image: 9 5/8 in x 15 1/2 in; 24.4475 cm x 39.37 cm
Object Name:
Lithograph
Object Type:
Lithograph
Place made:
United States: New York, New York City
Depicted:
United States: District of Columbia, Washington
United States: District of Columbia, White House
Date made:
1838
Description (Brief):
In this 1838 caricature, President Martin Van Buren welcomes friends who are members of the Loco Foco party to the White House. The Loco Foco party was an offshoot of the Democratic Party focused on abolishing any antidemocratic and elitist financial policies and disbanding the National Bank. They were originally called the Equal Rights Party, but they became known as the Loco Foco party after Tammany Hall Democrats turned out the gas lights at their nominating convention, forcing them to light their meeting using loco foco matches. The Loco Foco Party never became a national party, and they were often mocked within the Democratic Party and by their opponents. Martin Van Buren calls his Loco Foco visitors dear “old friends,” an illusion to his long standing opposition to the National Bank that he shared with Loco Foco Democrats. On the wall behind Van Buren and the unidentified Loco Foco party member, is a portrait of esteemed journalist, presidential advisor, and Washington Globe editor, Francis Preston Blair. Blair was instrumental in creating Democratic propaganda for Andrew Jackson, so his presence on the wall foreshadows Van Buren’s future decision to satisfy the Loco Foco desire for a treasury completely separate from the federal government via the Independent Treasury Act of July 4th, 1840.
The lithographer 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.
