Judge — November 12, 1887 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This *Judge* cartoon satirizes Democratic politics by comparing a contemporary political figure to Henry VIII pursuing Anne Boleyn. The title suggests a Democratic leader is abandoning principle for romantic/personal interest, paralleling Henry VIII's break with Rome over Anne Boleyn. The elaborate court scene depicts figures in Tudor-era dress. The quotations reference Cardinal Wolsey's fall from Henry VIII's favor—a cautionary tale about losing power when a ruler becomes infatuated. The satire appears to criticize a Democratic politician for allowing personal interests to override political judgment or cardinal principles, much as Henry VIII sacrificed his alliance with the Catholic Church. Without additional context, the specific figure targeted remains unclear, though the comparison suggests the cartoon mocks Democratic leadership as dangerously swayed by personal favor rather than principle—a common *Judge* theme attacking Democratic politicians as morally compromised.