Butler, Benjamin F. (Benjamin Franklin), 1818-1893

“The Mulligan guard lies, but – surrenders”

An explosion has occurred at the “Claim Agency, Formerly Republican Head Quarters” with William M. Evarts peeking through the opening in the tent to survey the damage. Several small kiosks labeled “Machine Republicans Meet Here, County Democracy Blaine Exchange, Tribune Blaine Organ, [and] Friends of Tammany Meet Here” have been blown over and damaged. Also knocked to the ground by the blast were “Keifer, [Blaine holding a paper that states “I Claim Everything”], Logan, W. Reid, Butler, Dana, Burchard [labeled “R.R.R.”], Robeson, Elkins, Dorsey,” and an unidentified man lying on the ground next to bags of “Soap.” On horseback, in the upper left corner, is Grover Cleveland holding a scroll labeled “Reform,” and a Puck character carrying a standard labeled “Independents.” Among the ranks are Carl Schurz, George W. Curtis, and Henry Ward Beecher. Strewn on the ground are papers that state “I.O.U. If we win. J. G., I.O.U. Conditional on Success, C.W.F., [and] I.O.U. If you get there, J. Roach”; and several of the downed “Mulligan Guard” hold papers that state “We Still Claim,” whereas Dana’s paper states “I Give Up.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1884-11-19

Mr. Hill tries it on

The Governor of New York, David B. Hill, rides backwards on the Democratic donkey labeled “Democracy” running on railroad tracks near a sign that states “Look Out for the Enlightening Express.” He is waving papers labeled “Defiance to Mugwumps” at a locomotive labeled “Independents” bearing down on him and driven by a familiar Puck cartoon figure with Carl Schurz standing behind him. To the right of the tracks are an old man dressed as a clown labeled “Sun,” looking down at a small elephant lying on the ground, also dressed as a clown, that looks like Benjamin F. Butler. Next to them are William W. Phelps and Whitelaw Reid resting on the fallen Republican elephant that looks like James G. Blaine and is labeled “Ditched Nov. 1884.” Caption: The little experiment made by the Blaine Republicans last year will now be repeated by the New York Democrats.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1885-10-07

A failure in fly-paper

“Butler Fly-Paper Prepared only by Blaine, Elkins, & Co.,” to which flies do not stick, lies on a plate on a table. Stephen B. Elkins, standing in the background, is drinking from a bottle labeled “Star Route Syrup $.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1884-10-15

Our government farm — President Cleveland finds an effectual protection against the twenty-five-year locusts

President Cleveland stands directly behind a wall of flames labeled “Civil Service Reform.” Behind him, working on the “Government Farm,” are members of his cabinet: William C. Endicott with a hoe, Lucius Q. C. Lamar kneeling before a newly planted tree, Thomas F. Bayard working on a tree labeled “State Department,” Daniel Manning holding a pot labeled “Treasury,” Augustus H. Garland with a shovel, William C. Whitney adding supports to a tree labeled “Navy Department,” and William F. Vilas with a watering can. In the foreground, locusts driven back by the smoke and overcome by the fumes lie on the ground and are about to be consumed by the flames. The locusts include “Kelly, Dugro, Voorhees, Blackburn, McLean, Dana, Butler, H. O. Thompson, Chenowith, Higgins, [and] Aquila Jones.” Two that seem unaffected are labeled “Hendricks” carrying a banner that states “To the Victors belong the Spoils” and “McLoughlin” [sic].

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1885-09-02

The olympus of corruption – “Apollo strikes the lyre and charms the gods”

James Gillespie Blaine is pictured as Apollo playing a lyre labeled “N. Y. Tribune” fashioned from the body of Whitelaw Reid, before a gathering of the gods on Olympus. Among those present are Cyrus W. Field as Mercury, George M. Robeson as Neptune, Charles A. Dana as Minerva, Jay Gould as Zeus, Thomas Collier Platt, Robert Green Ingersoll, and Rutherford B. Hayes as angels, Chauncey Depew, W. H. Vanderbilt as Pluto, Russell Sage, William W. Phelps, John Roach as Vulcan, Stephen B. Elkins as Dionysus, Joseph Warren Keifer as Hercules, John Alexander Logan as Mars, Benjamin F. Butler as Venus, Stephen Wallace Dorsey and Thomas Jefferson Brady as putti, and John Kelly as an owl.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1884-10-08

Helping the rascals in – a burglarious scheme that may be suddenly spoiled

James G. Blaine, wearing a top hat with three plumes, a sack labeled “For the Plunder” hanging from his neck, and a paper tied at his waist that states “20 Years on the Make,” attempts to break into the “White House” through an open window. He is being supported from below by Benjamin F. Butler who is sitting on the back of Charles A. Dana who is holding “The Sun” newspaper dated “June 16, 1884,” on which is written “Turn the Rascals Out!” Puck’s figure for the Independent Party has just come around the corner carrying a stick labeled “Independent Vote.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1884-10-22

The honor of the country in danger

The spirits of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln look at a throne draped with an American flag beneath a sign that states, “This coming term will end the first hundred years of the American presidency. Shall the century begun with Washington at the head of government end in disgrace with James G. Blaine in that sacred chair?” Below is Blaine, tattooed with scandals and frightened by the shades of past presidents, his hat labeled “Corruption” falling off, with his foot on the first step toward the presidency. Leaning against his back is Jay Gould holding a paper that states “Four Supreme Court judges to be appointed by the next president.” Also behind Blaine, on his hands and knees, is Stephen W. Dorsey, next to a paper on the floor that states, “Honesty No Requisite for the Presidency (Blaine’s Theory).” On the right stands Benjamin F. Butler as a court jester labeled “Barcain with Blaine.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1884-10-29

A hard job with the hogs

President Cleveland, as a pig farmer, gets tangled in leashes attached to the hind legs of several hogs, each with a distinctive brand, labeled “Hugh McLaughlin, H. O. Thompson, Higgins, Beattie,” and one labeled “Tammany Hall” that looks like John Kelly. One hog labeled “Hedden” has broken free and is headed for the “Spoils Hog Pen” in the background. Standing on the left, observing, are Benjamin F. Butler, an unidentified man, Joseph C. S. Blackburn, and John R. McLean. Road signs state “Road to Spoils,” “National X Roads,” and “Cleveland Civil Service Reform Road.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1885-09-30

Tammany throws away its “butt,” and the monopoly bootblack picks it up

Benjamin F. Butler is a shoe shiner with his kit, stooping to pick up a smoldering cigar butt labeled “Grady” that John Kelly, on the left, has discarded. They are on a sidewalk in front of the “Tamma[ny] Ciga[r] Stor[e]” where there is a sign posted on the building that states “Cleveland Cigars – New and Popular Brand” with a cigar store Indian figure at the door.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1884-09-24

Now let the show go on!

A woman labeled “Mrs. Lockwood,” holding papers that state “Nomination for Pres. Womens’ Rights Party,” bursts through an opening in the floor of a stage to appear next to a clown labeled “B. B.” who is holding a paddle labeled “Demagogism” and a string of sausages labeled “His Own Nomination, Womens’ Suffrage Nomination, Tewksbury Pauper Nomination, Convict Party Nomination, Greenback Nomination, [and] Last Nomination.” Caption: Arrival of the political columbine to join the political clown.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1884-09-17

The bogus workingman and his lonesome boom

Benjamin F. Butler is a laborer standing next to a box of “Tools for Exhibition Purposes,” with “Butler’s Valet” next to him. At the valet’s feet are papers labeled “R. R. Stock [and] Monopolists’ fees” and behind him is a safe labeled “Bonds.” Butler is holding papers labeled “Speech.” Through a window is seen a tattered man standing next to signs that state “Grand Butler Mass Meeting” and “Please Keep Order and Don’t Crowd.” Caption: Butler (to his valet) – “Keep an eye on the valuables, while I go out and address the mass-meeting!”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1884-09-10

Why they dislike him — he will not prove himself a cat’s-paw in the enterprise

Grover Cleveland is a lion with his paw on a monkey labeled “T. Grady” on top of a rock labeled “Civil Service Reform.” Nearby is a small fire in which are roasting chestnuts labeled “City Spoils, State Spoils, [and] National Spoils Chestnut.” Cleveland is looking over his right shoulder at a group of monkeys in a tree. Among them are John Kelly, Charles A. Dana, Benjamin F. Butler, Henry Ward Beecher, and three monkeys labeled “Dynamiter, Ward Boss, [and] N. Y. Alderman.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1884-09-03

“The sleeping party”

A woman labeled “Republican Party” sleeps in the background, while members of her court, some dressed as women, also sleep in the foreground. Depicted are Whitelaw Reid, Murat Halstead, Russell Sage, John Roach, Jay Gould, Benjamin F. Butler, James G. Blaine, William H. Vanderbilt, John Logan, Cyrus W. Field, two dogs labeled “Phila. Press” and “Chicago Tribune,” Chester A. Arthur, Rutherford B. Hayes, William W. Phelps, John Sherman, Simon Cameron, George F. Hoar, Alonzo B. Cornell, Stephen W. Dorsey, Thomas J. Brady, William M. Evarts, George M. Robeson, William E. Chandler, and Joseph W. Keifer. Caption: She bungled with the civil-service reform distaff, and she and all her court were condemned to sleep for __ years.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1885-08-26

Who killed Hancock?

The ghost of Winfield Scott Hancock sits on a throne in a banquet hall. Samuel J. Tilden pushes a frightened Charles A. Dana, as Macbeth, toward Hancock. Dana makes wild statements while waving around a note for $5000.00. A chalice has fallen to the floor, spilling “Harmony.” Samuel S. Cox, as a court jester, sits on the floor next to the throne with “S.S. Cox’s Joke Book” at his knee. The room is filled with courtiers, among them Thomas A. Hendricks, Grover Cleveland who has fallen backwards onto John Kelly, Thomas F. Bayard, Samuel J. Randall, David Davis, Henry Watterson, Abram S. Hewitt, Hubert O. Thompson, George Hoadly, and Benjamin F. Butler. All seem to be sitting in judgment of Dana. Caption: MacBeth-Dana–“Never shake thy gory locks at me! I’ll bet you Five Thousand Dollars thou canst not say I did it!!”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1883-08-29

Blundering in a perilous position

A camel has collasped under the weight of its burden labeled “Amendments,” with Samuel J. Randall riding on top. Concerned travelers include John Kelly, Samuel J. Tilden, Henry Watterson, Sereno Payne, Morrison, Abram S. Hewitt, Grover Cleveland, Carlisle, Charles A. Dana, Thomas Bayard, Benjamin F. Butler, and Samuel S. Cox. Bones labeled “1880 Local Issue, 1876 Fraud, [and] 1872” lie in the sand nearby. A “November Simoom” is approaching in the right background. On the left, an elephant labeled “Republicans” carrying among others James G. Blaine, John A. Logan, and Roscoe Conkling, races toward an oasis. Caption: “If its back is broken, we are lost!”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1884-03-19

The resistless march of reform – the “hostiles” must go!

A large group of politicians, newspaper editors, Tammany Hall bosses, and others are dressed as Native Americans. One carries a banner that shows a crude drawing of the Tammany tiger labeled “Flathead Tribe.” The group is on a long march in opposition to President Cleveland’s civil service reform agenda. In the upper left corner is the “Blainiac Reservation” and in the opposite corner is Cleveland and his cabinet laying tracks for the “Reform R. R.,” keeping ahead of the “Administration Construction Train.” In the foreground, Vice President Thomas A. Hendricks is leading the Democratic donkey labeled “Bourbonism,” carrying two baskets, one with “Old Ideas” and the other labeled “The Perennial Pappooses” holding Charles A. Dana and Benjamin F. Butler. Standing just to the right is John Kelly carrying Philip H. Dugro in a cradleboard.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1885-08-12

The political Sam’ls of Posen

Print shows a large group of political peddlers trying to sell their goods to Columbia as mistress of the house. Among those shown are Samuel J. Tilden selling “Tribulation Toys”; Benjamin F. Butler with “Elastic Politics” suspenders; Ulysses S. Grant, “306” on his watch chain, with a sack of “War Record” and “Old Clo’s”; Roscoe Conkling with a bag of “Stalwart Stationery”; James Gillespie Blaine offering his card “J. Blaine Fancy Goods” with a bag of “Southern Policy [and] Fancy Notions”; Thomas Hendricks; Chester Alan Arthur; David Davis peddling “D. Davis’s Soap will Scour Both Parties”; Abram S. Hewitt; William Evarts; Allen Granbery Thurman with a sack of “Rag Babies”; John Alexander Logan peddling “Logan Bombast”; Grover Cleveland with a sack of “Clean Shirts”; Thomas F. Bayard peddling “Dodge Salve” and “Bayards No Policy”; John Sherman with “Honest Hosiery”; and Winfield Scott Hancock with “Clean Gloves.” Dashing up in the background are “Johann Kelly & Co., Samuells Randall & Co., [and] Gen. Sherman U.S.A.” Uncle Sam is sitting, in the upper left, with his feet on the railing of the second floor porch. Caption: Columbia – “Not to-day – some other day!”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1883-07-25

A Lenten dream

A mermaid labeled “Presidency” swims in water with a clear view of the fish that are attracted to her. Depicted are David Davis, Grover Cleveland, Joseph E. McDonald, Benjamin F. Butler, Robert Todd Lincoln, John Sherman, Sereno Payne, Chester A. Arthur, William T. Sherman, John Kelly, Samuel J. Tilden, Allen G. Thurman, Abram S. Hewitt, Roswell P. Flower, John Logan, Thomas Bayard, James G. Blaine, Ulysses S. Grant, Roscoe Conkling, Samuel J. Randall, and Winfield Scott Hancock.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1884-03-12

The new leader and the old chorus

John Logan, labeled “New Leader” of the Republican Party, the “party of Reform and Puritee,” holds a paper that states “Logan Speec[h] at Boston July 1885.” He is standing in the street between the White House and the U.S. Treasury, leading a chorus of tramps identified as “J. Gould, Field, Mahone, Roach, Riddleberger, T. Platt, Ex leader [James G. Blaine], Robeson, Keifer, Chandler, Brady, [and] Dorsey,” and an unidentified blind man who looks like Benjamin F. Butler. Some carry battered hand-pails labeled “Empty Hopes.” On the United States Treasury building is a sign, “Notice No Tramps,” and on the White House, where President Cleveland is leaning out a window, is another sign that states “No Tramps Admitted.” Uncle Sam, as a policeman, is leaning against the wall.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1885-07-15

“Waiting”

A black Labrador retriever labeled “Jack” sits on a life preserver labeled “Re-election to U.S. Senate” on a board propped up against the bank of a lake. Sitting on the shore in the lower right corner is a frog that looks like Benjamin F. Butler. Caption: Mr. Logan’s enthusiastic friends have already nominated him for the presidency – in 1888.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1885-06-10