University of Virginia Library

LETTER XVII. In which Mr Downing hints to Uncle Joshua that he has a
prospect of being nominated for Governor.

Uncle Joshua, — I spose you remember that are
story about the two dogs, that uncle Joe Downing
used to tell; how they got to fighting, and snapped and
bit, till they eat each other up, all but jest the tip ends of
their tails. Now I never could exactly see through that
story, enough to know how it was done, till lately. I
almost thought it was was a kind of tough yarn, that
had been stretched a good deal. But fact, uncle, I begin
to think it 's true, every word on't; for there 's
something going on here as much like it as two peas in
a pod. The Portland Argus and the Portland Advertiser,
have fell afowl of each other and gone to biting
one another's noses off. And if they keep on as they
've began, I guess before summer is out they 'll not only
eat each other all up, tails and all, but I believe they are
going to devour them are tu outrageous wicked parties,
that plagued the legislature so all winter; I mean the
Jacksonites and the Huntonites. They 've only been
at it a week or two, and they 've made quite a hole into
'em aready. The Advertiser eats the Jacksonites, and
the Argus eats the Huntonites, and they are thinning of
'em off pretty fast. This will be a great comfort to the
State, as it will give the two republican parties a chance
to do something another winter. The Advertiser has
eat up the Jacksonites in some places away down east,
such as Eastport and so on, and away up tother way in
Limerick, and Waterborough, and Fryeburg.

And the Argus has eaten up the Huntonites in Newfield,
and Sanford, and Berwick, and Vinalhaven, and

so on. All these towns on both sides now have good fair
republican majorities. I spose about by the middle of next
August they 'll get 'em all killed off so there wont be
the skin of a Jacksonite or Huntonite left to be sent
to the next legislature.

I hope, uncle Joshua, you will be more careful about
meddling with politics; for so sure as you get hitched
on to the Jackson party or the Hunton party, these barking,
deep mouthed creatures will fix their teeth upon
you, and you 'll be munched down before you know it.

There 's one thing, uncle, that seems to wear pretty
hard upon my mind, and plagues me a good deal; I
have n't slept but little this tu three nights about it. I
wish you would n't say any thing about it up there
amongst our folks, for if it should all prove a fudge,
they 'd be laughing at me. But I tell it to you, because
I want your advice, as you 've always read the papers,
and know considerable about political matters; tho' to
be honest I dont spose any one knows much more about
politics by reading the papers, after all.

But what I was going to tell you, is — now, uncle,
dont twist your tobacco chaw over to tother corner of
your mouth and leer over your spectacles, and say Jack
's a fool — what I was going to tell you, is this: I see
by a paper printed down to Brunswick, that they talk of
nominating me for Governor to run down Smith and
Hunton. Think of that, uncle; your poor neefu Jack,
that last summer was hoeing about among the potatoes,
and chopping wood, and making stone walls, like enough
before another summer comes about, will be Governor
of the State. I shall have a better chance to flog Bill
Johnson then, than I should last winter, if we had n't
had no Governor nor no laws; for I spose a Governor
has a right to flog any body he 's a mind to.

But that 's nither here nor there, uncle; I want your
serious advice. If they nominate me, had I better accept?
Sometimes I 'm half afraid I should n't understand

very well how to du the business; for I never had a
chance to see any governor business done, only what I
see Elder Hall du in the Sinnet chamber last winter.
Poor man, that makes me think what a time he had
going home. I wrote to you before that he went by water,
and that the vessel got trig'd by an unconstitutional
wind the first day and had to come back again. And he
must have found a good many hard trigs after that, for
he did n't get home til 2d day of April.

Where he was, in that dreadful storm the 26th of
March I have n't heard. But I should think after standing
the racket he did last winter in the legislater, and
then this ere storm at sea, he never need to fear any
thing on land or water again in this world.

I wish you 'd write me what you think about my being
a candidate for Governor, and whether you think I
could get along with the business. Considerable part of
the business I should n't be a mite afraid but what I
could du; that is, the turning out and putting in. I
know every crook and turn of that business; for I
dont believe there 's a boy in our county, though I say it
myself, that 's turned out and tied up more cattle than I
have. And they say a Governor has a good deal of this
sort of work to du.

No more at present from your loving neefu,