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Nothing New Under the Sun… Thomas Nast Calls Out Government Fraud…
April 20, 2026 by Laura Heilenman · Leave a Comment
Thomas Nast’s 1875 wood engraving “This Tub Has No Bottom to Stand On,” published in Harper’s Weekly, stands as a searing indictment of Gilded Age graft. In the cartoon, blindfolded Justice hoists a washtub labeled “Public Corruption” by its handles. The metal rings binding it—each stamped with the names of notorious syndicates such as the Tammany Ring, Whiskey Ring, Canal Ring, Indian Ring, and City Ring—snap apart under the strain. The tub’s false bottom, emblazoned “Tammany Hall 1872,” plummets to the floor, spilling a cascade of documented crimes: bribery, internal-revenue frauds, Custom House swindles, Crédit Mobilier scandals, Treasury embezzlement, and Post Office graft. Nast, fresh from dismantling Boss Tweed’s machine, used the image to declare that these interlocking networks of political and corporate plunder possessed no legitimate foundation; once challenged by law or public scrutiny, the entire edifice collapsed, emptying its ill-gotten contents for all to see.
Nearly 150 years later, the United States still contends with systemic corruption that echoes those same structural weaknesses. Transparency International’s 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index gave the country a score of 64 out of 100—its lowest mark on record—ranking it 29th globally and marking a continued slide amid partisan polarization and regulatory capture.
The parallel between Nast’s era and our own is therefore not merely stylistic but substantive. Both periods feature explosive economic growth, technological upheaval, and extreme inequality that lubricate the machinery of graft; historians routinely describe the present as a “second Gilded Age” precisely because corporate-political fusion and fee-based governance have reemerged in updated forms. Yet important differences exist: today’s watchdogs, independent prosecutors, and digital transparency tools act as faster-acting surrogates for Nast’s allegorical Justice, rapidly exposing and clawing back billions that once vanished into obscurity. The enduring lesson of the cartoon therefore persists undiminished: corruption’s tub still has no bottom to stand on. When accountability is applied—whether by cartoonist’s pen or federal indictment—the contents inevitably spill, reminding every generation that vigilance and impartial justice remain the only forces capable of dismantling rings that otherwise appear impregnable.
Who’s Who in Newspapers? Father Thomas edition…
April 13, 2026 by Phineas Q. Wryte · 1 Comment
The 13th installment of Who’s Who in Newspapers
Many visitors to the History’s Newsstand Blog are familiar with the Damascus Affair of 1840 — one of the most consequential antisemitic episodes of the 19th century. Far fewer, however, know the name at the center of the storm: Father Thomas. It is his disappearance that lit the fuse, and it is his name that echoed through the newspapers of the day — including the remarkable report shown below, from our original issue of The Times (London), dated May 8, 1840.
Father Thomas: The Disappearance That Shook the World
Father Thomas of Tuscany (c. 1768–1840) was a Franciscan friar and physician serving in Damascus, Syria, then under the control of Egyptian ruler Mehemet Ali. On February 5, 1840, Father Thomas and his servant Ibrahim Amara vanished without a trace. What followed was not merely a criminal investigation — it was a catastrophe for the Jewish community of Damascus and, ultimately, for Jewish communities across the globe.
French Consul Ulysse de Ratti-Menton seized upon the disappearance to level charges against prominent local Jews, alleging that Father Thomas had been murdered as part of a ritualistic killing — the ancient and thoroughly debunked “Blood Libel” accusation, which falsely claimed that Jews used the blood of Christians in religious rites. Under torture, confessions were extracted. Several Jewish men died in captivity. Others faced execution. The affair sent shockwaves from Damascus to London, Paris, and beyond.
What makes the Damascus Affair historically significant — beyond its immediate horror — is the response it provoked. Jewish leaders in Europe, including Sir Moses Montefiore of England and Adolphe Crémieux of France, organized an international campaign on behalf of the accused, traveling to Egypt to appeal directly to Mehemet Ali. Their efforts represent one of the earliest instances of organized, international Jewish advocacy — a precursor, in many ways, to the modern human rights movement.
The report shown in full below offers a remarkable window into how the affair was unfolding in real time. Sourced from private letters arriving via Malta, the account describes how the Jews of Alexandria petitioned Mehemet Ali on April 9th, asking that those accused of Father Thomas’s murder be judged by the Viceroy himself. Seven leading men were received at the Palace, where Mehemet Ali acknowledged he had never encountered such a charge against the Jewish nation in all his years of rule. Crucially, he forbade the use of torture against the prisoners — a directive sent by dromedary to Commander-General Scheriff Pasha in Damascus. The report concludes with a notable observation: “This spirit of liberality and justice on the part of Mehemet Ali is a striking symptom of the progress of civilization in the East.”
As for Father Thomas himself — his fate was never definitively established. The accusations against the Damascus Jews were never formally dropped, though the imprisoned survivors were eventually released following the international intervention of Montefiore and Crémieux later that summer.
History has long since judged the Damascus Affair as a grotesque miscarriage of justice, fueled by antisemitism and political opportunism. The Blood Libel charge had no basis in fact — then or ever. Yet it is the name of Father Thomas that remains permanently linked to one of the 19th century’s darkest chapters: not because he caused it, but because his disappearance became the pretext for it.
This original Times of London report offers readers of today an unmediated glimpse into the unfolding events of 1840 — and is precisely what makes collecting historic newspapers so endlessly rewarding. The news, as they say, never gets old.
Lead-up to a Nation… as reported in the newspapers of the day (reflecting back on March, 1776)…
April 3, 2026 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
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Colonies in Flux – The Influence of Common Sense (Lead-up to a Nation – E31)
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General William Howe – The Pennsylvania Ledger (Lead-up to a Nation – E32)
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The Siege of Boston – Debate at the House of Commons (Lead-up to a Nation – E33)
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Diverse Voices – Divisions of the Era (Lead-up to a Nation – E34)
We hope you are enjoying this year-long trek to the 250th anniversary of The United States through the eyes of those who were fully engaged, first hand. As mentioned previously, all accounts are rooted in what they read in the newspapers of the day.
“History is never more fascinating than when read from the day it was first reported.” (Timothy Hughes, 1975)
Mystery Solved … The Ancestry of Abraham Lincoln Clarified…
March 23, 2026 by Laura Heilenman · 1 Comment
We often discuss the legacy of our founding fathers and American heroes… highlights of their lives which leave an indelible impression on us as individuals or on the country we cherish. With all this focus, it is a shame we often miss the stories of their ancestry… the people and events that molded them into the larger-than-life figures we admire. Such is the case with Abraham Lincoln. Although we have all learned of his self-education in a one room log cabin and the deep loses he suffered as a young man, it wasn’t until 1925 that we were able to get a clearer picture of family members who came before and how their stories might have impacted the Lincoln. On February 8, 1925 The New York Times had substantial coverage of Abraham Lincoln’s grandmothers who had, until this point, not been confirmed. The paper goes on to say the stories of these ladies reveal. “Episodes of Heroism and Romance in the president’s Ancestral History”. Not unlike today, apparently, people at the turn of the century longed for a good paparazzi story as well.
Vanguard to Revolution…
March 20, 2026 by Laura Heilenman · Leave a Comment
One of the fascinating areas of historic newspaper collecting is the ability to see patterns over time. Last week, I found a Harper’s Weekly for a collector with a fascinating front page print that caught my attention and the caption triggered a deeper search. The Boxer Rebellion of the 1900’s included a group called “Vanguards”. Although familiar with this term, I was curious as to other times this concept had popped up throughout history. The following is an overview of my discovery…
St. Patrick’s Day…
March 14, 2026 by Laura Heilenman · Leave a Comment
St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner and with it comes a festive feel and a great reason to celebrate. Whether you are planning on a great meal at your local Irish Pub or some homemade Corned beef & Cabbage, there is something about St. Patrick’s Day that highlight’s Springs fast approach. So, enjoy your pint and grub, a good Irish movie (The Quiet Man is my favorite) and a walk down memory lane as you scan coverage of the oldest continuously running St. Patrick’s day parade in the world highlighted in the Mid-Week Pictorial & The New York Herald. Whatever your mode of celebration… May the Luck of the Irish be with you!
This Day Through History (as reported in authentic newspapers)…
March 12, 2026 by GuyHeilenman · 1 Comment
A birthday newspaper is a wonderful gift. But what if you could choose from dozens of newsworthy dates — all sharing that same special day of any month? NOW YOU CAN!
Pick any month and day below and we’ll instantly show you every historic newspaper we have from that exact date — regardless of the year.
Example 1:
Example 2: Newspapers Published on July 4th
Lead-up to a Nation… as reported in the newspapers of the day (February, 1776)…
March 6, 2026 by GuyHeilenman · 1 Comment
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Magazines of the Revolution – Wide Range of Daily Life (Lead-up to a Nation – E27)
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Reports from the New-England Chronicle – Assault on Quebec (Lead-up to a Nation – E28)
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The Massachusetts-Bay Proclamation – Turning Point Before Independence (Lead-up to a Nation – E29)
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Paul Revere – The Essex Journal & New Hampshire Packet (Lead-up to a Nation – E30)
We hope you are enjoying this year-long trek to the 250th anniversary of The United States through the eyes of those who were fully engaged, first hand. As mentioned previously, all accounts are rooted in what they read in the newspapers of the day.
“History is never more fascinating than when read from the day it was first reported.” (Timothy Hughes, 1975)
Perhaps the most experiential collectible?
February 20, 2026 by TimHughes · 1 Comment
My collecting gene kicked in at an early age. At some point when in elementary school I discovered that really old coins could be purchased—wow! I found owning a penny from 50 years before I was born intriguing and fascinating, even though others considered it nothing more than curious. They just didn’t get it.
I pursued the coin-collecting hobby for many years; heck, I still have many I purchased 60 years ago. But I must admit, collecting old coins is certainly not very experiential. There’s a date and a dead guy’s image on the front, and some curious symbol or building on the back. That’s about it. You can “experience” an old coin in about 3.5 seconds.
Some 50 years ago I discovered an old newspaper from 1827 at a flea market priced at $3. It was an epiphanal moment for my collecting passion. Here was something very old that could be enjoyed for more than 3.5 seconds. It was just a four-page newspaper but it must have taken at least 20 minutes to “experience” from beginning to end. News reports, advertisements, curious notes about travel, legal notices, criminal reports—all of it was so different from my experience I was living.
As I relegated my coin collection to a dresser drawer, I pursued more old newspapers from wherever I could find them. Each was a different experience from a different era. Not only were the news reports from the Civil War different from the Revolutionary War, & different from the 1920’s, but the advertisements, notices, and other quaint tidbits were much different as well.
At times I found inconspicuous, benign reports of no historical consequence to be more interesting than the news report which prompted the purchase. A benign listing of the West Point admissions for 1839 which included Ulysses S. Grant can be a fascinating find. After all, who cared about the name Ulysses S. Grant in 1839? Or what about discovering a small classified ad for “Lincoln and Herndon, Attorneys & Counsellors At Law” in an 1857 Illinois newspaper. Did I really care anymore about the report of political troubles in Kansas, the reason for which I purchased the newspaper?
And the capability of discovering intriguing reports—thanks to the internet–adds so much more dimension to early newspapers. It is common to read of fugitive slave reports which include the names of the slave & its owner, neither of which might mean anything to anyone. But a quick check on the internet for “Shadrach Minkins” unveils a fascinating and notable drama on the struggles & horrors of this runaway slave in 1850, greatly enriching the innocuous report by allowing the reader to experience a piece of American history that otherwise would have been easy to pass over.
This is what differentiates old newspapers from the rest of the collectible world. It is dramatically more experiential. What other collectible requires a half hour to fully experience? Stamps? Crocks? Matchbook covers? Furniture? Ink wells? Certainly not.
With an old newspaper, whether it be a $500 issue from the colonial era or an $8 newspaper from 1868, one gets far more than the report that prompted the purchase. Every early newspaper opens up an entire world of experiences just waiting to be discovered.
Arsenal of Freedom… America’s Leaders Work to Inspire…
February 16, 2026 by Laura Heilenman · Leave a Comment
The saying, “History never repeats itself, but it does often rhyme” is popularly attributed to author and humorist Mark Twain. Two weeks ago I wrote a post covering FDR and his famous “Arsenal of Democracy” speech. which was printed in several newspapers of the day, including The New York Times dated Dec. 30, 1940. Ironically, this week, I noticed something current with a Mark Twain history rhyming vibe. On January 5, 2026, Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth began his, “Arsenal of Freedom” tour. One of the fascinating benefits of reading historic newspapers is the ability to see patterns and, in this case, to see leaders, separated by decades, using similar rhetoric to rally America to step up in an era where she is needs to be her brightest and strongest. Despite the years between them, both FDR & Sec. Hegseth work intentionally to inspire and while we have yet to see the outcome of the “Arsenal of Freedom” tour, our hope is that we will indeed stand strong and be a beacon on a hill.
