The Wasp — 1881 — page 190: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon satirizes what appears to be a military or political figure finally achieving a prominent position. The caption "Mounted at Last" suggests someone has reached a desired rank or status. The circus tent setting labeled "Uncle Sam's Flying Horses" frames the scene as absurd spectacle. Two bearded men in military dress sit atop bloated, cartoonish horses labeled with years (1880, 1884), suggesting they're riding on election cycles or temporal progression. The satire likely mocks either the newly inaugurated James Garfield presidency (March 1881) or Republican political figures achieving power through questionable means. The circus imagery implies their authority is performative rather than legitimate—they're literally clowns in a sideshow rather than serious statesmen. Without clearer identification of the specific figures, the broader point is evident: newly mounted officials are fraudulent or ridiculous.