Troubled treasures. Book illustration from Library of Congress

A crudely drawn anti-Jackson satire, applauding Henry Clay's orchestration of Congressional resistance to the President's plan to withdraw Treasury funds from the Bank of the United States. The print also attacks Vice-President Van Buren's purported manipulation of administration fiscal policy. The title continues, "Shewing the Beneficial Effects of Clay & Co's Highly Approved Congress Water administered to a very old man sick of the Deposite [sic] Fever caused by wearing Van Buren's newly invented Patent Magic High Pressure Cabinet Spectacles." In the center Jackson, wearing dark spectacles, bends over, vomiting papers inscribed "Veto", "Responsibility" and "Message" while Henry Clay (seated at table, left) and Major Jack Downing (laughing, right) look on and comment. Clay holds a bottle, having just administered his "Congress Water" to Jackson: "'Tis good Chieftain 'twill bring forth Offensive matter." Downing: "...I kinder hinted To the Jinerl I ges'd Congress-Water and Responsibility wouldn't agree on his Stomach. The Jineral says to me says he 'Major that Clay is a bold impudent feller and will speak out his mind if the Divil stands at the Door." Jackson: "Devil Take the Treasury and my Secretary Too." Behind him, the Devil walks toward the door with Treasury Secretary Roger B. Taney and a sack "$200,000,000 United States Treasures" slung over his back. The image alludes to Congress's refusal to confirm Taney as Treasury Secretary.
Dated 1833 in the imprint, "Troubled Treasures" may be an earlier version of a print with the same title copyrighted by Bisbee on February 1, 1834, along with "The Vision. Political Hydrophobia" (no. 1834-8). This later entry may be the "Second Edition" a reversed and slightly modified version also published by Bisbee recorded by Weitenkampf. In the later version, there is no reference to the treasury secretary, and the devil carries off only a sack of money. Jackson says merely, "Devil take the Treasures."
Drawd off from Natur by Zeck Downing Neffu to Major Jack Downing.
Entered . . . 1833 by R. Bisbee.
Published 95 Canal Street New York.
Title appears as it is written on the item.
Helfand, p. 9-10 (both versions reproduced).
Weitenkampf, p. 29-30
Forms part of: American cartoon print filing series (Library of Congress)
Published in: American political prints, 1766-1876 / Bernard F. Reilly. Boston : G.K. Hall, 1991, entry 1833-5.