The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-01-17
Mark Twain Aggrieved.

! Mark Twain was asked to contribute
to the album of artists sketches and
autograph letters, to be ratified for at
the Bartholdi Pedestal Fund Art Loan
Exhibition in New York, and this is his
response, which accompanied his con-
| tribution:
You know my weakness for Adam,
and you know how | have struggled to
get him Il monument and failed. Now,
it seems to me, here is my chance.
What do we care for Il statue of liberty
when we've got the thing itself in
its widest sublimity? What YOU want
OF monument is to keep you in mind
OF something you haven't got-some-
thing you 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, and q good home, too
And if she knows anything, she knows
its the first time she ever struck that
novelty. She knows that when we
took her in she had been mere tramp
for 6,00O years, biblical measure. Yes,
and 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 before.
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 and set up
monument to her! Go to. Let her
set up monument to US if she wants
to do the clean thing.
But suppose your statue represented
her old, bent, clothed in ra9s. down
cast, shame-faced. with the insults and
humiliation of 5000 years, imploring a
crust and an hours rest, for Gods
sake, at our back door?-come, now
you're shOutingi That's the aspect of
her which we need to be reminded of,
lest we forget it-not this proposed
one, where she's hearty and we'll fed,
and holds up her head and hourishes her
hOspitable schooner of flame, and ap-
pears to be inviting all the rest of the
tramps TO come over. O, go to-that is
the very insolence of prosperity.
But, on the other handbook at
Adam. What have we done for Adams?
Nothing. What has Adam done for
us? Everything. He gave lis life, he
gave us death, lie gave us heaven, he
gave us hell. These are inestimable
privileges sand remember, not one of
them should we have had without
Adam. Well, then, he ought to have
monument-for Evolution is steadily
and surely abolishing him; and we
must get up 81 monument, and be quick
about it, OF our children's children will
grow up ignorant that there ever was
an Adam. With tritiing alterations,
this present statue will answer very
well for Adam. You can turn that
blanket into an ulster without any
trouble; part the hair on the side, or
conceal the sex of his head with q fire
helmet, and at once he's Il man; put Il
harp and halo and palm branch in
the left hand to symbolic a part of
what Adam did for us, and leave the
lire-basket just where it is, to symbol
ize the rest. My friend, the father of
life and death and taxes, has been
neglected long enough. Shall this in
fanny be allowed to go on OF shall it
stop right here?
Is it but a question of finance? Be-
hold the inclosed paid bank) checks.
Use them freely as they are freely con-
tributed. Heaven knows would there
were a ton of them; | would send them
all to you, for my heart is in this sub
lime work!