Title: the "mustang" team
abstract/medium: 1 print: lithograph on wove paper; 28. 5 x 39. 4 cm. (image)
summary: the abolitionist republican presidential ticket and its supporters in the press are the targets of the cartoon. Candidate fremont, wearing an emigrant's smock and carrying a cross (an allusion to his rumored catholicism), is in the driver's seat of a wagon drawn by the "wooly nag" of abolitionism. On the nag's back sit (left to right): new york "tribune" editor horace greeley, james gordon bennett of the "herald," and henry j. Raymond of the "new york times. " holding onto the back of the wagon is "courier & enquirer" editor james watson webb. The wagon also carries fremont's wife jessie, who holds a parasol and leans on a sack marked "bleeding kansas fund," a reference to hostilities in kansas between antislavery and proslavery advocates. The wagon has reached the "union tollgate" (left), which is tended by brother jonathan and an unidentified man (preston brooks?). Jonathan warns, "no sir-ee! you cant come any such load over us. " greeley: "come my good people open the gate its all right! we are the true 'union' party because we all ride on the wooly horse. " bennett: "ever since i mounted behind the old white coated philosopher [i. E. , greeley] i find that everything he says can be re-lied on. " raymond: "except when he calls me "'little villain'" and then he can't be re-lied on. " fremont laments: "there seems to be something in the road, but those fellows on the horse, will swear me through anything; so i'll keep mum. " webb: "hurry up there horace! or [southern democratic preston s. ?] brooks will be running his express train into us; i've had one ride on his cowcatcher lately, and i don't want another. " a ragged boy shouts to the driver, "cut behind!". Date: 1856. Collection: American 18th and 19th century cartoons.
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