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The life and writings of Major Jack Downing of Downingville

away down east in the state of Maine
Smith, Seba (1792-1868)
  
[title page]
  
[acknowledgements]
  
PREFACE.
  
CONTENTS.

  
MY LIFE.
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MY LETTERS.
  
[section]
 1. 
LETTER I.
 2. 
LETTER II.
 3. 
LETTER III.
 4. 
LETTER IV.
  
From the Portland Courier, Jan. 1830.
 5. 
LETTER V.
 6. 
LETTER VI.
 7. 
LETTER VII.
 8. 
LETTER VIII.
 9. 
LETTER IX.
 10. 
LETTER X.
 11. 
LETTER XI.
 12. 
LETTER XII. In which Mr Downing hits upon a new idea for making money out of the office-seekers that were swarming round the new Governor.
 13. 
LETTER XIII.
 14. 
LETTER XIV.
 15. 
LETTER XV.
 16. 
LETTER XVI. which Mr Downing tells how the Legislature cleared out, and how Elder Hall went home.
 17. 
LETTER XVII. In which Mr Downing hints to Uncle Joshua that he has a prospect of being nominated for Governor.
 18. 
LETTER XVIII. In which Uncle Joshua discovers remarkable skill in the science of politics, and advises Mr Downing by all means to stand as a candidate for governor.
 19. 
LETTER XIX. In which Mr Downing gives his opinion about newspapers.
 20. 
LETTER XX.
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Grand Caucus at Downingville.
  
From the Portland Courier of July 21, 1830.
  
Grand Democratic National Republican Convention.
  
[section]
 21. 
LETTER XXI.
 22. 
LETTER XXII.
 23. 
LETTER XXIII.
 24. 
LETTER XXIV.
 25. 
LETTER XXV.
 26. 
LETTER XXVI.
 27. 
LETTER XXVII.
 28. 
LETTER XXVIII. In which Mr Downing tells how the Jacksonites in the Legislature had a dreadful tussle to pour a “healing act” down the throats of the Huntonites.
 29. 
LETTER XXIX.
 30. 
LETTER XXX. In which Mr. Downing dreams some poetry.
  
[letter]
 31. 
LETTER XXXI. In which Mr Downing tells how he got a new kink into his head, in consequence of the blow-up of President Jackson's first Cabinet.
 32. 
LETTER XXXII.
 33. 
LETTER XXXIII.
 34. 
LETTER XXXIV.
 35. 
LETTER XXXV.
 36. 
LETTER XXXVI. In which Cousin Ephraim tells about the persecution of poor Mrs No-tea.
 37. 
LETTER XXXVII. Mr Downing receives a Captain's Commission in the United States Army with orders to go and protect the inhabitants of Madawaska.
 38. 
LETTER XXXVIII. In which Captain Downing describes his return to Downingville, after an absence of two years.
 39. 
LETTER XXXIX.
 40. 
LETTER XL. Capt. Downing visits the Legislature of Maine again.
 41. 
LETTER XLI. Progress of proceedings in the Legislature.
 42. 
LETTER XLII. Capt. Downing is suddenly called to his company at Madawaska.
 43. 
LETTER XLIII. Capt. Downing returns to Augusta. Is saved from freezing by a bear-skin.
 44. 
LETTER XLIV. In which Captain Downing tells about the Legislature's making Lawyers.
 45. 
LETTER XLV. Capt. Downing is in a peck of trouble about the Legislature's selling Madawaska to the General Government to be given up to the British, and sits down and figures up the price.
 46. 
LETTER XLVI. Capt. Downing declines the office of Mayor of Portland.
 47. 
LETTER XLVII. In which Captain Downing relates a confidential conversation with President Jackson while on a journey to Tennessee.
 48. 
LETTER XLVIII. In which Capt. Downing runs an Express from Baltimore to Washington, and foots it through Pennsylvany Avenue to the President's house.
 49. 
LETTER XLIX. In which Capt. Downing receives a Major's commission, and is appointed to march against the Nullifiers.
 50. 
LETTER L. In which uncle Joshua tells what a tussle they had in Downingville to keep the Federalists from praising the President's Proclamation against the Nullifiers.
 51. 
LETTER LI. In which Major Downing describes the arrival of Sargent Joel with the Company at Washington.
 52. 
LETTER LII. In which Major Downing gives his opinion about Nullification, and illustrates it with a lucid example.
 53. 
LETTER LIII. In which cousin Ephraim tells the Major how matters get along at Augusta, and gives a specimen of the value of political promises.
 54. 
LETTER LIV. In which Major Downing goes up top the Congress house and listens to see if he can hear the guns in South Carolina, and also has a talk with the President, about the slander of the newspapers.
 55. 
LETTER LV. In which Cousin Ephraim explains the science of Land-speculation.
 56. 
LETTER LVI.
 57. 
LETTER LVII. In which Major Downing gives the result of a consultation amongst the government on the question, whether the President should shake hands with the Federalists during his journey down East.
 58. 
LETTER LVIII. In which Major Downing defends the President from the assault of Lieut. Randolph on board the Steam-boat Cygnet.
 59. 
LETTER LIX. In which Major Downing shakes hands for the President at Philadelphia, while on the grand tour down East.
 60. 
LETTER LX.
 61. 
LETTER LXI. In which Major Downing describes the visit of the President at Boston, and also complains of the rascally counterfeiters that write letters in his name for the newspapers.
 62. 
LETTER LXII. In which the President and the rest of 'em turn a short Corner at Concord and set their faces towards Washington.
 63. 
LETTER LXIII. In which cousin Nabby describes the unutterable disappointment at Downingville because the President did n't come, and tells what a terrible pucker ant Keziah was in about it.
  
NOMINATION FOR THE PRESIDENCY.
 64. 
LETTER LXIV.
 65. 
LETTER LXV. In which Major Downing tells about the quarrel that he and Mr Van Buren had at Concord after they went up chamber to bed; and also declares his intention to run for the Presidency.
 66. 
LETTER LXVI.
 67. 
LETTER LXVII. In which the President begun to say something about ME and Daniel.
 68. 
LETTER LXVIII.
 69. 
LETTER LXIX. In which Cousin Nabby describes her visit to Mr Maelzel's Congregation of Moskow.
 70. 
LETTER LXX. In which Major Downing concludes it is best to put some of his poetry into his book.
  
MAJOR DOWNING'S BIOGRAPHY OF SAM PATCH, THE JUMPER.
  
BIOGRAPHY OF SAM PATCH.

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APPENDIX.
 1. 
No. I.
 2. 
No. II. BANK REPORT.
 3. 
No. III. Giving some account of Peleg Bissel's Churn.
 4. 
No. IV. The Public Crib at Washington.
 5. 
No. V.
 6. 
No. VI. Sir George Downing. Some account of Sir George Downing of London, supposed to be one of Major Downing's ancestors.
  
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LETTER VI.

In which Mr Downing describes a sad mishap that befel
the House of Representatives.

[Note by the Editor. After a stormy debate in the House in relation
to forming a Convention of the two branches to fill the vacancies
in the Senate, the national republicans finally carried the day;
whereupon the democratic republicans, having remonstrated to the
last, took their hats and marched out of the House in a body, about
sixty in number, headed by Mr Smith of Nobleborough. The
national republicans of the two branches, however, held the Convention,
and filled the vacancies in the Senate, and the next day
the democratic republicans returned to their seats.]

59

Page 59
Portland, Tuesday, Feb. 2, 1830.

Dear Cousin Ephraim, — I have jest time to write
you a short postscript to a letter that I shall send you in
a day or two. We have had a dreadful time here to-day.
You know the wheels of government have been
stopt here for three or four weeks, and they all clapt
their shoulders under to-day, and give 'em a lift; and
they started so hard, that as true as you're alive, they
split both Legislaters right in tu. Some say they are
split so bad, they can't mend 'em again, but I hope they
can though; I shall tell you all about how 'twas done, in
a day or two. I've been expecting a letter from you, or
some of the folks, sometime. As I've got pretty short
of money, I wish you would send 'em in the Daily
Courier, so I shant have to pay the postage.

Your hearty cousin,

JACK DOWNING.
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