'A Demand That was Heard Around the World' cartoon   Save
Benjamin Harrison Cartoon Collection
Description: In this cartoon, President Benjamin Harrison (in office 1888-1892) is shown defending American honor against those who would usurp it. It refers to the Valparaiso Incident, in which two American sailors were killed in a fight while ashore in Valparaiso, Chile. Harrison had his foreign minister, James G. Blaine, send a letter threatening to terminate diplomatic relations. The Chilean government apologized and send reparations for the incident. The cartoon also shows that the rift caused by the Civil War was still a factor in national political life. Though the allegorical figures of North and South are united behind the President in his demands, they are still shown as separate factions within the republic. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: CA12_F01_01
Subjects: Harrison, Benjamin, 1833-1901; Presidents--United States; International relations; Political cartoons
Places: Benjamin Harrison Cartoon Collection