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Title: The pious Mr. All-bone, taking leave of his directors previous to his departure for Europe
Description: Cartoon about the Panic of 1857 satirizing the dubious overseas departure of the Bank of Pennsylvania president Thomas Allibone preceding the failure of the financial institution in the fall of 1857. Allibone claimed he departed for Europe for health reasons with the support of the Board of Director. The board later charged he resigned while in debt $200,000 to the bank. Shows the Bank of Pennsylvania board wishing a teary-eye Allibone farewell at the "Steamer Europe Sail" wharf. The board stands on "Bank of Pennsylvania" charters and many sneer and hold handkerchiefs to their faces. To the rear of the group, a white woman "reduced to absolute want" from the bank failure, stands with her children, including a baby at her breast, and asks one of the board members "could you not through your influence, obtain me a situation as housekeeper or school teacher?" The member jeers that his influence is "for his friends" and she should get "some tickets for soup." At the front of the group, the wart-nosed, rotund head of the board, shakes Allibone's hand. He assures the departing president of the entire respect and sympathy for his "good care" of the funds of the "Board, and the Widows, and Orphans." He hopes Allibone will return with "renovated health and strength" as well as a purchased title that includes "Gentleman of the Grand Order of the Rag Mill and the Check Marked Good.", Allibone stands on several sheets of "stock" near his valises. He holds a handkerchief to his face, and carries the book of "Common Prayer" in his coat pocket. He responds that if "a liberal expenditure of THEIR money" restores his health that he will attempt to purchase a title. He also suggests that his well-wisher go to church regularly, keep out of jail, and keep his breeches buttoned up and he "will sail through this crisis with flying colors." In the right, an African American woman peddler holds her nose and states in the vernacular that it is because of the "bad odor of dis paper! won't git much fur dis." Beside her, a white boy fishing at the pier remarks to his wriggling, hooked worm that "yer bound to be catched at last." Also shows an African American man, attired in worn and torn clothing, seated and chewing a stick in front of an overturned barrel while a white cabman races his horse-drawn coach down the street of grocery stores in the background. The driver hollers "Stop him! He owes me 130 dollars for Cab-hire." Groceries advertised include onions, molasses, soft sawder (i.e., blarney), sugar, oil, and vinegar., Artist probably John L. Magee., Title from item., Date inferred from content., Weitenkampf incorrectly provides date of 1837., John L. Magee's print "The Dreadful Accident on the North Pennsylvania Railroad" (1856) lithographed on the verso. [7663.Fb], Purchase 1968., 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.
Creator: Magee, John L., artist
Date: [ca. 1857]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department political cartoons - 1857-Pious [7663.Fa]

Title: The follies of the age, vive la humbug!!
Description: Critique of the social climate of the year of 1855 mocking several of the year's fads, social movements, and major events, many specific to the city of Philadelphia. Depicts several individual scenes occurring on an active street lined by businesses near a river. Depictions include: a scene representing the case of Jane Johnson, an African American woman freedom seeker aided by abolitionist Passmore Williamson; a group of ragged and armed white men filibusters holding the banner "Sam" rushing off to free Central America from European control; a stand where one is "allowed to drink 48 glasses of Lager Beer" where a white man police officer tries to stop a white man drunkard; a group of white women Mormons on a cart headed to "Salt Lake City"; a white man hugging two white women as his angry wife looks on and calls them "Ceresco free-lovers" after the Utopian society that lasted until 1855; two motley groups of local militias drilling; a caricature of the popular French actress Rachel who had an inauspicious debut in Philadelphia; and groups of individuals partaking of "water cures" and "sea baths." In the background the Camden Amboy train crash of 1855 is depicted as well as the destruction by fire of the Philadelphia steamer "John Stevens.", Title from item., Date inferred from content., Accessioned 1998., 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.
Date: [1855?]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Political Cartoons - 1855-Fol [P.9624]

Title: Sunday laws hanging the cat on Monday for killing the mouse on Sunday
Description: Cartoon mocking Philadelphia's Sunday Laws depicting the moment before "Thomas" the cat will be hanged for his murder of a mouse on the Sabbath. In the center, shows the gallows surrounded by a line of white policemen, attired in uniforms and caps. In the left, three white hangmen, attired in suits, hold onto the rope and pull on the unlooped end of the noose. Two of the men smile sinisterly, while the third man wipes his tears with a handkerchief as he says, “Alas poor Tom!” To the right, an African American man, portrayed in racist caricature with exaggerated features, carries the "Blood Tub." Under the noose, a white man, possibly Philadelphia Mayor Alexander Henry, stands holding an execution order that reads, “Mayor Public Execution Tom” and the cat by the scruff of its neck. Before him stands a minister, resembling John Chambers, a champion of the Sunday Laws. He holds the dead mouse in this right hand and an open book in his left hand as he sentences the cat to death for murder. Behind the minister, an elderly white man, attired in a suit with a white bowtie, stands slightly hunched down holding an ear trumpet to his right ear. He comments, “I can’t hear a word the minister says on account of them cars,” a reference to the contested Sunday Law against the running of streetcars. A black dog runs in the left foreground., Title from item., Date from manuscript note written on recto: Aug. 1859., Place of publication inferred from content., Text printed on recto, below image: In the Dark Ages, long ago, One Horne was flogged on Monday; What for? That’s what I want you to know, He danced a horn-pipe Sunday! That was all! He but danced a horn-pipe Sunday, But he danced to the horsewhip Monday. By the roundheads, too, when Cromwell reigned, We read there was a hung on Monday, A cat who “the Sabbath day (?) profaned” By cat-ching a mouse on Sunday? Understand: She played with him first on Sunday, ‘Twas for that she was hung on Monday! And by America’s Puritan men, Mrs. Hotchkiss was punished on Monday; Cotton Mather forbade her, but once and again, She had kissed her babe on Sunday; A blow for a kiss. For so many kisses on Sunday, She got so many blows on Monday. So, too, in Brooklyn, the other day, Meyerbeer was tried on Monday; The complaint against him thus did say “He has sold lager beer on Sunday” And he had! But the jury said, on Monday! A good drink might be sold Sunday! And in the West’s “Queen city,” too, One Rudolph’s just ‘quitted on Monday; He would drive his ‘bus the whole week through And accommodate people on Sunday: And the Court, Gave the very Pruden-t decision on Monday, That “there’s more than ‘one thing needful’ on Sunday:” And so the “good time” is “coming” boys When a thing that is good on Monday—A drink, or a drive, or a joyful noise—Will be thought not bad on Sunday! Everywhere When wrong will be wrong on Monday, And right will be right on Sunday!, Accessioned 1893., 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 the Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett, Governor, 2013-2014.
Date: [Philadelphia]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Political Cartoons - 1859-Sun [5656.F.24a]

Title: The election a medley, humbly inscribed, to Squire Lilliput Professor of Scurrillity
Description: A pro-Franklin cartoon depicting a crowd gathered to vote at the Philadelphia courthouse during the Pennsylvania Assembly election of October 1764. The print advocates Franklin's appointment as provincial agent to Britain despite his election loss which was a result of his double-sided politics in dealing with the "Paxton Boys," white frontiersmen who murdered peaceful Native Americans. Contains thirty-three verses attributed to Rev. Isaac Hunt to be sung to various tunes. Created as an attack on satirist James Dove, referred to in this title as "Squire Lilliput Professor of Scurrillity," in response to his anti-Franklin print, "The Paxton Expedition." The courthouse crowd includes caricatures of James Dove and five African Americans, including a woman stating in the vernacular, "Mase Lidiput you puchuss a me," a reference to a character pursued sexually by Dove in an earlier anti-Dove cartoon, "A Conference between the Devil and Mr. Dove" (1764)., Place and date of publication provided by Snyder and Murrell., Possibly after the work of Henry Dawkins., Manuscript note: Published for the Election of the 1st of 8th 1764 of Philadelphia., 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 the Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett, Governor, 2013-2014., RVCDC, Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021., Pierre Eugène Du Simitière (1736-1784) is probable former owner based on handwriting of inscription. See The Election Humbly Inscribed ... politcal cartoons - [1765] Ele [959.F.88].
Date: [1764]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Political Cartoons - [1764] Ele [959.F.74]

Title: The election a medley, humbly inscribed, to Squire Lilliput Professor of Scurrillity
Description: A pro-Franklin cartoon depicting a crowd gathered to vote at the Philadelphia courthouse during the Pennsylvania Assembly Election of October 1764. The print advocates Franklin's appointment as provincial agent to Britain despite his election loss which was a result of his double-sided politics in dealing with the "Paxton Boys," white frontiersmen who murdered peaceful Native Americans. Contains thirty-three verses attributed to Rev. Isaac Hunt to be sung to various tunes. Created as an attack on satirist James Dove, referred to in this title as "Squire Lilliput Professor of Scurrillity," in response to his anti-Franklin print, "The Paxton Expedition." The courthouse crowd includes caricatures of James Dove and five African Americans, including a woman stating in the vernacular, "Mase Lidiput you puchuss a me," a reference to a character pursued sexually by Dove in an earlier anti-Dove cartoon, "A Conference between the Devil and Mr. Dove" (1764)., Place and date of publication provided by Snyder and Murrell., Possibly after the work of Henry Dawkins., Manuscript note on recto in Watson's hand: Wrote by the Revd. Isaac Hunt at or before 1764 - when Franklin was made agent to London for this "Medley" says "Franklin will be agent." [and] Property of John F. Watson., Manuscript note on verso: Purchased from John F. Watson, Esq. June 14 1860. C.P. [Charles Poulson]., LCP copy lacking fragments along center vertical fold. Backed with laid paper., 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 the Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett, Governor, 2013-2014.
Date: [1764]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Political Cartoons - [1764] Ele [1885.F.32]

Title: Philadelphia fashions, 1837
Description: Racist cartoon depicting middle class African American Philadelphians used to arouse Northern anti-Black fears that well-to-do African Americans threatened the racial status quo. Depicts a physically attractive and elegantly dressed African American man and woman couple who have stopped during a stroll. The woman, attired in a large bonnet, elegant gown, and holding a parasol asks in the vernacular, "What you look at Mr. Frederick Augustus?" The man, attired in a suit, a top hat, and holding a walking cane in one hand and a monocle to his eye with the other answers, "I look at dat White loafer wot looks at me. I guess he from New York." The man and woman also each wear broaches depicting portraits. The couple are possibly prominent African American Philadelphians Frederick Augustus Hinton and Elizabeth Willson Hinton., Title from item., Date from copyright statement: Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1837, by H.R. Robinson in the Clerk's Office of the Dist Court of the U.S. of the Southern District of N. York., Due to the similar content of this caricature to the prints from the series, "Life in Philadelphia," the lithograph has been catalogued as a part of the series., Purchase 1958., 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., E.W. Clay (1799-1857), born in Philadelphia, was a prominent caricaturist, engraver, and lithographer who created the "Life in Philadelphia" series which racially lampooned middle-class African American Philadelphians of the late 1820s and early 1830s.
Creator: Clay, Edward Williams, 1799-1857, artist
Date: 1837
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Political Cartoons - 1837 - Phi [6281.F]

Title: The resurrection of Henry Box Brown at Philadelphia Who escaped from Richmond Va. in a box 3 feet long 2 1/2 ft. deep and 2 ft. wide
Description: Antislavery print celebrating the moment freedom seeker Henry Box Brown emerged from his crate in Philadelphia. Brown, with the assistance of the Vigilance Committee of the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society, escaped slavery by having himself shipped to Philadelphia where he emerged in the presence of abolitionists Professor Charles D. Cleveland, J. Miller M'Kim, William Still, and printer Lewis Thompson. Depicts Brown just emerging from his box with Still holding the crate's lid labeled, "Wm. Johnson, Arch St. Philadelphia, This side up with Care;" Cleveland with a saw in his right hand; M'Kim with a hatchet in one hand and using his other hand to help Still hold the lid; and Thompson pointing to Brown with his right hand as he holds in his free hand a walking stick., Title from item., Date inferred from variant described in Reilly and LCP copy described by Jeffrey Ruggles, The unboxing of Henry Box Brown (Richmond: The Library of Virginia, 2003), 114. Ruggles notes copies of the print had been received and advertised by the "Anti-Slavery Bugle" of Ohio before March 8, 1851., Variant reproduced in William Still, The underground railroad (1872) p.70. [LCP Am 1872 Still, 56405.O]., Lib. Company. Annual Report, 1975, p. 59-60., Purchase 1975., 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., Call number in location based on Reilly entry., Kramer was a German born painter and lithographer who worked with the Rosenthals, a prominent Philadelphia family of lithographers, by 1850 and through the early 1850s.
Creator: Kramer, Peter, 1823-1907, artist
Date: [ca. 1850 - ca. 1851]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Political Cartoons - 1850-4R variant [8183.F]

Title: A new song suitable to the season, to the tune of good English beer
Description: A cartoon supporting the Old Ticket Party of Pennsylvania which advocated a conversion from a proprietary government to a royal colony. Depicts well-to-do Philadelphians in a tavern drinking and singing "Huzza Old ticket, Old Ticket Forever." An African American server serves the men as he states in patois his support of the Old Ticket. As the devil exits the tavern, he indicates his support for the New Ticket Party which supported the existing proprietary government. Contains an electioneering song of six verses from which the depicted Philadelphians sing verses. The tavern was often used as a place to canvass election support and treat voters., Place and date of publication supplied by Evans., Possibly the work of Henry Dawkins., 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 the Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett, Governor, 2013-2014., RVCDC, Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
Date: [1765]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Political Cartoons -[1765] - New [959.F.87a]

Title: The Freedman's Bureau! An agency to keep the negro in idleness at the expense of the white man. Twice vetoed by the president, and made a law by congress. Support Congress & you support the negro. Sustain the president & you protect the white man
Description: Racist campaign poster in support of Democratic candidate Heister Clymer published during the Pennsylvania gubernatorial election of 1866 attacking his Republican opponent James White Geary and the Republican Congress's support of the Freedmen's Bureau. Depicts an oversize figure of an African American free man, portrayed in racist caricature with grotesque features, lazing on his back under the quote in the vernacular, "Whar is de use for me to work as long as day make dese appropriations." The figure is surrounded by imagery, including scenes, quotes, and a table, condemning the legislature's financial support of African Americans. Scenes include a white man chopping wood as "the white man must work to keep his children and pay his taxes"; a white man farmer plowing his field for "in the sweat of thy face thou eat thy bread"; and a view of a building similar to the Capitol under the heading "Freedman's Bureau! Negro Estimate of Freedom!" The building is inscribed with divisive words and terms including: "Freedom and No Work"; "Goods to eat & drink. Uncle Sam will have to keep me"; "Idleness"; "White Women"; "Apathy" and a list of foods stereotyped as part of the African American diet. Also includes a table listing appropriations issued by Congress in support of the Freedman's Bureau; a quote indicating the inequity of Civil War veteran's bounties in favor of African Americans; and a statement disapproving of the cost of the Freedman's Bureau to the "Tax-payers of the Nation.", Originally part of a McAllister scrapbook. McAllister Collection, gift, 1886., RVCDC, Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021., Readex July 2013 update: This political cartoon is now housed in the Print Room; formerly Lib. Company. Afro-Americana, 3815., 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.
Date: [1866]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department *political cartoons - 1866-6 [(6)5777.F.79]

Title: The two platforms
Description: Racist poster attacking radical Republican support of African American suffrage by comparing the platforms of Democratic candidate and white supremacist Heister Clymer and radical Republican candidate John White Geary during the 1866 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election. Depicts the side-by-side bust portraits of a white man titled "Clymer's Platform is for the White Man" and an African American man, portrayed in racist caricature with grotesque features, titled "Geary's Platform is for the Negro." Contains three lines of text above the image which reference the other "Radical" Republican candidates who support "Negro Suffrage" and two lines below which declares "Read the Platforms. Congress says, the Negro must be allowed to vote, or the states be punished.", Title from item., Date of publication supplied by Reilly., RVCDC, Purchase 1998., 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.
Date: [1866]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department *Political Cartoons - 1866-8 [9387.F]

Title: Lecompton funeral
Description: Cartoon satirizing Colonel Thomas B. Florence, the only successful Philadelphia Democrat in the Congressional race of 1858 despite his support of the recently defeated pro-slavery Lecompton Constitution advocated by President Buchanan ("Prince James"). Depicts Florence, with the head of a donkey, leading a funeral procession for the "dead" constitution. The procession is composed of: white men shipworkers of the "Two Sloops," which rescued Florence from the "wreck of Lecompton" (an allusion to the decisive electoral support provided by the Philadelphia Navy Yard workers actively supported by Florence's committee work); four, white men pallbearers carrying the "remains of Lecompton" in a coffin resembling an outhouse and inscribed with the names of the unsuccessful Democratic Congressional nominees, "Phillips," "Landy," "Jones" ; and two semi-human figures bearing the flag "discharged ship carpenters.", Title from item., Publication date supplied by manuscript note in Poulson's Scrapbook, Vol. 1, p. 29., Text printed on recto: Democratic committee bearing the remains of Lecompton to Prince James, marshaled by the only remaining representative, Col. T.B. Florence, who was rescued from the wreck by the untiring exertions of the workmen upon the TWO SLOOPS., Originally part of a McAllister scrapbook of Pennsylvania views and political miscellany. McAllister Collection, gift, 1886., 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.
Date: [October 1858]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Political Cartoons - 1858-2W [5759.F]

Title: The Salt River gazette---extra, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 1867 The Great Negro Party--born, 1856--died Oct. 8, 1867
Description: Cartoon publicizing the death of the "Great Negro Party" (i.e., Republican Party) as a result of the defeat of several Republican candidates to Democrats in the Philadelphia local elections of 1867. Depicts a series of racist captioned vignettes and caricatures. Includes the head of an African American man above a coffin inscribed with the life and death dates of the party (1856-Oct. 8, 1867); “a Scene at the Broad St. League House” depicting a white man minister forced to perform an interracial marriage between a white woman and an African American man; and a scene entitled "The Work of Congress repudiated by the People" showing an African American man lounging and watching white men labor to pay their taxes. Also includes an African American man dandy commenting in the vernacular on his making electors sick "dis time"; and a scene titled "Statue to be erected in front of the Union League House" showing the sculpture of an older African American woman on a ragged horse. The African American dandy caricature originally appeared as an illustration titled "S.S. Sanford in One of his Great Delineations of Ethiopian Character" in "Our Day," an 1860 circular that advertised his Sanford Opera House. The statue caricature originally appeared in the "Original Comicalities" section of the June 1854 edition of "Graham's Magazine" and was titled "Woolly Equestrian Statue of the late Mrs. Joyce Heth." Mrs. Heth, an early attraction of P.T. Barnum from 1835 until 1836, claimed that she was over 100 years old and a nanny to George Washington., Title from item., Date inferred from content., Originally part of McAllister scrapbooks of views of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania views and political miscellany. McAllister Collection, gift, 1886., 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 the Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett, Governor, 2013-2014.
Date: [1867]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department political cartoons - 1867-1W [5759.F; (2)1322.F.77]

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