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Electoral College Controversy: Civil War, Part II? |
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"Justice Brings Peace" |
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Cartoonist: Thomas Nast |
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Source: Harper's Weekly |
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Date:
January 13, 1877, p. 21
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Click to see a large version of this cartoon |
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Complete HarpWeek Explanation:
This Thomas Nast cover illustration (which was on the newsstands January 3)
combines classical with traditional New Year's iconography to comment on the
disputed presidential election. The old year of 1876 is the Grim Reaper, holding
his scythe for gathering those marked for death and his hourglass denoting
passing time, while buzzards hover overhead. The New Year's cherub offers an
olive branch of peace. He is cradled by the goddess of Justice, who carries her
scales and sword of justice, as the dove of peace flies above them.
In the background is the Capitol building, which in the 19th century was the
common symbol of the federal government, rather than the White House, because
Congress was the dominant branch in theory and usually in practice. In this
instance, it was the place where Congressmen would forge a process for deciding
the contested election. The quote from Shakespeare's Henry VIII encourages
political leaders to be honest and do justice. For Nast that means recognizing
Democratic vote fraud (not the possibility of Republican corruption) and
awarding all the electoral votes in question to Hayes. |
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