October 16 Thursday – Sam was drafted as a speaker for a Republican Meeting in Elmira to introduce General Joseph R. Hawley, at that time a Connecticut congressman [Fatout, MT Speaking 128]. The Elmira Daily Advertiser reported on the 8 o’clock speech, including emendations for applause, laugher and interruption, as when Sam insisted Hawley had “been president of the convention that nominated Abraham Lincoln.” Hawley corrected Sam that it was Grant, not Lincoln. Sam insisted it was Lincoln. The Advertiser:

We report him just as he said it, but the type founders do not make characters that can drawl and intone on paper [Jerome & Wisbey 75].