Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-07-29
WARTIME DODGERS.
POLITICAL CARlCATURES NOW IN A
PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM.

POLITICAL CARlCATURES NOW IN A
PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM.
Comic and Uncomplimentary Al1usions to
on the Confederacy-Use of the Expres-
sion up Salt River"
Enshrined in several huge scrapbooks,
and in the custody of Stewart Culin of
she University museum, Philadelphia,
is the valuable collection of political
documents owned by the Numismatic
and Antiquarian society of Philadel-
phia. They relate to the period Of the
civil war and that directly preceding it,
and include election posters, campaign
documents, political brochures, carica-
lures, together with an exceedingly in
teresting set of envelopes with patriotic
devices, such as were used during war
times.
There is also lot Of 'Saltriver tick
cts, J" these, indeed, although Of little
historical Importance, forming to the
casual observer one of the most enter
tanning divisions CT the collection.
There have been several explanations
given Of the origin of the slang political
phrase, Cup Salt river as applied to
defeated candidate for election. One of
the most likely of these is found in
story that was told Of Henry Clay dur
ing his presidential candidacy in 1882.
Clay, it is said. was to speak one even
ing at Louisville, KY, and in order to
reach his destination hired boatman
to row him up the Ohio river. The lat
ter, however, happened to be a jackson
Democrat, and, pretending to lose his
way, steered the orator up Salt river, as
a continent stream was called, and SO
spoiled the meeting. Since that time
'Up Salt river" has become synonym
for defeat, and it used to be considered
a pleasantly to give political opponent
pass up Salt river as a prediction Of
political oblivion.
These tickets were freely used by both
parties and proved boon to the job
printers, who, with great impartiality,
printed the cards for each side and sold
them on the streets for cent apiece.
Some of the designs are indescribably
coarse. some are witty, some are vulgar,
and the majority Of them are crudely
printed.
The Oldest in the collection dates from
Nov. 4, 1856, and is simple yellow
ticket ornamented with rude wood
cut Of steamboat and bears the an
nouncement that the dilapidated steam
rer Opposition-Captain Fremont, Pilot
Fillmore-will leave this day for the
head of Saline waters.
At little later period Salt river was
varied to Saline springs, and in 1868
the steamer Copperhead was pictured as
snake. The same year pseudo rail
road ticket was printed which invited
the holder to accompany the peacemak-
er's excursion to a quiet retreat on Salt
marsh, which was described as a "place
we'll adapted for copperheads. but no
other kind Of snakes. -
The Democrats, too, used like de-
vices, and some very severe caricatures
were directed against Lincoln. A crude
design of this character represents
Columbia, looking not unlike a wooden
jointed doll, kicking Lincoln. bag and
baggage, on board black steamer about
the same size as himself, which is about
to set sail on stream of printers ink
flowing up hill to the upper left hand
corner Of the card. This bears the date
of Nov. 10, 1864, and the motto in
scribed upon it is: "For Salt river on
the steamer Abolition; King Abraham,
captain; A. johnson, pilot. The fate Of
Abe, homeward bound via Salt river"
Another card issued in opposition to
Lincoln, which does not properly be-
long to this category, but is classified
with it in the collection, is got up like
business card, which announces:
A. LINCOLN.
Attorney and Chancellor at Law,
Springfield, Ill.
To Whom 1t May Concern
Ny old customers and others are no doubt
aware Of the terrible time have had in cross
ing the stream and-wiu be glad to know that
will be back on the same side from which
started on or before the 4th of March next,
when will be ready to swap horses, dispense
law, make jokes, split rails and perform other
matters in a small way.
A card printed in April of the same
year is entitled ''The End of JEFF
Davis" and depicts the Confederate
leader as just disappearing up a tunnel,
supposed to represent the underground
railroad
Still another shows the public bell
man and advertises as lost "the old
codger, Democracy, who is described
in the text as wearing a cotton suit OF
southern manufacture and soft hat
twined about with copperhead snake.
An adoption of comic English print
personifies the south as belated trav-
eler who lost his way in the rain, and
after tramping through mud and slush
encounters a signpost pointed in the
direction from which he had come,
which bears the legend, 'sTo Union;''
upon which he excls.ims, Lord a.
mercyl I'm going wrong and got to
walk way back again.
More stinging is the sign in which
the north and south are depicted as lion
and jackass, and labeled, Zone of us
must conquer - To this class belongs
the designs in which the gallows figures
as the end of the Confederates and
those in which the devil is shown as
inspiring the southern gentry. Rather a
witty conceit is the motto applied to the
Union flag, 'sThese colors won't run, -
as well as that in which the coils Of a
rope fornl deaths head, which is Ia
beled, "The eud of secession ''-Phila-
delphia Record.