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Liberal Republican Movement |
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“Children Cry For It” |
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Cartoonist: Thomas Nast |
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Source: Harper's Weekly |
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Date:
February 3, 1872, p. 109
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Click to see a large version of this cartoon |
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Complete HarpWeek Explanation:
Undeterred by Curtis's plea for prudence (see "What I Know About Horace Greeley"), Nast moved directly
to challenge Morgan's portrait of Grant as the uncomfortable schoolboy. In "Children Cry For It,"
President Grant is feeding a steaming bowl of "Civil Service Reform"
gruel to a group of unreceptive Liberal Republicans, with Grant remarking,
"If You Can Stand It I Can." The lower caption is excerpted from
Grant's annual message to Congress of the previous December, in which the
president endorsed civil service reform.
Behind the steaming bowl of "Civil Service Reform" stand the perplexed
duo of George Wilkes (l), editor of Spirit of the Times, and Horace Greeley (r),
editor of the New York Tribune. In line on the front-right are (l-r): Senator
Carl Schurz, Senator Charles Sumner, Senator Lyman Trumbull, Senator Reuben
Fenton. Behind Sumner's shoulder is Congressman Nathaniel Banks; partially
obscured behind the heads of Trumbull and Fenton is Senator John Logan; and
behind Banks, wearing glasses, is Congressman James Brooks. The picture on the
left wall recalls Grant's Civil War service as Union military commander.
Editor Curtis again privately complained to Nast about his pictorial attack on
the anti-Grant liberals, but the artist's assault not only continued, but
intensified. Curtis was not alone in his assessment. Throughout the year a great
deal of ink was devoted to criticism of the work of the two major national
cartoonists, Nast and Matt Morgan. Their special discipline of caricature, the
portraiture of distortion as a vehicle for personal attack, struck many editors
as particularly wanton. As early as May 12, the Boston Gazette warned readers
about the excesses of "Caricature In The Canvass," and how it was
throwing all caution and restraint to the wind: "The Presidential campaign
of 1872 is likely to be memorable for the pictorial features of its warfare. …
There is an outrage upon propriety … which it is the duty of journalism to
rebuke in no uncertain tone." As the campaign wore on, the Brooklyn Eagle,
the Washington Daily Patriot, the Chicago Inter-Ocean, Atlantic Monthly, and
other periodicals joined in the condemnation. |
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