13. LETTER XIII.
MR. DOWNING TELLS HOW THE LEGISLATURE CLEARED OUT, AND HOW
ELDER HALL WENT HOME.
Portland, Monday, March 22, 1830.
To Cousin Ephraim Downing up in Downingville:
Cousin Ephraim:—I kind of want to say a few more words
to your about the Legislaters. You know they came together
here in the first of the winter in a kind of a stew, and they
had storms and tempests among 'em all the time they staid
here, and finally they went off Friday in a sort of whirlwind
or harricane, I don't know which. They were dreadful kind
of snappish the last day they were here; they couldn't hardly
touch a single thing without quarreling about it. They quarreled
about paying some of the folks they hired to work for
'em; and they quarreled ever so long about paying them are
four Sinneters that were chose in the convention; and at last
they got to quarreling like cats and dogs to see if they should
thank the President and Speaker for all the work they've done
this winter. But they had to thank 'em at last. And then
Mr. Goodnow, the Speaker in that Legislater they call the
House, got up and talked to 'em so pleasant, and kind, and
scripture-like, it made 'em feel a little bad; some of 'em
couldn't hardly help shedding tears. I tho't them are, that
had been quarreling so, must feel a little sheepish.
That are Elder Hall, that was President of the Sinnet,
seemed to be the most poplar man in the whole bunch of both
Legislaters. There wasn't one of the rest of 'em that could
work it so as to make both parties like 'em. But, some how
or other, he did. The National Republikans liked him so well
that they all voted for him for President; and the Democratic
Republikans liked him so well that they all voted to thank
him when they went away. And I don't so much wonder at
it, for he seemed to me to be about the cleverest, good-natured
old gentleman that ever I see.
It's true the old gentleman had rather hard work to keep
the wheels of Government going in the Sinnet this winter;
and they would get trig'd every little while in spite of all he
could do. I s'pose this made him rather shy of all kinds of
wheels; for he wouldn't go home in a stage, nor a wagon,
nor a shay. These kind of carts all have wheels, and I s'pose
he thought they might get trig'd, and he wouldn't hardly get
home all summer. So he concluded to go by water; and
he went aboard a vessel Saturday night, and sailed for Down
East; and as true as you are alive, before the next day noon
the wheels of the vessel got trig'd; though they said the vessel
didn't go on wheels, but some how or other it got trig'd,
and back they came next day into Portland again, and there
they had to stay till Monday, because the wind didn't blow
according to the constitution. But President Hall, you know,
isn't the man to leave his post in time of difficulty; so he
never adjourned, nor came ashore, but stuck to the rack till
Monday, when a good constitutional breeze sprung up, and
they sot sail again. And I wish him a pleasant passage home,
and peace and happiness after he gets there; for, as I said
afore, I don't think there's a cleverer man anywhere Down
East. From your cousin,
