Salus-Grady libel law

[5] The conflict between journalist and political figure would come to a head in Pennsylvania when the Republican Party nominated Samuel W. Pennypacker, then a sitting judge in Philadelphia, for the office of governor.

Although he was perceived as an honest judge, Pennypacker refused to acknowledge the corruption present in Pennsylvania's political environment, declaring that the government had "no ills that are worthy of mention."

Referencing the parrot's propensity for mimicry, the caricatured bird repeated the words of party elders: metaphorically, Nelan accused Pennypacker of being a rubber stamp for the desires of Quay and his cronies.

[4][2] Despite his victory, Pennypacker harbored ill will against the cartoonists, with his inaugural address criticizing "sensational journals" as a "terror to the household, a detriment to the public service, and an impediment to the courts of justice.

Philadelphia's North American newspaper proposed a new coat of arms for Pennsylvania featuring an impaled cartoonist's head, a gag and muzzle, a dwarf on a stool, a pussy cat, and a jackass in knee-high boots.