June – On a Tuesday, from 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to Joe Twichell.

Well, it is funny. The country’s political morals & ideals have sunk pretty nearly to zero in the past two years, but I had not suspected that anybody had dropped to the point of thinking the clergy bribable. Seriously, it is an astonisher. Could it have happened 20 years ago? No, it couldn’t. I don’t know but that this is zero.

In your excellent speech I discover no reference to foreign missions, & I am glad. Whenever you ask people to support them, Joe, do bar China. Their presence there is forbidden by the Bible, & by every sentiment of humanity & fair-dealing; & they have done vast mischief there. I would bar no other country, I believe, but they have no business in China. Besides, there is plenty for them to do at home. In the presence of the home-missionary even the worst of us stand uncovered; there are no limits to our reverence for him; but when it comes to idiot Christian pirates like Ament, & professional hypocrites & liars like Rev. Judson Smith of the American Board we are disrespectful & indecent.

Sam felt that “that old mud-turtle” Smith and the “talky” Ament were doing Sam’s work for him [MTP].

Note: there were four Tuesdays this month: 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th.