The Wasp — 1880 — page 24: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This August 1880 *Wasp* cartoon satirizes California's violent crime problem through a macabre heraldic design. Two skeletal figures flank a shield featuring a revolver and knife, with blood dripping below. A skull with crossbones tops the emblem, and the Latin motto reads "In Hoc Signo Vince" ("By this sign, conquer"). The satire suggests that violence—not gold, agriculture, or other legitimate pursuits—has become California's defining characteristic. The grim imagery mocks the state's actual coat-of-arms by replacing noble symbols with weapons and death imagery, implying that homicide and bloodshed are more representative of contemporary California than any traditional heraldic achievement. The cartoon reflects *Wasp*'s critical stance on crime during this period.