Judge — February 11, 1888 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts grotesque goblin-like creatures wearing wide-brimmed hats and period clothing, appearing to be presidential candidates in conversation. The caption's broken-English dialogue—"Ish dot so? Den I take me a four-years sleep!"—mocks immigrant speech patterns while suggesting that presidential candidates are essentially supernatural creatures or frauds. The satire likely targets the 1880s-1890s presidential race, using goblin imagery to dehumanize or delegitimize the candidates. The "four-years sleep" reference jokes that the presidency is worthless or that candidates are merely waiting out their term. The exaggerated racial caricature and immigrant mockery reflect *Judge* magazine's period attitudes, combining political criticism with ethnic stereotyping common to 19th-century American satire.