Major Downing's account of political promises, and
their peculiar value.

Augusta, State of Maine, Jan. 30, 1833.
To the Editor of the Portland Courier, that we take up in
Downingville; dear sir, I want you to send this on to cousin
Jack to Washington City, 'cause he told me you would
send it and not charge any postage.
To Major Jack Downing.

Dear cousin Jack,—I got your letter some time ago,
but I had n't time to answer it afore now, because I had
to go back up to Downingville to get another load of
apples. These Legislater folks cronch apples down by
the wholesale between speeches, and sometimes in the

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middle of speeches tu. That arternoon that Mr. Clark
spoke all day, I guess I sold nigh upon a half a bushel
for cash, and trusted out most three pecks besides. The
folks up to Downingville are all pretty well, only your
poor old mother; she's got the reumatics pretty bad
this winter. She says she wishes with all her heart
Jack would come home, and not think of going to South
Carolina. Ever since she heard about Gineral Blair
she cant hardly sleep nights, she's so afraid you 'll get
shot. I tell her there's no danger of you as long as
you have President Jackson one side of you and Sergent
Joel 'tother.

The Legislater is jogging along here pretty well; I
guess they'll get through about the first of March, if
they dont have too many boundary questions come
along. We made some Major Ginerals here 'tother
day, and I tried to get you elected. Not because I
thought you cared much about the office now, but jest
for the honor of Downingville. I tried most all the
members, and thought to be sure you would come in as
slick as greese. For about forty of 'em told me they
thought it belonged to you. They said it was against
their principles to pledge their votes to any body; but
they whispered in my ear that they would do what they
could, and they had n't scarcely a doubt but what you'd
be elected. Sixty eight of 'em told me you was the
best man for it, and would undoubtedly be chosen as a
matter of course. And twentyfive of 'em promised me
right up and down by the crook of the elbow, that they
would vote for you.

Well Jack, after all this, you did n't get but two
vote by that time I begun to think it was n't so strange
that it took two years heard fishing before you could
get an office.

This is the most democratic Legislater that they have
ever had in this state yet. They are most all real ginuin
democrats, and they give Mr Holmes and Mr
Sprague a terrible basting for being federlists, and they
have turned Mr Holmes out and put Mr. Shepley in.

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