That's why I made a point of noting that in the The Indian Book he only 
opened the pages pertaining to the western tribes. I've had an interesting 
off-list exchange on this very notion --that Twain seems to have had a 
problem with plains and western Indians warrior cultures, but not so much 
with Eastern tribes (who were more assimilated). Twain once donated $10 to a 
relief fund for an Ottowa Indian who had lost his job at the post office 
because he was an Indian. That's not quite so strong a statement as paying a 
black student's tuition at Yale, but it's a statement, although you might 
not want to apply it in a westward direction.

Twain had positive memories of the slaves he'd grown up with, but I don't 
recall more than a couple of positive remarks about the Indians that he 
encountered. My off-list correspondent sent me a clip of Twain text (I 
forget the source at the moment) where he said something to the effect that 
most Indians could benefit from a bar of soap and an education (I assume the 
Ottowa postmaster had both). In fact, most of Twain's comments about Indians 
that I can recall seem to center around them living in filth and smelling 
bad. Given the state of hygiene in white culture in the mid-19th century 
that's surprising. Commercially available soaps were fairly new and not 
wide-spread until after the Civil War, and bathing weekly or monthly was not 
uncommon. Even the last day of a typical scholarly conference does not 
approach the 19th century norm.

I'll mention another point that I find puzzling-- this observation may 
reflect my insufficient familiarity with Twain's writings, but for all of 
his satirical writings about government corruption, I don't recall any where 
he focuses on the widespread abuses of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the 
government's failure to live up to treaties signed with various Indian 
tribes. I vaguely recall a mention or two, but no extended passages, no 
riffs of classic Twainian outrage. As I said, I'm probably forgetting 
something obvious, at least I hope so, because it otherwise seems a glaring 
blindspot. In fact, it was corruption and abuse at the BIA that led to the 
Sioux uprising that was the subject of the Wall book Twain so admired, an 
uprising that began with hundreds of white settlers being murdered and tens 
of thousands more fleeing the area in terror, and ending with dozens of 
Indians being hanged (the largest mass execution in US history) and buried 
in a mass grave. BTW, realizing that I'd never read General Hubbard's 
remarks about Wall's book (Twain said he agreed with Hubbard's praise of the 
book) I tried googling it yesterday without success. I have a faint hope 
against hope that perhaps Hubbard (later Governor) said something 
sympathetic about the Sioux's plight and unfair treatment. Certainly there 
was blame enough to go around on both sides of that tragedy. If somebody 
uncovers Hubbard's remarks, I'd like to see them.

I guess my disappointment with Twain's reaction to Burlin's Indian Book is 
that his usual curiosity did not get the better of him. He sampled just a 
handful of pages. But the book is full of wonderful illustrations, musical 
scores to Indian songs, art work, legends and stories, etc., and even though 
he left most of the book's pages unopened, the viewable pages at the 
beginning and end of each gathering make the splendid hidden content obvious 
at a mere glance. But it wasn't enough to lure Twain into the book, which is 
all the more surprising since Twain seldom left a book --even a bad one--  
unopened. Surviving books from his library show that he often spent a good 
deal of his time reading deeply into a bad book just for the pleasure of 
experiencing its badness, jotting down snarky remarks and corrections along 
the way. But here was a terrific book about Indians that might have 
challenged his views, and he didn't bother to look.

I'm 1/16th Mingo (my grandmother always said "Flamingo") and that part of me 
forgives Twain, but the other 15/16th not so much.

Kevin
@
Mac Donnell Rare Books
9307 Glenlake Drive
Austin TX 78730
512-345-4139
Member: ABAA, ILAB
*************************
You may browse our books at
www.macdonnellrarebooks.com

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Pearson" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, April 24, 2011 12:31 PM
Subject: Re: A Prejudice against Indians


> Begging your indulgence=2C  I wish to offer a couple of observations
> on this topic: =20
> Most groups of Indians of North America had defended territory through 
> stre=
> ngth
> and alliances.  This had made many groups into warrior cultures.
> The author of "The Damned Human Race" might not be more prejudiced against
> one group of humans than against another=2C but maybe he presumes to
> judge warrior cultures to be less defensible.  Twain's Indian characters 
> ar=
> e drawn
> as individuals=2C not as group analysis.  One may be a crazy killer  such 
> a=
> s Injun Joe
> or  "a Pi Ute Injun I used to know in Tulare County=3B mighty good 
> fellow"=
> as in=20
> "Capt. Stormfield." =20
> From other stories=2C we know Twain was not an admirer of warrior culture. 
> =
> =20
> And the Indians=2C by most of them not having a written language=2C would 
> h=
> ave
> had less ways to repair their alienation in Twain's era. They may have 
> seem=
> ed
> especially strange to him.=20
> Thanks for Your patience.
> Mike
> =20
>> Date: Sun=2C 24 Apr 2011 11:50:26 -0500
>> From: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: A Prejudice against Indians
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>=20
>> Steve makes a very good point.
>>=20
>> But it's sometimes hard to tell where satire ends and genuine 
>> prejudice=20
>> begins. Unsophisticated readers have this problem with Huckleberry Finn=
> =2C but=20
>> a similar problem arises when reading Twain's public writings versus his=
> =20
>> letters and annotations in his books. Twain=2C of course=2C was 
>> well-awar=
> e that=20
>> others would read his library annotations=2C and he also knew that his 
>> le=
> tters=20
>> would often be published=2C with or without his permission.
>>=20
>> On the subject of Indians=2C I can give two examples from late in his 
>> lif=
> e=2C=20
>> the first being some annotations in a book from his library=3B the 
>> second=
> a=20
>> letter he wrote to an author=2C knowing that it would probably be used 
>> to=
> puff=20
>> the author's book.
>>=20
>> In Natalie Curtis Burlin's THE INDIANS' BOOK... NY: Harper=2C 1907=2C 
>> Twa=
> in=20
>> wrote on the inside front cover: "A book made & illustrated/ by 
>> Indians./=
> SL=20
>> Clemens/ 1907/ November/ 21 Fifth Ave." The book was a beautiful=20
>> production=2C full of lore=2C music=2C and narratives by American 
>> Indians=
> =2C=20
>> celebrating their culture and art. It is a book still admired and widely=
> =20
>> collected today. This book=2C published by Harper Brothers=2C was 
>> probabl=
> y sent=20
>> to Twain by the publisher=2C who regularly sent him their publications 
>> at=
> that=20
>> period. Opposite page 98=2C above the portrait of a Pawnee chief or 
>> warri=
> or in=20
>> full ceremonial dress with bear-claw necklace and a striking feathered 
>> an=
> d=20
>> big-beaked head-dress=2C Twain wrote "My=2C but he is wickedly 
>> handsome!"=
> The=20
>> book is 574pp. but Twain only opened pp. i-x=2C 32-45=2C 99-114=2C and 
>> 24=
> 3-46=2C=20
>> mostly sections on western tribes. The condition of the book and his 
>> spar=
> se=20
>> comments would seem to indicate he took little interest in the 
>> fascinatin=
> g=20
>> contents=2C and I'll leave it others to decide if his annotations are 
>> sna=
> rky=2C=20
>> condescending=2C or admiring..
>>=20
>> But another book about Indians certainly captured his interest in 
>> 1909.=20
>> Oscar G Wall's RECOLLECTIONS OF THE SIOUX MASSACRE provoked a letter 
>> of=20
>> endorsement from Twain dated Nov 8=2C 1909=2C that reads: "Mr O G Wall--  
>> =
> Dear=20
>> Sir: I find your history of the Great Massacre blood-curdlingly & most=20
>> pathetically interesting. I am able to [the word "repeat" crossed out]=20
>> endorse General Hubbard's compliment & highly commend the literary=20
>> excellence of the book. Very truly yours SL. Clemens." This letter was=20
>> reprinted in facsimile in blood red ink as an advertising flyer for 
>> Wall'=
> s=20
>> book. Judging from the wording=2C I'd assume Twain knew or suspected it 
>> m=
> ight=20
>> be used this way --although he probably didn't know they'd use red ink. 
>> I=
> =20
>> have not read a text of General Hubbard's "compliment."
>>=20
>> Whatever evolutions took place in Twain's thinking about other races and=
> =20
>> nationalities=2C I'd suppose from the above (admittedly slight) evidence 
>> =
> that=20
>> even in his very last years Twain was more interested in reading stories 
>> =
> of=20
>> Indian depredations than acquainting himself with the positive aspects 
>> of=
> =20
>> their literature=2C art=2C music=2C and culture. But I'd love to see 
>> more=
> =20
>> evidence=2C and learn otherwise.
>>=20
>> Kevin
>> @
>> Mac Donnell Rare Books
>> 9307 Glenlake Drive
>> Austin TX 78730
>> 512-345-4139
>> Member: ABAA=2C ILAB
>> *************************
>> You may browse our books at
>> www.macdonnellrarebooks.com
>>=20
>>=20
>>=20
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>
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