University of Virginia Library

[Zekel Bigelow called on us yesterday, and handed us the
following letter from Major Downing. He says the Major has
gone back to Washington like a streak of lightning; and had not
time to apologize to the Honourable the Corporation, and other
public bodies, who by their respective Committees had waited
on him, and were desirous of showing him the usual civilities
extended to distinguished individuals. Zekel says, he
`never see any one so completely in a rumple as the Major
was;' he read the Gineral's letter over two or three times,
backwards, and forwards, and crosswise, before he said a word;
and then he began to mumble the names of some of the Government,
and turned as blue as an indigo bag, till he let it
out.—Eds.]