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Photo, Print, Drawing The treasury-hen alarmed

[ digital file from b&w film copy neg. ]

About this Item

Title

  • The treasury-hen alarmed

Summary

  • A portrayal of Treasury Secretary Levi Woodbury as a hen nurturing corruption and shielding New York City customs house officials from congressional scrutiny. Woodbury spreads his wings over several chicks pecking at gold coins beneath him, as two of the chicks swim off toward Liverpool. The foremost one represents former Collector of the Port Samuel Swartwout, found to have defrauded the government of nearly $1.25 million. The second is federal district attorney William M. Price, a coconspirator. Both fled to England. (See "Price Current" and "Sub Treasurers Meeting in England," nos. 1838-21 and -20.) Woodbury is threatened by a hawk, "Committee of Investigations," with the head of Kentucky congressman James Harlan, who flies overhead calling, "I'll have you! hen & all." Harlan was chairman of the House committee established in January 1839 to probe the Swartwout defalcations. The hen cries: "Hawk! . . . run! . . . Fly Sam [Swartwout] & Bill [Price]! take to the water--quick, before he comes! dive or he'll get you! . . . Here Hoyty [i.e., Swartwout's successor Jesse Hoyt]! hide between my legs! . . . hide Ogden! run Phillips! fly Fleming! come Gratiot! Hawk Boydy! . . . Linn! Scud Harris! Fly Spencer! Drop gold & run all! come under! . . .I'll cover you!"

Names

  • Robinson, Henry R., -1850.

Created / Published

  • N.Y. : Printed & publd by H.R. Robinson, 1839.

Headings

  • -  Harlan, James,--1800-1863
  • -  Hoyt, Jesse
  • -  United States.--Congress.--House--1830-1840
  • -  Harris
  • -  Phillips
  • -  Spencer
  • -  Linn
  • -  Ogden
  • -  Gratiot
  • -  Boyd
  • -  Fleming

Headings

  • Lithographs--1830-1840.
  • Political cartoons--1830-1840.

Genre

  • Lithographs--1830-1840
  • Political cartoons--1830-1840

Notes

  • -  Entered . . . 1839 by H.R. Robinson.
  • -  Printed & publd by H.R. Robinson, 52 Cortlandt & 11-1/2 Wall st. N.Y.
  • -  Title appears as it is written on the item.
  • -  Weitenkampf, p. 57.
  • -  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 1839-1.

Medium

  • 1 print : lithograph with watercolor, on wove paper ; 24 x 33.1 cm. (image)

Call Number/Physical Location

  • PC/US - 1839.R661, no. 12 (A size) [P&P]

Source Collection

  • American cartoon print filing series (Library of Congress)

Repository

Digital Id

  • cph 3b35981 //hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3b35981

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2008661333

Reproduction Number

  • LC-USZ62-89610 (b&w film copy neg.)

Rights Advisory

  • No known restrictions on publication.

Online Format

  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

Rights & Access

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  • Rights Advisory: No known restrictions on publication.
  • Reproduction Number: LC-USZ62-89610 (b&w film copy neg.)
  • Call Number: PC/US - 1839.R661, no. 12 (A size) [P&P]
  • Access Advisory: ---

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Robinson, Henry R., -1850. The Treasury-Hen Alarmed. , 1839. N.Y.: Printed & publd by H.R. Robinson. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2008661333/.

APA citation style:

Robinson, H. R. (1839) The Treasury-Hen Alarmed. , 1839. N.Y.: Printed & publd by H.R. Robinson. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2008661333/.

MLA citation style:

Robinson, Henry R., -1850. The Treasury-Hen Alarmed. N.Y.: Printed & publd by H.R. Robinson. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2008661333/>.