The Lincoln County herald., 1871-01-05
Mark Twain's Experience as a Can.
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MAIN WdN LAPCtiChCo as q N"h
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y few months ago, l was nominated
for Governor Of the great State OF New
York, to run against Stewart l.. Wood
ford aud John +. Hoffman, on an indie.
pendent ticket. | somehow felt that l
had one prominent advantage over these
gentlemen, and that was, good character.
1t was easy to see by the newspapers that
if ever they had known what it was to
bear good name, that tiu,e had gone by.
1t was plain that iu these latter years
they had become familiar with all man
ner Of shameful crimes. But at the very
moment | was exulting my advantage and
joying in it in secret, there was muddy
undcrcurreut CT discomfort "riling" the
deeps of my happiness and that was the
having to hear my name banded about
in familiar connection with those OF such
people. I grew more and moro dis.
turbed. Finally wrote to my grand
mo,hes about it. Her answer came
quick and sharp. She said:
You have never done one single thing
in all your lifa to be ashamed of--not one
Look at the misrepresentation al them,
and comprehend what sort Of characters
Woodiord and Uoilman are, and then see
if YOU are willing to lower yourself to
their level and cutter a public canvass
with them.
1t was my very thought! I did not
sleep single moment that night. But
after all, could not recede. | was fully
committed and must 20 ON with the fight
AS | vas looking lstlessly over the pa
pers at breakfast, came across this par
agraph. aud 1 may truly say | never was
SO conlounded before.
PERJURY. Perhaps, now that Mark
Twain is before the people as q candidate
for Governor, he will coudcscend to ex.
plain how he camo to be convicted Of
perjury by thirty four witnesses, in
Wakawak, Cochin China, in 1868, the
intent Of which perjury was to rob q
poor native widow and her helpless fam,
lily Of measre plantain patch, their only
stay and support 10 their bereavement
and their desolation. Mr.. Twain owes it
to himself, as we'll as to tho great people
whose suffrage he asks, to clear this mat
ter up. viii lie do it?
I thought should burst with amaze
ment Such a cruel, heartless charge.
[ had never seen Cochin China never
had heard of Wakawak l didn't know
a plantain patch from q kangaroo! l
did not know what to do. l was crazed
aud helpless. l let the day slip away
without doing anything at all.
The next morning tho same paper had
this-nothing more:
"SIaNIFIoANr.-Mr. Twain, it will be
observed, is suggestively silent about the
Cochin China perjury"
Mem. During the rest of the cam
paign this paper never referred to me il
any other way than as the infamous
perjurer, Twain"
; Next came the Gszette, with this:
"WANTED TO KNOW. Will tho new
candidate for Governor deigu to explail
to certain of his fellow citizens (who arr
suffering to vote Tor him y the little cis
cumstance OF his cabin mates 10 Montana
losing small valuables from time to time
until at last, things having been invaria
{ bly, found on Mr.. Twain's person or il
his "truuk" (uewspaper he rolled hi
traps in,) they felt compelled to give hin
a friendly admonition for his own good
aud SO tarred aud feathered him aud rod
I him on o rail, aud then advised him t.
/. leave permanent vacuum in the place h
usually occupied in the camp. Will thi
dol"
Could anything be more deliberatel
malicious than that? For never was i
Montana in my life.
latter this, this journal customaril
spoke Of me as "Twain, the Montau
ThieI."1
I got to picking up papers appreher
sively-much as one would lift desire
blanket which he had some idea migt
have q rattlesnake under it. One da
this met my eye:
"THE LIE NAILED by the swor
sfidavits Of Michael O'FIanagau, ESQ
). Of the Five Points, and Mr.. Kit. Burr