Fording Salt River
date: label: Date made
content: 1848
name: label: depicted
content: Van Buren, Martin
label: depicted
content: Taylor, Zachary
label: depicted
content: Clay, Henry
label: depicted
content: Greeley, Horace
label: depicted
content: Clay, Cassius Marcellus
label: depicted
content: Van Buren, John
label: maker
content: Baillie, James S.
label: artist
content: Bucholzer, H.
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: This print is a commentary on the election of 1848. In this image, Free Soil Party candidate, Martin Van Buren is riding on the back of his son John, whose long legs are what is carrying him across “Salt River” to the White House on the far shore. “Salt River” was a well-known symbol for political ruin, and it is only through John’s help that Martin makes it through. John was a driving force behind the merger of the Liberty and Free Soil Parties that nominated Martin for the presidency, and he acknowledges this saying, “Thanks to your long legs, John, I believe that I shall pass over this Jordan dry shod.” While John is carrying Martin to the presidency, abolitionist editor Horace Greeley and candidates, Zachery Taylor and Henry Clay are drowning. Clay is immersed head first with only his feet showing, while both Taylor and Greeley are up to their necks. Clay refused to support the Wilmot Proviso that stated Congress had the moral duty to ban slavery, and that decision greatly influenced his loss of the Whig nomination. Taylor is up to his neck in the river, but he had the support of Henry Clay’s cousin, the abolitionist and Kentucky Whig leader Cassius Clay, which helped secure him the nomination. Greeley yells to Cassius who is seated on the bank for help, but he replies, “can’t come there Horace, I risked my life in Mexico and I don’t like to do it again.” The Democratic nominee for president, Lewis Cass was not present in this print, meaning that it was likely printed before the nominating conventions.
label: Description (Brief)
content: The lithographer as detailed by the print is H. Bucholzer, but it is most likely actually H. Bucholaer. Bucholaer was a cartoonist in New York City who worked closely with publisher, James Baillie, whose work included pro- and anti- Clay, pro- Polk, and anti- Van Buren cartoons. The publisher of the print is James S. Baillie. He was active in New York from 1838 to 1855, and known for his hand coloring as well as lithography in addition to publishing. Baillie worked as a colorist for Currier and Ives, but is well known for his own work, including many prints depicting the Election of 1848.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: New York, New York City
label: depicted
content: United States: District of Columbia, White House
topic: label: Subject
content: Architecture, Historic Residences
label: Subject
content: Patriotism and Patriotic Symbols
label: Subject
content: Chronology: 1840-1849
label: Subject
content: Political Caricatures
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.60.3410
label: catalog number
content: 60.3410
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Lithograph
label: Object Type
content: Lithograph
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: image: 7 7/8 in x 15 3/8 in; 20.0025 cm x 39.0525 cm