The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-12-15
Mark Twain on Liberty"

Mark Twain on Liberty"
Among the unique objects of inter-
est in the New York Pedestal Fund
Art Loan Exhibition, which was
opened to the public by General
Grant Monday evening, is an album
made up of original contributions
from we'll known artists, authors and
public men. The artists have given
sketches. the authors and public men
autograph lettersand poems. Al first
it was intended to have the album
disposed of by rattle, but, perhaps as
the committee was reminded by Sec
retary Folger in his contributed letter
that raffling is illegal. they concluded
to sell it for its estimated worth, SO 900.
This valuable book has been bound
in Oxidlzed silver, and the fortunate
purchaser will possess truly unique
volume. In sending his contribution,
Mark Twain wrote the following
characteristic letter. addressed to Mr..
+. Hopkinson Smith, the art director
of the exhibition.
"You know my weakness for Adam
and you know l have struggled to get
him monument and failed. Now
1t seems to me, here is my chance.
What do we care for statue of Lii .
-ersy when we've got the thing itself
in its widest sublimiiy? What you
want of a monument is to keep you in
mind of something you haven't got
something you've lost. Very we'll |;
we haven't lost liberty-we've lost
Adam.
"Another thing: What has liberty
done for US? Nothing in particular
that know of. What have we done
for her ? Everything. We've given
her home-good home. too, and. if
she knows anything, she knows it's
the first time she ever struck that
novelty. She knows that when we
took herin she had been mere tramp
for 5000 years - biblical measure.
Yes. we not only ended her troubles
and made things soft for her, perma-
nently, but we made her respectable
and that she hadn't ever been be.
fore. And now, after we've poured
out these Atlantics of benefits upon
this aged Outcast, 10 and behold you,
we are asked to come forward aud set
up a monument to her' Go to. Let
her set up monument TO US, if she
wants to do the clean thing.
"But suppose your statue represent
ed her old, bent, clothed in rags.
downcast, shamefaced with the in.
suits and humiliations of 6, 900 years.
impIoring crust and an nour's rest
for Gods sake at our back door I?
Come, nO,0. You're shouting! That's
the aspect of her which we need to he
remined of lest we forget it-not this
proposed one, where she's hearty and
we'll fed. and holds up her head and
fiourishes her hosDitable schooner of
flame, and appears to be inviting all
the rest of the tramps to come over.
o, go to-this is the very insolence of
prosperity.
"But, on the other hand, look at
Adam. What have we done for
Adam? Nothing. What has Adam
done for us? Everything. He gave
US life, he gave US death he gave US
Heaven. he gave US hell. These are
inestimabIe privileges-and remem-
Der, not one of them should we have
had without Adam. Well. then, he
ought to lave a mOnunent-for evo-
luton is steadily and surely abolish
ing him and we must get up mon
ument, and be quick about it, or our
chiIdren's children will grow up ig-
norant that there ever was an Adam.
With trit1ing alteration, this present
statue will answer very well for
Adam. You can turn that blanket
into an ulster without any trouble ;
part the hair on one side, or conceal