The Wasp — 1876 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a title page for a San Francisco satirical magazine. The decorative header features whimsical illustrations of creatures and insects around the large title letters. The lower cartoon depicts a "Great Auction Sale at Washington D.C. on Republican Principle, by U.S. Grant & Co." A auctioneer figure (likely representing President Grant) stands on a platform hawking government offices for sale—the sign lists positions including Posttrader, Customs House, Internal Revenue Collector, and Patent Office positions. Buyers in the crowd eagerly bid on these positions. This satirizes the widespread corruption and patronage system of the Grant administration, where federal offices were allegedly sold to political allies rather than awarded on merit.