Harper’s Weekly – December 14, 1878

As over-valued silver piled up in the Treasury, it didn’t circulate like gold. On occasion, Nast expanded his use of the silver trap by portraying it as the cause of inflation via Uncle Sam’s increasingly swollen leg. He updated Uncle Sam’s condition towards the end of each year.

Just before resumption began in January 1879, the first bulge appeared as Sam contemplated petitioning Congress for relief.