John C. Fremont and his abolitionist supporters are ridiculed. In particular, the artist condemns the Republican candidate's alliance with New York "Tribune" editor Horace Greeley and Henry Ward Beecher and Beecher's role in the Kansas-Nebraska conflict. Fremont (center) rides a scrawny "Abolition nag" with the head of Greeley. The horse is led toward the left and "Salt River" (i.e., political doom) by prominent New York politician William Seward. Fremont muses hopefully, "This is pretty hard riding but if he only carries me to the White house in safety I will forgive my friends for putting me astride of such a crazy Old Hack." Greeley: "Seward it seems to me we are going the same Road we did in 'fifty two' but as long as you lead I'll follow if I go it blind." Seward: "Which ever road I travel always brings me to this confounded river, I thought we had a sure thing this time on the Bleeding Kansas dodge." On the right stands radical abolitionist minister Henry Ward Beecher, laden with rifles. He preaches in verse: "Be heavenly minded my bretheren all / But if you fall out at trifles; / Settle the matter with powder and ball / And I will furnish the rifles. Beecher was linked to the New England Emigrant Aid Society, and was known to have furnished antislavery emigrants with arms to participate in the struggle between proslavery and antislavery settlers in Kansas. A frontiersman (far right), a figure from Fremont's exploring past, leans on his rifle and comments, "Ah! Colonel!--you've got into a bad crowd--you'll find that dead Horse on the prarie, is better for the Constitution, than Abolition Soup or Wooly head stew in the White House."
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