Price
$22.00
Condition
used
Product Condition
Very fine
Size
5.5" x 3"
Jefferson Davis "I Only Wanted to Be Let Alone" Cover. Original Civil War patriotic envelope featuring a striking red-printed caricature of Confederate President Jefferson Davis.
The illustration depicts Davis being tossed skyward on the points of Union bayonets beneath the sarcastic caption, "Jeff's unbounded ambition gives him an elevated position." Above appears the equally pointed quotation, "I only wanted to be let alone."
A wonderful example of wartime political humor, combining anti-Confederate sentiment with one of the most famous phrases associated with the Southern cause. Attractive red ink patriotic designs are particularly sought after and display exceptionally well.
Unused and original.
One of the most enduring Confederate arguments for secession was that the Southern states merely wished to "be let alone." Northern cartoonists and publishers frequently mocked this claim, portraying Confederate President Jefferson Davis as the aggressor rather than the victim. In this humorous design, Davis is dramatically "elevated" by Union bayonets while proclaiming, "I only wanted to be let alone."
The caption below—"Jeff's unbounded ambition gives him an elevated position"—turns the phrase into a sarcastic jab at Davis, suggesting that personal ambition and rebellion, rather than self-defense, brought about his downfall. Covers attacking Jefferson Davis were popular throughout the war and remain among the most recognizable forms of Union political satire.
$22.00
used
Very fine
5.5" x 3"