LETTER XI.
In which Mr Downing describes some queer duins in the
Senate.
[Note by the Editor. The democratic republicans insisted that
the Convention which filled the vacancies in the Senate was not
constitutional, and refused to recognize the new members at the
Board, and the President refused to count their votes. After considerable
turmoil the four new Senators withdrew; in consequence
of which several others of the same party withdrew also, so that
there was not a quorum left to do business. After two or three
days, however, they returned, and the new senators re-asserted
their claims to a seat. Great confusion ensued; the President
refused to count their votes; and taking the votes of the other
members, he declared the Senate adjourned. The national republicans
refused to consider it an adjournment, kept their seats, and
began to talk of re-organizing the Senate by choosing a new President.
Elder Hall, therefore, fearing the chair would be immediately
filled again if he left it, kept his seat, but still repeatedly
declared the Senate adjourned. The particulars of the scene are
more minutely described in the following letter.]
To Cousin Ephraim Downing up in Downingville.
Portland, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 1830.
Dear Cousin Ephraim, — Here I am yet, and have
n't much else to du, so I might as well keep writin to
you; for I spose uncle Joshua 's in a peck of trouble
about his bushel of corn. I'm pesky fraid he'll lose it
yet; for they dont seem to rip up worth a cent since the
first night they begun. The truth was they took hold
rather tu hash that night; and rippin up them are four
new Sinneters so quick, they scart away four or five more
old ones, so they did n't dare to come in again for tu days.
And that threw 'em all into the suds, head and ears. It
was worse than trigging the wheels, for it broke the Sinnet
wheel right in tu, and left it so flat, that all Job's
oxen never could start it, if they hadn't got it mended
again. They tried, and tried, to keep duin something,
but they couldn't du the leastest thing. One time they
tried to du something with a little bit of a message that
was sent to 'em on a piece of paper from the House.
The President took it in his hand, and held it up, and
asked 'em what was best to du with it. Some of 'em
motioned that they'd lay it on the table; but come to
consider on it, they found they couldn't according to
the constitution, without there was more of 'em to help.
They said they couldn't lay it on the table, nor du nothin
at all with it. I was afraid the poor old gentleman
would have to stand there and hold it till they got the
wheel mended agin. But I believe he finally
let it drop
on the table; and I spose there was nothin in the constitution
against that.
They got the wheel mended Monday about eleven er
clock, so they could start along a little. But them are
four new Sinneters that they ript up Thursday night,
come right back agin Monday, and sot down to the
great round table; and stood tu it through thick and
thin, that they want ript up, and no sich thing. — Well,
this kicked up a kind of a bobbery among 'em, so they
thought they'd try to journ. The President counted
'em, and said they were journed and might go out. One
of the new Sinneters said the President didn't count
right, and they want journed a bit; and they must set
still and have an overhauling about it.
So they set down agin, all but four or five that put on
their hats and great coats and stood backside of the
room. The room was chock full of folks looking on,
and the President told 'em the Sinnet was journed and
they might as well go out, but they did seem to keer tu,
and they put their hats on and began to laugh like fun.
The President sot still in his cheer, for I spose he
thought if he left it, some of them are roguish fellers
would be gettin into it. The man that keeps order, told
the folks they must take their hats off when they were
in the Sinnet; but they said they wouldn't, cause the
Sinnet was ajourned. Then the man went and asked
the President if the Sinnet was all ajourned, and the
President said 'twas, and there was no doubt about it.
And the folks felt so tickled to think they could wear
their hats when the Sinneters were setting round the
great table, that they kind of whistled a little bit all
over the room.
Finally, after settin about half an hour, another man
got up and motioned to ajourn, and the President got
up and put it to vote agin. He told 'em if they wanted
to ajourn, they must say ah, and they all said ah this
time, and cleared out in five minutes.
But about this rippin up business; instead of rippin
up the councillors, as some thought they would, both
legislaters met together to-day, and called in four of
the councillors, and nailed 'em down harder with an
oath.
They've sot the committees to work like fun now,
and its thought they'll turn off business hand over hand;
for you know its almost March, and then the great
Supreme Court meets here. And they say they have a
grand jury that picks up all disorderly and mischievous
folks, and carries 'em in to court, and the court puts
'em in jail. These legislaters have been cuttin up such
rigs here all winter, that they begin to look pretty shy
when any thing is said about the first of March, and I
dont believe the grand jury 'll be able to find a single
mother's son of 'em when the court gets here.
From your cousin,
JACK DOWNING.
