The Pedlar and His Pack or the Desparate Effort an Over Balance
date: label: Date made
content: n.d.
name: label: depicted
content: Adams, John Quincy
label: depicted
content: Clay, Henry
label: depicted
content: Binns, John
label: maker
content: unknown
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: This print while undated, references the election of 1828 between incumbent John Quincy Adams and war hero, Andrew Jackson. Political attacks greatly relied on character assassination during this election, and that is depicted in this print. Philadelphia Democratic Press editor John Binns, published the coffin handbill, alleging that six militia men were ordered executed by Andrew Jackson due to enlistment disputes following the War of 1812. Binns circulated thousands of these handbills in his paper, with the original version titled “Monumental Inscriptions!” depicting six black coffins labeled with the soldiers’ names and alleged infraction. The publication of this handbill proved disatorous for Binns, and he was forced to stop printing it after angry mobs threatened to carry him about town in a coffin. In this print, Binns is depicted carrying the burden eight large coffins as well as incumbent president John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay on his back. Adams and Clay were opponents and foes of Jackson, given what he and many Americans saw as a corrupt deal following the election of 1824. Jackson won the popular vote in that election, but due to electoral college discrepancies it went to the House of Representatives to decide, where Clay cast the deciding vote for Adams if he was promised the role of Secretary of State. In this print Adams and Clay are balanced precariously a top the coffins, with Adams stretching to reach the presidential chair topped with an eagle baring a patriotic shield. Clay realizes that he like Binns, is collapsing under the weight of the coffins, but begs Adams to hold on. Adams and Clay both suffered defeat when Jackson won the election and secured his place as president. One can infer that the two additional coffins carried by Binns were likely meant to be seen as for the Adams and Clay.
label: Description (Brief)
content: The artist of this print is unknown.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: World
topic: label: Subject
content: Furnishings
label: Subject
content: U.S. National Government, executive branch
label: Subject
content: Patriotism and Patriotic Symbols
label: Subject
content: Political Caricatures
label: depicted
content: Eagles
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Domestic Life
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content: Clothing & Accessories
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content: Peters Political Prints
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content: Art
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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.60.3379B
label: catalog number
content: 60.3379B
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Lithograph
label: Object Type
content: Lithograph
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: image: 9 1/2 in x 13 3/4 in; 24.13 cm x 34.925 cm