Judge — August 25, 1883 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Judge magazine cartoon depicts a mechanical figure labeled "Dorsey the Avenger" operating a lever marked "The Republican Party Must Do," with text on the lever reading "turning the rascals out." The figure being manipulated appears to be another man labeled with reference to "C. Dana" (likely newspaper editor Charles Dana). The cartoon satirizes Republican Party leadership, suggesting they are being controlled by external forces ("Dorsey") to pursue a specific political agenda—removing corrupt officials ("rascals"). The mechanical imagery implies the party lacks independent agency, merely executing predetermined actions. Scattered papers at the base reference "solid chunks of frozen facts," suggesting the cartoon critiques the party's claimed moral authority to clean up corruption. The exact historical context and identities require additional period documentation to confirm with certainty.