Sherman, John, 1823-1900

Drawn to inspire: Cartoonists’ perspectives on Theodore Roosevelt (#1)

Richard (Rick) Marschall examines a famous political cartoon from 1884 that features one of the earliest depictions of Theodore Roosevelt. Marschall focuses on Bernhard Gillam’s Phryne Before the Chicago Tribunal which depicts various leaders of the Republican Party pondering the political fate of James Gillespie Blaine, the eventual Republican nominee in the 1884 presidential contest. Marschall chronicles the highs and lows of Roosevelt’s life in 1884, and he identifies many of the prominent Republicans depicted in the cartoon which is based on the French painting Phryne Before the Areopagus. The political cartoon supplements the text.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

2018

The good boy

An elderly woman labeled “Republican Party” sits in a rocking chair, knitting. John Sherman sits on a low stool on the left, reading a book labeled “Sound Finance,” with a toy “pop-gun” on the floor next to him. A cake labeled “Presidential Nomination 1896” sets on a table on the right. Caption: He has put away his naughty “sectionalism” pop-gun, and is real good now. Puck hopes it isn’t on account of the cake.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1895-02-27

The Republican Christmas tree

A large Christmas tree is decorated with ornaments labeled with political offices and presidential appointments. Thomas Collier Platt and Matthew S. Quay, who is dressed as a woman, are standing in front of the tree. In queues on both sides are diminutive figures anxiously awaiting their presents, including from right to left, Jerry Simpson, Joseph B. Foraker, William E. Chandler, William McKinley, Whitelaw Reid, Thomas B. Reed, Levi P. Morton, Benjamin Harrison, William B. Allison, George F. Hoar, John Sherman, Chauncey M. Depew, and Robert T. Lincoln. Caption: The two big bosses have full charge of it, and the most obedient boys will come in for the best gifts.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1895-12-25

Shrunk to their proper size at last – an edifying sight in the United States Senate

Members of the U.S. Senate look down on five diminutive members seated in the front. They are identified as “Hill Repudiated by New York,” “Murphy Repudiated by New York,” “Gorman Repudiated by Maryland,” “Brice Repudiated by Ohio,” and “Smith Repudiated by New Jersey.” Among the senators present are Adlai E. Stevenson, William M. Stewart, George F. Hoar, Charles A. Boutelle, John Sherman, Daniel W. Voorhees, William E. Chandler, John M. Palmer, Justin S. Morrill, John P. Jones, Matthew S. Quay, and William A. Peffer.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1895-12-11

His battle-ground

William E. Chandler, former Secretary of the Navy under President Arthur, salutes from a trap door in the floor where he is hiding. Red-stained papers labeled “Plan of Campaign Against England” by “W. E. Chandler Jingo-in-Chief” are on the floor, and bombs are exploding outside the door to the room. Portraits of John Sherman and Ulysses S. Grant hang on the wall in the background. Under Grant’s portrait, the text “Let Us Have Peace” has been crossed out. A much larger portrait of “W. E. Chandler Painted by Himself” and labeled “Ex-Secretary of United States Navy – Before the War” hangs next to the others. Also hanging on the wall is a “Proclamation Against England – No. 999” labeled in red “War.” Caption: Where our bloodthirstiest Jingo will be found when a real war comes.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1895-12-11

Waiting for the good times to blow over

A large female figure holds a cornucopia labeled “Prosperity 1895,” floating toward rays of light that illuminate industrial facilities. She hovers above a group of men gathered around a platform with a banner that states, “Protection Issue and Victory in 1896.” Several of the men are shaking their fists at her. Among those identified by name and unidentified are “Hoar, Elkins, Tom Reed, Lodge, [and] Hale,” and William B. Allison, possibly Thomas C. Carter, John Sherman, Joseph B. Foraker, William McKinley, Benjamin Harrison, William E. Chandler, Whitelaw Reid labeled “Tribune of N.Y.,” Charles A. Boutelle, and Matthew S. Quay.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1895-10-09

The Republican schoolma’am and her pupils

An elderly woman sits in a chair on a platform, instructing her students in lessons that have probably been taken from the “Republican Campaign Text Book” sitting on a table on the right, or from the “Republican Press” at her feet. Reciting their lessons are pupils identified as “Boutelle, Reid, Reed, Foraker, Harrison, Hoar, Allison, Lodge, McKinley, Sherman,” and “Stewart,” who is standing on a stool and wearing a dunce cap labeled “Silver Dunce.” Caption: The Schoolma’am–Who were responsible for all the cyclones, dry spells, frosts, floods, landslides, chills-and-fever, mosquitos and everything else that plagued the country? / Chorus of Scholars–The Democrats! / The Schoolma’am–To whom does the country owe its present good crops, fine weather, health, wealth and general prosperity? / Chorus of Scholars–The Republicans!! / The Schoolma’am–Correct! – all go to the head!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1895-08-28

Even worse than he thought it

The spirit of General Winfield S. Hancock holds a paper that states “Governors Island 1880. The Tariff is a Local Issue. Gen. W. S. Hancock.” He stands among congressmen in a congressional chamber where senators or representatives from “Maryland, New York, Ohio, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Massachusetts, Maine, New Jersey, Kansas, [and] Pennsylvania” are tearing off sections of a large paper labeled “The Tariff?” that apply to their respective states. Caption: Shade of General Hancock–They laughed at me when I said the tariff is a local issue; but I was right, after all!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1894-05-02

“Who laughs last laughs best”

Grover Cleveland drives a stagecoach labeled “Administration Coach” carrying “Columbia” and being pulled by two horses labeled “Honest Principles” and “Sound Policy.” The coach is stuck in a hole labeled “Deficit” and “This Hole Dug by Republican Party.” Arthur P. Gorman, standing at the rear, uses a large stick labeled “Wilson Bill” and a board labeled “Bond Issue” to try to get the wheels out of the hole. On the right, in a “Bog of Public Contempt,” are Whitelaw Reid, John Sherman, Thomas B. Reed, George F. Hoar, and Benjamin Harrison. They are laughing at Cleveland.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1894-02-21

Old jokes in new political clothes

In this vignette cartoon various presidential candidates are depicted with their trappings. David B. Hill as “The Political Suburban Resident” is overloaded with packages labeled “Low Political Jobs, Petty Schemes, Unsuccessful Intrigues, Tricks, [and] Peanut Politics.” William McKinley is “The National Political Brooklynite” pushing a stroller containing papers labeled “High Protection.” Thomas Collier Platt is “The Obstreperous Cook” with William L. Strong and Levi P. Morton standing in the background. Thomas B. Reed is “The Political Lady with the Big Hat” which is labeled “Presidential Boom” and obscures the view of Benjamin Harrison, John Sherman, and William B. Allison. William A. Peffer is “The Amusing Political Hayseed” of “very ordinary” intellect, but long on whiskers, and George F. Hoar is “The Voluble Political Mother-in-Law” who clears the “U.S. Senate” when he stands to speak.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1895-01-30

The Republican Ponce de Leon and his followers

A group of conquistadors labeled “Hoar, Sherman, Depew, Harrison, Reed, McKinley [as Ponce de León], Wanamaker, W. Reid, Boutelle, [and] Foraker” gather around a pool of water labeled “High Protection Doctrine,” drinking the water. Frogs in the lower right corner are labeled “Monopolist.” Caption: They think it is the fountain of political youth and strength; but it is only a stagnant pool that is almost dried up.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1894-01-24

America’s partisan “patriots”

Four men dance gleefully in front of gigantic figures of “Columbia” and “Europa” who are holding hands across a body of water. At the feet of the figures are suffering, poverty-stricken peoples, with silent factories behind them. The four men are Benjamin Harrison, pointing to himself, John Sherman with a sign that states “The Sherman Bill Did It!”, William McKinley holding a sign that states “The McKinley Bill Did It!”, and Thomas B. Reed pointing to McKinley. Caption: Chorus of Republican Leaders–Hooray! We’ll make all the political capital we can of this – it’ll help the Grand Old Party!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1894-01-17

The return from exile

William McKinley, as Napoleon I, rides a white horse labeled “Ohio” and carries a sword labeled “McKinley.” He is on the banks of a river, leading an army that includes Benjamin Harrison, Thomas B. Reed, John Sherman, William E. Chandler, William M. Stewart, Matthew S. Quay, Chauncey M. Depew, George F. Hoar, and Whitelaw Reid. On the other side of the river is the U.S. Capitol with the date “1896” above it. Caption: They do not see the Waterloo before them.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1893-12-13

A hint from the world’s fair – why not have a “bureau of public comfort” in every large city?

At center is a place for Republicans to go to commiserate while awaiting the next election. Such stalwart Republicans as George F. Edmunds, John Sherman, William M. Evarts, George F. Hoar, and Thomas B. Reed wait there. Surrounding vignettes show a prominent citizen being escorted by two “Bureau of Public Comfort” guards who keep the press at bay, a sewing station for women’s clothing after a round of bargain shopping, a room where anarchists can blow off some steam “without disturbing anybody,” an educational facility to help orient newcomers to the ways of the city, and a hypnotist who attempts to convince servants to work in the country. Caption: Some of the useful purposes it might serve.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1893-10-25

She’s all right

An angel labeled “National Credit” with wings labeled “Sound Financial Policy” and “Repeal of Sherman Silver Law” rises above the flames of the wreck of the “U.S. Treasury.” Among the wreckage lie William McKinley bowled over by the “McKinley Bill,” John Sherman being crushed under the weight of large silver coins, Green B. Raum sitting in an empty safe labeled “U.S. Treasury,” with Benjamin Harrison and Charles Foster hanging onto the safe, and William A. Peffer among the lumber on the left.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1893-09-27

A dead failure so far

William McKinley appears as Napoleon I, looking dejected, sitting on cannon barrels labeled “Jingoism, Paternalism, [and] McKinleyism.” Behind him is Thomas Reed firing a cannon labeled “Calamity Cry” with a paper labeled “Speech.” The cannonball falls far short of the target labeled “Presidency 1896.” Reed rests his left hand on the top of the hat of Benjamin Harrison who is holding a sword labeled “1888.” On the right, George F. Hoar, also looking dejected, is sitting on a large shell labeled “Reciprocity.” In the background on the right, standing near a sign labeled “Republican Testing Grounds for New Issues,” are John Sherman next to a cannon labeled “Sectionalism” and Levi P. Morton looking through a telescope. Beyond them is another man, possibly Matthew S. Quay. Caption: Trying to find a gun that will do for the coming campaign.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1894-10-10

They mourn their loss

William McKinley, Benjamin Harrison, and John Sherman are pictured as old women in mourning among gravestones labeled, “Here lies our dear McKinley Bill. Ruthlessly assassinated in the flower of its youth by the tariff reform bandits of the 53rd Congress,” “Sacred to the memory of the Federal Election Law, annihilated by the guerrillas of the 53rd Congress. R.I.P.,” and “Here lies the Sherman Silver Law. Cruelly done to death by G. Cleveland. We bear our loss with fortitude.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1894-09-12

No party lines when the national honor is in peril

The combined forces of the gold standard supporters, including some newspaper editors, and a reluctant William McKinley, march under the standard “The Nation’s Credit Must Be Upheld,” toward a fort labeled “Fort 16 to 1” flying the banner “Repudiation,” and manned by soldiers armed with pitchforks and scythes. The newspaper editors are staffing the big guns labeled “Sound Money Press.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-07-22

The skeleton at the feast

Republican politicians wearing Roman togas are seated around a banquet table with a skeleton that is holding a standard labeled “McKinley’s Shaky Financial Record.” Gathered around the table are John “Sherman,” Stephen B. “Elkins,” Russell A. “Alger,” Charles H. “Grosvenor,” William “McKinley,” Mark A. “Hanna,” Christopher L. “Magee,” William M. “Hahn,” Joseph B. “Foraker,” Cornelius N. “Bliss,” Herman H. “Kohlsaat,” Edward Oliver “Wolcott,” and Whitelaw “Reid.” Caption: The ancient custom of the Romans of seating a skeleton at their banquet-tables, to remind them of death, is now being revived by our Republican friends.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-06-10

Two obstacles that must be removed before Uncle Sam can drive on

President McKinley stands on the roadside near a large rock labeled “Unsettled Tariff Question.” Vice President Hobart and members of McKinley’s cabinet attempt to clear the roadway by removing another large rock labeled “Unsound Financial System.” Waiting behind them on the road “To Prosperity” is Uncle Sam sitting on a large wagon filled with “U.S. Commercial Interests.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1897-03-31