He arrives at Washington—strips up his sleeves—defends
Mr. Ingham on the front steps of his door
during the after-clap that followed the explosion
of the Cabinet.

[figure description] Page 066.[end figure description]

Washington City, June 21, 1831.
To the Portland Courier again away down there in the State
of Maine, to be sent to Uncle Joshua Downing, up in
Downingville, or close to Cousin Nabby, it is n't much
matter which, being that some of it is about the ladies.

Dear Uncle Josh.—It's pretty trying times herc.
They carry on so like the old smoker, I dont hardly
know what to make of it. If I had n't said I would n't
leave Washington till I got an office, I dont know but
I should come back to Downingville and go to planting
potatoes. Them are Huntonites and Jacksonites down
there in Maine last winter were pretty clever sort of
folks to what these chaps are here. Cause down there
if they get ever so mad, they did n't do nothing but
talk and jaw one another; but here if any body does n't
do to suit 'm, fact they 'll up and shoot him in a minute.
I did n't think getting an office was such dangerous
kind of business, or I dont know as I should have tried
it. Howsomever, it's neck or nothing with me now,
and I must do something to try to get some money here,
for I about as lieves die as to undertake to foot it away
back again clear to the State of Maine. And as the
folks have to go armed here, I want you to put my old
fowling piece into the stage and send it on here as quick
as possible. I hope you'll be as quick as you can about
it, for if I get an office I shant dare to take it till I get
my gun. They come pretty near naving a shooting
scrape here yesterday. The Telegraph paper said something
about Mr. Eaton's wife. It was nothing that I
should think they need to make such a fuss about; it
only said that some of the ladies here refused to visit

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her. But some how or other it made Mr. Eaton as mad
as a March hair. He declared he'd fight somebody, he
did n't care who.

The first man he happened to come at was Mr. Ingham.
So he dared Mr. Ingham out to fight. Not to
box, as they do sometimes up in Downingville, but to
stand and shoot at each other. But Mr. Ingham
would n't touch to, and told him he was crazy. That
made Mr. Eaton ten times more mad than he was before;
and he declared he'd flog him any how, whether
he was willing or not. So he got a gang of gentlemen
yesterday to go with him to the Treasury office where
Mr. Ingham does his writing, and waited there and in
a grog shop close by as much as two hours for a chance
to catch him and give it to him. Mr. Ingham was out
a visiting in the city, and when he got home his folks
told him what was going on, and begged him not to go
to the office for he would certainly be killed. Poh,
says he, do you think I'm afraid of them are blustering
chaps? There's more smoke than fire there, I can tell
ye; give me my pistols, it is time for me to go to the
office. Some of the ladies cried, and some almost
fainted away. But he pacified 'em as well as he could,
and then set out for the office, and three or four men
went with him, and I guess they carried something under
their arms that would make daylight shine through
a feller pretty quick. And I guess the gang of gentlemen
waiting for him begun to smell a rat, for they
cleared out pretty soon and never touched him. But
their courage came again in the evening, and this same
gang of gentlemen turned out to Mr. Ingham's house,
and threatened to burst the doors open and drag him
out by the hair of the head and skin him alive. I
thought this was carrying the joke rather too far, so I
tho't I'd put in my oar; for when I see any body run
too hard I cant help taking their part.

So I stepped on to Mr. Ingham's front door steps,
and threw my hat down, and rolled up my sleeves, and
spit on my hands; and by that time the chaps began to

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stare at me a little. And now, says I, Major Eaton,
this is quite too bad. A man's house is his castle.
Here's Mr. Ingham in his house as peaceable as a
lamb; he is n't a meddling with nobody, and you need
n't think to drag him out here to-night, I can tell ye.
If you really want to take a bit of a box, just throw
away your powder and ball, and here's the boy for you.
I'll take a fist or two with you and glad of the chance.
You impudent scoundrel, says he, who are you? what
business is it to you what I done? Clear out, or I'll
send you where you ought to be long ago. Well, then,
you'll send me into some good office, says I, for there's
where I ought to have been more than two years ago.
Well, says he, clear out, and up he come blustering
along towards the steps. But I jest put my foot down,
and doubled my fist, and now, says I, Major Eaton,
it wont be healthy for you to come on to these steps to-night.

Says he, I'm going through that door whether or no.
Says I, you dont go through this door to-night, without
you pass over the dead body of Jack Downing of the
State of Maine. My stars, when they heard that, they
dropt their heads as quick as though they had been cut
off, for they did n't know who I was before. Major
Eaton and the whole gang of gentlemen with him turned
right about and marched away as still a pack of
whipped puppies. They were afraid I should have 'em
all up before the President to-day, and have 'em turned
out of office; for it's got whispered round the city that
the President sets a great deal by me, and that I have
a good deal of influence with him.

This morning Mr. Ingham started for Philadelphy.
Before he left, he thanked me a thousand times for defending
his house so well last night, and he wrote a letter
to the President, telling him all about the scrape. I
went a piece with him to see him safe out of the city
on the great road towards Baltimore.

About my prospects for an office, I cant tell you yet
how I shall come out. I've been in to see the President

p378-084 [figure description] Page 069.[end figure description]

a number of times, and he talks very favorable. I
have some chance to get in to be Secretary of War, if
old Judge White dont take it; and if I dont get that
the President says he 'll do the best he can for me.

I never had to be so strict a republican before in my
life as I've had to be since I've been here in order to
get the right side of the President. I'll tell you something
about it in my next, and about my visits to the
President, and a good many other famous things here.

P. S. Be sure and send the old gun as soon as possible.