The fox chace. Book illustration from Library of Congress
The artist's portrayal of Harrison's rout of Van Buren reflects strong Whig confidence late in the presidential campaign of 1840. Van Buren is shown as a fox, with a bird (an albatross?) labeled "Treasury" aro... More
All the West going for Matty - Public domain book illustration, Librar...
A Whig cartoon spoofing Democratic claims of Western support for Van Buren during the election of 1840. Pursued by animals from the "Alleghany Mountains" and the Mississippi River, including among others a buf... More
Present Presidential position. Book illustration from Library of Congr...
Once again Polk's handling of the Oregon territorial dispute between the United States and Great Britain is criticized. (See "Polk's Dream" and "War! or No War!" nos. 1846-2 and 1846-4). Here the artist seems t... More
Whig bazaar - Political cartoon, public domain image
Publd. by H.R. Robinson, 52 Cortlandt St. N-York. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1837 by H.R. Robinson, in the Clerks Office of the District Court of the United States, for the Southern Distr... More
Notice to quit. March 4th 1841 - Public domain book illustration, Libr...
An optimistic Whig artist (probably Edward Williams Clay) portrays Martin Van Buren's evacuation of the White House on Inauguration Day 1841. A disgruntled Van Buren descends the steps, muttering "Our sufferin... More
New edition of MacBeth. Bank-oh's! Ghost
Another satire on the Panic of 1837, again condemning Van Buren's continuation of predecessor Andrew Jackson's hard-money policies as the source of the crisis. Clay shows the president haunted by the ghost of C... More
Matty's dream. Book illustration from Library of Congress
Clay portrays Martin Van Buren driven from the White House by nightmares of cider barrels and Whig presidential challenger William Henry Harrison. Van Buren flees the presidential mansion in his nightshirt, dro... More
Grand set to between rough and ready and Genal. Gas
Zachary Taylor and Lewis Cass engage in a bout of fisticuffs in their battle for the presidency in 1848. Taylor, clearly getting the better of his opponent, seizes Cass by the lapels saying, "A little more gra... More
Political race course - Union Track - fall races 1836
A figurative portrayal -- clearly sympathetic to the Whig party -- of the 1836 presidential election contest as a horse race between four candidates. The four are identified in the legend as (left to right): "O... More
Ornithology - Engraving, Public domain image, Political Cartoon
A mild election-year cartoon portraying Whig presidential candidate Winfield Scott (left) as a turkey and Democrat Franklin Pierce (right) as a gamecock. The two face each other from opposite sides of "Mason &... More
Uncle Sam sick with la grippe - Drawing. Public domain image.
A satire attributing the dire fiscal straits of the nation to Andrew Jackson's banking policies, with specific reference to recent bank failures in New Orleans, New York, and Philadelphia. The artist blames th... More
Battle of the Thames. Respectfully dedicated to Andrew Jackson Esq. Pr...
Print shows American forces fighting Tecumseh's Indian confederation. In the center Col. R. M. Johnson shoots Tecumseh who has raised his tomahawk. A legend at the bottom describes the men pictured and describ... More
Funeral obsequies of free-trade, Political Cartoon
A gloomy view of the effects of the Polk administration's Tariff of 1846. The artist echoes Whig condemnation of the measure as adverse to American trade. A funeral cortege, composed of administration supporter... More
Scene in Uncle Sam's Senate. 17th April 1850
A somewhat tongue-in-cheek dramatization of the moment during the heated debate in the Senate over the admission of California as a free state when Mississippi senator Henry S. Foote drew a pistol on Thomas Har... More
Political race course - Union Track - fall races 1836
A figurative portrayal -- clearly sympathetic to the Whig party -- of the 1836 presidential election contest as a horse race between four candidates. The four are identified in the legend as (left to right): "O... More
Zachary Taylor, major genl. of the U.S. Army / F. Michelin Lith. 111 N...
Print showing Zachary Taylor, head-and-shoulders portrait, right profile. 124 U.S. Copyright Office. Facsimile signature "Z. Taylor" at head of title. Inscribed in ink: 124. Deposited in the Clerk's Office for... More
N. Tom o' logical studies. The great tumble bug of Missouri, bent-on r...
A caricature of Missouri senator Thomas Hart Benton, as an insect rolling a large ball "Expunging Resolution" uphill toward the Capitol. The print employs Benton's own metaphor of rolling a ball for his uphill ... More
On the way to Araby! - Political cartoon, public domain image
Satire on the Jackson administration's continuing battle against the Bank of the United States. The print was specifically occasioned by the re-chartering of the Bank by the Whig-controlled Pennsylvania Legisla... More
Machines for the new pay-tent office
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1838, by H.R. Robinson, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, for the Southern District of New York. Printed & published by H.R. Rob... More
Set-to between the champion old tip & the swell Dutcheman of Kinderhoo...
Satire on the presidential campaign of 1836, portraying the contest as a boxing match between Democratic candidate Martin Van Buren and Whig candidate William Henry Harrison. The artist clearly favors Harrison.... More
Zachary Taylor, major genl. of the U.S. Army / F. Michelin Lith. 111 N...
Print showing Zachary Taylor, head-and-shoulders portrait, right profile. 124 U.S. Copyright Office. Facsimile signature "Z. Taylor" at head of title. Inscribed in ink: 124. Deposited in the Clerk's Office for... More
Battle of the Thames. Respectfully dedicated to Andrew Jackson Esq. Pr...
Print shows American forces fighting Tecumseh's Indian confederation. In the center Col. R. M. Johnson shoots Tecumseh who has raised his tomahawk. A legend at the bottom describes the men pictured and describ... More
The times - Political cartoon, public domain image
A commentary on the depressed state of the American economy, particularly in New York, during the financial panic of 1837. Again, the blame is laid on the treasury policies of Andrew Jackson, whose hat, spectac... More
Caricature, An interesting family, public domain cartoon image
A caricature of Martin Van Buren as an opossum. The marsupial, with a smirking Van Buren's head, rises on its hindquarters and displays in its pouch three of its "young." They are administration insiders (left... More
Going up Salt River - Public domain book illustration, Library of Cong...
Political cartoons friendly to Van Buren were the rare exception during the 1840 campaign. Here the artist parodies the exploitation by Whig politicians of populist candidate William Henry Harrison. Martin Van ... More
Political game of brag. Shew of hands
The artist resorts to the familiar metaphor of a card game for the presidential stakes in his rendition of the 1848 contest. The major contenders play a game of "brag" (an early form of poker). Around the tabl... More
.00001 the value of a unit with four cyphers going before it
A satire on dissension and political intrigue within Andrew Jackson's administration, surrounding the Spring 1831 resignations of several members of his Cabinet. In the center Jackson sits in a collapsing chair... More
The almighty lever. Book illustration from Library of Congress
E. W. Clay's apocalyptic allegory has public opinion as a giant lever, tilting decisively in favor of the Whigs late in the presidential campaign of 1840. In a symbolic landscape masses of people climb onto the... More
Matty's perilous situation up Salt River
A pro-Whig satire on the presidential campaign of 1840. Martin Van Buren is neck-deep in the waters of "Salt River," a colloquial term for political misfortune or failure. He sinks under the weight of boxes m... More
The ship of state on a lee shore, experienced hands coming to her res...
The artist forecasts a Whig electoral victory and dramatizes the politically ruinous effects of Van Buren's fiscal policy and his alignment with Loco Foco forces in New York. Whig candidate William Henry Harri... More
The mountain in labor - Public domain book illustration, Library of Co...
The artist employs Aesop's fable about the mountain which was said to be in labor, its dreadful groans attracting expectant crowds only to be disappointed when it issued forth a small mouse. Here the mountain i... More
Settin' on a rail - Public domain book illustration, Library of Congre...
A satire, probably issued during August or September 1837, on the tug-of-war for influence on the President between Jacksonian Democrats and the "soft money" or conservative elements of the party. Here the arti... More
Old Jack in the last agony and the fox caught in a rat trap
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1837, by H.R. Robinson, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, of the Southern District of New York. Printed & published by H.R. Robi... More
This is the house that Jack built
The Van Buren administration's record, particularly with regard to the handling of public finances, is condemned as corrupt and a perpetuation of unpopular Jacksonian policies. The artist echoes perennial Whig ... More