Judge — September 6, 1884 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon satirizes Major General Benjamin Butler's acceptance of a political nomination. The eight vignettes ridicule his positions and character through caricature: - **"Workingman's Candidate"** and **"Woman Suffragist"**: Shows Butler appealing to working-class and women's rights voters - **"Anti-Machine"** and **"Greenback" candidate**: Positions on political reform and currency - **"Soldier's Candidate"** and **"Political Clown"**: Mocks his military credentials versus perceived buffoonery - **"Honest Candidate,"** **"Prohibition,"** and **"Anti-Monopoly"**: Further policy positions The central panel—**"Insanity is the Political Clown"**—suggests Butler's contradictory stances make him ridiculous. The cartoon implies Butler opportunistically adopts whatever positions appeal to different voter groups, making him an unprincipled political charlatan rather than a genuine leader.