NOTEBOOK
Party and that that is patriotism and sufficiently good
patriotism. I prefer to be a citizen of the United States.
October 15, 1888. I found yesterday that a prominent
citizen (who has two skunk friends on the Street Board)
had at last succeeded in getting the light moved from
the Gillette Street corner to the mouth of Forest Street,
thus leaving our gates smothered in Egyptian darkness.
The city government has done me many a mean trick,
in sixteen years, and I stood the strain and kept the
peace; but to frightfully inconvenience me to accommo-
date a person like the said citizen was a little too much.
So I went down last night and contracted for electric
light at my own cost, and police protection at my own
cost, and took measures to transfer my citizenship to some
other town. So after next June I shall have the satisfac-
tion of paying a possibly very large tax every year to
some town in which I do not live, and paying not a cent
in Hartford any more forever, except on the house and
grounds.
As we hear no more of this violent self-banish-
ment perhaps it never became official. He may
have reflected that to vote in Hartford he must
remain a citizen, and he did like to vote there
with Twichell and the others.
Publishing Memorandum
Sherman (Life of) proves to be unprofitable. Demand
a reconstruction of contract placing power in my hands
where it belongs. Refused? Go into court. Second: Demand
dissolution. Go into court. Can I be held for debts made
beyond the capital? I will buy or sell out.
Since the spring of 1886, the thing has gone straight
down hill, towards sure destruction. It must be brought
to an end, February i, at all hazards. This is final.
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