The Wasp — 1878 — page 127: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts Britannia (the female personification of Britain), standing triumphantly over fallen figures and documents labeled with references to Chinese immigration and related policies. She holds a spear and wears military regalia with an eagle emblem. The cartoon satirizes California's constitutional debates regarding Chinese immigration. The scattered papers below likely reference competing political positions or failed legislative attempts. By showing Britannia dominating the scene, the cartoonist suggests British imperial interests or influence in shaping California's policies—possibly mocking California's immigration stance as overly influenced by British colonial attitudes, or satirizing how constitutional debates were being conducted. The "new constitutional dress" reference appears to mock proposed changes to California's constitution regarding immigration policy.