very well how to du the business; for I never had a chance to see any governor business done, only what I see Elder Hall du in the Sinnet chamber last winter. Poor man, that makes me think what a time he had going home. I wrote to you before that he went by water, and that the vessel got trig'd by an unconstitutional wind the first day and had to come back again. And he must have found a good many hard trigs after that, for he did n't get home til 2d day of April.

Where he was, in that dreadful storm the 26th of March I have n't heard. But I should think after standing the racket he did last winter in the legislater, and then this ere storm at sea, he never need to fear any thing on land or water again in this world.

I wish you 'd write me what you think about my being a candidate for Governor, and whether you think I could get along with the business. Considerable part of the business I should n't be a mite afraid but what I could du; that is, the turning out and putting in. I know every crook and turn of that business; for I dont believe there's a boy in our county, though I say it myself, that 's turned out and tied up more cattle than I have. And they say a Governor has a good deal of this sort of work to du.

No more at present from your loving neefu,
JACK DOWNING.

In which Uncle Joshua discovers remarkable skill in th science of politics, and advises Mr Downing by all mean to stand as a candidate for governor.

Downingville, April 18, 1830.

To my neffu, Jack Downing, at Portland.

DEAR JACK-I never felt nicer in my life than I di when I got your last letter. I did think it was a kind foolish notion in you to stay down there to Portland a winter, and then hire out there this summer. I thoug you better be at home to work on the farm; for yo father, poor old gentleman, is hauled up with the rum tize so, he wont be able to du hardly a week's work th summer. But I begin to believe Jack knows which si his bread is buttered yet. For if you can only r pretty well as a candidate for Governor, even if y shouldn't be elected, it will be worth more to you th the best farm in this County. It will be the means getting you into some good office before long, and th you can step up, ye see, from one office to another you get to be Governor. But if the thing is manag right, I am in hopes you'll get in this time, and Downings will begin to look up, and be somebody. a very good start, your being nominated in that are per down to Brunswick. But there's a good deal to done yet, to carry it. I'm older than you are, and h seen more of this kind of business done than you, and

support from them; for after such rigs as they cut up in the Legislater last winter, the people back here in the country dont like 'em very well. I think it would hurt you to have any thing to do with 'em. Then you must get a few of your friends together in Portland, no matter if there aint no more than half a dozen, and pass some patriotic resolutions, and then publish the duins of the meeting in the paper, headed THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE: and then go on to say, at a numerous and respectable meeting of democratic national republicans held in Portland at such a time, &c.

Resolved unanimously, that we have perfect confidence in the exalted talents, the unspotted integrity, and well known patriotism of Mr Jack Downing, [or perhaps it should be the Hon. Jack Downing] and that we cheerfully recommend him to the people of this State as a candidate for the office of Governor.

Resolved, that his well known attachment to the interests, the principles, and usages of the democratic national republican party, eminently entitles him to their confidence and support.

Resolved, as the sense of this meeting, that nothing short of the election of that firm patriot, the Hon. Jack Downing, can preserve the State from total, absolute, and irretrievable destruction.

Resolved, that a County Convention be called to ratify the doings of this meeting, and that the democratic national republicans in other counties be requested to call conventions for the same purpose.

Resolved, that the proceedings of this meeting be published in all the democratic national republican newspapers in the State.

We will then get up such a meeting in this town, and pass some more highly patriotic resolutions and send 'em down, and you must have 'em put into the paper headed A VOICE FROM THE COUNTRY. And then we must get a few together somewhere, and call it a countu con

vention, and keep rolling the snow ball over, till we wind up the whole State in it. Then, ye see, about the first of August we must begin to pin it down pretty snug in the papers. Kind of touch it up some how like this: extract of a letter from a gentleman of the first respectability in York County to the central committee in Portland. The democratic national republicans here are wide awake; York County is going for Mr Downing, all hollow; we shall give him in this county at least a thousand majority over both Smith and Hunton.' Another from Penobscot: three quarters of the votes in this county will be given to Mr Downing: the friends of Smith and Hunton have given up the question, so satisfied are they that there is no chance for them.'

Another from Kennebec: from information received from all parts of the State, upon which perfect reliance may be placed, we are enabled to state for the information of our democratic national republican friends, that there is not the least shadow of doubt of the election of Mr Downing. It is now rendered certain beyond the possibility of mistake, that he will receive from five to ten thousand majority over both the other candidates.'

If this don't carry it, you'll have to hang up your fiddle till another year. And after the election is over, if you shouldn't happen to get hardly any votes at all, you must turn about with perfect indifference, and say the democratic national republicans didn't try-made no effort at all-but will undoubtedly carry the election next year all hollow.

P. S. If you get in, I shall expect my son Ephraim to have the office of Sheriff in this County, for he's got some of the bean poles left yet, that he sot out to carry to market last winter. The other offices we'll distribute at our leisure.

Your affectionate old uncle,

JOSHUA DOWNING.

LETTER XIX.

In which Mr Downing gives his opinion about newspapers. Portland, March 30, 1830.

DEAR UNCLE JOSHUA - In my last letter to Ephraim, I said I should write to you pretty soon something about the Portland Town Meeting. As you've been sleckman and survare a good many years, I spose you'd like to hear about sich kind of things. And I spose I might tell you about a good many other things tu, that you don't have much chance to know about away up there; and aunt Sally says I ought tu; for she says I have a great many advantages living here in Portland, that folks can't have up in the country, and if I should write to some of you once or twice a week, she thinks it would be time well spent. So I shall spend part of my evenings, after I get my day's work done, in writing letters. I don't know but I forgot to tell you that I had hired out here this summer. I get eight dollars a month and board, and have the evenings to myself. I go to school three evenings in a week, and aunt Sally says she can begin to see that I spell better already. The printer of the Courier and the Family Reader, that sends my letters for me, is very kind; he doesn't ask any thing for sending my letters, and he gives me as many newspapers as I can get time to read. So I spend one evening in a week reading newspapers, and set up pretty late that evening tu. And besides I get a chance to read awhile most every morning before the rest of the folks are up; for these Portland folks are none of your starters in the morning. I've known my father many a time, before the rhumatiz took the poor old gentleman, to mow down an acre of stout grass in the morning, and get done by that time one half the Portland folks leave off snoring. Sometimes I think I better be up in the country tu, mowing