Settin' on a Rail.
date: label: Date made
content: 1837
name: label: depicted
content: Van Buren, Martin
label: depicted
content: Benton, Thomas Hart
label: originated character
content: Smith, Seba
label: maker
content: Robinson, Henry R.
label: maker
content: Clay, Edward Williams
notes: label: Description
content: Black and white print of Martin Van Buren straddling a rail fence. Men on both sides of the fence, representing the radical and conservative Democrats tug on his arms. Major Jack Downing, in civilian clothes, observes from the far right. Senator Thomas Hart Benton (March 14, 1782 – April 10, 1858) is depicted under the dialog box that reads "Solitary and alone I still cry Gold!" Benton was leader in the Senate and a strong advocate of "specie" or "hard money" which was gold coin or bullion rather than paper money backed by the gold standard or credit. This atance earned him rhe nickname of "Old Bullion." Hart was a supporter of Jackson and Van Buren.
label: Description
content: Other men at the right speak for "spoils" and "well regulated monopolies" while a man at the left waves a "Letter to Sherrod Williams" which represents Van Buren's platform in the campaign of 1836 where he favored a currency largely composed of gold. Additional dialog and phrases appear on the print.
label: Description
content: This print refers to the election of 1836. During this election the Democratic Party was split into two factions, the radicals and the conservatives, represented in this print by President Martin Van Buren sitting on a fence. Men on both sides representing the two factions are pulling on the arms of the president, both trying to pull him over to their ideas. On the left, are the conservative Democrats led by Andrew Jackson who are begging for “gold” and holding up copies of the Democratic newspaper the “Globe” and Van Buren’s “Letter to Sherrod Williams” that solidified his commitment to a currency composed of gold. On the right are the radical Democrats who are begging for a preservation of the current standards and that Van Buren not stray too far from the traditional party goals. On the fence, a visibly distraught Van Buren says, “Take care gentleman, you’ll have me off the fence.” He worried that their conflict would cost him the presidency, but he ultimately was elected.
label: Description
content: The lithographer of this print is Edward Williams Clay (1799-1857). Clay was a caricaturist, engraver, lithographer, and etcher, as well as a portrait painter. Before his career as an artist, Clay was admitted to the Philadelphia Bar, but quickly left to pursue art in New York City. After losing his eyesight he retired from art and held minor office in Delaware before his death in December of 1857.
label: Description
content: The publisher of this print is Henry R. Robinson (1827-1877). Robinson worked in New York, and had a store to sell his prints. In 1842, he was arrested for selling obscene pictures and books leading to the September 28, 1842 court case, People vs H. R. Robinson found in the District Attorney Indictment Papers, Municipal Archives. He was politically affiliated with the anti-Jackson Whig party which was made obvious by the wig silhouette used in 1838 as an advertising logo for his shop.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: New York, New York City
topic: label: Subject
content: Political Caricatures
label: Subject
content: Communication, letter writing
label: Subject
content: Economy
label: Subject
content: Political Parties
label: Subject
content: U.S. National Government, executive branch
label: Subject
content: Patriotism and Patriotic Symbols
label: Subject
content: Glasses
label: Subject
content: Chronology: 1830-1839
label: Subject
content: Walking
label: Subject
content: Communication, newspapers
label: depicted
content: Jack Downing
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Domestic Life
label: See more items in
content: Clothing & Accessories
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content: Art
label: See more items in
content: Domestic Furnishings
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Harry T. Peters "America on Stone" Lithography Collection
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: DL.60.3481
label: catalog number
content: 60.3481
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Lithograph
label: Object Type
content: Lithograph
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: image: 9 3/4 in x 15 5/8 in; 24.765 cm x 39.6875 cm