Vol 3 Section 1103

October 15 Saturday – At the Grosvenor Hotel in N.Y.C. Sam began a reply to Edmund Dene Morel’s Oct. 10 letter (originally Georges Eduard Pierre Achille Morel de Ville) (1873-1924) British journalist, author and socialist politician. He collaborated with Roger Casement, the English Congo Reform Associaton and others and in newspapers such as the West African Mail, campaigned against slavery in the Congo Free State. Sam would add a P.S. to this note on Oct. 16.

Dear Mr. Morel: / I received Lord Norbury’s letter [not extant], & I hope you can dine here in private way with me at 7.45 on one of the days of your sojourn. Either of them that may best meet your convenience. Do not trouble to write—use the telephone: All days are alike to me in these black days of my bereavement—I do not go anywhere.

I am aware that you have been to Boston; I thought you were coming here first [MTP]. Note: Hawkins points to the evening of Oct. 17 for Morel’s visit to Sam. William Brabazon Lindsay Graham-Toler, 4th Earl of Norbury.

Sam also wrote to Charles J. Langdon, who evidently had replied already to Sam’s Oct. 13. Langdon’s reply is not extant.

Yes—certainly. I ought to have thought of that, myself. The lawyer is John Larkin

44 Wall st.

We hope to get into the house about Nov. 1— — — But I think we are not really expecting it. / Ys Ever

[MTP].

October 16 Sunday – At the Grosvenor Hotel in N.Y.C. Sam finished his Oct. 15 letter to Edmund Dene Morel. “The Senate Memorial reached me early this a.m., & I remained in bed to read it./ If anything can be done—but come & let us talk about it.” Sam wanted another copy of the Senate Memorial “& some terrible

illustrations” [MTP]. Note: Gribben identifies this as Memorial Concerning Conditions in the Independent State of the Kongo. April 19, 1904. Committee on Foreign Relations. U. S. Senate. 58th Congress, 2d Session. Document No. 282 [462].

Sam had planned to leave for Fairhaven, Mass. where he would stay for a “real rest” until Oct. 22 [Oct.

23 to Crane]. Note: it is not clear if Sam made the trip, but if Morel visited Sam on Oct. 17, then the trip was postponed.

October 17 Monday – Edumund D. Morel, head of the English Congo Reform Assoc. wrote to Sam. “I send you by an express messenger a packet of Congo literature.” He closed by asking for Sam’s photograph [MTP]. Hawkins writes that Morel visited Sam in his N.Y. house on this day [148].

Mark Twain’s sixteen-month involvement in the Congo issues began with Morel’s visit, and would involve his longest anti -imperialist writing, King Leopold’s Soliloquy, as well as two shorter Congo pieces, which were not published. He would also make three trips to Washington, partly to speak to President Roosevelt and high officials in the State Department about the Congo. Hawkins claims that Sam’s “chief motive for joining the Congo movement was surely a humanitarian concern sparked by Morel’s appeal.” Sam promised to “write an article on the Congo,” and “to use his pen for the cause of the Congo natives.” Morel sent Twain “a packet of Congo literature” and promised to send his book, King Leopold’s Rule in Africa [148, 155]. Note: see Gribben 484.

October 18 Tuesday – Sam wrote at least three letters which survive and carry this date’s postmark. The

first, to daughter Jean and Isabel V. Lyon in Lee Mass.: “All right, Jean, you shall bring the mongrel cat” [MTP].

The second letter to Mary H. Hitchcock (Mrs. Roswell D. Hitchcock), President Entertainment Club, N.Y.C. declining an invitation to read [MTP].

SLC used mourning border for most letters from Susy’s death on, then from Livy’s death on.