Cartoon from 1848 regarding Wilmot Proviso
Town & country making another drive at the great question.--No go!!" Cartoon (lithograph) rebuking Zachary Taylor for his failure to take a stand on the Wilmot Proviso during his 1848 presidential campaign. (The legislation proposed to ban slavery in all areas acquired as spoils of the Mexican-American War.) Text reads: Country: "Now then General, in one word, What er yer Principles? for d'ye see, if yer devoid o priciple, yer aint fit to govern this great Nation, not by a darn'd long chalk." Town: "Why-aw! yes Genl? demme! we must know your princi- ples before we vote. we must indeed, aw!--demme!" Taylor: "Confound you both, Read my last Letter!" Country: "It's darn easy to read Genl. but rather difficult to to understand--I guess." To the right of Taylor a black man cutting cane remarks of Taylor, "He! He! He dam cunning, he wants to get in fust. he keep dark on de Wilmot Provis till de beery last. de dam ole Fox.