Delaware State Journal, Advertiser And Star

Downingville, State of Maine, August 12, 1833.

TO Cousin Major Jack Downing.

At Washington City, or else gone long with the President down to the Rip Raps.

To be sent privately in the Portland Courier.

Dear Cousin Jack—I've got something pretty heavy on my mind that I want to tell ye about, and aske your advice, and may be I shall want you to lend a hand a little. "I've been watching politics pretty snug ever since I was a little boy, and that's near about forty years; and I believe I know most as much about it as uncle Joshua, although he's twenty years older than I be. Now about this republicanism and federalism, I've minded that it always has ever since I can remember. And I've minded to it most always keeps going around one way, that is the young federalists keep turning democrats and the old democrats keep turning federalists. What it's for I dont know exactly but that's the way it goes. I spose a man, on the whole, isn't hardly fit to be a democrat after he gets to be fifty years old. And here is old uncle Joshua in the Post Office, he's got to be about sixty, and he's hanging on to the democratic side yet, like the toothache, and it begins to worry me a good deal I think its high time he went over. You know Downingville has always been a genuine republican town, and I want it should always go according to the usage of the democratic party.

When it get to be time for an old democrat to go over on the federal side, I believe the Argus always puts 'em over. You remember there was old Mr. Insley, in Portland, and old General Wingate in Bath, as much as a dozen years ago, were some as big republicans as there was any where about. Well, they got to be considerable old, and had been in office some time, so the Argus took and clapt 'em right over on the federal side. And you know there was Mr Holmes, he was a whapping great republican, But he begun to grow old, so the Argus put him over. And there was Mr. Sprague; he was such a nice democrat every one said it was a pity to put him over. But bein he'd been to Congress sometime the Argus wouldn't hear a word, but shoved him right over. And this summer the Argus is putting of 'em over considerable younger on the federal side. It has put Judge Preble over, and Judge Ware, and Mr. Mitchell, the Post Master at Portland, and be isn't near so old as uncle Joshua, and it has put Mr. Megquier over, only think, such a young man as Mr. Megquier, that's only been in the Senate three or four years. Now dont you think according to democratic usage, its high time old uncle Joshua was put over? I wish you would jest write to the Argus and have it done, for I feel a good deal worried about it. And as soon as it comes out in the Argus that he is fairly over, I want you to tell the President that Uncle Joshua is a federalist, and have him removed from the Post Office, for it would be an everlasting shame to have the Post Office in Downingville kept by a federalist.

N. B. If Uncle Joshua should be removed I wish you would use your influence to get the President to give the office to me; for next to Uncle Joshua I spose I've done more for the republican party than any man in Downingville. I can have a recommendation from Sergeant Joel and all the company. By attending to this you will much oblige

Your friend and cousin

EPHRAIM DOWNING.