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 >>