A complete issue · 16 pages · 1887
Judge — January 22, 1887
# "Satisfied" - Judge Magazine, January 22, 1887 This political cartoon depicts a man in military uniform standing satisfied beside a grave monument. The inscription reads: "SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF JOHN ROACH / A VICTIM OF PARTISAN PERSECUTION." The cartoon appears to reference John Roach, a prominent 19th-century American shipbuilder who faced financial difficulties and legal troubles. The satire suggests that someone—likely a political opponent or the current administration—took satisfaction from Roach's misfortune, which the cartoonist characterizes as persecution rather than legitimate justice. The title "Satisfied" implies bitter irony: the figure is pleased by another's downfall. This reflects Judge magazine's typical partisan critique of political enemies and their vindictive tactics during the contentious post-Reconstruction era.
# Analysis of Judge Page 2 This page contains political commentary and social satire typical of Judge magazine. The main cartoon, "Progress of Decorative Art," depicts a man entering a room where decorative items are falling or in disarray, with a woman sitting amid the chaos. The caption suggests marital discord over domestic decoration—a common satirical subject mocking both bourgeois materialism and gender relations. The text includes various brief political jabs: criticism of David B's labor commentary, mockery of Grover Cleveland's temperament, commentary on Republican/Democratic leadership (Cole and Walker), and jibes at Warner Miller and other political figures. References to Abraham Lincoln and Susan B. Anthony appear in historical context. The satire targets political hypocrisy, marital tensions, and domestic pretension—typical Judge content mixing partisan politics with social observation.
