"The Right Man for the Right Place" (Currier, 1856)
Fillmore stands calm between an armed Frémont at left and a dagger-wielding Buchanan at right, holding back both. Tells: each rival is made to call the other a violent label (Frémont: 'He's a border ruffian!'; Buchanan: 'the rascally abolitionist!'), and the two are drawn as equally combative so the peacemaker appears the only alternative.
- Date
- 1856
- Period
- Pre-1914
- Made by
- Nathaniel Currier, New York (publisher)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Cartoon
- Issuer type
- Media
- Regime
- Pierce Administration
- Leader
- Franklin Pierce
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Persuade or win support
- Event
- 1856 US Election
- Techniques
- Name-callingBothsidesism
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, retrieved October 2, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain: published 1856, US; LOC: "No known restrictions on publication."
Nathaniel Currier, New York, 1856 (LC-DIG-ds-00859); Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division
Text on the object
He's a border ruffian! and I'll shoot the Slave-holding Villain! [balloon, left figure] Stop! Stop! My friends, I cant allow any fighting, there must be peace between you as long as I stand here.— [balloon, centre figure] Let go! Let me at him! I'll make Mince meat of the rascally abolitionist! [balloon, right figure] Millard Fillmore [faint signature on the floor between the central figure's feet] THE RIGHT MAN FOR THE RIGHT PLACE. For Sale at N° 2 Spruce St N.Y. [Library marks, not part of the print: "A 4186", "Currier & Ives".]
