Abraham Lincoln Campaign Propaganda, Democratic Catechism of Negro Equality, July 4, 1863

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• Lot Description

  Printed broadside, 6 x 9 in., on very thin paper. Democratic Catechism of Negro Equality. July 4th, 1863. At present affixed to heavy paperstock. Philadelphia: Johnson's, [1863].

  Abraham Lincoln and the Republican Party were accused of favoring African-Americans over white Americans, the Emancipation Proclamation did not sit well with everyone, nor did the enlistment of African-American troops during the war, which also was not going particularly well for the Union in early 1863. There were even accusations of Lincoln himself being of African descent. Lincoln fully expected to lose the election the following year, and with the war raging, both parties played the "race card."

  The so-called "Copperheads," a faction of the Northern Democrats wanted immediate peace with the Confederacy, and encouraged soldiers to desert, draft resistance, and other civil disobedience. They were particularly a Republican target in the mid-war elections.

  To counter the claims of "favoritism," this broadside was issued. The broadside takes the form of Questions and Answers, showing that Democrats had a long history of favoring negroes. For example:

  ...Who gave the negroes the right of suffrage in New York; The Democratic party.
  Who presided over the convention which gave this privilege to negroes? Martin Van Buren, a Democrat....
  Who made the negro a citizen of the State of Maine? The Democratic party.
  Who enacted a similar law in Massachusetts? The Democratic party....
  Who helped to give free negroes the right to vote in Tennessee under her Constitution of 1796? General Jackson.
  Was General Jackson a good Democrat? He generally passed as such.
  Who with the above facts, and many others, staring them in the face, are continually whining about "negro suffrage" and negro equality? The Democratic party.
  All these things were done by Democrats, and yet they deny being in favor of negro equality, and charge it upon the Republicans - just like the thief who cries "stop thief" the loudest.
  N.B. - Send your Democratic friend one of these Valuable Documents, Sold Wholesale and Retail at Johnson's, No. 7 North Tenth Street, Philadelphia, Pa.

  Generally attributed to the Republican Party as early literature in the Lincoln bid for re-election. However, OCLC locates a similar broadside, with the title "A Short Catechism on Negro Equality." This example is dated 1837-1841, and only one institution, the Library of Virginia, is shown holding it. There are a few differences in the questions, such as: "Who procured a negro woman to deliver abolition lectures in Bridesburg? Henry W. Ditman, a leader of the Democratic Party." The remainder is essentially the same, including the last paragraph, mentioning the Republicans. It is generally agreed that the modern Party formed in 1854, out of a coalition of anti-slavery Whigs and Free Soil Democrats, which would suggest the date as later than the 1830s.

  There appear to be two Civil War editions, both with the title "Democratic Catechism of Negro Equality": the one offered here, generally dated to 1863 from the date just below the title, and 1864, which has an additional question at the end of the list: "Who voted against the White Soldier voting in Penn'a in 1864? The Democratic party," and an additional ad in the footnote ("N.B.") for Johnson's - "See his Political Songs," not found in the 1863 edition.

  WorldCat finds four "hard" copies of the 1863 printing and six microform (microfiche) copies, plus 94 copies of the 1864 - 93 "hard" copies ("book"), one microform, one "ebook" (Cornell) and possibly one at Chicago Public (labeled by WorldCat as "1865?"). There seems to be some variation in each of these printings, particularly with regard to font and capitalizations within the text.

  There is another "Shorter Catechism" that is only 3.75 x 6 in., and is not found in any institution by WorldCat.

  A scarce broadside that foreshadows the modern Civil Rights movements.

  
  
  Provenance: Property of N. Flayderman & Co.
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