A satirical medalet dedicated to "The Stink Pot of American Journalism"

I am currently working on a notebook for my collection of 19th century presidential campaign tokens, medalets and medals. I had thought about writing a book, but it's just too much. There are too many items that are not numismatic in the DeWitt book which don't interest me. Collectors would also expect rarity ratings, which I am not in a position to offer for everything.

So, I am compiling this book for myself "because I have always wanted to read it." I believe that the late numismatic author, Roger Cohen, had similar thoughts about his book on half cents.

Many years ago I wrote a series of articles for a now defunct monthly newspaper, The Political Collector. I am using those articles in my notebook. Here is a part of a much longer article I wrote about the 1876 presidential election about newspaper editor and publisher, Charles Dana and a satirical medal that directed toward him.



This piece was commission by Isaac Wood, who as a financially independent numismatic collector. From 1868 until 1883, Wood commissioned the striking of many medals that were sold to collectors. The mintages were never very high, and it may have been more of a hobby than a business. This is one of four satirical medalets Wood made after the results of the 1876 election were determined.

Charles Dana rose to national prominence as the managing editor of The New York Tribune under the employment of Horace Greeley. Dana spearheaded the paper’s anti-slavery crusade prior to the Civil War. At the outbreak of the conflict Dana advocated an all out war against the Rebels while Greeley called for a less aggressive approach. Because of their sharp disagreements over war strategy, Greeley fired Dana.

Secretary of war, Edmond Stanton, immediately hired Dana as a special investigating agent for the war department. In that role Dana provided candid assessments of the military leadership in the western theater. Dana strongly recommended that Ulysses S. Grant be promoted to command all of the Army’s operations over the objections of general-in-chief, Henry Halleck. Dana was promoted to assistant secretary of war in 1864 and resigned from that position the following year.

After the war Dana organized and became the managing editor and part owner of The New York Sun. As editor Dana chartered an increasingly independent course from the Republican Party. He editorialized against the impeachment of President Andrew Johnson, but strongly supported Grant in the 1868 presidential election. As the corruption and mismanagement of the Grant Administration became evident, Dana joined the Liberal Republicans and gave a tepid endorsement to his old boss, Horace Greeley (The Democratic and Liberal Republican candidate), during the 1872 presidential campaign.

In 1874 Dana strongly backed Samuel J. Tilden in the New York gubernatorial race, and supported him again in the presidential election. Dana strongly criticized the Republicans’ post election efforts to overturn the results. The day after Joseph Bradley cast his decisive election commission votes that declared Hays the winner, The Sun reported that prominent Republicans had been camped around Judge Bradley’s home. The inference was that they had exercised undue influence over the Supreme Court justice’s vote. On the day of Hays’ inauguration Dana surrounded the front page of The Sun in black crape in mourning for the death of democracy. Dana referred to Hays as, “His fraudulency, the President.”

Dana’s defection was too much for some New York Republicans, and in retaliation they issued SJT 1876-8. The obverse of this medalet features a portrait of Dana and the phrase, “Dedicated to Chars. A. Dana editor of the New York scum, 1776 Phila.” The reverse reads, “The Chinese stink-pot of American journalism, Harmless but oh so foul! Phew!” Despite this attack The Sun continued to be quite successful for the rest of the 19th century. It attracted many top-notch young writers and was considered to be one of the city’s leading papers.

 

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Nice article.

 

I wish I had half your knowledge, just in general, not specific to numismatics.

 

Great writeup and fascinating piece. Those 19th c. guys weren't shy about their denunciations!

 

A cool medal and great write-up! Thanks as always for sharing!