The select letters of Major Jack Downing of the Downingville militia, away down east, in the state of Maine |
CONTENTS. |
 | 1. |
 | The select letters of Major Jack Downing |  |
CONTENTS.
Letter I. Wherein is contained some account of Mr
Downing's ancestors. 1Letter II. Mr. Downing describes the method of making
a speaker. 3Letter III. Uncle Joshua's visit to Boston, and dines
with the General Court 7Letter IV. Mr. Downing relates the scrape the Legislature
got into, in trying to make a number of governors. 14Letter V. Mr. Downing describes the predicament in
which the house of Representatives got into. 17Letter VI. In which things look brighter. 17
Letter VII. An account of the tripping of the wheels
of government. 18Letter. VIII. Mr. Downing advises his Uncle Joshua
to hold on to his bushel of corn as the Legislature had undertaken
“to rip up their doings.” 21Letter IX. The queer doings of the Senate described. 23
Letter X. A new idea of making money out of the
office seekers, swarming round the new governor. 26Letter XI. Cousin Ephraim in the difficulties. 26
Letter XII. A tug at the wheels of government described.
27Letter XIII. Mr. Downing tells what setting up a candidate
for office means, 29Letter XIV. Mr. Downing informs his Uncle Joshua
that he has a prospect of being nominated for Governor. 32Letter XV. Mr. Downings' opinion about newspapers 34
Letter XVI. The distributions between political parties
described. 37Letter XVII. Proceedings of the Grand Caucus at
Downingville. 38Letter XVIII. Particulars and Returns of the Caucus,
43Letter XIX. Mr. Downings' ingenious scheme to get
an office, 44Letter XX. Cousin Nabby describes the Temperance of
Downingville. 45Letter XXI Mr. Downing's account of the dreadful tussle
in which the Jacksonites in the Legislature attempt to
pour “a healing act” down the Huntonites' throats. 47Letter XXII. An account of the manner in which the
“healing act” was crammed down the Huntonites throats. 51Letter XXIII. Mr. Downing's Partial dream, 54
Letter XXIV. The blow up of President Jackson's first
Cabinet, puts a new knik into Mr. Downing's head, and the
result. 56Letter XXV. Mr. Downing on his way to assist Jackson
at Washington, stops at Boston:—his conversation with
the Boston Editors. 59Letter XXVI. His Visit to Major Noah, in New York,
when he arrived there. 62Letter XXVII. He arrives at Washington—strips up
his sleeves—defends Mr. Ingham on the front steps of his
door during the after clap that followed the Explosion of the
Cabinet. 66Letter XXVIII. Mr. Downing made captain in the United
State's army, with orders to go to Madawaska, and protect
the inhabitants. 69Letter XXIX.—Capt. Downing after an absence of two
years returns to Downingville, and some hints respecting his
future prospects. 74Letter XXX.—The first military report of Capt. Downing
to the President. 76Letter XXXI.—The Captain's second visit to the Maine
Legislature. 79Letter XXXII. The Legislative proceedings described.
81Letter XXXIII.—The Captain suddenly called to his post
at Madawaska. 84Letter XXXIV.—His return to Augusta—is saved from
being frozen to death by a bear's skin. 86Letter XXXV. The Captain describes the manner in
which the Legislature makes Lawyers. 88Letter XXXVI. The Major's troubles on learning
the Legislature's resolution to sell Madawaska to the general
government to be bargained to the British—calculates by
by figures its price, and the rage of his men on hearing that
they would have no fighting before parting with it. 90Letter XXXVII. The office of Mayor of Portland offered
to Capt. Downing, and declined. 93Letter XXXVIII. The Captain's account of a confidential
conversation with President Jackson, while travelling to
Tennessee. 94Letter XXXIX. The Captain's account of his having run
an express from Baltimore to Washington, with news from
Pennsylvania, his interruptions by Gales and Duff Green, and
his reception and protection by the President. 97Letter XL. The Captain commissioned as Major, and
appointed to March against the nullifiers. 100Letter XLI. Uncle Joshua's account of the tussle at
Downingville in endeavouring to keep the Federalists from
praising the president's anti-nullifying Proclamation. 103Letter XLII. Sargent Joel with his company arrives at
Washington—his account of Gen. Blair's fraca with Duff
Green. 106Letter XLIII. The Major's opinion about Nullification,
and his singular illustration of it. 109Letter XLIV. Major Downing's account of political promises,
and their peculiar value. 111Letter XLV. The Major ascends to the top of Congress
house and listens to see if he can hear the guns in South Carolina—he
xconverses with the president about the newspaper
slanders. 114Letter XLVI. Cousin Ephraim explains the science of
land speculation. 116Letter XLVII. Major Downing's ascount of the manner
in Mr. Clay put a stop to the fuss in South Carolina, and his
pacification bill to hush up the quarrels of the nullifiers. 119Letter XLVIII. The Major's account of the consultation
amongst the government on the question, whether the president
shakes hands with the federalists, during his journey
down east. 121Letter XLIX. Major Downing defends the president
against the assaults of Lieut. Randolph, on board the Cygnet
steam boat. 123Letter L. Major Downing tells how he shook hands for
the president while at Philadelphia, on his tour down east. 125Letter LI. Major Downing and the President's narrow
escape at the breaking down of the bridge extending from
Castle Garden to the Battery at New York. 128Letter LII. Visit of Major Jack Downing and the President
to Boston—the rascally conduct of the letter writer in his
name for the newspapers. 130Letter LIII. The President orders to the right about face,
at Concord, when they bent a march, quick time, back to
Washington. 132Letter LIV. Major Downing's nomination for the Presidency,
with an elegant picture of his residence. 134Letter LV. The Major tells us about the President, being
made Doctor of Laws. 135Letter LVI. An account of the quarrel that the Major had
with Mr. Van Buren at Concord, after they went up chamber to
bed, and the declaration of his intentions to run for the presidency.
139Letter LVII. Cousin Ephraim's account of converting
democrats into federalists, and making them change sides. 145Letter LVIII. The President commences a conversation
between me and Daniel. 147Letter LIX. The conversation about me and Daniel
concluded. 150Letter LX. Being the genuine letter of old Mr. Zophar
Downing, `amost eighty three yere old.' 154Letter LXI. The Bank Report. 156
Letter LXII. Giving some account of Peleg Bissel's
Churn, 160Letter LXIII. The public crib at Washington. 164
Letter LXIV. Preparation of the Message, 167
Letter LXV. The Major's account of the Hubbub at
Washington about the Bank. Some further particulars about
the Major and Daniel. And sundry matters respecting Nullification,
and South Carolina. 169Letter LXVI. * * * * * * 173
Letter LXVII. The Major's conversation with the president
on the Bank, the currency, his cabinet, the proclamation,
Messrs. Clay, Taney, and other matters. 176Letter LXVIII. The Major and the President again
holds an important conversation on the affairs of the nation
and how things should be conducted. The president calls the
cabinet together, and the Major prepares a paper to read to it
which he afterwards has printed for the good of the nation. 182Letter LXIX. Major Downing's official communication
to the cabinet. 188Letter LXX. The Major carries the axe, sent to him as
a present from Carthage, N. Y. over his shoulder into the
cabinet while the members were in council, the scampering
that followed the sight of it, and the result—with a true picture
of the scene. 200Letter LXXI. The Major and the President holds a general
conversation on the state of the nation, when the Major
gives an explanation of the financial operations as now conducted,
by means of Hocus pocus, with cups and balls. 203
| The select letters of Major Jack Downing | |