And that is n't the only quarrel Mr Clay has stopt. Two of the Senators, Mr Webster and Mr Poindexter, got as mad as March hairs at each other. They called each other some pesky hard names, and looked cross enough for a week to bite a board nail off. Well, after Mr Clay got through with South Carolina, he took them in hand. He jest talked to 'em about five minutes, and they got up and went and shook hands with each other, and looked as loving as two brothers. Then Mr Holmes got up and went to Mr Clay, and almost with tears in his eyes asked him if he would n't be so kind as to settle a little difficulty there was between him and his constituents, so they might elect him to come to Congress again. And I believe some of the other Senators asked for the same favor. So as there is likely to be peace now all round the house for some time to come, I'm in a kind of a quandary what course to steer this summer. The President talks of taking a journey down east this summer, and he wants me to go with him, because I 'm acquainted there, and can show him all about it. He has a great desire to go as fur as Downingville, and get acquainted with Uncle Joshua, who has always stuck by him in all weathers through thick and thin. The President thinks uncle Joshua is one of the republican pillars of NewEngland, and says he shall always have the post office as long as he lives, and his children after him. I rather guess on the whole I shall come on that way this summer with the President. But wherever I go, I shall remain your loving cousin, MAJOR JACK DOWNING. 7 LETTER LVII. In which Major Downing gives the result of a consultation amongst the government on the question, whether the President should shake hands with the Federalists during his journey down East. Washington City, April 20, 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 DEAR Old Friend, Bein I hant writ to you and our folks up in Down my for some time, I'm afraid you ingville will begin to feel a little uneasy by and by, so I'll jest write you a little if it aint but two lines, to let you know how we get on here. I and the President seem to enjoy ourselves pretty well together, though its getting to be a little lonesome since the Congress folks went off, and Sargent Joel cleared out with Downingville Company, Poor souls, I wonder if they have got home yet; I have n't heard a word from 'em since they left here. I wish you would send up word to Sargeant Joel to write to me and let me now how they got along. He can send his letter in your Currier, or get uncle Joshua to frank it; either way it wont cost me any thing. Now I think of it, I wish you would jest ask cousin Nabby to ask uncle Joshua to frank me on two or three pair of stockings, for mine have got terribly out at the heels. He can do it jest as well as not; they make nothing here of franking a bushel basket full of great books to the western States. And they say some of the members of Congress used to frank their clothes home by mail to be washed. I and the President are getting ready to come on that way this summer. We shall come as far as Portland, and I expect we shall go up to Downingville; for the President says he must shake hands with uncle Joshua before he comes back, that faithful old republican who has stood by him through thick and thin ever since he found he was going to be elected President. He will either go up to Downingville, or send for Uncle Joshua to meet him at Portland. There is some trouble amongst us here a little, to know how we shall get along among the federalists when we come that way. They say the federalists in Massachusetts want to keep the President all to themselves when he comes there. But Mr Van Buren says that 'll never do; he must stick to the democratic party; he may shake hands with a federalist once in a while if the democrats dont see him, but whenever there 's any democrats round he must n't look at a federalist. Mr McLane and Mr Livingston advise him tother way. They tell him he'd better treat the federalists pretty civil, and shake hands with Mr Webster as quick as he would with uncle Joshua Downing. And when they give this advice Mr Lewis and Mr Kendle hop right up as mad as march hairs, and tell him if he shakes hands with a single federalist while he is gone, the democratic party will be ruined. And then the President turns to me and asks me what he had better do. And I tell him I guess he better go straight ahead, and keep a stiff upper lip, and shake hands with whoever he is a mind to. Mr Van Buren staid with us awhile at the President's, but he's moved into a house now on Pennsylvany Avenue. He's a fine slick man I can tell you, and the President says he's the greatest man in America. He's got the beat'em-est tongue that ever I see. If you had a black hat on, he could go to talking to you and in ten minutes he could make you think it was white, Give my love to our folks up in Downingville when you have a chance to send it to 'em, and believe me your old friend, MAJOR JACK DOWNING, LETTER LVIII. In which Major Downing defends the President from the assault of Lieut. Randolph on board the Steam-boat Cygnet. On board the Steam-boat Cygnet, near the city of Alexandria, down a little ways below Washington, May the 6th, 1833. To the Editor of the Portland Courier in the Mariners' Church Building, 2nd story, Eastern end, Fore-street, away down East, in the State of Maine. MY DEAR OLD Friend. We've had a kind of a hurly burly time here to-day. I did n't know but we should burst the biler one spell; and some of us, as it was, got scalding hot. You see, I and the President and a few more gentlemen got into the steam-boat this morning to go round into old Virginny to help lay the foundation of a monument, so they should n't forget who Washington's mother was. When we got down along to Alexandria, the boat hauled up to the side of the wharf awhile to let some more folks get in, and while she lay there, I and the President and a few more of 'em sot in the cabin reading and chatting with one another. The President had jest got through reading a letter from uncle Joshua Downing, urging him very strongly to come up as fur as Downingville when he comes on that way. And says he, Major Downing, this uncle Joshua of yours is a real true blue republican as I know of any where. I would n't miss seeing him when I go down east for a whole year's salary. Says I, your honor, Downingville is the most thorough going republican town there is any where in the eastern country; and you ought not to come back till you have visited it. Jest as I said that there was a stranger came into the cabin and stept along up to the President, and begun to pull off his glove. I thought there was some mischief bruing, for his lips were kind of quivery, and I did n't like the looks of his eyes a bit. But the President thought he was trying to get his gloves off to shake hands with him, and the good old man is always ready to shake hands with a friend; so he reached out his hand to him and smiled, and told him never to stand for the gloves, and the words want hardly out of his mouth when dab went one of the fellow's hands slap into the President's face. In a moment I levelled my umbrella at the villain's head, and came pesky near fetching him to the floor. Two more gentlemen then clenched him by the collar and had him down as quick as ever you see a beef ox knocked down with an ax. In a minute there was a crowd round him as thick as a swarm of bees. But, my stars, I wish you could have seen the President jest at that minute. If you ever see a lion lying down asleep and a man come along with a great club and hit him a polt with all his might, and then see that lion spring on his feet, and see the fire flash in his eyes, and hear him roar and gnash his teeth, you might give some sort of a guess what kind of a harrycane we had of it. The old Gineral no sooner felt the fellow's paw in his face than he sprung like a steel-trap, and catched his cane and went at him. But there was such a crowd of men there in an instant, that it was as much impossible to get through 'em as it was for the British to get through his pile of cotton wool bags at New-Orleans. If it had n't been for that, I dont think but he would have kicked the feller through the side of the steam-boat in two minutes. However, somehow or other the rascal got hussled out of the boat on to the wharf, and fled like a dog that had been stealing sheep. They have sent some officers after him, but where they will overtake him nobody knows. The President has got cleverly cooled down again, |