Keywords: Whig primary 1848d.tif Political cartoon showing man in military uniform with epaulets and plumed hat holding sword and seated on pile of skulls A scathing attack on Whig principles as embodied in their selection of a presidential candidate for 1848 Here the available candidate is either Gen Zachary Taylor or Winfield Scott both of whom were contenders for the nomination before the June convention The figure sits atop a pyramid of skulls holding a blood-stained sword The skulls and sword allude to the bloody but successful Mexican War campaigns waged by both Taylor and Scott which earned them considerable popularity a combination of attractiveness and credibility termed availability among Whigs The figure here has traditionally been identified as Taylor but the flamboyant plumed military hat and uniform are more in keeping with contemporary representations of Scott The print may have appeared during the ground swell of popular support which arose for Scott as a rival to Zachary Taylor in the few months preceding the party's convention in Philadelphia on June 7 1848 On June 9 Zachary Taylor captured the Whig nomination cph 3f03760 1848 N Currier firm Edit of Durova's File Whig primary 1848b tif which is a restored version of File Whig primary 1848 jpg Her changes Rotated and cropped Dirt stains and streaks removed Histogram adjusted and colors balanced Additional changes Saturation reduced to remove colour fringing Levels adjustment Sharpness tool lightly applied PD-old Mexican-American War Whig Party United States |