THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES

In A Dangerous Stir: Fear, Paranoia, and the Making of Reconstruction, Mark Wahlgren Summers talks about how the current consciousness of Americans after the Civil War was “fear and paranoia” (2). To reassure the citizens of those in power, the government uses Harper’s Weekly to introduce the people in the government to try and eliminate the anxiety following the Civil War.

The page proceeding The Moonstone is a two-page spread of the image of the Supreme Justice Court and all its members. Following the image on the next page is a detailed explanation of each of the members and a brief history of their role in the government. The introduction of those in power is a way for the American to feel included within the political sphere in time, whereas stated by Molly Knox Leverenz, “a growing sense of American identity” (24). By building this identity, it diverts the citizen’s attention from the horrors of the Civil War and repairs the relationship with the government’s decision. The attempts to repair the relationship parallels Franklin as he has to prove his innocence after the Moonstone is stolen. Franklin’s main conflict is he must reconcile the fact of the evidence which points to him as the thief. His actions with Rosanna calls his character into question similar to the response of certain government actions of the people. It is proving his innocence and getting to know his character and building trust with Betteredge, Mr. Bruff and Rachel that clears him of the crime. This is similar to how Harper’s builds up the members of the Supreme Court.   

On February 24, 1868, twenty-three days after this issue of the Harper’s Weekly was published, the United States House of Representatives resolved to impeach Andrew Johnson, 17th president of the United States, for "high crimes and misdemeanors". Chief Justice, Salmon P. Chase also presided at the impeachment trial, which is depicted in the center of the image. With prior information given about Chase participating in the trial, it is breaking down the disconnect citizen have with the government and builds further trust as they know more about those making decisions at the highest level.   

Works Cited

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. 21–44.

Summers, Mark Wahlgren. A Dangerous Stir: Fear, Paranoia, and the Making of Reconstruction, Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2009.