Photo, Print, Drawing Democracy against the unnatural union. Trial Octr. 14th 1817. / designed and executed by one who has neither place nor pension.

[ digital file from b&w film copy neg. of colored impression ]

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[ digital file from original print, b&w impression ]

About this Item

Title
Democracy against the unnatural union. Trial Octr. 14th 1817. / designed and executed by one who has neither place nor pension.
Summary
A satire on the 1817 Pennsylvania gubernatorial race between William Findlay and Joseph Heister. The artist clearly favors the former, and charges corruption in Heister's campaign. Findlay appears to be buoyed toward the governor's chair by the voices of a crowd of voters, who stand around a ballot box (or platform) on the left. From various members of the crowd come the words: "voice of the people," "the man of our Choice," "Chosen with open doors," "no bribery or Corruption," "let me impress it on your minds who was nominated by 113 delegates of true Republican principles," "I will record the deed," and "True Democracy." Findlay says, "How easy do I ascend." On the right another crowd is assembled. Several men hold up a platform made of bundles of the "Aurora" and "U.S.Gazette" newspapers and "Shingles bought at 10 pounds and paid for at 8 pounds," which in turn supports planks "Federalism," "Old Schoolism" and "1364 Dollars." On top stands candidate Heister, holding a paper "Serious Reflections . . . " and saying "Mercy on me-What a foundation I stand upon!!!" Various people below say: "I would Vote for Old Nick provided I could get a good Office," "I am thinking to myself how foolish we shall look if we do not Succeed," "We must have recourse to all kinds of Strategem or we cannot succeed," and "I do not much relish this Union But Concience [sic] Avaunt." An eagle with olive branch on the left and lightning bolts on the right appears in the sky below the chair.
Contributor Names
Charles, William, 1776-1820, artist (attributed name
Created / Published
[Philadelphia], 1817.
Subject Headings
-  Findlay, William,--1768-1846
-  Hiester, Joseph,--1752-1832
-  Aurora (Philadelphia, Pa. : 1800)--1810-1820
-  United States gazette (Philadelphia, Pa. : 1824 : Semiweekly)--1810-1820
-  Pennsylvania--1810-1820
Format Headings
Etchings--Hand-colored--1810-1820.
Political cartoons--1810-1820.
Notes
-  Title appears as it is written on the item.
-  The print has been convincingly attributed by William Murrell to William Charles.
-  The Library of Congress has two states of the print, in the second of which the shading is reinforced with rocker or roulette work.
-  The Library of Congress has three impressions of the print, two colored and one black & white.
-  The second colored impression is from the Marian S. Carson collection at the Library of Congress.
-  Murrell, p. 95
-  Weitenkampf, p. 20
-  second colored impression (DLC/PP-2001:068)
-  Forms part of: American cartoon print filing series (Library of Congress)
-  Forms part of: Marian S. Carson collection at the Library of Congress.
-  Published in: American political prints, 1766-1876 / Bernard F. Reilly. Boston : G.K. Hall, 1991, entry 1817-1.
Medium
1 print : etching with red wash on wove paper ; plate 35.2 x 25 cm.
second colored impression 1 print : etching, hand-colored ; plate 35.5 x 25 cm, on sheet 46 x 29 cm.
b&w impression 1 print : etching on wove paper ; plate 35.2 x 25 cm, on sheet 38 x 26.7 cm.
Call Number/Physical Location
PC/US - 1817.C477, no. 1 (A size) [P&P] PC/US - 1817.C477, no. 1b second colored impression. (A size) [P&P] PGA - Charles (W.)--Democrary against ... Another impression, uncolored. (B size) [P&P]
Source Collection
American cartoon print filing series (Library of Congress)
Repository
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print
Digital Id
cph 3b36120 //hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3b36120
pga 05634 //hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pga.05634
Library of Congress Control Number
2008661725
Reproduction Number
LC-DIG-pga-05634 (digital file from original print, b&w impression) LC-USZ62-89749 (b&w film copy neg. of colored impression)
Rights Advisory
No known restrictions on publication.
Online Format
image
Description
1 print : etching with red wash on wove paper ; plate 35.2 x 25 cm. | second colored impression 1 print : etching, hand-colored ; plate 35.5 x 25 cm, on sheet 46 x 29 cm. | b&w impression 1 print : etching on wove paper ; plate 35.2 x 25 cm, on sheet 38 x 26.7 cm. | A satire on the 1817 Pennsylvania gubernatorial race between William Findlay and Joseph Heister. The artist clearly favors the former, and charges corruption in Heister's campaign. Findlay appears to be buoyed toward the governor's chair by the voices of a crowd of voters, who stand around a ballot box (or platform) on the left. From various members of the crowd come the words: "voice of the people," "the man of our Choice," "Chosen with open doors," "no bribery or Corruption," "let me impress it on your minds who was nominated by 113 delegates of true Republican principles," "I will record the deed," and "True Democracy." Findlay says, "How easy do I ascend." On the right another crowd is assembled. Several men hold up a platform made of bundles of the "Aurora" and "U.S.Gazette" newspapers and "Shingles bought at 10 pounds and paid for at 8 pounds," which in turn supports planks "Federalism," "Old Schoolism" and "1364 Dollars." On top stands candidate Heister, holding a paper "Serious Reflections . . . " and saying "Mercy on me-What a foundation I stand upon!!!" Various people below say: "I would Vote for Old Nick provided I could get a good Office," "I am thinking to myself how foolish we shall look if we do not Succeed," "We must have recourse to all kinds of Strategem or we cannot succeed," and "I do not much relish this Union But Concience [sic] Avaunt." An eagle with olive branch on the left and lightning bolts on the right appears in the sky below the chair.
LCCN Permalink
https://lccn.loc.gov/2008661725
Additional Metadata Formats
MARCXML Record
MODS Record
Dublin Core Record

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  • Rights Advisory: No known restrictions on publication.
  • Reproduction Number: LC-DIG-pga-05634 (digital file from original print, b&w impression) LC-USZ62-89749 (b&w film copy neg. of colored impression)
  • Call Number: PC/US - 1817.C477, no. 1 (A size) [P&P] PC/US - 1817.C477, no. 1b second colored impression. (A size) [P&P] PGA - Charles (W.)--Democrary against ... Another impression, uncolored. (B size) [P&P]
  • Access Advisory: ---

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Charles, William, Artist (Attributed Name. Democracy against the unnatural union. Trial Octr. 14th 1817. / designed and executed by one who has neither place nor pension. Pennsylvania, 1817. [Philadelphia] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2008661725/. (Accessed January 20, 2018.)

APA citation style:

Charles, W. (1817) Democracy against the unnatural union. Trial Octr. 14th 1817. / designed and executed by one who has neither place nor pension. Pennsylvania, 1817. [Philadelphia] [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2008661725/.

MLA citation style:

Charles, William, Artist (Attributed Name. Democracy against the unnatural union. Trial Octr. 14th 1817. / designed and executed by one who has neither place nor pension. [Philadelphia] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <https://www.loc.gov/item/2008661725/>.