Thomas Nast (1840 – 1902) was a pioneer in the field of political cartoons. He is notable for creating the elephant symbol for the GOP.  Nast’s works appeared regularly  in Harper’s Weekly from 1859 to 1860 and from 1862 to 1886.  The power of his work could against political corruption be seen in the fear that it brought to the infamous Tammany Boss William M. Tweed.   Such was “Boss” Tweed’s fear of Nast that he was quoted as saying:

“I don’t care a straw for your newspaper articles, my constituents don’t know how to read, but they can’t help seeing them damned pictures.”