Judge — October 3, 1885 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page depicts a political cartoon titled "The Ballot Makes Might," showing a large book labeled "1885" with a Republican Party banner (featuring Lincoln's portrait) as a bookmark. Two figures appear to be engaged in a violent struggle inside or emerging from the book—one wielding what looks like a club or ballot-related weapon. The cartoon satirizes the use of political force and intimidation during elections, particularly regarding Republican tactics around voting and ballot access in 1885. The "book-mark" visual pun suggests that political violence or coercion is literally marking history. The Republican imagery indicates this is likely critical commentary on GOP practices during the Reconstruction or post-Reconstruction era, when ballot manipulation and violence were serious political issues. The overall message appears to be satirizing the correlation between political power and violent intimidation.