University of Virginia Library

Dear Sir,—In the thriving village of Carthage
(not the Carthage of Queen Dido on the
coast of Africa)—but on the north bank of the
Black River, in the county of Jefferson, and
State of New-York, we have an Axe Factory,
manufactured from ore on the spot. Though
we cannot boast, like Messrs. Collins, Harrison
& Co., that every minute of the day adds one
to the number of our well-finished axes, still we

really make every day our cool dozen, which, as
General Rial said of the grand scenery of the
Highlands, we think is pretty well for a new
country.' And we also think that our axes,
though not as numerous, will in point of quality
bear a comparison with theirs.

Now while these rich and skilful mechanics
present a full dozon of their axes strongly
packed in a highly-polished hickory box to the
`Greatest and Best'—while Pomeroy puffs his
razor-strops, by presenting a sample to the
great rejected, and Peleg Bissell approaches
our ineffably venerable President with his offering
of a churn, so simple, so plain, so destitute
of gearing, and so like his own beau-ideal
of a perfect government, that the `Hero of two
wars' `snickers right out,' as he turns the
crank; we too draw near with our offering.
It is a single axe, and is intended as a small
token of our regard for one who, as a statesman,
a patriot, a soldier, yields to no one.

You will of course perceive that we can
mean no other than Major Downing, of Downingville—the
bed-fellow and privy counsellor
of `him that was born to command' the
Kitchen Cabinet. And we can assure the
Major that this axe has more than one of the

requisite qualifications for a President. Its
helve is of hickory—in Kentucky parlance,
`is as savage as a meat-axe,' and of course
`can look on blood and carnage with composure.'

We confidently hope that the gallant Major
will accept of this trifle as a token of the high
estimation in which he is holden; and, encouraged
by applause, go on as he has begun, subtracting
every superfluous wheel from the
government till it is reduced to a machine
simple as a top, and direct and energetic as a
guillotine.

We intrust this present to you, Mr. Editor,
certain that through no other channel it would
reach the companion of the `Hero' so soon.