thecivilwarparlor:

Compromise With The South
This image was created by Thomas Nast in the fall of 1864. It was created at a time when Lincoln was up for re-election and there was a definite possibility that he would loose, as many Americans were tired of war and wanted a peaceful resolution with the Confederacy. It is a direct attack on the Democrats&rsquo; Chicago Convention, which called for a party platform of peace with the Confederates, which Nast saw as a total waste of those Union soldiers that have already died in the fight.
An Iconic reading of this image would deal with the values of the community that are reflected in the image. This image is clearly propagandist, pushing viewers to question what would happen if victory was given to the Confederacy. The disabled soldier extends his hand to Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy, who is also standing on the grave of a dead Union soldier in an obvious sign of disrespect. Columb