Skip to main content

Primary sourcePainting14 March 1877

Torpedoes in His Path

Joseph Keppler · 14 March 1877

A Puck political cartoon from 1877 showing President Hayes carrying his cabinet through dangers facing his new administration.

This cartoon depicts Hayes as president struggling under the weight of political controversies and his cabinet choices.

Ask Rutherford B. Hayes about this sourceView the original(opens in new tab)
Political cartoon titled 'Torpedoes in His Path' by Joseph Keppler. A bearded man in a dark suit strains under a large open cabinet on his back, with several men peering from its compartments. Below, bomb-like torpedoes are labeled with names, and a group of top-hatted men in the background look on, asking whether he can get through without exploding them.
Joseph Keppler, "Torpedoes in His Path," Puck magazine, 14 March 1877.

About this source

What it is

This cartoon, titled Torpedoes in His Path, was drawn by Joseph Keppler and published in the first issue of Puck magazine on March 14, 1877. It shows President Hayes carrying a cabinet containing Vice President William Wheeler, Secretary John Sherman, and Secretary Carl Schurz on his back, while labeled "torpedoes" representing political dangers lie in his path.

Why it matters

The cartoon reflects how the press viewed Hayes's early presidency as full of political hazards, including disputes over Reconstruction, patronage, and reform. It shows the challenges Hayes's cabinet appointments faced from contemporary political factions.

Look closer

  • What does the cartoon suggest about the difficulties facing Hayes as he began his presidency?
  • Why might the artist have chosen to depict cabinet members riding on Hayes's back?
  • What do the labeled "torpedoes" tell you about the political issues of the time?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Rutherford B. Hayes on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

More Rutherford B. Hayes sources

Meet the AI Rutherford B. Hayes →
Speech

Primary source

Inaugural Address of Rutherford B. Hayes

Rutherford B. Hayes · 5 March 1877

Dark maroon cloth book cover with a faint embossed title area and subtle woven texture, showing no legible text. This appears to be the binding of a volume of the Hayes diary and letters.Diary entry

Primary source

Diary and Letters of Rutherford B. Hayes

Rutherford B. Hayes · 1834-1893

Painting of a crowded, domed chamber with rows of seated men in dark suits on a lower floor, a standing speaker in the center-right, and spectators packed into a balcony above. A red-draped gallery and marble busts are visible.Document

Primary source

Electoral Commission

1877

Full-length oil portrait of an elderly bearded man in a dark frock coat standing beside a red draped table with papers, against a dark, cloudy background. Signed and dated lower left.Painting

Primary source

Rutherford Birchard Hayes

Daniel Huntington · 1884

Black and white photograph of a bearded man with short hair in a dark suit jacket and vest over a white shirt, seated and turned slightly to the side, looking directly at the camera against a plain gray backdrop.Photograph

Primary source

President Rutherford Hayes 1870 - 1880

Mathew Benjamin Brady · 1870-1880

Ready when you are

Start chatting with Rutherford B. Hayes now.

20 messages free · No credit card · Available in 50+ languages.

Trial Humy for freeGet a quote for institutions