Caucus on the Surplus Bill
date: label: Date made
content: 1836-06
name: label: depicted
content: Van Buren, Martin
label: depicted
content: Jackson, Andrew
label: depicted
content: Taney, Roger B.
label: maker
content: Robinson, Henry R.
label: maker
content: Clay, Edward Williams
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: This 1836 print depicts President Andrew Jackson holding a quill pen and deep in thought, seated at a table with Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Roger B. Taney, and Vice President Martin Van Buren, discussing the “Surplus Bill.” This bill mandated that the federal surplus be distributed amongst the states for development, but Jackson and his “Kitchen Cabinet” of trusted advisors did not want to part with the surplus. The bill had heavy Whig support however and would likely pass via an override if vetoed, so Jackson was conflicted on what to do about it. Given that this bill came about at the end of his presidency, he knew that his decision would influence Van Buren’s presidential run, so he ponders, “What the devil shall I do Matty with this Bill? – If I veto it, they cursed Whigs are strong enough to pass it!!” Both Taney and Van Buren feel that “the people are too strong” to not sign the bill, and after much consideration, Jackson does sign the Surplus Bill into law on June 23, 1836.
label: Description (Brief)
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 (Brief)
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: Furnishings
label: Subject
content: Economy
label: Subject
content: U.S. National Government, executive branch
label: Subject
content: U.S. National Government, legislative branch
label: Subject
content: Political Parties
label: Subject
content: Political Caricatures
label: Subject
content: Glasses
label: Subject
content: Communication, letter writing
label: Subject
content: Chronology: 1830-1839
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.60.3401
label: catalog number
content: 60.3401
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Lithograph
label: Object Type
content: Lithograph
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: image: 9 1/2 in x 13 1/2 in; 24.13 cm x 34.29 cm