| It is no exaggeration to say that the fate of slavery hung
in the balance during the election of 1860. Illustrated magazines such as
Harper’s Weekly and Vanity Fair that had emerged in the late 1850s
were determined to increase their distribution and reader base by providing
political cartoons on the most debated topics. One cartoon, entitled "The
Political Quadrille: Music by Dred Scott," reveals this ambition. The
cartoon depicts four pairs of men dancing around Dred Scott, who is seated
and playing a violin. In the upper right corner, Lincoln is depicted dancing
with an African-American woman, signifying his alleged interest in abolition.
Lincoln and his supporters were often dubbed “Black Republicans”
because many Southerners believed they were determined abolitionists, despite
their Caucasian ancestries. In truth, however, Lincoln and most other Republicans
were moderates on the issue of slavery. They wanted to see its eventual
termination, but they were content with limiting its expansion and keeping
it out of the new territories. Nevertheless, Lincoln is strongly associated
with abolitionism in this cartoon. In the lower right corner, John Bell
dances with a Native American. Part of the Constitutional Union party with
strong support in the border states, Bell was a staunch supporter of preserving
the Union above all else. Stephen A. Douglas, the presidential candidate
from the Northern Democratic party, is represented dancing in the lower
left. On his website entitled Scartoons: Racial Satire and the Civil War,
historian Ian Finseth points out that his pairing with an Irishman is a
reference “to both his support among that group and the rumors of
his own belief in Catholicism.” The Northern Democrats had splintered
from the Southern Democrats because of differing views on slavery and popular
sovereignty. Northern Democrats believed in popular sovereignty, but remained
silent on the issue of slavery. They believed it was up to the Supreme Court
to settle the issue of slavery in the territories. Southern Democrats, whose
presidential nominee was John C. Breckinridge, believed in the institution
of slavery and its proper place in the new territories. Breckinridge is
shown dancing with then-President James Buchanan. The complexity of the
election and its numerous campaign issues are well illustrated in the frenzied
dance supplied by Dred Scott’s violin in this cartoon. |
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| Another political cartoon that had a large impact on its readers during
the election of 1860 was “Storming the Castle: Old Abe on Guard.”
Published in the weekly magazine Currier and Ives in late 1860, this cartoon
depicts the White House being defended by a vigilant Abraham Lincoln. He
is wielding a rail, depicting his rural upbringing, and a lantern that presumably
symbolizes his role as the new light for the nation. Three men are trying
to break into the White House: Breckinridge, Bell, and Douglas. Douglas
is being assisted by President Buchanan, symbolizing their partnership.
This pro-Republican cartoon attacked the legitimacy of the other candidates
while affirming trust in Lincoln’s sense of responsibility. Cartoons
such as this one are often cited for swaying the election in favor of the
Republicans. |
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| Another particularly popular pro-Republican cartoon is entitled “Progressive
Democracy—Prospect of a Smashup.” Published in 1860, this cartoon
depicts the inevitable momentum and power of the Republican Party. Abraham
Lincoln and Hannibal Hamlin sit atop the moving juggernaut, plowing toward
a cart straddling the railroad tracks. The cart is representative of the
Democratic Party, being pulled by differing interests, represented by the
candidates. This cartoon captures the confidence that the Republican Party
possessed for its presidential candidate, as well as its intense disrespect
for its opposition. |
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