During the Presidential campaign of 1864 much ill-feeling was displayed
by the opposition to President Lincoln. The Democratic managers issued
posters of large dimensions, picturing the Washington Administration as
one determined to rule or ruin the country, while the only salvation for
the United States was the election of McClellan.
We reproduce one of these 1864 campaign posters on this page, the title
of which is, “The True Issue; or ‘That’s What’s the Matter.’”
The dominant idea or purpose of the cartoon-poster was to demonstrate
McClellan’s availability. Lincoln, the Abolitionist, and Davis, the
Secessionist, are pictured as bigots of the worst sort, who were
determined that peace should not be restored to the distracted country,
except upon the lines laid down by them. McClellan, the patriotic
peacemaker, is shown as the man who believed in the preservation of the
Union above all things--a man who had no fads nor vagaries.
This peacemaker, McClellan, standing upon “the War-is-a-failure”
platform, is portrayed as a military chieftain, who would stand no
nonsense; who would compel Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Davis to cease their
quarreling; who would order the soldiers on both sides to quit their
blood-letting and send the combatants back to the farm, workshop and
counting-house; and the man whose election would restore order out of
chaos, and make everything bright and lovely.