Major Downing Queling the Riot in the Kitchen Cabinet
date: label: Date made
content: n.d.
name: label: originated character
content: Smith, Seba
label: depicted
content: Kendall, Amos
label: maker
content: Bisbee, Ezra
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: This undated print depicts the dissolving of President Andrew Jackson’s “Kitchen Cabinet” of advisors following the Petticoat Affair that stretched from 1829 to 1831. This was highly unusual, as it was personal disputes amongst the wives of politicians rather than political ones that upset the cabinet. Known as the Petticoat Affair, this dispute centered around Margaret Eaton, the wife of the Secretary of War, John Eaton. Other cabinet wives like Second Lady Floride Calhoun, and Jackson’s niece and official White House Hostess, Emily Donelson, felt that Eaton was not a proper lady and lacked the moral standard needed to be married to a cabinet member. Questioning of her character stemmed from her hasty marriage to Eaton, which resulted in controversy and rumors that they had an affair before her first husband had passed. Jackson sympathized with the Eatons and supported them, as he felt that the death of his beloved wife, Rachel was due to the stress of an intense campaign speculation that her marriage was not legal due to a miscommunication. After years of tension, Jackson called for the resignation of anti-Eaton cabinet members, leaving only Eaton as well as Secretary of State, Martin Van Buren and Postmaster General William T. Barry. In this print, the cabinet members are fighting each other with kitchen utensils and their fists. At the left of the print, Major Jack Downing armed with Jackson’s hickory cane is attempting to gain order. Created by journalist Seba Smith, the fictional character of Downing represented the common man and Jackson’s commitment to them. Peeking through the kitchen door is the spirit of Jackson watching the chaos. Below the print, is a textual explanation of the fight.
label: Description (Brief)
content: The lithographer of this print is Ezra Bisbee (1820-1856). Bisbee was a political cartoonist and print maker based in New York City and Brooklyn as well as on the island of Antigua.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: New York, New York City
topic: label: Subject
content: Furnishings
label: Subject
content: Communication, newspapers
label: Subject
content: Heating
label: Subject
content: U.S. National Government, executive branch
label: Subject
content: Political Caricatures
label: Subject
content: Pets
label: depicted
content: Jack Downing
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.60.3415
label: catalog number
content: 60.3415
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Lithograph
label: Object Type
content: Lithograph
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: image: 11 13/16 in x 15 9/16 in; 30.00375 cm x 39.52875 cm