(MASSACHUSETTS.) Satirical broadside for a Fourth of July parade in Springfield. Letterpress broadside, 15 3/4 x 9 1/2 inches; repaired separations at folds, moderate foxing. Springfield, MA, 4 July 1866
New England towns had a long tradition of comical "Ancients and Horribles" parades on Independence Day. In the late 19th century, these were sometimes promoted with satirical broadsides. We've offered a couple of these in recent years which met with some interest (4 February 2016, lot 213; and 27 April 2017, lot 118), so here is another from this unusual tradition, although most of the humor is well beyond our comprehension.
This broadside is headed "H'All 'Ale!" and announces that "the Ancient and Dyspeptic Order of H.D. & P.H. will celebrate their 3,796,541th anniversary by a grand circumambulation. . . . The day will open of its own accord, like a stale clam." The elaborate order of march includes "the Springfield Aqueduct Company squeezing rotten lemons for the Home for the Friendless," and "Doctor G.W. Crazy, ears buttoned over his head with vegetable ivory buttons, holding in his hand a small vial of sugar pills." The orator of the day was the noted itinerant eccentric "Daniel Pratt Jr., the Great American Traveler, on a shutter, drawn by eleven lame grasshoppers." The program closes with an allusion to the battles of President Andrew Johnson with radical congressional leader Thaddeus Stevens: "The above will take place strictly according to programme, unless vetoed by Andy. . . . If vetoed by Andy, special authority to proceed will be granted by Thad." None traced in OCLC or at auction.
