In order to send the screen to console in Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic world, please follow these steps

In /etc/init modify ttyS0.conf file to the following effect

root@node1-1:/etc/init# more ttyS0.conf 
     # ttyS0 - getty
     #
     # This service maintains a getty on ttyS0 from the point the system is
     # started until it is shut down again.

       start on stopped rc RUNLEVEL=[2345]
       stop on runlevel [!2345]

       respawn
       exec /sbin/getty -L 9600 ttyS0 vt102

Modify Grub info in /etc/default/grub

GRUB_DEFAULT=0
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=true
GRUB_TIMEOUT="10"
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -i -s 2> /dev/null || echo Debian`
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT=""
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="console=ttyS0,9600n8"

# Uncomment to disable graphical terminal (grub-pc only)
GRUB_TERMINAL=console

# The resolution used on graphical terminal
# note that you can use only modes which your graphic card supports via VBE
# you can see them in real GRUB with the command `vbeinfo'
#GRUB_GFXMODE=640x480

# Uncomment if you don't want GRUB to pass "root=UUID=xxx" parameter to Linux
#GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_UUID=true

# Uncomment to disable generation of recovery mode menu entrys
#GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_RECOVERY="true"
GRUB_TERMINAL=serial
GRUB_SERIAL_COMMAND="serial --unit=0 --speed=9600 --word=8 --parity=no --stop=1"

Run "update-grub" for the changes to take effect and reboot.