Bob, Barbara and all -- I'm hoping to hear from others about this issue, and so won't say much here, except that I don't think we should take "what Sam Clemens said or thought or wrote but didn't publish" as the final authority on "what 'Mark Twain' meant and means to American culture" or to "what Huck Finn said and says to its readers over the generations, including the students and parents and others in the 21st century."   To me part of the story of racism and anti-racism in HF is what Sam Clemens did not let Mark Twain publish.
It's amazing how tempting it is to want to go on defending my position!  But what I am hoping for is a discussion, Steve
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From: Mark Twain Forum <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of Robert H. HIRST <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, March 28, 2021 10:48 AM
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:

from SLC to Josephine and Karl the Gerhardts, 1 and 3 May 1883, UCCL 02380.
Charles E. Porter was the black painter the Clemenses were supporting in
Paris.

mr. porter has written to ask me to get some orders for him, as his money
is nearly spent and he wants to remain some time longer in paris. this
places me in a bothersome position; because, a long time ago, josephine
intimated in one of her letters that porter had gone to the dogs or was on
his way there. she gave no details, brought forward no facts. i meant to
write her, then and there, and say that whenever one a flask of dynamite
under a person’s character, he should always go into the details of the
matter, and state exactly why he felt justified in doing that thing. i hav[e
]n’t answered porter; cannot answer him until i learn from you how he
stands. tell me all you have heard against him, keep back nothing whatever.
also tell me what part of the evidence rests upon trustworthy authority,
and what part of it doubtful. i want to know everything about him, good and
bad; for if he is worthy of help i want to turn out and see what can be
done for him; and if he is not, i want to at least act with caution. at the
same time i must remember, and you must also remember, that on every sin
which a colored man commits, the just white man must make a considerable
discount, because of the colored man’s antecedents. the heirs of slavery
cannot with any sort of justice, be required to be as clear and straight
and upright as the heirs of ancient freedom. and besides, whenever a
colored man commits an unright action, upon his ̭heaḓ is the guilt of only
about one tenth of it, and upon your heads and mine and the rest of the
white race lie fairly and justly the other nine tenths of the guilt. so,
when you have told me all there is to tell about porter, i shall doubtless
judge his case charitably enough.