September 30 Saturday – Following a noisy torchlight parade with a band and Civil War veteran marchers, Sam gave his first political speech. He spoke for Rutherford B. Hayes at Allyn Hall in Hartford. Though the city was Republican, there was some mud-slinging by supporters of Tilden. Years later Sam would call the vote manipulation in the close election “one of the Republican party’s most cold-blooded swindles.” Sam’s remarks were short, explaining why literary men were lining up behind Hayes. He also put in a plug for General Joseph R. Hawley, who was running for Congress. Sam joked that Hawley had achieved something “incredible”—that is, raising:

“…as high as $121,000 gate money at the Centennial in a single day—and never stole a cent of it!” [Fatout, MT Speaking 97-9, with text of speech].