May 1 Saturday – Sam wrote from Hartford to Chatto & Windus. Sam reaffirmed that he left the business end of publishing to others, to Bliss and his lawyer. He sadly explained how if he’d ordered the electrotypes in the beginning he couldn’t recall it. The TS bungle allowed Canadian pirates to bring out a cheap version two months ahead of the U.S. version and flood the market, costing Sam “ten thousand dollars” [MTLE 5: 93].

The Hartford Courant on page five, ran an excerpt from TA, “Mark Twain on German.”

Brown, Thomson & Co., dry goods, Hartford, billed for 56 yards of cotton, paid May 8 [MTP].

Sam also wrote to Moncure Conway, who was planning to return from England. George Warner was lecturing out of town, and Sam was going to talk with him upon his return as he supposed he needed “the information that is in the lectures, too.” The family would be in Elmira when Conway’s ship arrived, but “no matter, we shall be in Hartford by the time the lecture-season opens.” Sam still didn’t know where the fault laid with the lack of coordination between Bliss and Chatto [MTLE 5: 94].

Sam also wrote to Rollin M. Daggett (see Jan. 24, 1878 entry for bio info.) about a copyright bill before Congress.

I want to go to Washington, but it ain’t any use, business-wise, for Congress won’t bother with anything but President-making….You just get that letter from Blaine, & cast your eye over it, & try to arrive at a realizing sense of what a silly & son-of-a-bitch of a law the present law against book-piracy is. I believe it was framed by an idiot, & passed by a Congress of muttonheads.

Now you come up here—that is the thing to do. I, also have Scotch whisky, certain lemons, & hot water, & struggle with the same every night [MTLE 5: 95].