Life, 1884-06-12 · page 12 of 16
Life — June 12, 1884 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Political Satire from the 1884 Republican Convention This page satirizes the chaotic 1884 Republican National Convention, covering June 4-5. The cartoon depicts a delegate asleep outdoors—the caption's dialect humor jokes about a missing mattress, mocking the disorganized proceedings. The text mocks multiple candidates: **Arthur** (gaining strength for nomination), **Blaine** (the "Plumed Knight," referenced mockingly for past scandals—"Mulligan" alludes to the Mulligan Letters corruption), and **Edmunds** and **Logan** (trading votes). The satire targets convention chaos: delegates stranded on a sandbar, prayers for rain during a wet season, lost votes constantly shifting. The final joke is cutting—Mr. West, presenting Blaine's nomination, is blind, yet praises Blaine's "immaculate" record, sarcastically suggesting the blindness is willful ignorance of Blaine's actual scandals.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE NEXT MORNING. Mos’ EXTRONNARY ! SHLATS ’PEER A’ RIGHT, BUT WHA’S BECOME THE MATTRESS? Mr, Edmunds escaped from his temporary managers and re- turned to town this morning. He is still somewhat thawed. Indications point to the nomination of Arthur on the third ballot. He has gained additional strength from a report that Blaine was Sux-struck again while indulging in indifference in his garden at Augusta. The town presents a lurid appearance. Quite a number of delegates are absent unavoidably. They went out for a sail in a schooner on the invitation of Mr. Haw- ley, of Connecticut. ‘Owing to their inability to steer straight they were stranded on the bar! Out of respect to their memory the Convention adjourned | without transacting much business and proceeded to pray for rain, although it is not a dry season, Your correspondent hes just appeared and I resign my pen to: | Send cheque to Burial Committee of Arkansas delegation. | him. By Private Pigeon to LIFE. June 4th, 1884. The Convention adjourned to-day. It is raining very hard and lightning rods are in demand. Mr, Edmunds is the only candidate here who is not provided with a rod. They cost money, and besides it is not likely that Mr. Edmunds will be struck. The mortality among Booms is increasing. By Echo to Lire, June sth, 1884. Business was resumed at ten o'clock this morning. Rumors of deals are rife. The Blaine men claim to have won over 10 votes from Arthur. Mr. Edmunds has captured five more from Blaine and has lost seven to Logan. Mr. Arthur has gained twenty from Logan. The Blaine men are jubilant over this and Edmunds seems disposed to congeal again, The names of candidates were presented this evening with more or less ability. Mr. Blaine’s name was presented by Hon. Mr. West. The speaker praised the Plumed Knight and stated that there were | none more fitted for the position in the country. He could see no blemishes in the immaculate hero of the field of Mulligan, This remark created quite a sensation in the Convention and | many were inclined to agree with the speaker. It is proper to remark that Mr. West is blind! The Convention then adjourned.