The Lightning Speed of Honesty

In "The Lightening Speed of Honesty," Nast drew Uncle Sam seated on the "45th Congress" snail. Under his arm is the Army and Navy payroll, and in his left hand is the money to pay it. In his coattail pocket in the “Resumption Act (of honesty)” and “Gold $ for $.” Nast was a staunch criticizer of Congress and their underfunding of armed forces. The Resumption Act was instituted as a means of reversing inflation caused by an overproduction of paper money (greenbacks) during the Civil War.

The Lightning Speed of Honesty
Thomas Nast
Harper’s Weekly, November 24, 1877
Engraving