Life, 1884-05-29 · page 5 of 16
Life — May 29, 1884 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 299 This satirical page contains multiple political appeals dressed as mock endorsements, typical of 19th-century American humor: **"A Singular Discovery"** mocks the Lowell Courier, questioning a newspaper's credibility after receiving suspicious circulars. **"Comrades in Arms"** urges support for Civil War figures at Fort Fisher and Dutch Gap—likely Republican/Union messaging. **Other sections target various groups:** - Mourners of the "Lost Cause" (Confederate sympathizers) - The "tinted population" (Black voters, using contemporary racist terminology) - Mill owners and manufacturers - Different political factions The cartoons use grotesque caricatures and sarcastic "endorsements" to mock different constituencies and political positions. The overall effect is cynical commentary on post-Civil War American politics, where various groups are satirized for their political allegiances and economic interests.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
- LIFE: 299 A SINGULAR DISCOVERY. CONFIDENTIAL. UR Lowell correspondent last week picked up, as it fell from an express wagon, a large paper \ O Murderers, House-breakers and roll directed to Gen. B. F. Butler. As our corre- | i . pickpockets : Vote for the grand spondent’s only moral attribute is fidelity to his news- i old criminal lawyer—the cracksman’s last paper, he at once forwarded to us his prize, the | “4 refuge—the greatest Legal Bully since contents of which proved to be proof sheets of the tl Jefferies ! following circulars :— PERSONAL. ‘O Mill Owners and Manufac- turers ; — Stand by | your class! Vote for the old conservative monopolist, Benj. F. | Butler, of Lowell, who pays the lowest wages in New Eng- ~~ kee | cq IN DOWN-TRODDEN 5 3 - en. (re SONS OF TOIL. COMRADES IN ARMS!!! . ioe ET the “ Plain ALLY round your old commander! Fall in be- | fh People” stand hind the Hero of Great Bethel, Fort Fisher and g j Y \\ by the unfaltering Dutch Gap! Vittthtisp DYAI) an d_ disinterested By yj , friend of Horny- TO THE MOURNERS OF THE rid f yi \ (Qs, handed Labor! Fiat LOST CAUSE Ra y Mh AX money in sums to . Ba. < Py. suit. WORD in your ears: Remember | who supported Jeff. Davis at the Charleston Convention. TO THE TINTED 4 ere POPULATION. yer | ¢ | ‘O Politicians of all Parties :— san | Vote for the engineer of the ROTHERS, Salary-grab. [Say~ We '1/ try it again vote for old (5, ye when I'm in.] . Uncle Ben! 1 (7% ° : alone “ abolished slavery with a word.” [See works of the late W. Phil- lips. ] TO REVENUE RE- FORMERS. OTE for Honest Old Ben! Trust him to dis- pose of the surplus revenue ! TO THE UPPER CLASSES UPPORT RespEcrasiLity ! Benjamin F. Butler ever ap- pears on the platform except ina dress-suit ! comicbooks.com