3-011-448 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Presidential electioneering in New York: torchlight procession of the M'Clellan party, 1864. Engraving of a sketch by Mr. C. D. Shanly. '...there was another tremendous demonstration here in favour of M'Clellan and Pendleton for the presidency and vice-presidency of the United States, respectively...There was an endless torchlight procession of the M'Clellanites belonging to the several wards of the city; and the torches, every now and then, discharged globes of fire and showers of sparks into the air. All was a blaze of many-coloured light...Conspicuous in the procession were a number of large waggons, draped with the national flag and hung around with Chinese lanterns and other luminous objects. So crowded were these vehicles that they resembled moving pyramids of acrobats. They all displayed an immense variety of transparencies...I noticed one of them with a large stuffed eagle mounted over it upon rods, in a position intended to represent the sweeping soar of that noble bird. The jokes of Mr. Lincoln were a favourite subject for the legends upon the transparencies...The sentiment throughout this demonstration was one of disgust with the [US Civil] war; the feeling, that with the election of M'Clellan peace will be restored - somehow'. From "Illustrated London News", 1864.