Quay, Matthew Stanley, 1833-1904 | - Theodore Roosevelt Center

Coronation of the autocrat of protection, June 16, 1896

William McKinley, at the Republican National Convention, wears a royal robe and places a crown labeled “Nomination” and listing the states “Mass., Texas, Maryland, Illinois, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Cal. [and] Va.” on his head. Charles H. Grosvenor and Mark A. Hanna are near him as high priests, and Herman H. Kohlsaat is a court page holding his robe. Paying their respects, on the right, are Thomas Collier Platt, William B. Allison, Matthew S. Quay, Thomas B. Reed, Shelby M. Cullom, and Levi P. Morton. A small portion of the convention hall is visible in the background.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-06-24

A few pleasant recollections of the fifty-fourth Congress

A large group of members of the Fifty-fourth Congress are pictured. Many are dressed as natives, with some wearing grass skirts. Most are armed with spears or clubs, while some have shields. Four are reading the “Reminiscences of John Sherman,” one turns the crank on a spit where John Bull is being roasted, and Thomas B. Reed is standing on a platform on the left. A statue labeled “Jingoism” appears at center. Grover Cleveland appears in effigy with several spears or arrows stuck in him. Joseph G. Cannon sits on the floor on the right.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-05-27

He starts in with an Austerlitz

William McKinley sits on a white horse on a cliff, as the brilliant leader of a successful military campaign, with Mark A. Hanna standing next to him, holding a banner that states, “Three Cheers and a Tiger for Prosperity’s Advance Agent!!” In the valley below lie the casualties of the campaign, “Morton, Quay, Allison, Reed, Manley, [and] Cullom,” and in the background are John Sherman, Robert T. Lincoln, and Benjamin Harrison. “Manley,” Reed’s campaign manager, wears a Red Cross on his uniform.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-05-20

Has she got him at last?

A large arm labeled “Justice” reaches down from above to grab Matthew S. Quay as he tries to make his way from the “Penitentiary” on the left to the “United States Senate” on the right.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1899-01-25

May the new year do better

An elderly man labeled “1898” carries a sack labeled “Nuisances” filled with diminutive figures labeled “Spain, R. H. Davis, Crank, Quay, Esterhazy, Paty de Clam, Mercier, Yellow Journal, Prize Fighter, Croker, Platt, Tanner, Aguinaldo, [and] Free Silverite.” Also shown is Joseph Pulitzer. Above are two angels carrying a putti labeled “1899” between them. One angel is labeled “Prosperity” and holds a cornucopia; the other is labeled “Peace” and blows a trumpet.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1899-01-04

“Step up, gentlemen, and try your luck!”

A ringmaster labeled “Harrity Chairman Dem. Natl. Com.” stands on the left, offering an opportunity to ride the Democratic Donkey which wears a saddle labeled “1896” and “$50,000 a year for the man who can ride on this donkey to the White House.” Several reluctant man observe from the grandstands. They are identified as “Stevenson, Hill, Pattison, Olney, Matthews, [and] Campbell”, and William R. Morrison. In the background, riding on the Republican Elephant labeled “1896” are “McKinley, Morton, Reed, Allison, [and] Quay.” McKinley holds a pennant labeled “Protection.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-04-15

Out of a clear sky comes a fierce nor’wester!

Several men are on a ship at sea, with a waterspout labeled “Western Republican Silver Sentiment” and looking like Thomas H. Carter bearing down on the ship. At the helm, labeled “Sound Money,” is John Sherman. Others on deck are “Platt, Allison, Reed, McKinley, Quay, Morton, Hackett, Wellington, Chandler, Burrows, Clarkson,” and an unidentified man who may be George F. Hoar.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-03-25

The poster craze in candidateville

Uncle Sam strolls along “Presidential Avenue” through a maze of presidential campaign posters being posted by several of the candidates, including William “McKinley on his High Charger ‘War-Tariff’,” “Levi P. Morton, the only Able Guide through the Woods, Years of Experience,” William B. “Old Bill Allison, The Farmers Friend,” Henry M.”Teller Holding up the Ratio 16 to 1,” “Samson Davis Carrying Off the Honors, ‘Monroe Doctrine’,” Matthew Quay “If you want a ‘Boss Time’ try Quay – the Reformed One,” and Thomas B. Reed, “The only Reed in Continuous Performance – Dancing Lightly on Silver.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-03-11

Pennsylvania’s disgrace

Matthew Quay, senator from Pennsylvania and political boss of dubious character, stands at a podium labeled “Keystone Auction Rooms, Matt. Quay, Auctioneer.” Quay is auctioning off Pennsylvania’s 32 electoral votes, labeled “32 Delegates for Quay,” to the highest bidder. The four men at the foot of the podium are William McKinley, Thomas B. Reed, Henry M. Teller, and a man labeled “Morton.” Caption: Auctioneer Quay–Now then, gentlemen, what am I offered for this lot? – the highest bidder gets ’em!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-03-18

The old leading man retires

Matthew S. Quay and Thomas Collier Platt hold papers labeled “Great Republican Farce Comedy – Presidential Aspirations – Star Part.” Around them stand Thomas B. Reed, William B. Allison, William McKinley, and Levi P. Morton as actors in costume. On the far left, Benjamin Harrison is exiting the building. Caption: The Stock Company (in chorus)–“I want that part – it requires whiskers, and I’ve got ’em!”, “Give that character to me, and I’ll keep the house in order with it!”,”Let me have it – I’m a regular Napoleon in that kind of role!”, “Don’t mind those young fellows, – a man of mature age is needed to play it right!”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-02-26

They are away off the track

Presidential hopefuls labeled “Davis, Tillman, Chandler, Lodge, Quay, Frye, Wolcutt, Turpie, Hoar, Morgan, [and] Hill” are wading through a swamp labeled “Financial Buncombe, Jingoism, Blunders, Demagogism, [and] Brag,” chasing a glowing chair with wings labeled “Presidency.” Puck, standing on the side of “Statesmanship Highway,” tells them they are taking the wrong way to the White House. Caption: Puck–My short-sighted friends, none of you will ever reach the White House by that road!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-03-04

He’s back again!

A gigantic, well-dressed pig labeled “Protection Glutton” confidently strides into Congress carrying a paper that states, “We demand a prohibitory tariff on all imports, in the interest of the suffering laborer, the down-trodden farmer, and the struggling infant industries of the country.” Among the Congressmen present are Thomas B. Reed, Nelson Dingley Jr., Matthew Quay, Garret A. Hobart, and possibly Mark A. Hanna.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1897-01-13

The Joshua of our silly senate in his great act of trying to make the sun stand still

Edward Oliver Wolcott as the biblical Joshua rides on a horse labeled “U.S. Senate” at the head of a small infantry comprised of John Sherman, George F. Hoar, George G. Vest, William A. Peffer, David B. Hill, Julius C. Burrows, Thomas H. Carter, William V. Allen, William J. Sewell, John M. Palmer, Roger Q. Mills, Justin S. Morrill, Matthew Quay, and others unidentified. Many are carrying spears or bow and arrows. They are chasing the sun labeled “Gold Standard” and descending upon a small community of farms and factories. One man carries a military standard that states, “Resolved, that some legislation be had by the U.S. Senate looking to an international conference with the nations of the world for the promotion of Bimetallism. Wolcott’s Resolution in Caucus.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1897-01-06

Unconditional surrender

President McKinley capitulates to special interests and political patronage by offering his sword labeled “Patronage” to Marcus A. Hanna, Thomas Collier Platt, and Matthew S. Quay. The dejected members of McKinley’s cabinet, labeled “Alger, Sherman, Bliss, Gage, Long, Wilson, McKenna, [and] Gary,” are standing in the background.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1897-07-11

Editorial page from the Commercial Advertiser

Several articles from the Commercial Advertiser are highlighted. They discuss the “terrible” precedent that President Roosevelt set by inviting the African American educator Booker T. Washington to dinner, and criticize Congress for its conduct during the most recent legislative session.