Mark Twain Project :: Letters :: : an electronic text

To John Sherman
22 September 1877 • Hartford, Conn.
(MS: DNA, UCCL 01487)

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[slc/mt] farmington avenue, hartford.

Sept. 22/77.

[newspaper clipping pasted to MS; simulated line by line:]

The publication of Mark Twain’s interesting
letter about the schooner Jonas Smith has
brought out some further [information [with] re-]
gard to the ocean-tramp. Mr. Clemens was
right in believing the vessel reported off North
Carolina to be the same that he encountered
while returning from the Bermudas last May.
But a search through the marine list in New
York [developes] the fact that she arrived at
that port in May, and afterward went to Bos-
ton, and is now on her way from Boston to
Savannah.1

Sir: I am very sorry to discover that that vessel is not in any trouble, but has really been to Boston & is now seeking Savannah. I naturally feel humiliated, sir, in the by the safety of these people, although I feel that I am in no wise responsible for it.2

Still, I hasten to apologize for having troubled you, sir, with anything connected with these shameful people.

With great respect,

Samℓ. L. Clemens

The Hon. The Secretary

of the Treasury.

[letter docketed:] 898 a/22 [and] C. 190 vol 20 RM. [and] 1 clipping RM3

Explanatory Notes | Textual Commentary

Editorial Signs

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1This untitled article was published in the Hartford Courant on 22 September (2).

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2Although Clemens apparently made no further public comments on the Jonas Smith, he learned of another episode in the story from O. W. Bromwell of Jacksonville, Florida, who sent him a report clipped from an unidentified newspaper reprinting the Savannah News of 25 September (Bromwell to SLC, 27 Sept 1877, CU-MARK). According to the report, the Jonas Smith went aground on the shoals of Sapelo Island, south of Savannah, having lost all her sails and anchors. When rescued and towed to shore, the schooner had taken on four feet of water. The story of the Jonas Smith ended in April 1878. Despite having been repaired, the ship had to be abandoned at sea and the crew transported to New York (“Marine,” Raleigh [N.C.] Observer, 13 Apr 1878, 1).

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The letter was stamped “treasury department received sep 24 1877” and filed with the following description:

Hartford

Sept 22 1877

Samℓ L. Clemens

apologizing for troubling Dep. in connection with sch “Jonas [Smith]”

Description of Texts and Provenance

Source text(s):

MS, DNA.

glyph Previous publication:

MicroPUL, reel 1.

glyph Emendations and textual notes:

slc/mt • [possibly ‘slc/mt’; obscured by clipping, but probably visible to recipient]

information [with] re- • [one word, probably ‘with,’ failed to print]

developes • [sic]

Smith • S[◊◊]th [damaged]