Details
Creator Magee, John L., artist.
Contributor Baillie, James S., active 1838-1855, publisher.
Title Pay day at the custom house, N.Y. [graphic] / Magee, del.
Publisher New York : Lith. & Pubd. by J. Baillie, 87 St. near 3rd Avenue
Publisher N.Y. New York. 1847
Date 1847
Physical Description 1 print : lithograph ; sheet 33 x 43 cm (13 x 17 in.)
Description Cartoon depicting a crowd surrounding the New York City custom house where many upper class men scuffle or flee from tradespeople and shopkeepers demanding payment for bills owed. In the left, a white woman grabs a white man by the coat tails and exclaims, "Stop, you wagabone, & pay your washing-bill, you sarpint!" A rotund white man holds a bill and replies, "Hold on, good woman--Hold on til I get there. He owes me for his Grog score." In the center, a white man local official, attired in fine clothing and a top hat, is surrounded by creditors forming a long line holding bills and demanding payment, including for "five oyster suppers" and his "tailors-bill." A barefoot African American shoeshiner, portrayed in racist caricature and attired in torn and worn clothes asks in the vernacular, "Massa will you pay for brack de boots?" The official responds, "You black rascal, have you the impudence to present a bill to a man who has been chosen to office by the sober second thought of the people?" In the background, creditors chase the custom officials with their bills.
Notes Title from item.
Date from copyright statement: Entered according to act of Congress in the year 1847 by J. Baillie in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern District of N. York.
Gift of Mrs. Francis P. Garvan, 1977.
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.
Biographical / historical note Magee was a New York cartoonist and lithographer who eventually established his own lithographic firm in Philadelphia in 1850.
Subject African American men -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Chasing.
Collecting of accounts.
Customhouses -- New York (State) -- New York.
Debt -- New York (State) -- New York.
Racism in popular culture.
African American shoeshiners -- New York -- New York.
Geographic subject New York (N.Y.) -- Economic conditions -- To 1898.
Genre Lithographs -- 1840-1850.
Political cartoons -- 1840-1850.
Printer Baillie, James S., active 1838-1855, publisher.
Location Library Company of Philadelphia| Print Department| political cartoons - 1847 - Pay [8366.F.26]
Accession number 8366.F.26