To the Hon:
The Secretary of
War.
Elmira, N. Y., Sep. 5.
Sir:
Your letter is received, & I hasten to thank you cordially for the offer of your good offices. ‸I have written to the Hon. the Secretary of the Navy, as you suggested.‸ 1
The nephew I refer to is Samuel Moffett, now of Fredonia, N. Y., son of the late Wm. A. Moffett, merchant, of St. Louis, Mo.
I think the boy is conspicuously above the average in natural capacity, else I would try to defeat his aspirations, in place of endeavoring [ fo ] to forward them.
Thanking you again, I am, with great respect,
Samℓ. L. Clemens
He will be 14 the 5th November next.
Explanatory Notes | Textual Commentary
Source text(s):
Previous publication:
L6, 227.
Provenance:The MS, owned in 1930 by Daniel P. Woolley, vice-president of Standard
Brands, was deposited at ViU by Clifton Waller Barrett on 15 May 1962.
Emendations and textual notes:
fo • [‘o’ partly formed]