as for going to South Carolina to fight such chaps as these, I'd sooner let nullification go to grass and eat mullen.

Sargent Joel told me when he left Downingville you had jest got loaded up with apples and one thing another to go down to Augusta to peddle 'em out; and that you was a going to stay there while the Legislater folks were there. So I thought it would be a good plan for you and I to write to one another about once a week or so, how matters get along.

Give my love to the folks up in Downingville whenever you see 'em.

So I remain your loving Cousin,

MAJOR JACK DOWNING.

LETTER LII.

In which Major Downing gives his opinion about NULLIFICATION, and illustrates it with a lucid example.

Washington City, Jan. 17, 1833.

To the editor of the Portland Courier, in the Mariners' Church Building, second story, eastern end, Fore street, away down east in the State of Maine.

MY KIND AND DEAR OLD Friend,· The President's Message to Congress makes cracking work here. Mr Calhoun shows his teeth like a lion. Mr McDuffie is cool as a cowcumber, though they say he's got a terrible tempest inside of him, that he'll let out before long. For my part I think the President's Message is about right. I was setting 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 I sent to Congress to day. I told him I had n't. Well, says he, I should like to have you read it and give me your opinion upon it. So he handed it to me and I sot down and read it through.

And when I got through, now says I Gineral I'll tell you jest what I think of this ere business. When I was a youngster some of us Downingville boys used to go down to Sebago Pond every spring and hire out a month or two rafting logs across the Pond. And one time I and cousin Ephraim, and Joel, and Bill Johnson, and two or three more of us had each a whapping great log to carry across the Pond. It was rather a windy day and the waves kept the logs bobbing up and down pretty considerable bad, so we agreed to bring 'em along side and side and lash 'em 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 and

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by Bill Johnson begun to complain. He was always an uneasy harumscarum sort of a chap. Always thought every body else had an easier 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 leward side, and he begun to fret and said his side went the hardest, and he would n't give us any peace till one of us changed sides with him.

Well Bill had n't rowed but a little ways on the windward side before he began to 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 should n't keep changing so. But he only freted the more and begun to get mad. At last he declared if we did n'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 the lashings, and away went Bill on his own log, bobbing and rolling about, and dancing like a monkey to try to keep on the upper side. The rest of us scrabbled to as well as we could, and fastened our logs together again, though we had a tuff match for it, the wind blew so hard. Bill had n'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 puffing and blowing, and got hold of the log and tried to climb up on to it, but the more he tried the more the log rolled; and finding it would be gone goose with him pretty soon if he staid there, he begun to sing out like a 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, if you'll only come and help me before I sink.

But, said the President, I hope you did n't help the