| Title |
The Democratic platform [graphic]. |
| Publisher |
[New York] : [Currier & Ives] For sale at No. 2, Spruce St |
| Publisher |
N.Y. New York. 1856 |
| Date |
[1856] |
| Physical Description |
1 print : lithograph ; sheet 30 x 43 cm (11.75 x 16.75 in.) |
| Description |
Cartoon satirizing politicians' support of James Buchanan and the Democratic platform of 1856. Depicts Buchanan as "the platform"
of his party prostrate across the backs of the kneeling antislavery advocate Senator Thomas Benton ("Old Bullion"), President
Franklin Pierce ("Franklin the last"), and son of Martin Van Buren, John Van Buren ("Prince John"). An enslaved African American
man, portrayed in racist caricature, sits atop Buchanan’s legs with his arms crossed. Sitting opposite him atop Buchanan’s
chest is a white man enslaver, armed with a whip, knives, and a pistol, who declares, “I don’t care anything about the Supporters
of the platform as long as the platform supports me and my Nigger.” Underneath Buchanan, Benton replies to Pierce's question
of how he can be against his administration yet for "this platform" by stating that he supports Buchanan because his motto
is "Men - not principles." (This is a reversal of the Democratic motto: "Principles, not men.") Simultaneously, Van Buren
talks with his father "Martin the first," depicted as a fox in his "Kinderhook" burrow, about the changing policies of the
great Democratic Party and the plunder to be had. Standing in the left, "Brother Jonathan" (predecessor of Uncle Sam) notes
the unreliability of the "platform supporters."
|
| Is referenced by |
Weitenkampf, p. 117 |
| Notes |
Title from item. |
|
Date supplied by Weitenkampf. |
|
Purchase 1971. |
|
RVCDC |
|
Description revised 2021. |
|
Access points revised 2021. |
|
Part of digital collections catalog through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services as administered by the
Pennsylvania Department of Education through the Office of Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Tom
Corbett, Governor, 2013-2014.
|
| Subject |
Benton, Thomas Hart, 1782-1858 -- Caricatures and cartoons. |
|
Pierce, Franklin, 1804-1869 -- Caricatures and cartoons. |
|
Van Buren, John, 1810-1866 -- Caricatures and cartoons. |
|
Van Buren, Martin, 1782-1862 Caricatures and cartoons. |
|
Democratic Party (U.S.) |
|
Abolition movement -- United States -- 1850-1860. |
|
African American men -- Caricatures and cartoons. |
|
Animals -- Symbolic aspects. |
|
Brother Jonathan (Nickname) -- 1850-1860. |
|
Foxes -- United States. |
|
Political platforms -- United States -- 1850-1860. |
|
Presidential elections -- United States -- 1850-1860. |
|
Racism in popular culture. |
|
Slavery -- United States. |
|
Enslaved persons -- United States. |
|
Enslaved men -- United States. |
|
Enslaved men -- United States -- Satire. |
|
Enslavers -- United States |
| Geographic subject |
United States -- Politics and government -- 1845-1861. |
| Genre |
Lithograph -- 1850-1860. |
|
Political cartoons -- 1850-1860. |
| Location |
Library Company of Philadelphia| Print Department| Political Cartoons - 1856-16W [7996.F] |
| Accession number |
7996.F |
