Interior of Tammany Hall, New York

This illustration in Harper’s Weekly is of the “Inside of Tammany Hall, New York [at] the Democratic Convention” (456-457). When doing a little research on this 1868 Democratic Convention, it became evident that the slogan for it was, “This is a white man’s country. Let the white man rule” (Politico Magazine). This can be seen as a way of proving Leverenz’s argument that “illustrations not only represent English imperialism, but also America’s eye toward expansion” (41) because imperialism is all about creating more power through diplomacy, and this illustration itself can be seen as showing that power they are creating.

This illustration is full of white men, there is not a single person of colour shown. Again, this furthers the argument that Ezra Jennings would not have been a respected man during this time since he is this exotic character in The Moonstone. The American pride and power they feel is incredibly evident in this illustration through the countless stars and stripes banners hung up around Tammany Hall. The illustration really showcases the audience it is intended for, and that is the strong white men who can show their power in society because of who they are. 

Davis, Theodore R. and Rockwood. Harper's Weekly: A Journal of Civilization. 28 July 1868, 456-457.

Glover, Juleanna, et al. “The Worst Convention in U.S. History?” POLITICO Magazine, 22 July 2016, https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/07/rnc-2016-worst-convention-historians-214091.

Leverenz, Molly Knox. “Illustrating The Moonstone in America: Harper’s Weekly and Transatlantic Introspection.” American Periodicals: A Journal of History & Criticism, vol. 24, no. 1, 2014, pp. 41.