Adventures of a state constable
Item Information
- Title:
- Adventures of a state constable
- Description:
-
Subject: Political cartoon satirizing corruption in the selection of Massachusetts state constables and in their application of the liquor laws. In five scenes. At top left, in "Sol Slink's soliloquy," a drunken man sprawled in the street next to a dog lifting its leg considers a job described on a broadside: "Guess I'll reform (hic) & borrow some clothes & get (hic) on the state con-stab-- constab(hic)lary 21 dollars a week (hic) and all the rum I wants (hic)" At top right, "Sol applies for a commish. Is introduced by a member of the House"; when the official sitting at his desk asks, "What are your qualifications?," the member of the House replies, "I knowed him 25 year ago" and Sol adds, "I been in every rum hole in the city." At center left, we see "Sol on duty. Looking in." at the window of a storefront with a large sign, "W.I. goods & groceries," but with "wines & liquors cigars ale" painted on the window; Sol says, "I guess I'll go in and get a 'smile' & have that fellow hauled up, he wouldn't trust me for a drink last week." At center right, Sol "Goes in and strikes 'ile'": at the bar, Sol asks, "How much do you want?" and the barman replies, "Seeing it [sic] you I'll stand treat. I've got no license to sell (croton oil) whiskey." The bottle in his hand, though it resembles a whiskey bottle, is marked "croton oil" (a strong purgative). At bottom, Sol experiences "The 'necessary' consequence. 20 minutes after." He runs down "Ram Cat Alley," dropping his walking stick and frightening a cat, as he exclaims, "I've got the cholera by godfrey Oh! my belly!!" A man opens his outhouse lean-to door to thumb his nose at Sol.
- Date:
-
[ca. 1866]
- Format:
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Prints
- Genre:
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Political cartoons
- Location:
- American Antiquarian Society
- Collection (local):
-
Political Cartoons from AAS
- Subjects:
-
Caricatures and cartoons
Political corruption--United States
Alcoholics
Liquor laws
Social life and customs
Officials and employees
Politics and government
- Places:
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MassachusettsSuffolk (county)Boston
- Extent:
- 1 print : lithograph, b&w ; image and text 43 x 30 cm, on sheet 51 x 36 cm
- Permalink:
- https://ark.digitalcommonwealth.org/ark:/50959/3x81fx916
- Terms of Use:
-
No known copyright restrictions.
This work is licensed for use under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (CC BY-NC).
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