The
main question
Dacre, Henry,
approximately 1820-
Robinson, Henry R.,
-1850
still image
graphic
government publication
still image
Lithographs-1830-1840.
Political cartoons-1830-1840.
nyu
monographic
N.Y
Pub. by H.R. Robinson
1839
eng
1 print : lithograph with watercolor on wove paper ; 26.9 x 42.7 cm. (image)
Satire on the escalation of tensions during the Maine-New Brunswick border conflict in February and March 1839. The dispute involved the claim to valuable, timber-rich territory in the Aroostook region. The area was occupied in 1838 by timber interests from Maine and Massachusetts. Canadian troops were summoned to eject them, and the state militia was called out in their defense. Maine governor John Fairfield pressed for federal military action against the Canadians. The artist here ridicules the bellicose elements on both sides. Van Buren sits astride an ox with Fairfield's head, wielding a sword and a shield emblazoned with a cabbage. The ox confronts a dog with the head of the Duke of Wellington, ridden by England's Queen Victoria, also armed with sword and shield. In the background British and American troops face each other across an open plain, while men fell timber in between. Victoria: "O fie Brother Jonathan, to threaten a young woman with a war about a few sticks of timber. If I have your property make it appear & I will pay for the value: do not compel me to quarrel when we ought to be friends." Wellington: "My Royal Mistress let us give them a touch of Waterloo, by so doing we can turn out the Whig Ministers." Van Buren: "I must make a flourish to please my Loco Foco friends, but in truth I don't relish committing myself in favor of war;--They may think I am not exactly the man to carry it on & call for Clay the never failing pacificator; but I must make a flourish." Fairfield: "Go ahead Matty I want to be elected Governer again. Make them retreat, or pay for the timber. Maine wants money & must have it." The ox's tail is pulled by Virginia Congressman Henry A. Wise. He argues, "Come Matty be Wise, don't be so very warlike, it won't do to fight about the timber, let them pay the value to brother Jonathan & he will be satisfied." Marked stylistic similarities between "The Main Question" and two other 1839 prints by HD, "The Cut Direct" and "The Meeting at Saratoga" (nos. 1839-3 and -4), strongly suggest common authorship.
No known restrictions on publication.
Entd . . . 1839 by H.R. Robinson.
Probably drawn by H.D. (Henry Dacre?).
Pub. by H.R. Robinson 52 Cortlandt St. N.Y.
Title appears as it is written on the item.
Published in: American political prints, 1766-1876 / Bernard F. Reilly. Boston : G.K. Hall, 1991, entry 1839-5.
Forms part of: American cartoon print filing series (Library of Congress)
Victoria,
Queen of Great Britain,
1819-1901
Fairfield, John,
1797-1847
Van Buren, Martin,
1782-1862
Wellington, Arthur Wellesley,
Duke of,
1769-1852
Wise, Henry A. (Henry Alexander),
1806-1876
Militias
1830-1840
Canada
Foreign relations
United States
United States
Foreign relations
Canada
Great Britain
1830-1840
Maine
1830-1840
Massachusetts
1830-1840
PC/US - 1839.R661, no. 70
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3b31020
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3g06092
Weitenkampf,
p. 58
American cartoon print filing series (Library of Congress)
(DLC) 2005680400
2008661337
LC-USZ62-84451 DLC
LC-USZC4-6092 DLC
hdl:loc.pnp/cph.3b31020
hdl:loc.pnp/cph.3g06092
aacr
gihc
DLC
940524
20250607030407.9
15594696
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