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For Quakers, look at Clyde Milner's book With Good Intentions: Quaker Work among the Pawnees, Otos, and Omahas in the 1870s. Carl Abbott Portland State University --------------------------------------------------- Two possibilities for you to consider: 1) Twain was referring to the Great Peace Commission of 1867-68 which included both civilians (Nathaniel Taylor, Samuel Tappan, John Henderson, and John Sanborn) and Generals (Sherman, Augur, Terry, and Harney). Sanborn was a retired general. I cannot recall if any were Quakers. 2) Twain could be referring to the Board of Indian Commissioners. It was a quasi-governmental advisory board established in 1869 as part of Grant's "Peace Policy." One prominent member of the board was Albert K. Smiley, who along with his brother Alfred founded and hosted the annual meetings of the "Friends of the Indian" at their resort property on Lake Mohonk. The Smileys were indeed Quakers. Gregory E. Smoak Associate Professor Colorado State University Department of History Fort Collins, CO 80523-1776 Quoting Jeff Nichols <jnichols@WESTMINSTERCOLLEGE.EDU>: > From: Darryl Brock <dbrock@lmi.net> > Date: 11/4/2009 12:33 PM > Subject: Query: Mark Twain note > > I am working on a piece about Mark Twain and I need to obtain some > contextual information for a note Twain made in 1877 (approximately) > while working on Methuselah's Diary, to wit: "Put in Custer and Howard > and the Peace Commissioners (Quakers) and the Modoc Lava Beds, etc. and > satirize freely." > > Twain did not elaborate, and his views on these subjects do not appear in the > Methuselah draft nor elsewhere in his writings or correspondence. > What I want to know in > particular is what probably is meant by the reference to "Peace > Commissioners" and "Quakers." I realize that commissions were sent out > fairly constantly in the 1870s to parlay with Indian groups, but I > wonder what Twain specifically had in mind --a commission dealing with > Chief Joseph or an earlier one, possibly in connection with Custer's > "scientific" expedition to the Black Hills. > > Thanks > Darryl Brock > > > >
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