To
Rollin M. Daggett
24 January 1878 • Hartford, Conn.
(Virginia City Territorial Enterprise,
3 February 1878, UCCL 01526)
[My Dear Daggett]: I am very much obliged to the New York Sun for getting up that foundationless report about my being called to the editorial command of the Courant, since a result of it is the cordial [&] gratifying editorial in the Enterprise of the 15th, headed “In the Harness Again.” I hope the compliments you pay me are deserved. Of course, other people must judge of that; but when you say that the disposition of the average humorist is to write too much, [&] that I was not afflicted with that disposition when I was a member of the Enterprise staff, you say a thing which I myself can indorse without overstepping the bounds of modesty. I am not as indolent as I was in those days; still, my habit of “avoiding the indiscretion” of too much labor is pretty firm [&] trustworthy yet. I suppose it surprised you to hear that I was going to enlist for active service again, considering this infirmity of mine. It surprised me, too. But it didn’t convince me. I always liked newspaper work; I would like it yet; but not as a steady diet.
The Courant people are personal friends of mine, but they have not carried their partiality so far as to ask me to help edit their paper. I believe they think they can edit it as well as I could. I think so, too. They have denied the Sun’s report, but it doesn’t help matters much; every day people write to me wanting to subscribe. This would be ever so pleasant [&] flattering, only I am so afraid that they get letters every day from old patrons wanting to discontinue!
No doubt the Sun’s report grew out of the fact that my house is connected with the Courant office by telephone. I live about a mile [&] a half from the center of the city; [&] as the Courant is in the center of the business district this telephone is a great convenience to me when I want to send for something in a hurry; but the advantage is all on one side. I get all the benefit [&] they get all the bother. No editorials pass through the telephone either way.
I am glad you think I would make an “impressive Governor” of this State. I even think I would, myself. But as long as we can have our present Governor, notwithstanding he is a Democrat, I do not wish to intrude. In these days it is a lucky State, indeed, that is so fortunate as to have the right man in the right place. Connecticut is so situated, in the matter of the governorship.
Yours, truly,
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