WORKING FOR GARFIELD

Eighteen hundred and eighty was a Presidential year.  General Garfield was nominated on the Republican ticket (against General Hancock), and Clemens found him satisfactory.

Garfield suits me thoroughly and exactly [he wrote Howells].  I prefer him to Grant’s friends.  The Presidency can’t add anything to Grant; he will shine on without it.  It is ephemeral; he is eternal.

That was the year when the Republican party became panicky over the disaffection in its ranks, due to the defeat of Grant in the convention, and at last, by pleadings and promises, conciliated Platt and Conkling and brought them into the field.  General Grant also was induced to save the party from defeat, and made a personal tour of oratory for that purpose.  He arrived in Hartford with his family on the 16th of October, and while his reception was more or less partizan, it was a momentous event.  A vast procession passed in review before him, and everywhere houses and grounds were decorated.  To Mrs. Clemens, still in Elmira, Clemens wrote: 

I found Mr. Beals hard at work in the rain with his decorations.  With a ladder he had strung flags around our bedroom balcony, and thence around to the porte-cochere, which was elaborately flagged; thence the flags of all nations were suspended from a line which stretched past the greenhouse to the limit of our grounds.  Against each of the two trees on the mound, half-way down to our gate, stands a knight in complete armor.  Piles of still-bundled flags clutter up the ombra (to be put up), also gaudy shields of various shapes (arms of this and other countries), also some huge glittering arches and things done in gold and silver paper, containing mottoes in big letters.  I broke Mr. Beals’s heart by persistently and inflexibly annulling and forbidding the biggest and gorgeousest of the arches—­it had on it, in all the fires of the rainbow, “The Home of Mark Twain,” in letters as big as your head.  Oh, we’re going to be decorated sufficient, don’t you worry about that, madam.

Clemens was one of those delegated to receive Grant and to make a speech of welcome.  It was a short speech but an effective one, for it made Grant laugh.  He began: 

“I am among those deputed to welcome you to the sincere and cordial hospitalities of Hartford, the city of the historic and revered Charter Oak, of which most of the town is built.”  He seemed to be at loss what to say next, and, leaning over, pretended to whisper to Grant; then, as if he had obtained the information he wanted, he suddenly straightened up and poured out the old-fashioned eulogy on Grant’s achievements, adding, in an aside, as he finished: 

“I nearly forgot that part of my speech,” which evoked roars of laughter from the assembly and a grim smile from Grant.  He spoke of Grant as being out of public employment, with private opportunities closed against him, and added, “But your country will reward you, never fear.”

Then he closed: