Harmony in the wigwam! Democracy of the right brand-y. A comic scene ridiculing the Tammany Democrats of New York City. Tammany headquarters, known as the "Wigwam," here erupts in a drunken fracas over the Democratic platform for the presidential race of 1852.


A comic scene ridiculing the Tammany Democrats of New York City. Tammany headquarters, known as the "Wigwam," here erupts in a drunken fracas over the Democratic platform for the presidential race of 1852. The platform specifically endorsed the Compromise of 1850, which incorporated the Fugitive Slave Act, a measure highly repugnant to abolitionists and Free-Soil or Barnburner Democrats. The artist also capitalizes on current rumors of candidate Franklin Pierce's bouts of alcoholism. In the center stands a wooden platform, in the process of collapsing on one end under the riotous exertions of abolitionists. On the other end (at left) stand Pierce and his runnning mate William R. King. Pierce, visibly drunk and swooning, is supported by King. Yet he tries to speak, "Fel-er-cit-zens. I'm bliged to you. I, that is--King? did you put that "Bri" (hic) "Bri" (hic) "Brick!" (damm the word)--in my "Hat?" Fel--citizens? this is my mot (hic) mottoe! "Prin-Ci-Ples, Not, Men--Men, Not Prin-ciples" whichever is the most ex (hic) "Expedient" (damm the word). Fel-Cit-zens? hurray for the Dem (hic) Dem (hic) "Democratic Party." (damm the word) (hic) (hic) ah that last "Brandy Smash" was too Muscular for my constution. "King! King!" your drunk" King: "Come--Pierce stand up like a man, what will your friend think, if you are as limber as this after we get you in the White House, what will become of the country. Come now? stand up, or lay down, one or the other." King leads Pierce toward an Irish tough (far left), one of the party rank and file, who steps onto the platform and declares enthusiastically, "Your the boy for this crowd! slap down yer paw! . . . aint we a go in ter have a nice time when we gitm you in the white house? well we is! hoss! wont we lick Mexico again? wont we go ter Cuba and kiss the purty Spanish galls? wont we lamm the British? & Choke Louis Napoleon? well we will! . . ."


Size: 1788px × 1204px
Photo credit: © Niday Picture Library / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 1852, brand-, cartoon, city, comic, democracy, democratic, democrats, drunken, election, erupts, fracas, hall, harmony, headquarters, illustration, platform, political, presidential, race, ridiculing, scene, tammany, usa, vintage, wigwam, wigwam!, york