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Photo, Print, Drawing Position of the Democratic Party in 1852. "Freemen of America, how long will you be ledd by such leaders"

[ digital file from b&w film copy neg. ]

About this Item

Title

  • Position of the Democratic Party in 1852. "Freemen of America, how long will you be ledd by such leaders"

Summary

  • A crudely drawn satire bitterly attacking Democratic presidential candidate Franklin Pierce and appealing to the "Freemen of America." The print, possibly executed by a free black, criticizes the Democrats' platform, as established by the Baltimore Convention, which in the interest of preserving the Union endorsed the Compromise of 1850. More specifically the artist condemns Pierce's pledge to enforce the Fugitive Slave Act, included in the compromise as a submission to southern slaveholding interests. In the center Pierce prostrates himself before a "Slave holder & Peace Maker," a bearded man in wide-brimmed hat and striped trousers holding a cat-o-nine-tails and manacles. The upper half of Pierce is over the Mason Dixon line, his face in the dirt on the "Baltimore Platform." The slaveholder says: "Save the Union, / And with the "meanest" Yankee grease / Smear the hinges of your knees / And in "silence" pray for peace." Pierce, dubbed "one of the Southern "dirt" eaters "Saving" the Union," replies, "I accept this cheerfully." The Democratic platform is labeled "Southern pine" and is inscribed with reference to the compromise, "Fugitive Slave Law and nigger catching, and resist agitation on the Slavery question &c." On it lie a skull and crossbones, manacles, and a serpent. At far left is "the Devil come up to attend his revival," who commends, "Well done my faithful servants!" On the right is the infamous Hungarian general Julius von Haynau, who carries a whip and wears a "Barclay's Brewery" pitcher on his head. (Haynau was assaulted by Barclay employees while in England.) The Hungarian extends his hand toward the slaveholder, saying, "I feel quite at home in this company give me your hand my good fellow." Further to the right are Lewis Cass and Stephen A. Douglas, disappointed aspirants for the 1852 Democratic nomination. Cass says, "We are down Douglass, "Pierce" has bid lower than either of us." Douglas: "There is nothing impossible for a New Hampshire "Hunker" [i.e., conservative] Democrat to do in that line." On the ground nearby are the words, "the "slave&1ocratic miscalled the Democratic party, how they obey the "crack" of the slaveholder's whip!"

Names

  • Leach, William K.
  • Marsh, Bela, 1797-1869.

Created / Published

  • 1852.

Headings

  • -  Cass, Lewis,--1782-1866
  • -  Douglas, Stephen A.--(Stephen Arnold),--1813-1861
  • -  Haynau, Julius von
  • -  Jefferson, Thomas,--1743-1826
  • -  Pierce, Franklin,--1804-1869
  • -  United States.--Fugitive slave law (1850)
  • -  Devil--1850-1860
  • -  Presidential elections--United States--1850-1860
  • -  Slavery--1850-1860

Headings

  • Lithographs--1850-1860.
  • Political cartoons--1850-1860.

Notes

  • -  Entered . . . 1852 by William K. Leach, Massachusetts.
  • -  Sold by Bela Marsh no. 25 Cornhill Boston Mass.
  • -  Title appears as it is written on the item.
  • -  Blaisdell and Selz, no. 22.
  • -  Weitenkampf, p. 106.
  • -  Forms part of: American cartoon print filing series (Library of Congress)
  • -  Published in: American political prints, 1766-1876 / Bernard F. Reilly. Boston : G.K. Hall, 1991, entry 1852-25.

Medium

  • 1 print : lithograph on wove paper ; 31.3 x 42.4 cm. (image)

Call Number/Physical Location

  • PC/US - 1852.L434, no. 1 (B size) [P&P]

Source Collection

  • American cartoon print filing series (Library of Congress)

Repository

Digital Id

  • cph 3a12907 //hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3a12907

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2008661555

Reproduction Number

  • LC-USZ62-10485 (b&w film copy neg.)

Rights Advisory

  • No known restrictions on publication.

Online Format

  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

Rights & Access

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  • Rights Advisory: No known restrictions on publication.
  • Reproduction Number: LC-USZ62-10485 (b&w film copy neg.)
  • Call Number: PC/US - 1852.L434, no. 1 (B size) [P&P]
  • Access Advisory: ---

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Leach, William K, and Bela Marsh. Position of the Democratic Party in . "Freemen of America, how long will you be ledd by such leaders". United States, 1852. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2008661555/.

APA citation style:

Leach, W. K. & Marsh, B. (1852) Position of the Democratic Party in . "Freemen of America, how long will you be ledd by such leaders". United States, 1852. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2008661555/.

MLA citation style:

Leach, William K, and Bela Marsh. Position of the Democratic Party in . "Freemen of America, how long will you be ledd by such leaders". Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2008661555/>.