Davis, Henry Gassaway, 1823-1916

William Stephen Devery and a saloon known as “the pump” have returned to the Democratic party with fanfare. Although the article points out that Devery had previously been removed from the Democratic party, his return has been greeted warmly by high-ranking party officials including Thomas Taggart and Norman Edward Mack. Other articles on this page include commentary on vice presidential candidate Henry Gassaway Davis’s age, the delay in the opening of the subway system, and the inspection of the boat, the Grand Republic.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-03

In one vignette, Henry Gassaway Davis puts his hand on West Virginia Senator Stephen B. Elkins’s shoulder. Caption: Mr. Davis—That it’s all in the family. In the second, an elephant holds President Roosevelt’s hold “to victory.” Caption: G.O.P.—That it had a strenuous leader. In the third, William Jennings Bryan sits by a grave with a headstone that reads, “Safe & Sane Democrat 1904.” Caption: Mr. Bryan—That it wasn’t his friends. In the fourth, Missouri Senator Francis Marion Cockrell stands by “national esteem” wreaths outside the “White House.” Caption: Mr. Cockrell—That it’s an ill wind, etc. In the fifth, Henry Watterson sits in a rocking chair on a boat bound for Europe. Caption: Mr. Watterson—That there’s another country. In the sixth, a badly beaten donkey stands up by a sign that reads, “Under no circumstances will I again be a candidate for the presidency. T. Roosevelt.” Caption: Democracy—That there’s a ray of sunshine.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-11-24

In the first vignette, Alton B. Parker knocks on the door of August Belmont. Caption: Mr. Parker—”Did I understand that there was a $50,000 job vacant around here?” In the second, Henry Gassaway Davis holds a large money barrel while President Roosevelt walks away with West Virginia woman. Caption: At last reports Uncle Henry Davis was still holding his own. In the third, “Dr. Bryan,” “Dr. Hearst,” and “Dr. Watson” all attempt to doctor a bandaged Democratic donkey. Caption: The Doctors—”Cheer up, we’ll begin work on you again.” In the fourth vignette, William Preston Harrison walks from the “West Side” to the “North Side.” Caption: William Preston Harrison leaves from again. In the fifth, Parker stands beside William H. Douglas who holds a sign with a shoe on it that reads, “It pays to advertise.” In the sixth, Chicago Mayor Carter H. Harrison stares at a sign that reads, “Wisconsin for Roosevelt . . . 50,000—Illinois for Roosevelt . . . 230,000—Indiana for Roosevelt . . . 60,000.” Caption: The states he promised Parker.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-11-10

In one vignette, David B. Hill jumps into a “Wolfert’s Roost” tree with a sign that reads, “I really couldn’t wait until Jan. 1.” In the second, “the silent voter” sphinx shouts, “Roosevelt!” from a megaphone as Alton B. Parker runs away. In a third vignette, Chair of the Republican National Committee George B. Cortelyou tells Chair of the Democratic National Committee Thomas Taggart, “Kindly make allowances for me, Tom, as this was my first campaign.” In the fourth, President Roosevelt looks at a Republican elephant who holds a scroll that reads, “339 + electoral votes.” The elephant says, “Theodore, you’ve established a hard record for me to keep up with.” In the fifth, Henry Gassaway Davis opens a fence as West Virginia Senator Stephen B. Elkins rushes toward him and says, “Welcome home, pop!” In the sixth, Williams Jennings Bryan looks at a piecemeal donkey and says, “I guess there’s enough to work on.” In the seventh, “Southern democracy” looks at the shoes of “Northern democracy” stuck in a snowdrift and says, “Nothin’ but de feet!” In the eighth, Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon looks through binoculars and says, “Wanted! A few minority members for House committees.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-11-13

Several Democratic Party leaders ride on a train together, including August Belmont, Patrick Henry McCarren, David B. Hill, Charles Francis Murphy, Henry Gassaway Davis, Thomas Taggart, William F. Sheehan, and William Jennings Bryan. Alton B. Parker wears several bandages, including a “$50,000 law job from Belmont” around his head and a “Solid South” bandage on his hand.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-11-09

Alton B. Parker and Henry Gassaway Davis operate a “St. Louis platform” handcar as a “Republican express” locomotive with President Roosevelt’s face on the front advances toward them.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-29

New York Senators Thomas Collier Platt and Chauncey M. Depew led a durbar procession, which includes President Roosevelt, who holds a paper that reads, “the presidency compliments of the people,” sitting on a Republican elephant. Democratic party leaders, including Arthur P. Gorman, David B. Hill, Alton B. Parker, August Belmont, and Henry Gassaway Davis, watch from the side. Uncle Sam bows toward the procession.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-29

The article discusses why the English press favors the Democratic ticket. Other topics discussed on this page include “Navy Plank Struck Out,” “‘Artful’ Judge Parker,” “Judge Parker Against Palmer and Buckner,” “Democratic Lightning Change Artists,” “The Irish World on Protection,” and “Chairman Cortelyou’s Alleged Prophecy.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-11

President Roosevelt, as a Roman emperor, rides in a chariot being pulled by an elephant ridden by George B. Cortelyou. Three captives are tied to the back: William Jennings Bryan, Alton B. Parker, and Populist candidate Thomas Watson. Vice-President Charles W. Fairbanks rides in a smaller chariot with Henry G. Davis as a captive in tow. Next to them Benjamin B. Odell carries a banner labeled “G.O.P.”, except that the “P” has been crossed out and replaced with a “T.” Near Roosevelt’s chariot Secretary of State John Hay bears a standard that says “S.P.Q.R.” (acronym for a Latin phrase which means “The Senate and People of Rome”), except that the “Q” has been crossed out and replaced with a “T.” At the front of the parade, holding the elephant’s trunk, is Speaker of the House Joseph G. Cannon. In the foreground, William H. Taft is carrying a large club. An African American man appears in the lower right foreground.

comments and context

Comments and Context

Joseph Keppler Junior, owner and chief political cartoonist of Puck magazine, departed from his generally light treatment of Theodore Roosevelt to cast the triumphant Republicans in severe caricatures, including the exultant Roosevelt himself. This center-spread cartoon appeared only days before the inauguration; and the issue’s from cover was graced with a mild, even favorable, depiction of Roosevelt.

Octogenarian Henry Gassaway Davis, as a runner, is attended by Arthur P. Gorman who is putting a bandage on Davis’s right knee.

comments and context

Comments and Context

Henry Gassaway Davis, an industrialist and former senator from West Virginia, is caricatured here being conditioned by Senator Arthur Pue Gorman of Maryland. Davis, at 80, was and is the oldest candidate for president or vice president in United States history. The Democrats in 1904 nominated him for his “barrel,” an immense fortune they expected he would tap to finance the national campaign. He did underwrite about a third of the national party’s expenses, which was disappointingly less than hoped.

Politicians Henry Gassaway Davis, William Jennings Bryan, Theodore Roosevelt, Charles W. Fairbanks, Thomas Collier Platt, and Alton B. Parker shake hands with farmers outside a tent labeled “The New Farmers’ Alliance.” Caption: Find the real farmers.

comments and context

Comments and Context

At first glance, this cartoon by J. S. Pughe can be viewed as a prosaic view of campaign-season politicians seeking the voters of farmers and the agrarian class. It is what politicians do, reaching out to all segments of the voting public. A chuckle can be raised by the depiction of politicians, even those in top hats, wearing farmers’ boots, trousers, and chore coats.

At center, Uncle Sam looks into a mirror while descending a stairway in a hall. “Swallow” and “Watson” are standing in the hall, holding candles. In the vignette at lower left, the presidential and vice-presidential candidates, Roosevelt, Fairbanks, Parker, and Davis, arrive in costume. On the lower right they are unmasked and engaged in a game with Columbia. On the middle left is “Bryan” as “An Old Timer,” and on the middle right “Taggart” and “Belmont” play a prank on an elderly woman with a “Bogie Man” labeled “Militarism.” At top left, bobbing for “Campaign Funds” are “Taggart, Bliss, Cortelyou, [and] Belmont,” and at top right “Odell, Shaw, [and] Hill” are “Jumping the Issues.”

comments and context

Comments and Context

Puck, a major Democratic publication, seems extremely unconcerned with the outcome of the imminent presidential election: little more than a week before balloting, its center-spread cartoon — traditionally a forum for powerful, persuasive political cartoons — instead published genre cartoons on a Halloween theme. Yes, with politicians as the characters, but more humorous than partisan. It possibly saw the writing on the wall, a massive Democratic defeat.

President Roosevelt sent Secretary of State Hay ex-senator Henry Gassaway Davis’s puzzling comments on Williams C. Fox. He feels Fox should be promoted if he is “of sufficiently moral character.” If Hay sees Elihu Root in the evening, Roosevelt asks them to review the Costa Rica proposition.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-01-14

President Roosevelt informs John St. Loe Strachey that he has also been reading Sydney Smith’s essays as well as Thomas Babington Macaulay’s Critical and Historical Essays. Roosevelt agrees with Strachey that parties are important in politics but party adherence cannot become servility. Roosevelt feels good about his reelection chances and disparages his Democratic rivals, Alton B. Parker and Henry Gassaway Davis by calling them Blifil and Black George, a hypocrite and a charity case, respectively, a reference from Henry Fielding’s The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling. Roosevelt is worried about the similarities with both James K. Polk and James Buchanan’s successful Democratic campaigns for president.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-13

President Roosevelt finds amusement in the clipping from The World about the Evening Post, and he thinks it base and hypocritical for the Post to continue to support the candidacy of Alton B. Parker in light of such speeches as that of Henry Gassaway Davis. Roosevelt provides two quotations addressing the “colored issue” for inclusion in his speech and letter of acceptance. Roosevelt aims to make his points clear while at the same time making them in such a way as to cause minimal irritation in the south.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-12

President Roosevelt asks General Boynton if he knows of the Navy and Critic which has published an article by Alexander S. Bacon, a supposed colonel and West Pointer, that attacks Frederick Funston, Leonard Wood, and Roosevelt. Roosevelt asks if it is worthwhile for Boynton to send his pamphlet to “responsible” service journals.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-01

President Roosevelt is frustrated at the newspapers for condemning the Republicans for their view on sound money. The Democrats’ candidate is boasting that he has supported the cause of free silver in the last two elections. Roosevelt believes that his campaign has no apology to make.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-07-11

Francis B. Loomis writes to President Roosevelt about the upcoming return of Secretary of State Root from his Pan-American visit. Loomis calls it an “important international event” that is receiving much press coverage. He hopes Root’s return is met with equal fanfare. Loomis envisions a homecoming event that is national and bipartisan, and suggests names for speakers and organizations to involve.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-20

William F. King appreciated President Roosevelt’s remarks about the Nautical Preparatory School, and gives him an update on the funding of the school and its present situations. King also tells Roosevelt about the success of his efforts to hang flags with Roosevelt on them in New York. He feels that the presidential campaign is going well, and informs Roosevelt of an upcoming rally.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-19

George B. Cortelyou, Chairman of the National Republican Committee, asks William Loeb to find out whether Henry Gassaway Davis is still drawing a salary for being a member of a commission regarding a proposed railroad through Panama into South America.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-12