'John Bull's Neutrality - The Guardian of Civilization in Full Play'

'John Bull's Neutrality - The Guardian of Civilization in Full Play'

An American Cartoonist's Perception of British 'Neutrality'

While declaring itself neutral, and remaining that way for the duration of the war, some in the North believed that sympathies for the South permeated Britain's top levels of government. This image from Harper's Weekly uses the figure of John Bull in a more negative light. Setting two of Britain's prominent Confederate-leaning officials - John Russell and John Roebuck - in the form of dogs against Columbia (Union), Bull is presented as a distraction in her fight against a serpent representing the Southern rebellion.

John McLenan

Located in the Special Collections and College Archives, Musselman Library, Gettysburg College; Digitized online at https://library.artstor.org/#/object/SS7731291_7731291_10904008_GETTY

Published September 13, 1862

Public Domain

English

Still Image, Text

Political Cartoon