Puck — September 17, 1879 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon satirizes what appears to be corrupt patronage or misappropriation of government funds. The central figure, labeled with "OBITUARY," is literally being buried by workers while politicians and officials stand nearby. A sign reads "W.M.E. COULDN'T CARRY HIS OWN STATE CONVENTION," suggesting political failure or scandal. The Capitol building visible in the background emphasizes this is federal-level corruption. The gravediggers and burial imagery suggest the cartoon depicts the figurative "death" of some Grant-era business or political initiative through misuse or incompetence. The tone is darkly humorous—treating political/financial corruption as a burial of public trust or legitimate enterprise, with officials presiding over its demise.