Kelly, John, 1821-1886 | - Theodore Roosevelt Center

Still waiting

Print shows several men with brooms and shovels locked outside a fence with a large, spiked gate labeled “Civil Service Reform”, among them are Thomas F. Bayard, Samuel J. Tilden, Henry Watterson, Charles A. Dana, and John Kelly. Inside the fence, on the sides of the gate, are Chester A. Arthur and George W. Curtis. In the distance is the White House flying a flag that states “Possession is nine points of the law!!!”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1883-08-15

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

A flirtation that may lead to serious results in the fall

Whitelaw Reid, dressed as a woman holding a folding fan labeled “Tribune Windiphone,” stands on a beach with John Kelly who is wearing a swimsuit and bonnet. At his feet is a dead fish labeled “Magnetism.” In the background is a banner that states “Tammany Bathing Ground.” Caption: He (John Kelly) will again be drawn into the vortex of politics; and it is his nature to lead and not to follow. –New York Tribune.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1885-07-29

The administration’s hardest job

President Cleveland and his cabinet officers struggle to push and pull the Democratic donkey labeled “Bourbon Democracy” into a stable labeled “Reform Stables.” On the donkey’s hooves, acting as brakes, are the faces of John Kelly labeled “Spoils System,” Charles A. Dana labeled “Anti-Civil Service Reform,” “Mclaughlin”, [and] “J.R. M’Lean.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1885-07-22

Unwelcome passengers

Print shows a coach labeled “Rural Democracy” filled with “Rural Regulars” carrying their farm tools, racing “To the State Convention”, driven by Samuel J. Tilden, with John Kelly representing “Tammany Hall” and John Fox representing “Irving Hall” hitching a ride, sitting on the rear step. The driver looks annoyed.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1881-09-14

For sale again

Print shows John Kelly carrying a basket labeled “27,000 Votes For Sale,” accosting passengers on a “New York Train,” seeking buyers. Around the car, men are seated beneath windows labeled “Democratic Nomination Hewitt for Gov.,” “Cornell for Gov.,” “Folger for Gov.,” and “Wadsworth for Gov.” They are reading newspapers labeled “Half Breed,” “Greenback,” “Independent Puck,” “Stalwart,” and “Machine Paper.” Caption: John Kelly Here you are! I’ll sell to anybody else, except “blind pool men.” How much for the lot?

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1882-08-30

“Tammany will send a full delegation to the state convention” – New York Times, August 15th

Print shows John Kelly driving a wagon labeled “Tammany” overloaded with rowdy delegates to the New York state convention in Syracuse. The wagon is being pulled by the Tammany tiger. Several men are drinking alcoholic beverages, while one man plays a harp.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1882-08-23

The irrepressible log

A bear labeled “N.Y. Democracy” climbs a tree labeled “New York” and “N.Y. State Patronage Hive” to get at the honey. However, a block of wood labeled “Tammany Kelly” suspended by a rope labeled “60,000 voters” keeps getting in the bear’s way. Caption: Democratic Bear “If it wasn’t for that log, I’d have had that honey long ago, and the more I thrust it away the harder it hits me!”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1882-08-16

A summer smoke-cloud

Puck reclines before a table covered with alcoholic beverages, some labeled “V. H. Dusenbury’s P.P. Brandy” and “Puck Punch [No London Punch],” smoking and blowing smoke rings. Among the figures appearing in Puck’s smoke cloud are Chester Alan Arthur labeled “For a Good Veto” and fishing for “Popularity”; George M. Robeson at the helm of a boat carrying a large money bag labeled “Appropriation”; Jay Gould, Russell Sage, and William H. Vanderbilt sailing on a boat labeled “Monopoly”; Susan B. Anthony and another woman, George William Curtis labeled “Civil Service Reform,” Roscoe Conkling, Jay A. Hubbell labeled “Deform,” Ulysses S. Grant labeled “No Third Term,” David Davis, Robert Green Ingersoll boxing with Thomas De Witt Talmage, James Gordon Bennett, “Old Rossa” with “Dynamite,” Cyrus W. Field trying to net a “Coronet,” John Kelly and Samuel J. Tilden on a seesaw, William Russell Grace standing on a rock labeled “Public Esteem” with Seth Low trying to climb up, and James Russell Lowell on a “British Mission.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1882-08-09

Letter from Thomas E. Watson to Theodore Roosevelt

Vice presidential candidate Thomas E. Watson writes Police Commissioner Roosevelt regarding Roosevelt’s recent article in the Review of Reviews, which criticized Watson’s populist platform. Watson explains his position as tied into his advocacy for the poor, upon whom the burdens of government most often fall. He believes Roosevelt has misjudged him and asserts that if the two spent time together, Roosevelt would see that they have much in common.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1896-08-30