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Democracy: 1832, 1864 political cartoon, 1864
This political cartoon is divided into two scenes depicting events in 1832 and in 1864, when this cartoon was published. In the left-hand panel, labeled "1832," US President Andrew Jackson, standing on a platform to the right of the panel in military uniform, is shown raging at John Calhou...
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| Main Author: | |
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| Collection: | Historical Society of Pennsylvania cartoons and caricatures collection (#3133) |
| Date: | 1864 |
| Alternate Date: | 1864 |
| Dimensions: | 45.5 x 34.5 cm |
| Extent: | 1 loose sheet |
| Box Number: | Box 5 |
| Folder Number: | Folder 6 |
| Format: | Electronic |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
L. Prang & Co.
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| Subjects and Genres: | |
| Copyright: | Please contact Historical Society of Pennsylvania Rights and Reproductions (rnr@hsp.org) |
| Online Access: | https://digitallibrary.hsp.org/index.php/Detail/objects/11751 |
| Tags: | Add Tag |
| Summary: |
This political cartoon is divided into two scenes depicting events in 1832 and in 1864, when this cartoon was published. In the left-hand panel, labeled "1832," US President Andrew Jackson, standing on a platform to the right of the panel in military uniform, is shown raging at John Calhoun, who bows before Jackson and begs for mercy. The right-hand panel, labeled "1864," shows US presidential candidate George B. McClellan and his running mate, George Pendleton, groveling before Confederate president Jefferson Davis. Davis, standing at the left of the frame, dressed in ragged clothing and holding a whip under his arm, looks down on McClellan and Pendleton as Jackson looks down on Calhoun in the opposite panel. He demands that McClellan and Pendleton call back Union military heroes Sherman, Grant, Sheridan, and Farragut. To the right of the panel, McClellan and Pendleton kneel on a platform labeled "Chicago Platform" and extend an olive branch, a symbol of peace, to Davis. Behind Davis, two Confederate soldiers, one eating a corn cob, remark on McClellan and Pendleton's stupidity. During the Nullification Crisis of 1832, South Carolina, citing states' rights, threatened to secede from the United States if the federal government attempted to collect tariff duties. South Carolinian John Calhoun, who supported nullification, resigned his position as vice president of the United States to join South Carolina's senate. Jackson considered South Carolina's actions treasonous and sent ships and soldiers to enforce the tariff measures. In this cartoon, Jackson is shown as a strong leader, tough on treason, and dedicated to preserving the Union, much like Abraham Lincoln, who was running against McClellan during the presidential election of 1864. In contrast, McClellan, who ran on a platform of "peace at any price," is depicted as weak and cowardly character. Rather than standing up to traitors who threaten the Union, he kneels before the leader of the Confederacy and promises to give him whatever he wants. |
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