New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-09-12
Caricaiure.

The pressure and hurry of modern life is so
great, and its duties so multifarious. that
there are many men who rarely have time to
read newspaper thoroughly. a glance at
the news summary, hasty perusal Of such
parts of the commercial report as interest
them is generally the extent of their read
ing. There are others who are not fitted by
education or inclination to appreciate the
weight OF arguments, and to whom even
reading itself is distasteful. The minds of
these classes are colored by juxtaposition.
Their opinions are formed not so much by
dlnt OF argument as by infiltration of senti-
ment. To minds so constituted n caricature
addresses itself with peculiar force. There
is no thread of argument to be pursued, there
is not that slow evolution of thought, which
is so difficult to the unframed mind, or so
dlstasteful to that already wearied with much
thinking.
Mr.. Mast in his caricatures is doing good
service. They gather up the weight of many
editorials and stamp it upon the brain at one
vivid impression. In recent sketch the real
character and ends Of the coalition are pre-
scented with an effect that many editorials
could not produce. We refer to that in which
large ape, in whose cunning features are
discerned the diaboltal lineaments of Gree
ley's ally, Tweed, is raking the Democratic
chestnuts from the hot stove by the paw of
large cat in whose snarling face and grotesque
face likeness of Uncle Horace is plainly
apparent. In the issue of this week the ar
fist Is equally as happy in his denunciation
OF the corrupt union of Tammany with the
Greeley faction. Horace is represented as
standing at the top of ladder, supported by
Schurz and Fcnton, spreading the old white
coat over the Tammany monument of infa-
my, as mantle whose stultifying influence
Fnrf N1NS
gends upon the column. Upon another page
the CALLING position of the World in the CON
duct of the Greeley campaign is shown FORTH
The callow Professor of Journalism who now
presdes over the destinies of the Tribune,
elatc with a proud sense of pre-eminence,
stands on high amid the tuneful choir, while
the Worfd is playing melancholy second
fiddle.
The use of pictorial argument is as ancient
as politics itself. Caricatures have been
found in Egyptian tOmbs. They were used
during the fierce turmoil with which modern
society arose from the chaos of the middle
ages; but it was not until after the invention
OF printing, when copies could be multiplied
indefinitely, that caricatures became for
midable force in politics. Modern caricature
took its rise during the reign of George H.,
when some clever amature artist attained
great notOrety by their hits at the follies of
the day. Previously sketches were emble-
NAUTICAL or allegorical in their nature, and
were the offspring of Dutch art Examples
OF this style can be found in Hogarth's
works.
1t was at time when English politics were
in state in some respects similar to the
present condition of affairs that caricature
as a political force received its greatest
impetus. 1t was during the reign of George
Ill The sold issues - of the American
war had been settled, and other questions of
public polity were presenting themselves,
when the nation was astonished to learn that
the leaders of two opposing parties had
cOalesced in order to form an administration.
As in all cases where principle is sacrificed to
obtain power, the coalition between Fox and
North was destitute of dignity, and by rea-
son OF its Heterogeneous constitution unable to
accomplish anything. Denounced and re-
viled on all sides, despite the conspicuous
abilities of the contracting parties. although
supported and defended by the stupendous
talents of Edmund Burke, an abrupt collapse
soon terminated its inglorious existence.
Nothing contributed more to this result than
the efforts of the caricaturists. The famous
Gillray then producedhis powerful cartoons,
and Sayer eXerted his great ability with
marked effect.
The gravity of the danger menacing us is
increased by the fact that the structure of
our Government does not admit of such
sudden termination to the misrule of shame
full alliance, but this knowledge so arouses
the people to the necessity of preventing
the dangerous occurrence that the coalition
will never be permitted to assume the con-
troll and to this happy consummation Mr.. Mast
will have powerfully contributed.-Ba
american.