Beschreibung:

Printed broadside, 19 x 24 in. Gedruckt bei King und Baird, Philadelphia (Printed by King and Baird). Rare Presidential Campaign poster from the 1864 campaign entirely in German to appeal to German-speaking voters. Pennsylvania had a large German-speaking population (and still does in "Amish country"), as did New York, Ohio, Missouri and several other states. The 74th PA was one of the better-known German-American regiments during the Civil War, and New York and Ohio each fielded ten German-American regiments. They were an important contingent of voters. Immigrants from all nations made up nearly a quarter of Union soldiers, and over 200,000 of those were German-speaking. Large Gothic headlines Willkuhrliche Verhastungen (Arbitrary Arrests). Then two columns: The Platform and The Candidate. Although our German is less than perfect, it appears that "The Platform" sets up a condition, and "The Candidate" gives McClellan's position on the argument set up in the platform. Under "Arbitrary Arrests," "The Platform" deals with military precedence over constitutional law in times of war, and notes that when the military prevails, both liberty and private rights are trampled. It goes on to point out that civil power has been subordinated and administrative powers usurped in states which are not in turmoil (presumably meaning those which did not secede). Then in "The Candidate" section it quotes McClellan's orders concerning the Maryland Legislature from September 16, 1861: ...it is necessary that a meeting of the legislature at any place and time be prevented. Keep yourself and your troops ready to arrest members of both houses. The list of who you should arrest, should include the administrators of both houses, secretaries, clerks and officials. Arrests have to be sure and without fail. My opinion is that the arrest should happen during the meeting. Below these two paragraphs is a second headline: Einmischung in die Wahlen ("interference in the elections") in which it is suggested that there was a shameless repression of the constitution in.... Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri and Delaware elections; that...will be regarded as revolutionary in forthcoming elections and will be combated with all the means at our command (translation from the German). In "The Candidate" paragraph, they quote McClellan's orders of October 29, 1861 in which he ordered enough troops so that pro-Union voters would not be intimidated by "disunionists" or interfere with their rights. The first sounds anti-McClellan, the second, almost pro-McClellan, although he did order troops to be stationed at polling places (which could certainly intimidate some voters, especially immigrants). The states mentioned in "The Platform" are, of course, all the "Border States," those with strong pro-Confederate populations, but which did not secede. The broadside seems to emphasize that these states were all being treated as enemy states, and their Constitutional rights were being infringed upon. A rare German language broadside, with most of the text intact. Provenance: Property of N. Flayderman & Co. Condition: Paper is very thin, brittle, partially separated at some folds. Most edges chipping, but only a couple words are impacted by the folds and chips. Overall in surprisingly good condition.