A complete issue · 16 pages · 1885
Judge — July 4, 1885
# Analysis of "The Judge" Political Cartoon, July 4, 1885 This cartoon satirizes wealthy New Yorkers' lack of patriotism on Independence Day. The Statue of Liberty (a recent gift from France, dedicated in 1884) confronts three well-dressed figures near a "Weak English Wall," asking if they have "patriotism enough to celebrate your country's birthday." Their response—"Nau... It's not English, y'know"—mocks the pretensions of wealthy Americans who mimicked English fashions and culture, viewing American identity as inferior to British customs. The cartoon criticizes this class for being so Anglophile that they cannot even summon patriotic feeling on the nation's founding day. The crude caricatures and exaggerated clothing emphasize the satire of their affectation and snobbery.
# Analysis: Judge Magazine Page **The Main Cartoon ("The Birth of Liberty"):** This allegorical illustration depicts Liberty emerging from a cannon's mouth like Venus from the sea, born during America's Revolutionary War. It romanticizes patriotic sacrifice and national founding ideals. **The Editorial Content ("Alien Americans"):** Judge attacks wealthy New York businessmen—specifically those refusing to fund a home for the Statue of Liberty (a contemporary controversy). The magazine argues that rich men, having prospered from America's institutions, show ingratitude by: 1. Lacking patriotic sentiment 2. Being "demoralized" by wealth 3. Directing their allegiance toward England rather than America (Anglomaniac references) The satire suggests these wealthy elites are "alien" to American values despite their citizenship—more loyal to British culture and class interests than to their own nation. This reflects Gilded Age anxieties about industrialists' perceived un-American materialism and Anglophilia. The piece ultimately uses patriotic mythology to shame the rich into supporting public monuments.
