Of course, "my country, right or wrong" is not the actual full quotation.  Twain might perhaps have found the full quotation a bit more agreeable.

Carl

Sent from my iPad

On Sep 10, 2013, at 10:46 PM, "Cosgrove, William" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>    The burglar quotation is from "Papers of the Adam Family" in "Letters
> From the Earth," ed. Bernard DeVoto:
> 
>    "'Even if the war be wrong we are in it and must fight it out:  we cannot
> retire from it without dishonor.'  Why, not even a burglar could have said
> it better" (p. 98).
> 
>    Twain appears here to speaking of the occupation of the Philippines by
> the U. S. at the turn of the century, and he is ridiculing the phrase,
> "Our country, right or wrong."  And doing so quite effectively, by the way.
> 
> Best regards,
> 
> Bill Cosgrove
> Professor Emeritus of English
> 
> North Dakota State University
> 6104 Tracy Ave. So.
> Edina, MN 55436
> 952-929-1393
> [log in to unmask]
> Good site: www.brainpickings.org
> =20
> 
> 
> On 9/10/13 4:50 PM, "Mike Stone" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> 
> 
>> Richard, the burglar quote is priceless!  Do you have a cite for that?
>> 
>> Michel L. Stone
>> STONE & SUTTON, P.A.
>> 116 East Fourth Street
>> Panama City, Florida  32401
>> (850) 785-7272  office
>> (850) 785-7094   fax
>> [log in to unmask]
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Mark Twain Forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Rick Talbot
>> Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 2013 12:49 PM
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: Unknown MT film footage?
>> 
>> "'My country right or wrong.' "Why even a burglar couldn't have said that
>> better."
>> 
>> Richard Talbot
>> 1531 West Idaho Avenue
>> Falcon Heights, MN 55108-2118
>> (651) 646-6624
>> (651) 280 8734
>> [log in to unmask]
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Mark Twain Forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Alan
>> Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 2013 11:30 AM
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: Unknown MT film footage?
>> 
>> "War is the abomination of all abominations."
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Mike Stone <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: TWAIN-L <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Tue, Sep 10, 2013 11:53 am
>> Subject: Unknown MT film footage?
>> 
>> 
>> What would MT have said about our current threat of war against Syria?
>> About our wars in the Middle East generally?
>> 
>> =3D20
>> 
>> Michel L. Stone
>> 
>> STONE & SUTTON, P.A.
>> 
>> 116 East 4th Street
>> 
>> Panama City, Florida 32401
>> 
>> (850) 785-7272
>> 
>> [log in to unmask]
>> 
>> =3D20
>> 
>> Check out my new play, Mark Twain Interruption:
>> 
>> http://www.stageplays.com/products/mark_twain_interruptioncategorycyberpre
>> s=3D
>> s
>> code417
>> 
>> =3D20
>> 
>> =3D20
>> 
>> =3D20
>> 
>> =3D20
>>