Explanatory Notes
Apparatus Notes
MTPDocEd
[begin page 284]
60. Unfortunate Blunder
3 September 1863

This sketch comprises the final part of “ ‘Mark Twain's’ Letter” to the San Francisco Morning Call written on 30 August 1863 and published on September 3. Two sections of the letter, which report political activity and a riot and fire in Virginia City, are not reprinted here.

Virginia City's Union League was probably organized soon after the outbreak of the Civil War when Union clubs were springing up in many communities of California and Nevada. The stated purpose of these clubs was in general to support the federal government and the Union war effort, and in particular to rally both Democrats and Republicans in support of Union candidates.

On 14 February 1863, for instance, the Democratic Central Committee of Storey County issued a statement of principles, which was answered a few days later by a call from Rollin M. Daggett for the formation of “a Union party, embracing loyal Democrats and Republicans.”1 On February 27 the Union men of Virginia City met to nominate candidates for the coming local elections and to pledge their support. Their statement affirmed that they would “ignore all former party associations, alliance or name, and unite as a party for the Union, and the whole Union.”2

Colonel John A. Collins, who is addressed by the drunken Irishman in “Unfortunate Blunder,” was a principal speaker at this meeting. A vigorous orator and writer, Collins was a strong supporter of Lincoln and a veteran of the antislavery movement who had come to San Francisco in 1849. After [begin page 285] experiencing variable business success, he became wealthy through quartz milling at Grass Valley. Twice, running as a Whig, he was defeated for public office. He became an editor on the Sacramento Union, and he eventually migrated to Virginia City early in 1860, where he owned a lumberyard and mining interests. He was superintendent of the city's first public school and later county school superintendent, and he represented Storey County in the first and second constitutional conventions (1863 and 1864). He was an unsuccessful candidate for United States senator in 1864, but nevertheless retained a strong position in the Republican party.3 Clemens' references to Collins were invariably favorable: see the explanatory notes to “Examination of Teachers” (no. 48).

Editorial Notes
1 “To the Democracy of Nevada Territory,” unidentified clipping in Scrapbook 2, pp. 13–14, MTP; “To the Loyal of Nevada Territory,” ibid., p. 19.
2 “Union Convention,” Virginia City Union, 28 February 1863, Scrapbook 2, p. 19, MTP.
3 “John A. Collins,” Virginia City Territorial Enterprise, ca. August 1863, Scrapbook 2, p. 63, MTP; Myron Angel, ed., History of Nevada (Oakland: Thompson and West, 1881), pp. 81, 85, 86, 571, 607; J. Wells Kelly, First Directory of Nevada Territory (San Francisco: Valentine and Co., 1862), p. 121; MTEnt , pp. 88, 113–114.
Textual Commentary

The first printing in “ ‘Mark Twain's’ Letter” in the San Francisco Morning Call for 3 September 1863 is copy-text. Copy: PH of clipping from Yale. There are no textual notes or emendations.

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Unfortunate Blunder

We shipped ten thousand dollars in silver bars to the Sanitary Fund yesterday. But I cannot write to-day; I have no more animation than a sick puppyexplanatory note. However, I suppose I ought to inform the public about a circumstance which happened in the Court Houseexplanatory note this morning, and which was a most

UNFORTUNATE BLUNDER.

The Union League holds its meetings in the District Court Room on certain nights during the week; on Sundays the services of the First Presbyterian Churchexplanatory note are held in the same apartment. This morning an Irish member of the League, who had been drinking a good deal, came reeling down the street, and as he passed the Court House, he chanced to look in; he saw the Rev. Mr. White (who had just sat down after the first prayer,) occupying the pulpit—the place of the President of his society; he also saw familiar faces among the congregation, and he concluded at once that the Union League was in session. With drunken promptness, he marched in at once, as soon as his mind was made up. He reached the centre of the room in safety, and supported himself in an unstable manner by resting one hand upon the railing; with the other he removed from his mouth a cigar, one-half of which was chewed to mush; he spat,—partly on the floor, and principally on his chin—then hiccoughed, with such startling emphasis as to jerk his hat to the back part of his head; after which he gave the sign of salutation, and said: “Misrer Pres'zent: They been imposing on me at the mine, but d—n my thiev'n soul but I'll get [begin page 287] even wid 'em, you know! [Sensation.] The fo'man o' Th' Pride o' the Westexplanatory note has dis—dis—ch—(hic!)—airged me, bekase I'm a bloody d——d Blaick Republikin!” Seeing a familiar face in the congregation, he addressed his remarks to the owner of it, pointing there with his dilapidated cigar: “D'ye know me, Kuhrnel, an'”——[Voice: “But my good friend”——] “Be d——d to yer good friend! an' can't ye see it's meself that has the flewr? Ah! now, there's ould John A. Collins, an' h—(hic!)—e's wan o' the principal bretherin. I'll tell ye the whole of the dhirty thievin' saircumstance, ye see.” By this time, men, women, children and parson were smothering with suppressed laughter, as the dancing eyes that looked out over white handkerchiefs plainly testified. Col. Collins rose to his feet, blushing like a lobster, and succeeded in making the persecuted Irishman understand that he was not telling his troubles to the Union League, but to the First Presbyterian Church. The information stunned him. He stood a moment gathering again the ideas which had been scattered by this bombshell, and then backed himself out of the house, bowing repeatedly, and ejaculating: “Ladies and gintlemen, I beg yer pairdon. I thought 'twas the Union Laig. I did, upon my sowl; but I beg yer pairdon, ladies and gintlemen—I beg yer pairdon!” They used to go to Goldsmith's church to laugh, and remain to prayexplanatory note; but the Presbyterians here reversed the thing this morning.

Explanatory Notes Unfortunate Blunder
 no more animation than a sick puppy] Clemens was still sick with the cold he had caught at the end of July.
 Court House] In January 1863 the Storey County commissioners leased a new brick building at 14 South B Street to be used for courtrooms and offices (“The New Court House,” Virginia City Territorial Enterprise, 10 January 1863, p. 3, PH in MTP).
 First Presbyterian Church] This church was organized on 21 September 1862 in Virginia City by the Reverend W. W. Bryan (Collins, Mercantile Guide, p. 27).
 Th' Pride o' the West] A prominent mine in the Devil's Gate district (Angel, History, p. 498; Collins, Mercantile Guide, p. 368).
 go to Goldsmith's church to laugh, and remain to pray] Compare Oliver Goldsmith's “The Deserted Village”: “And fools, who came to scoff, remained to pray” (line 180).