Judge — August 20, 1892 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Judge magazine cartoon satirizes Grover Cleveland and Adlai Stevenson (likely the 1892 Democratic ticket) by referencing their Civil War records. The title accuses them of sending substitutes to fight in 1861 instead of serving personally—a common practice among wealthy men who could afford replacements. The "Buffalo Beer Garden" setting and caricatured figures suggest these politicians enjoyed leisure while others fought. The visible signs referencing "Democratic Mass Meeting" and substitutes underscore the hypocrisy: they now claim patriotic credentials despite avoiding direct military service. This attacks their credibility as leaders, implying they avoided sacrifice during America's greatest crisis. The cartoon uses historical record to question their fitness for high office.