I heartily concur, Wolfgang. To bring it back to Twain, but also as a response to the points Wolfgang and Hal have made, I strongly recommend Twain's "White House Funeral" letter, which I believe Greeley refused to publish, but which is a deepling entertaining insight into Twain's year as a Washington correspondent (fleshed out wonderfully by John Muller elsewhere). It also contains queasy resonances with the contemporary. Here's a link: https://marktwainstudies.com/the-white-house-funeral-by-mark-twain/ On Fri, Jan 8, 2021 at 1:36 PM Wolfgang Hochbruck <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > ...don't tell me anybody would seriously WANT the Donald to be present > after the events of the last few days... I had predicted rioting > protestors signalling their fealty to their Leader already in December. > I had NOT counted on POTUS actually egging them on. Fortunately, the > guy himself is a coward, or else he would have led his minions in > person. > > Btw, why hasn't Rudy Giuliani been arrested yet? Why were hundreds of > people allowed to leave & walk away from the Capitol, some with > 'souvenirs'? > Okay, this does not have a lot to do with Twain, so moderators might > decide this is off topic, and i excuse myself for having brought this > up. > > w > > > On Fri, 8 Jan 2021 18:09:01 +0000 > Hal Bush <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > >For MS: Speaking of Johnson and the "defilement of the presidency": I > >just heard today that AJ was the last president to refuse to attend > >the next inauguration. (Ford was not inaugurated, of course) > > > >To JPZ: those details from HF are intriguing but I'll need a little > >more than that... & ps: does HF actually compare someone to Stanton?? > >Don't recall that nugget... > > > > > > > >_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ > > > > > >Dr. Hal Bush > > > >Professor of English & > > > >Director of the Undergraduate Program > > > >Saint Louis University > > > >[log in to unmask] > > > >314-977-3616 > > > >http://halbush.com > > > >author blog: > > > https://www.patheos.com/blogs/spiritualcoffee<https://www.patheos.com/blogs/spiritualcoffee/2020/08/spiritual-coffee-and-the-path-toward-wokeness/> > >________________________________ > >From: Mark Twain Forum <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of John Peter > >Zavez <[log in to unmask]> > >Sent: Friday, January 8, 2021 11:36 AM > >To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> > >Subject: Re: [External] Re: MT & conspiracy theories? > > > >To MS, wasn't the issue with Johnson/Stanton whether the President had > >the constitutional power to remove a cabinet officer approved by > >Congress, so MT may have been motivated more by balance-of-power > >concerns than the actual persons involved. > > > >To HB, is it a coincidence that Huck Finn has: a Wilks Family, a > >Booth's Landing, an actor who (physically) resembles John Wilkes > >Booth, and his mentor who (physically) resembles Stanton? > > > >-----Original Message----- > >From: Mark Twain Forum <[log in to unmask]> On Behalf Of Matthew Seybold > >Sent: Friday, January 08, 2021 12:07 PM > >To: [log in to unmask] > >Subject: Re: [External] Re: MT & conspiracy theories? > > > >Don't have time at the moment to follow up in more detail, but I can > >say with certainty, having read about it just recently, that in > >1868-69, Twain considered Johnson's decision to remove Stanton as > >Secretary of War one of his many defilements of the Presidency. This, > >of course, doesn't preclude him from buying into the Stanton > >conspiracy at some other juncture, but it does complicate it. - MS > > > >On Fri, Jan 8, 2021 at 11:59 AM Hal Bush <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > >> > >> That's an interesting idea: I wonder what makes you think MT > >believed this scenario? The conspiracy theory about Stanton (which no > >historians have bought into) did gain some steam immediately in 1865, > >but really was popularized much later, well after the end of Twain's > >life ... I'd be interested in hearing more about this connection. MT > >did write a few things about AL, by the way, much later. > >> > >> > >> > >> _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ > >> > >> > >> Dr. Hal Bush > >> > >> Professor of English & > >> > >> Director of the Undergraduate Program > >> > >> Saint Louis University > >> > >> [log in to unmask] > >> > >> 314-977-3616 > >> > >> > >https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://halbush.com__;!!K543PA!YvFPFg3nhs0JoTcX9GU97jh4uCJjfys4MEq0lRZDv76p8LIm5_1S-wRfSghYEw$ > >> > >> author blog: > >> > >https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.patheos.com/blogs/spiritualcoffee__;!!K543PA!YvFPFg3nhs0JoTcX9GU97jh4uCJjfys4MEq0lRZDv76p8LIm5_1S-wQE6tVygA$ > ><https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.patheos.com/__;!!K543PA!YvFPFg3nhs0JoTcX9GU97jh4uCJjfys4MEq0lRZDv76p8LIm5_1S-wS_SGZchQ$ > >> > >blogs/spiritualcoffee/2020/08/spiritual-coffee-and-the-path-toward-wok > >> eness/> > >> ________________________________ > >> From: Mark Twain Forum <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of John Peter > >> Zavez <[log in to unmask]> > >> Sent: Friday, January 8, 2021 10:30 AM > >> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> > >> Subject: Re: [External] Re: MT & conspiracy theories? > >> > >> The biggest conspiracy theory of MT's time, which I believe he > >believed, was that Secretary or War Stanton was behind Lincoln's > >assassination. > >> > >> -----Original Message----- > >> From: Mark Twain Forum <[log in to unmask]> On Behalf Of Hal Bush > >> Sent: Friday, January 08, 2021 10:49 AM > >> To: [log in to unmask] > >> Subject: Re: [External] Re: MT & conspiracy theories? > >> > >> The Murrell myth, especially when Matt mentioned the how the Mystic > >Clan's plots & conspiracy theory synthesized "anti-Black, anti-Semite, > >anti-Catholic, and several other common antebellum prejudices," > >reminded me of a much larger group doing similar things: the > >Freemasons, of which MT was a member, as were many riverboat pilots > >and others, right here in St. Louis in fact! I could say much mora > >about freemasonry, but some would certainly include them, and other > >mysticl brotherhoods in C19, as often provoking conspiracy theories, > >to say the least. > >> > >> > >https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://psrh79.org/?page_id=94__;!!K543PA!e > >> 9LG-7ltv5LzhMJVQ9InebE2ADS_QP57C4hzKEDmXWl6dydt_dqxvsKN4anPgQ$ > >> Polar Star Lodge No. 79 History – Polar Star Rose Hill Lodge No > >> > >79<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://psrh79.org/?page_id=94__;!!K543P > >> A!e9LG-7ltv5LzhMJVQ9InebE2ADS_QP57C4hzKEDmXWl6dydt_dqxvsKN4anPgQ$ > > >A > >> Brief History ~ Polar Star Lodge No. 79, St. Louis Written by > >PSRH#79 > >> Member Worshipful Brother Richard B. Ramage, Appearing in The > >Missouri > >> Freemason Fall 2004 (Volume 49, No. 4) > >> > >https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://psrh79.org__;!!K543PA!e9LG-7ltv5Lzh > >> MJVQ9InebE2ADS_QP57C4hzKEDmXWl6dydt_dqxvsJ3F54WcQ$ > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ > >> > >> > >> Dr. Hal Bush > >> > >> Professor of English & > >> > >> Director of the Undergraduate Program > >> > >> Saint Louis University > >> > >> [log in to unmask] > >> > >> 314-977-3616 > >> > >> > >https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://halbush.com__;!!K543PA!e9LG-7ltv5Lz > >> hMJVQ9InebE2ADS_QP57C4hzKEDmXWl6dydt_dqxvsI8mihYhQ$ > >> > >> author blog: > >> > >https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.patheos.com/blogs/spiritualcof > >> > >fee__;!!K543PA!e9LG-7ltv5LzhMJVQ9InebE2ADS_QP57C4hzKEDmXWl6dydt_dqxvsL > >> Ji1KX9w$ > >> > ><https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.patheos.com/blogs/spiritualco > >> > >ffee/2020/08/spiritual-coffee-and-the-path-toward-wokeness/__;!!K543PA > >> !e9LG-7ltv5LzhMJVQ9InebE2ADS_QP57C4hzKEDmXWl6dydt_dqxvsI5D7ABoA$ > > >> ________________________________ > >> From: Mark Twain Forum <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of Wolfgang > >> Hochbruck <[log in to unmask]> > >> Sent: Friday, January 8, 2021 9:32 AM > >> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> > >> Subject: [External] Re: MT & conspiracy theories? > >> > >> ...Murrell and his gang even more openly get featured in _Tom > >Sawyer_, i thought, when Tom & Huck find the treasure ... William G. > >Simms wrote more about Murrell in _Richard Hurdis, or the Avenger of > >Blood_, and there was a melodrama _Murrell, the Pirate_ (1835), > >originally written by Nathaniel Harrington Bannister and popularized > >by Charles Burke, both in their turn inspiring German immigrant > >Friedrich Gerstäcker who then became they German Simms after his > >remigration in 1844 with _Die Flusspiraten des Mississippi_ and > >_Regulatoren in Arkansas_, both loosely based on the Murrell story -- > >This conspiracy myth must have had a lot more traction in the 1840s > >through the Civil War period than i usually suspected. > >> > >> best > >> w > >> > >> On Fri, 8 Jan 2021 09:37:25 -0500 > >> Matthew Seybold <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > >> >That's a great question, Hal. > >> > > >> >When I wrote my dissertation on the figure of the con-artist, I > >spent > >> >a little time on conspiracy theories, which are often created > >and/or > >> >amplified by con-artists. One of the most extraordinary conspiracy > >> >theories of the 1830s circulated around "the Mystic Clan." This > >was, > >> >supposedly, a secret society led by a notorious outlaw, John > >Murrell, > >> >and thanks in large part to Virgil Stewart, who published a series > >of > >> >books and pamphlets claiming to expose the Mystic Clan's plots, > >they > >> >were planning to start slave insurrections as a distraction while > >> >they raided banks in major Gulf Coast cities. The conspiracy theory > >> >synthesizes anti-Black, anti-Semite, anti-Catholic, and several > >other > >> >common antebellum prejudices. > >> > > >> >Twain was definitely aware of Murrell, whose real (and fictional) > >> >operations had been in the trade corridor where Twain was later a > >> >pilot. He refers to "Murel" in LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI as a > >criminal > >> >"genius" who made Jesse James look like a "retail rascal." In this > >> >passage, Twain mentions several details from the Mystic Clan > >> >conspiracy theory and seems to be treating it as accurate history, > >> >although he also acknowledges in the same paragraph that "cheap > >> >histories" of romantic outlaws were for sale at train stations and > >> >steamboat landings. Melville alludes to the same market for > >specious > >> >criminal biography in the opening chapter of THE CONFIDENCE-MAN, > >> >specifically naming Murrell its most profitable topics. I haven't > >dug > >> >into whether Twain refers to this conspiracy elsewhere later in his > >career. > >> > > >> >Like you, I'd love to know what others C19 conspiracies people have > >> >encountered in Twain's life and work. There are, of course, several > >> >alluded to in Richard Hofstadter's THE PARANOID STYLE IN AMERICAN > >> >POLITICS. > >> > > >> >Stay safe, everybody. > >> > > >> >- MS > >> > > >> >On Fri, Jan 8, 2021 at 8:42 AM Hal Bush <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > >> >> > >> >> Dear friends: what a week. Can I tie these horrific events into > >C19 > >> >& MT? > >> >> > >> >> A friend has passed on his terrifying essay on a conspiracy > >theory > >> >way back in 1860, see below. I think we need reminding that > >> >conspiracy theories have a very long history in our nation, and > >that > >> >they can be deadly and incendiary. > >> >> > >> >> Q; has anyone looked into MT's encounter with and understanding/ > >> >critique of conspiracy theory--pro and con? > >> >> > >> >> > >> > >>https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://baptistnews.com/article/how-300-c > >> >hi > >> > >>ldren-lost-their-fathers-to-lynching-on-a-single-day-because-of-a-con > >> >sp > >> > >>iracy-theory/?fbclid=IwAR2RtPG7DEJx-D7WiusYA9h8YLeIY-iLksb99CWAQqNIOT > >> >7J > >> > >>fcGVtuRJBJY*.X_hexOBMFTZ__;Iw!!K543PA!bqFn8R79de9Vzns52b-hITjy_dsP0n9 > >> >Fg > >> >svDNZP5iauvlDnAusm7tz0Kt6vHUA$ > >> >> > >> > >>[https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://1648o73kablq2rveyn64glm1-wpengine. > >> > >>https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/ > >> > >>2020/12/Great_Hanging_at_Gainesville___;!!K543PA!e9LG-7ltv5LzhMJVQ9In > >> >ebE2ADS_QP57C4hzKEDmXWl6dydt_dqxvsKYg8NpmA$ > >> > >>Texas_-_1862.jpg__;!!K543PA!bqFn8R79de9Vzns52b-hITjy_dsP0n9FgsvDNZP5i > >> >au > >> >vlDnAusm7tz2jkRkW2g$ > >> > >>]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://baptistnews.com/article/how-300 > >> >-c > >> > >>hildren-lost-their-fathers-to-lynching-on-a-single-day-because-of-a-c > >> >on > >> > >>spiracy-theory/?fbclid=IwAR2RtPG7DEJx-D7WiusYA9h8YLeIY-iLksb99CWAQqNI > >> >OT > >> > >>7JfcGVtuRJBJY*.X_hexOBMFTZ__;Iw!!K543PA!bqFn8R79de9Vzns52b-hITjy_dsP0 > >> >n9 > >> >FgsvDNZP5iauvlDnAusm7tz0Kt6vHUA$ > > >> >> How 300 children lost their fathers to lynching on a single day > >> >because of a conspiracy theory – Baptist News > >> > >>Global<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://baptistnews.com/article/ho > >> >w- > >> > >>300-children-lost-their-fathers-to-lynching-on-a-single-day-because-o > >> >f- > >> > >>a-conspiracy-theory/?fbclid=IwAR2RtPG7DEJx-D7WiusYA9h8YLeIY-iLksb99CW > >> >AQ > >> > >>qNIOT7JfcGVtuRJBJY*.X_hexOBMFTZ__;Iw!!K543PA!bqFn8R79de9Vzns52b-hITjy > >> >_d sP0n9FgsvDNZP5iauvlDnAusm7tz0Kt6vHUA$ > > >> >> There is nothing new about conspiracy theories. Recently, while > >> >doing some research on the history of lynching, I learned that > >> >Anthony Bewley, a Methodist minister, was lynched in Fort Worth, > >> >Texas, back in 1860. Bewley was the victim of a bizarre conspiracy > >theory. > >> >> > >https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://baptistnews.com__;!!K543PA!bqFn8 > >> >> R7 9de9Vzns52b-hITjy_dsP0n9FgsvDNZP5iauvlDnAusm7tz2J_sdTMg$ > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> Dr. Hal Bush > >> >> > >> >> Professor of English & > >> >> > >> >> Director of the Undergraduate Program > >> >> > >> >> Saint Louis University > >> >> > >> >> [log in to unmask] > >> >> > >> >> 314-977-3616 > >> >> > >> >> > >https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://halbush.com__;!!K543PA!bqFn8R79d > >> >> e9 Vzns52b-hITjy_dsP0n9FgsvDNZP5iauvlDnAusm7tz1AN7IhRg$ > >> >> > >> >> author blog: > >> > > >> > >https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.patheos.com/blogs/spiritualcof > >> > >fee__;!!K543PA!bqFn8R79de9Vzns52b-hITjy_dsP0n9FgsvDNZP5iauvlDnAusm7tz3 > >> yog7CsA$ > >> > ><https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.patheos.com/blogs/spiritualco > >> > >ffee/2020/08/spiritual-coffee-and-the-path-toward-wokeness/__;!!K543PA > >> !bqFn8R79de9Vzns52b-hITjy_dsP0n9FgsvDNZP5iauvlDnAusm7tz2ta9_2aA$ > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> >-- > >> >Matt Seybold > >> >Assistant Professor of American Literature & Mark Twain Studies > >> >Elmira College Editor, > >> > >>https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://MarkTwainStudies.org__;!!K543PA!bq > >> >Fn 8R79de9Vzns52b-hITjy_dsP0n9FgsvDNZP5iauvlDnAusm7tz05Rij2bQ$ > >> > >>https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://MattSeybold.com__;!!K543PA!bqFn8R7 > >> >9d e9Vzns52b-hITjy_dsP0n9FgsvDNZP5iauvlDnAusm7tz3j84_nCw$ > >> > >> > >> Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Hochbruck > >> Dept. of English > >> Centre for Security and Society > >> Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg > >> Rempart St. 15 > >> D-79098 Freiburg > >> Germany > > > > > > > >-- > >Matt Seybold > >Assistant Professor of American Literature & Mark Twain Studies Elmira > >College Editor, > >https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://MarkTwainStudies.org__;!!K543PA!YvFPFg3nhs0JoTcX9GU97jh4uCJjfys4MEq0lRZDv76p8LIm5_1S-wR8LVnnlg$ > > > https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://MattSeybold.com__;!!K543PA!YvFPFg3nhs0JoTcX9GU97jh4uCJjfys4MEq0lRZDv76p8LIm5_1S-wQh4xkDdg$ > > > Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Hochbruck > Dept. of English > Centre for Security and Society > Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg > Rempart St. 15 > D-79098 Freiburg > Germany -- Matt Seybold Assistant Professor of American Literature & Mark Twain Studies Elmira College Editor, MarkTwainStudies.org MattSeybold.com