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Jeff Davis on the right platform, or the last "act of secession"

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Summary

A caricature of Jefferson Davis, probably issued not long after the bombardment of Fort Sumter, but certainly postdating his February 1861 election as president of the Confederacy. Davis is shown standing on a gallows, draped in the Confederate flag and wearing on his head a misshapen Phrygian cap. Under him is a "Secession Trap" door. He anticipates his drop saying, "O dear! O dear! I don't really want to secede this way--I want to be let alone.'" To the gallows crossbar is nailed a "Letter of Marque." (See "The Southern Confederacy a Fact!!!," no. 1861-22.) Below stand several observers, including many prominent secessionists who await their own execution with nooses around their necks. They are (left to right) Secretary of State Robert Toombs, Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard, Vice President Alexander Stephens, and South Carolina governor Francis W. Pickens. Each of them speaks. Toombs: "I begin to feel weak in the knees!" Beauregard: "Oh Jeff! Jeff! is that the elevated position that you promised me?" Stephens: "Alas! Alas! I prophesied in November that secession would be the death of us." Pickens is still defiant, saying: "Can it be possible that they will dare to hang a g̀entleman from South Carolina?'" Another state of the print, with skull and crossbones drawn on Davis's chest, was also issued (evidently by Currier & Ives) under the title, "Jeff Davis, on His Own Platform" (no. 1861-24).

Probably published by Currier & Ives, New York, in 1861 or 1862.

Title appears as it is written on the item.

Weitenkampf, p. 129.

Forms part of: American cartoon print filing series (Library of Congress)

Published in: American political prints, 1766-1876 / Bernard F. Reilly. Boston : G.K. Hall, 1991, entry 1861-23.

New York City from 1835 to 1907 headed first by Nathaniel Currier, and later jointly with his partner James Merritt Ives. The prolific firm produced prints from paintings by fine artists as black and white lithographs that were hand-colored. The firm called itself "the Grand Central Depot for Cheap and Popular Prints" and advertised its lithographs as "colored engravings for the people". The firm adopted the name "Currier and Ives" in 1857.

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Tags

beauregard g t gustave toutant davis jefferson pickens f w francis wilkinson stephens alexander h alexander hamilton toombs robert augustus flags confederate states of america lithographs political cartoons confederate glen estates jeff davis jeff davis platform right platform act secession vintage images 1861 south carolina prints 19th century fort sumter charleston american civil war civil war cartoon prints american currier and ives secretary of state flag jefferson davis governors politics and government elections political campaigns library of congress
date_range

Date

01/01/1861
person

Contributors

Currier & Ives.
collections

in collections

Currier and Ives

19th Century New York firm that produced prints from paintings by fine artists.
place

Location

Confederate Glen Estates ,  35.88118, -86.46305
create

Source

Library of Congress
link

Link

http://www.loc.gov/
copyright

Copyright info

No known restrictions on publication.

label_outline Explore Toombs Robert Augustus, Stephens Alexander H, Beauregard G T

Topics

beauregard g t gustave toutant davis jefferson pickens f w francis wilkinson stephens alexander h alexander hamilton toombs robert augustus flags confederate states of america lithographs political cartoons confederate glen estates jeff davis jeff davis platform right platform act secession vintage images 1861 south carolina prints 19th century fort sumter charleston american civil war civil war cartoon prints american currier and ives secretary of state flag jefferson davis governors politics and government elections political campaigns library of congress