October 30 Friday – Sam wrote from Hartford to his mother, Jane Clemens.

Dear Ma— / I suppose I owe you a good deal of money by this time, on account of Puss; but I will make it good, & more besides, as soon as I get the General’s second volume launched next March. Still, if you need any extra money now, or should need it at any time, you must let me know, & I’ll be sure to send it. You mustn’t deny yourself anything you want, but call upon me without the least hesitation. I shall take it as a favor. [Note: see June 26 entry.]

Sam added that Livy hadn’t been well but was now and would write soon. [MTP].

Sam also wrote to Charles Webster, discussing further offers made to publish Fred Grant’s biography of his father, which would pick up where Grant’s Memoirs ended. They did not come to terms. Sam also wrote that they could not publish Adam Badeau’s book—if it was clean and respectful, it would “have but a poor sale”; if it were “malicious…it may be expected to have a great sale, but we can’t touch it.” Sam rethought the amounts going to Keokuk monthly and told Webster simply to send $155 [MTP].

October, late – From Sam’s notebook:

Got 12 more presses at work; this makes 20, that are going night & day; if we could get 37, we could print a complete volume every second; but it is impossible to get them.

We have got 7 binderies at work—all large ones. One of them turns out 1500 volumes per day in sheep, by hand. This one occupies 3 large floors, & works upon nothing but this book. The building was rented, the machinery bought new, & the hands brought from Philadelphia,—all for this book. We are being well scolded by other publishers, for they have to send their printing and binding to other cities [MTNJ 3: 204].

Sam also entered the idea of writing an article about “Carlyle’s whines & complaints” and “George Elliot’s [sic] ditto” [Gribben 217]. (See June 7 entry.)