Clayton E. Cramer
2009-05-13 14:34:30
“I see that quote quite often. Can you tell me who is the author?”
Not sure, but it’s almost certainly at least 19th century. I read all the various claimed locations, searched the entire text of the online Washington Papers collection at the Library of Congress, and spoken to the editor of that collection as well. Along with not being found anywhere, there are a number of elements that suggest 19th or even 20th century writing. “Safe and sane” and in some versions of the quote, references to the prairies.
See http://www.claytoncramer.com/popular/CheckingSources.PDF for an August 19, 2002 Shotgun News article by me about not trusting every source that you find.
