Macculloch Hall Historical Museum

Five years after Grover Cleveland served his second term in the White House he visited Morristown, New Jersey on October 30, 1902. He spoke to a packed house at the Lyceum Hall. Thomas Nast was in Ecuador at this time and writes home to his wife Sarah

Nast Letter.jpg

Letter - Thomas Nast to his wife Sarah

Five years after Grover Cleveland served his second term in the White House he visited Morristown, New Jersey on October 30, 1902. He spoke to a packed house at the Lyceum Hall. Thomas Nast was in Ecuador at this time and writes home to his wife Sarah. In the letter he writes: 

“And Old FATTY Cleveland is – was- or has been in Morristown – to help ally (?) the Democrats- well – well I would have liked to see the big fat chap on our small Lyceum stage- was there room for any body else.” 

Nast would pass away in Ecuador just about two weeks later on December 7, 1902. 

BONUS Primary Source Investigation- Thomas Nast Letter to Sarah Nast

Thomas Nast, "No Rest for the Wicked- Sentenced to More Hard Labor", Harper's Weekly, December 2, 1876

Why Nast Support Cleveland: In His Own Words

Thomas Nast (1840-1902) illustrated his support for Cleveland in the campaigns of 1884 and depicted President Cleveland in political cartoons while he was in office from 1885 to 1887, when Nast left 

. Click through the images to learn more about how Nast illustrated his support for Cleveland. Think about the news article from the previous activity and how Nast's words in that interview align with the images in 

Thomas Nast Illustrates Cleveland's First Campaign- 1884

Student Engagement: Political Cartoon Analysis

This is an illustration from 1884 by political cartoonist Frank Beard (1842-1905) in which Nast is depicted. Beard pokes fun at Nast for jumping ship from the Republican Party to support Grover Cleveland. Click on the stars to learn more about the imagery used by Beard to respond to Nast's change in political allegiance. 

The Response to Nast the Mugwump

Thomas Nast only created six cartoons in January 1887 before he parted ways with

, ending his 25-year tenure. He would again be published in 

 in 1895 creating 14 cartoons from June 15 through October 26 and then again in 1896 drawing just eight more cartoons in January and February. Nast would continue to freelance with other publications until his death in 1902, but he never achieved the popularity and influence he had at 

Click through the image to see a selection of Nast's work post

Thomas Nast: After Harper's Weekly

After completing the full resource kit, answer the questions.

Reflection and Discussion Questions

Grover Cleveland Campaign Badges, 1888, Silk, 55.111A-PP

The Three Campaigns- 1884, 1888, and 1892

Stephen Grover Cleveland (1837-1908) was the 22nd and 24th President of the United States.  He was the only President to serve non-consecutive terms (1885–1889 and 1893–1897), up until this year when President Donald Trump won the office for a second time. In 1884 Nast, along with 

 editor George Curtis, broke with the Republican Party to support the Democratic Candidate Grover Cleveland.

This Resource Kit explores Nast's illustrations in support of the first two-term President serving non-consecutive terms, his switch from a Republican to a Democrat, and Nast's waning influence as a political cartoonist. 

Resource Kits

Object Library

Museums

The 22nd and 24th President: Thomas Nast Illustrates Grover Cleveland

BONUS Primary Source Investigation- Thomas Nast Letter to Sarah Nast

Guiding Question