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Add to My CitationsTo John Sherman
20 September 1877 • Hartford, Conn.
(MS: DNA, UCCL 01484)
(SUPERSEDED)
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figure slc/mt em spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spacefarmington avenue, hartford.

Sept. 20/77.

Sir:

I have the honor to submit to you a copy of a telegram which I this day sent to the President; also his Excellency’s reply; & finally a newspaper article which explains both. I was most honestly & sincerely sorry to add a grain to the President’s burdens, which are heavy enough already, & am as sorry to add one to yours; but I hope that my object will in some degree justify me in both cases.

With great respect,

Samℓ. L. Clemens

‸P.S.em spaceThe Colfax searched once but was defeated by fog., as the latest telegrams explain.‸

The Hon. the Sec’y
em spaceem spaceof the Treasury.
em spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceWashington.


[enclosure 1:]

(Copy of Telegram.)

———

Hartford, Sep. 20.

To His Excellency

The President:

The “Jonas Smith” can be found in a little while if your Excellency will order the cutter Colfax to search again. The crew are good men, subjects of a friendly power, (England), & are only starving, not committing crime. The Smith is a sailless, chartless, foodless, unmanageable hulk, & has been drifting from Bermuda helpless for four months from Bermuda, begging her bread as she goes. I know the ship & her history. Our government has moved to the relief of distress like this before, hence I am emboldened to make this appeal.

With great respect,

Samℓ. L. Clemens


[enclosure 2, per Telegraph Operator, copy received:]

blank no. 1.

the western union telegraph company.

this company transmits and delivers messages only on conditions, limiting its liability, which have been assented to by the sender of the following message.

errors can be guarded against only by repeating a message back to the sending station for comparison, and the company will not hold itself liable for errors or delays in transmission or delivery of unrepeated messages.

this message is an unrepeated message and is delivered by request of the sender under the conditions named above.


a. r. brewer, sec’y. em spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spacewilliam orton, pres’t.


137em spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem space215

dated em spaceem space Chattonooga Tenn em spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem space1877

received at 640em spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceSep. 20

to em spaceem spaceSamℓ L. Clements

Despatch received Please communicate with Secy. of Treasy at Washington & the proper course will be taken.

R. B. Hayes

17 Coll

RM

read the notice at the top.

altalt

[letter docketed:] C. 189, vol. 20. R.M. [and] 1362 | B/21 | treasury department received sep 22 1877 | check mark | Hartford, Sept. 20/77 | Saml L. Clemens | Submits copy of telegram to the President and his reply, together with a newspaper article which explains both. | 2 Encl. & newspaper slip [and] 1362. | B/21 | treasury department received sep 22 1877 | C. 189, vol. 20. R.M. | check mark | Hartford Sept. 20″ 1877 | Samuel L. Clemens | Submits copy of a telegram to Prest. and Requests that Cutter Colfax search for the “Jonas Smith”
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