University of Virginia Library

13. LETTER XIII.

[We are much gratified in having it in our power to give our
readers another letter from our faithful friend, Major Downing.
It is peculiarly interesting to hear from him at the present time,
when the Globe maintains such a silence respecting recent
events at Washington. Indeed, if it were not for the Major, the
public would know nothing of what is going on inside the cabinet.
His communications are invaluable, because they may be
implicitly relied upon. Every body will believe the man who
sleeps in the same bed with `the Gineral.']

Major Downing's Call on `Squire Biddle'—The importance
of Congress—The Major arrives at Washington—Wakes
the President to talk with him of
Raccoons and Skunks.

I sent a letter to you by Zekel Bigelow, jest
afore I left New-York; and I was off as soon
as they got the steam up. When I got to
Philadelphy, I only had time to take a run
round, to see Squire Biddle a minit, and I
found him pretty busy, but as good-natured
as ever. `Well,' says he, `Major, the Gineral
has opened his battery, but I'm afraid he'll

kill as many friends as enemies.' `Well,'
says I, `that's no matter, he's got enuff on
'em.' `But,' says he, `Major, I thought you
told us he'd do nothin till you got back agin.'
This kinder corner'd me, and made me a
little wrathy—and so, says I, `Squire, I would
like to know what you mean to do about it?'
And so I thought this would kinder corner
him—`Oh,' says he, `Major, I'll tell you,' and
with that he turned round and picked up a
bundle of letters he was jest goin to send off
to the Branches, and he read some on 'em;
and they was all pretty much alike, tellin his
folks to do all they could in relieving the
money-market, and not let people suffer, and
jest to carry as much sail as they could without
splittin 'em, for now as the storm had
come on, they could tell more about it than
when it was only rumblin and lightenin.

`Well,' says I, `this is a curious piece of
business. The Gineral won't like this,' says
I; `and I would like to know your notion.'
`Why,' says he, `Major, we hope the people
will decide against him, when Congress
meets.' `What,' says I, `do you call Congress
`the people?' How you talk,' says I, `and
if that is your notion of the Goverment,

then,' says I, `Squire, you are a bigger fool
than I took you for. Why,' says I, `I and
the Gineral don't care no more for Congress,
than we do for the Ingins.' `Well then,' says
he, `there is the Cabinet—perhaps they will
have somethin to say about it.' `Well,' says
I, `that's worse yet: what has the Cabinet got
to do with it?—do you think we are goin to
appoint folks to tell us what to do? No, no,'
says I, `Squire, you know a good deal, but
you don't know nothin about the Goverment
yet. The Gineral didn't fight that New-Orleans
battle for nothin,' says I; `and when
the people made him President, they knew
he was the most knowin man goin; and ever
since I've been with him, they are more and
more sartain nothing more is wantin, unless
it is Mr. Van Buren to cut in when we give
out, and go to the Hermitage.' And with that
I streaked it to Washington.

It was nigh upon midnight when I got to
the White House, and the Gineral was abed;
and as I knew he wanted to see me dreadfully,
I went right into his room and woke him up.
`Why,' says he, `Major, is that raly you?—
for I've been dreamin about you. I'm glad
you are back agin, for things are gittin pretty

stormy here; so do you come to bed, and
we'll talk about it.' As soon as I got alongside
the Gineral—`There now,' says he,
`Major, I don't care for all the rest of the
Goverment, except Mr. Van Buren; and if
we three ain't a match for all creation, I'm
mistaken.' Says he, `Major, hain't you seen
my Proclamation agin Biddle?' `Yes,' says
I, `I saw it at Baltimore.' `Well,' says he,
`what do you think of it?' `Why,' says I,
`Gineral, I've been thinkin a good deal about
it; and I'm thinkin about it all the while.'
`Major,' says he, `that Proclamation agin
Biddle will kill him and the Bank as dead as
that one agin the Nullifiers killed Calhoun
and his party. There is nothin,' says he,
`like a Proclamation. And I have been
thinkin,' says he, `Major, to git you to write
one too, for there is a good many things yet
I didn't say nothin about. I want you to
read over Mr. Van Buren's late letters, and
you'll find a good many things wants attendin
to. We have killed Calhoun and Biddle; but
there is a raft of fellows to put down yet,
such as Webster, and McDuffy, and Clay, and
Binny, and Everett, and Sargent, and Burgess,
and a hundred others; and as the most on
'em are in Congress, I'm thinkin the best way
would be for you and I to git up a Proclamation
agin Congress; and that's what I was
dreaming about jest now. The most on 'em,
I reckon, have been borrowin money of Biddle,
or wanted to, and if they hain't, it's no
matter. And Mr. Van Buren thinks it would
be well to call a convention to nominate a
President, and you and I can manage to slip
that in the Proclamation too, and if things
don't go right for him, I'll hold on till it does.'

`Well,' says I, `Gineral, you know I tell'd
you I'd stick to you thro' thick and thin, and
I'm to be depended on.' `I know it, Major,'
says he, `and I was only sorry you warnt
here a few days ago; but Mr. Van Buren said
there was no time to lose, and the first shot is
worth a dozen afterward. And so I come
out agin Biddle at once. And it was jest so
at New-Orleans; if I hadn't gone down and
gin the English a thump on 23d December,
they might have licked me on 8th January.
And jest so it might be now, if we waited till
Congress met; them fellows might recharter
the Bank in spite of us. But I reckon my
Proclamation has done up that business—and
if it hain't yours will. Do you know,' says

he, `Major, that some of these fellows about
me here, had the impudence to tell me tother
day, I was runnin the risk of bein turned out
of the White House?' `Why,' says I, `you
don't say so?' `Yes,' says he, `it's a fact;
but,' says he, `Major, they don't know nothin
about raccoon huntin.' `No,' says I, `nor
skunkin neither.' And then he and I turned
to, and told stories one arter another about
raccoonin and skunkin, till almost daylight;
and then we went to sleep. I expect my next
will be a Proclamation, but I don't know.
We are pretty busy about everything.