Judge — June 25, 1887 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Judge Magazine, June 25, 1887: "Tough on Micawber" This cartoon satirizes two political figures both nicknamed "Micawber" (referencing Dickens's eternally optimistic character). The central figure holds a distressed child while addressing someone off-panel. The dialogue contrasts two "Mrs. Micawbers"—one from Garland (likely James A. Garland, possibly related to President Garland) and one from Cleveland (likely President Grover Cleveland). The Garland figure refuses positions like Supreme Judge or Inter-State Commissioner, insisting "I'll NEVER DESERT YOU, MR. MICAWBER!" The Cleveland figure responds with worry about the consequences. The cartoon appears to mock political patronage disputes and broken promises of political loyalty during the Cleveland administration, using Dickens's character type to critique politicians' self-serving optimism and unreliability.