(Private and General.)

I was to have gone to Washington tonight, but have held over a day, to attend a dinner given by a lot of newspaper Editors and literary scalliwags, at the Westminster Hotel.  Shall go down to-morrow, if I survive the banquet. 
                         Yrs truly
                              Sam.  Clemens.

Mark Twain, in Washington, was in line for political preferment:  His wide acquaintance on the Pacific slope, his new fame and growing popularity, his powerful and dreaded pen, all gave him special distinction at the capital.  From time to time the offer of one office or another tempted him, but he wisely, or luckily, resisted.  In his letters home are presented some of his problems.

To Mrs. Jane Clemens and Mrs. Moffett, in St. Louis: 

224 F. Street Washington Feb. 6, 1868.  My dear mother and sister,—­For two months there have been some fifty applications before the government for the postmastership of San Francisco, which is the heaviest concentration of political power on the coast and consequently is a post which is much coveted.,

When I found that a personal friend of mine, the Chief Editor of the Alta was an applicant I said I didn’t want it—­I would not take $10,000 a year out of a friend’s pocket.

The two months have passed, I heard day before yesterday that a new and almost unknown candidate had suddenly turned up on the inside track, and was to be appointed at once.  I didn’t like that, and went after his case in a fine passion.  I hunted up all our Senators and representatives and found that his name was actually to come from the President early in the morning.

Then Judge Field said if I wanted the place he could pledge me the President’s appointment—­and Senator Conness said he would guarantee me the Senate’s confirmation.  It was a great temptation, but it would render it impossible to fill my book contract, and I had to drop the idea.

I have to spend August and September in Hartford which isn’t San Francisco.  Mr. Conness offers me any choice out of five influential California offices.  Now, some day or other I shall want an office and then, just my luck, I can’t get it, I suppose.

They want to send me abroad, as a Consul or a Minister.  I said I didn’t want any of the pie.  God knows I am mean enough and lazy enough, now, without being a foreign consul.

Sometime in the course of the present century I think they will create a Commissioner of Patents, and then I hope to get a berth for Orion.

I published 6 or 7 letters in the Tribune while I was gone, now I cannot
get them.  I suppose I must have them copied. 
                                   Love to all
          
                                    Sam.