This 1838 print depicts New York Senator Silas Wright standing in the center holding in his right hand the tail of a donkey, and in his left, the tail of a horse. Mounted on the donkey is Democratic New York Senator, Churchill C. Cambreleng, wearing a wide brimmed hat with a ribbon reading, “Loco Foco Victory,” heading towards Albany. Seated on the horse, is New York City Comptroller (at the time of this print), William L. Marcy in uniform, and also sporting a “Loco Foco Victory” ribbon on his hat, heading towards Washington. The Loco Foco faction of the Democratic Party was prominent in New York City politics, and desired an independent treasury and a break from monopolies. Both men on horseback are posed as if they are about to gallop away towards their respective destinations, but Wright is holding them back stating, “Stop my good fellows, you are going on a fool’s errand. You are counting your chickens before they have hatched!” Both men are expressing what they hope will happen with a Loco Foco victory, with hopes of being Collector (Marcy) and Governor of New York (Cambreleng), but Wright knows that a Loco Foco victory might not be a reality. Ultimately Wright was correct, and a large scale Loco Foco victory never happened. Their biggest success was in 1840 when President Martin Van Buren took their financial policies into consideration and passed the Independent Treasury Act that separated banking from the Federal government. Following 1840 though, the Loco Foco party was only relevant in New York City and had very limited power.
The artist of this print is Sheepshanks, who is most likely a pseudonym for the artist 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.
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.
