The Great Congressional Tramp Bullying the Old Women of the National Household, by Bernhard Gillam, Puck, 1882 July 12
Item — Box: 1, Folder: 11
Scope and Content:
From the Collection:
The Helen Farr Sloan’s political cartoon collection (1802-1950) contains a variety of prints of political cartoons, illustrations, and caricatures from several different magazines. The collection contains pages from magazines, pages from books, and other prints that were not a part of a publication. The magazines featured include Puck, Judge, Vanity Fair (British, 1868-1914), Vanity Fair (American, 1913-1936), Harper’s Weekly, Gil Blas, Le Charivari, Truth, The New Yorker, The Illustrated London News, The New York Herald, and The Sun. There are other series included like Treagar’s Black Jokes and Le Gens de Paris. There are works from publishers like S.W. Fores, Currier & Ives, and J.Sidebotham. Also included are works by Rowlandson, which are individually published.
The first series contains cartoons from Puck magazine. Its materials are pages and covers from the magazine including the fronts and backs of the pages. The artists that are included are Frederick Burr Opper, Frederich Graetz, Bernhard Gillam, J.S. Pughe, James Albert Wales, and Samuel Ehrhart.
The second series contains cartoons from Judge magazine. The materials are pages and covers from the magazine and include both the fronts and backs of the pages. The artists that are included are Thomas Worth, Bernhard Gillam, Victor Gillam, and Grant E. Hamilton.
The third series contains cartoons, caricatures, and portraits from Vanity Fair (British, 1868-1914) and Vanity Fair (American, 1913-1936) magazines. The materials for the British magazine include the one-sided caricatures and cartoons featured in the publication. The material for the American magazine contains a portrait on the front and a table of contents on the back of the page. The artists that are included are Carlo Pellegrini (Ape/Singe), James Tissot (Coïdé), Thomas Nast, Leslie Ward (Spy), and William Henry Cotton.
The fourth series contains cartoons from Harper’s Weekly magazine. The materials include the front and back side of pages from the magazine. The artists that are included are William L. Sheppard, Charles G. Bush, Thomas Nast, and A.B. Frost.
The fifth series contains cartoons, caricatures, and illustrations from various magazines and publications. The artists and their publications include Théophile Steinlin, from Gil Blas, Sulpice Guillaume Chevalier (Paul Gavarni), from Le Gens de Paris, Thomas Rowlandson, William Summers, from Tregear’s Black Jokes, Charles Williams, William Elmes, George Cruikshank, Isaac Robert Cruikshank, Jules Joseph Georges Renard (Draner), Charles Robinson, from The Illustrated London News, Thomas Worth, Richard F. Outcault, from the New York Herald, Helen E. Hokinson, from The New Yorker, Charles Amédée de Noé (Cham), from Le Charivari, Sydney B. Griffin, from Truth, Oscar Cesare, from The Sun, and William Bruns.
There are a wide variety of themes and events covered in the cartoons and illustrations throughout the collection. There are numerous presidential elections covered including the elections of 1806, 1880, 1884, 1888, 1892, and 1900. The 43rd and 54th Congresses are both represented within cartoons in the series. Other events that are shown in cartoons in the collection are the Chicago World’s Fair/World’s Columbian Exposition, the Spanish-American War, Reconstruction, and the Kansas Exodus. There are also many representations of the Democratic, Republican, Greenback, and Citizens parties as well as Tammany Hall. Other themes included are immigration, Jewish communities, social ambition, weather problems, voting rights, the gold standard vs. free silver debate, diseases, family roles, plantations, white supremacy groups, Communism, financial issues, militaries, pic-nic societies, King George IV’s court, political corruption, and social events and issues. A large number of the cartoons included in the collections are products of their times and therefore many include racist language and depictions. The transcriptions and metadata associated with each cartoon is described as is for the purpose of providing the easiest access to the collection and does in no way reflect the views of Wilkes University or its archive department.
The first series contains cartoons from Puck magazine. Its materials are pages and covers from the magazine including the fronts and backs of the pages. The artists that are included are Frederick Burr Opper, Frederich Graetz, Bernhard Gillam, J.S. Pughe, James Albert Wales, and Samuel Ehrhart.
The second series contains cartoons from Judge magazine. The materials are pages and covers from the magazine and include both the fronts and backs of the pages. The artists that are included are Thomas Worth, Bernhard Gillam, Victor Gillam, and Grant E. Hamilton.
The third series contains cartoons, caricatures, and portraits from Vanity Fair (British, 1868-1914) and Vanity Fair (American, 1913-1936) magazines. The materials for the British magazine include the one-sided caricatures and cartoons featured in the publication. The material for the American magazine contains a portrait on the front and a table of contents on the back of the page. The artists that are included are Carlo Pellegrini (Ape/Singe), James Tissot (Coïdé), Thomas Nast, Leslie Ward (Spy), and William Henry Cotton.
The fourth series contains cartoons from Harper’s Weekly magazine. The materials include the front and back side of pages from the magazine. The artists that are included are William L. Sheppard, Charles G. Bush, Thomas Nast, and A.B. Frost.
The fifth series contains cartoons, caricatures, and illustrations from various magazines and publications. The artists and their publications include Théophile Steinlin, from Gil Blas, Sulpice Guillaume Chevalier (Paul Gavarni), from Le Gens de Paris, Thomas Rowlandson, William Summers, from Tregear’s Black Jokes, Charles Williams, William Elmes, George Cruikshank, Isaac Robert Cruikshank, Jules Joseph Georges Renard (Draner), Charles Robinson, from The Illustrated London News, Thomas Worth, Richard F. Outcault, from the New York Herald, Helen E. Hokinson, from The New Yorker, Charles Amédée de Noé (Cham), from Le Charivari, Sydney B. Griffin, from Truth, Oscar Cesare, from The Sun, and William Bruns.
There are a wide variety of themes and events covered in the cartoons and illustrations throughout the collection. There are numerous presidential elections covered including the elections of 1806, 1880, 1884, 1888, 1892, and 1900. The 43rd and 54th Congresses are both represented within cartoons in the series. Other events that are shown in cartoons in the collection are the Chicago World’s Fair/World’s Columbian Exposition, the Spanish-American War, Reconstruction, and the Kansas Exodus. There are also many representations of the Democratic, Republican, Greenback, and Citizens parties as well as Tammany Hall. Other themes included are immigration, Jewish communities, social ambition, weather problems, voting rights, the gold standard vs. free silver debate, diseases, family roles, plantations, white supremacy groups, Communism, financial issues, militaries, pic-nic societies, King George IV’s court, political corruption, and social events and issues. A large number of the cartoons included in the collections are products of their times and therefore many include racist language and depictions. The transcriptions and metadata associated with each cartoon is described as is for the purpose of providing the easiest access to the collection and does in no way reflect the views of Wilkes University or its archive department.
Dates
- Created: 1882 July 12
Creator
- Gillam, Bernhard, 1856-1896 (Person)
Access:
Anyone may access these political cartoons.
Extent
1 items
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Type of Material:
Political cartoon
Condition Note:
Fair. The material has yellowing with tears at the top and bottom of the page.
Measurement:
19.5 x 13.7 in
Title:
The Great Congressional Tramp Bullying The Old Women Of The National Household
Description:
This cartoon shows George M. Robeson dressed as a vagrant or a “tramp,” holding a club that reads, “Repn Leadership,” and the word “More” is branded onto his palm. There is a dog behind him, depicting J. Warren Keifer, who has a hat labeled “speaker” tied to him, because he served as Speaker of the House of Representatives during Robeson’s time in Congress. They are both entering through a door that is labeled, “Congress.” Below them is a broken plate with a fish that reads, “Old Appropriations $182,496,018 Administration 1868-76.” Inside the room are multiple men dressed as women around a table, who all appear frightened. Opening the door is William Windom, beside him is John P. Jones who is spilling the tea he was pouring. Across the table is John Sherman, fainting into John A. Logan’s arms, who has a necklace that says “306” on it. Also with a “306” necklace is J. Donald Cameron, who is on all fours and clutching onto Logan’s dress. Behind Cameron is David Davis sitting in a chair at the table eating an “Independent Plum.” William P. Frye is hiding behind Davis’ chair. Abram S. Hewitt is behind them holding a key into the lock of a door that says “Apportion Pantry,” with Benjamin W. Harris beside him. Frank Hiscock is standing behind the table, next to them.. On the wall behind all of them is a sign that says, “To Him Who Hath Shall Be Given.” Through the doorway running onto the scene is Uncle Sam and Puck, the magazine’s mascot. The cartoon is by Bernhard Gillam for Puck magazine. This cartoon may refer to 1874 when George M. Robeson requested more funding from Congress for the Navy. It was discovered that Robeson embezzled $15 million from the fund he was given in 1876. This is also why Hewitt and Harris are seen locking the “Apportion Pantry,” to keep Robeson from taking any more funds. The quote on the wall is a Bible verse from Matthew 13:12. Davis’s “Independent Plum” represents himself as an independent party. Gillam is an English cartoonist who worked on cartoons for numerous publications. He was born in England, but moved to New York as a child. He had worked as a copywriter until he began making cartoons for New York Graphic. He became a cartoonist and did work for Harper’s Weekly, Puck magazine, and Judge magazine, where he later became the director. Puck magazine commonly criticized Robeson during his time in office. The back of the cartoon features articles unrelated to the image.
Location:
Congress
Transcription:
The title is written below the cartoon, “The Great Congressional Tramp Bullying The Old Women Of The National Household.”
- Cameron, James Donald, 1833-1918
- Congress
- Edmunds, George F. (George Franklin), 1828-1919
- Frye, William P. (William Pierce), 1831-1911
- Harrison, Benjamin, 1833-1901
- Hewitt, Abram S. (Abram Stevens), 1822-1903.
- Hiscock, Frank, 1834-1914
- Jones, John P. (John Percival), 1829-1912
- Keifer, Joseph Warren, 1836-1932
- Logan, John A. (John Alexander), 1826-1886
- Robeson, George M. (George Maxwell), 1829-1897
- Sherman, John, 1823-1900
- Windom, William, 1827-1891
Creator
- Gillam, Bernhard, 1856-1896 (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Wilkes University Archives Repository
Contact:
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu