Lincoln with Major Union Figures

This large engraving titled Union was published at the close of the Civil War, in about 1865. Presumably the picture celebrates the return of peace, the union of states, and the national leaders who contributed to winning the war. Yet in reality, this engraving is an altered version of a print first published in 1852, at a time of growing sectional strife that would soon lead to secession and war. The artistic alterations involved the replacement of several prominent southerners with northerners, most noticeably the figure of Senator John C. Calhoun of South Carolina with that of President Abraham Lincoln, shown in the center with one hand resting on the Constitution and the other holding a pen. Other prominent figures include General Winfield Scott, seated far left; Senator Henry Clay, seated center; and Senator Daniel Webster, standing beside the bust of George Washington.