University of Virginia Library

LETTER XIV.

Mr. Downing informs his 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 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, the'll not only
eat each other all up, tails and all, but I believe they
are going to devour them are tu outragenous 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 t'other way in Limerick, and Waterborough, and
Fryeburgh.

And the Augus has caten 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 politicks; for so sure as you get hitched
on 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
havn 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 don't 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,
don't twist your tobacco chaw over to t'other 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 neffu
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 hadn'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 nithers 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.