The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-02-12
WARTIME DODGERS.
POLITICAL cARlCATuRES NOW IN A
PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM.
Comic and Uncomplimentary illusions to
Abraham Lincoln-Caricatures Bearing
ON the Confederacy--Use of the Express
sion "Up Salt River"

Enshrined in several huge scrapbooks.
and in the custody of Stewart Culin OF
the 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 salt river tick
ets," these, indeed, although OF little
historical Importance, forming to the
casual observer one of the most enter
tanning divisions of the collection.
There have been several explanations
given of the origin of the slang political
phrase, "Up Salt river" as applied to a
defeated candidate for election. One of
the most likely of these is found III q
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
continent stream was called, and so
spoiled the meeting. Since that time
"Up Salt river" has become a synonym
j. 20 no AnraH
pleasantly to give political opponent
a pass up Salt river as prediction OF
political oblivion.
These tickets were freely used by both
parties and proved boon to the job
printers, who, with great impartiallty,
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 a simple yellow
ticket ornamented with rude wood
cut of steamboat and bears the an
nouncement that the dilapidated steam
er 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 rs
snake. The same year pseudo rail
road ticket was printed which invited
the holder to accompany the peacemak-
er's excursion to quiet retreat on Salt
marsh, which was described as place
well 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 wooden
iointed 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 NJ 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; \. Johnson, pilot. The fate OF
Abe, homeward bound via Salt river
Another card issued in opposition &c
Lincoln, which does not properly be-
long to this category, but is classified
with it in the collection, is got up like
a business card, which announces:
A. LINCOLN,
Attorney ana Chancellor at Law,
Springfield, III.
To Whom IL Nav Concprn:-
My old customers and others are no doubt
aware Of the terrible time have had in cross
ing the stream and will be glad to know that
/ will be back on the same side from which
started on or before the 4th OF March next
when l viii be ready TO swap horses, dispens'
law. mako jokes, split rails and perform othei
matters in n 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 tunnel
supposed to represent the underground
railroad.
Still another shows the public bell
man and advertises as lost "the Ok
codger, Democracy" who is described
in the text as wearing q cotton suit o
southern manufacture and soft ha
twined about with copperhead snake
An adoption Of a comic English prin
personifies the south as a belated tray
eler who lost his way in the rain, an
after tramping through mud and slus
encounters q signpost pointed in tn
direction from which he had come
which bears the legend, ITO Union :;
upon which he excl.ims, Lord q
mercy I'm going wrong and got t
walk way back again. -
Moro singing is the sign in whic
the north and south age depicted as Ito
and jackass, and labeled, lone of I
must conquer. To this class belong
the designs in which the gallows figure
as the end Of the Confederates an
those in which the devil is shown a
inspiring the southern gentry. Rather
witty conceit is the motto applied to I'll
Union flag, "These colors won't ran,
as well rs that in which the coils Of
rope form deaths head, which is /;
beled, 1.-THE end OF secession. Phil.
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