November 11 Saturday – In New York City, The Lotos Club gave a dinner in honor of Mark Twain. Sam’s speech may be found in Fatout, MT Speaking, p.265-7. The New York Times, November 12, 1893 also published a version of the speech. See also MTB 971.

President Frank R. Lawrence (1845-1918) introduced Mark Twain:

“What name is there in literature that can be likened to his? Perhaps some of the distinguished gentlemen about this table can tell us, but I know of none. Himself his only parallel, it seems to me. He is all our own — a ripe and perfect product of the American soil” [MTB 971].

The city newspapers, including Brooklyn Eagle and the N.Y. Times, reported the event, and quoted Sam’s remarks, the latter paper extensively. Sam would later send the Times clippings to Livy and Orion. The recent election was on Sam’s mind:

I was born a Mugwump, and I shall probably die a Mugwump. This election merely proves what I have contended abroad. I have said there that when Europe gets a ruler lodged in her gullet, there is no help for it but a bloody revolution; here we go and get a great big, emetical ballot, and heave it up.

Note: Also in attendance and not mentioned in the Times article of Nov. 10: John Hay, Andrew Carnegie, St. Clair McKelway and “nearly 200 other men well known in social, business, literary, and artistic circles.” The Times article of Nov. 12 claimed Sam made two speeches during the evening. In his second he reported on Americans overseas:

I have been on the Continent two and a half years and I have met many Americans in Europe; they have in almost all cases preserved their Americanism. The American abroad likes to see the flag of his country; he likes to see the Stars and Stripes fluttering proudly in the breeze. In those two and a half years I met only one American lady to be ashamed of. That is a very good record. That woman glorified monarchial institutions and lauded titles of nobility. She kept on until it was plain to me that she had forgotten such a country as the United States and such a flag as our flag. Finally, when I could stand it no longer, I said: “We have at least one merit — we are not as China is.” The lady replied that she would like to know what the difference was. I answered: “China forbids a dissatisfied citizen to leave the country. We don’t.”

The Boston Daily Globe also covered the event, pointing out in “Dinner to Mark Twain,” p.4 that “Only once during the evening was he referred to by his real name.”