Judge — September 30, 1882 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Political Cartoon Analysis This *Judge* magazine cover from September 30, 1882 depicts a military officer (likely Secretary of War Robert "Chet" Lincoln, son of Abraham Lincoln) returning to work at the White House after a vacation. The satire plays on the phrase "a very successful vacation"—the White House door displays signs indicating it was closed for business during the President and Cabinet's absence. The caricatured officer in full dress uniform, laden with hunting trophies, suggests the vacation involved leisure activities rather than urgent government work. The joke appears to critique the extended absence of executive leadership, implying the government functioned fine without them—a commentary on either administrative inefficiency or the irrelevance of certain officials during the administration of President Chester Arthur.