"Expansion and Contraction as Witnessed in the Senate" Political Cartoon
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Scope and Contents
The collection contains a political cartoon depicting United States Senator Dixon Hall Lewis of Alabama, and Francis P. Blair, editor of the Washington Globe, discussing President James Buchanan's remarks to the Senate on the currency. In the lower margin of the cartoon, the following notes have been written in pencil below the two principal figures of the drawing. Below Lewis is written "Dixon Hall Lewis, Rep. from Ala. 1829-1844, early trustee of U of Ala." while below Blair is "Francis P. Blair, ed. of The Globe."
Dates
- Creation: 1840
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Due to the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access to certain materials may require additional advance notice.
Biographical / Historical
Dixon Hall Lewis (August 10, 1802—October 25, 1848) was an Alabama politician who served as a Representative, from 1926 to 1844, when he was appointed to the Senate, where he served until his death in 1848. He was an extremely obese man, weighing as much as 500 pounds, making him the heaviest member of Congress ever. A specially constructed seat was provided in the Senate chambers for him, and his carriage was fitted with unusually heavy suspension springs. According to the WPA Federal Writers' Project publication Alabama: A Guide to the Deep South, a popular witticism among Lewis's colleagues was the observation that Alabama had the largest representation of any state.
Francis P. Blair (April 12, 1791 – October 18, 1876) was an American journalist and politician. In 1830, having become an ardent follower of Andrew Jackson, he was made editor of the Washington Globe, the recognized organ of the Jackson party. In this capacity, and as a member of Jackson's "Kitchen Cabinet", he long exerted a powerful influence; the Globe was the administration organ until 1841, and the chief Democratic organ until 1845; Blair ceased to be its editor in 1849. In 1836, during his time in Washington serving Jackson, Blair acquired what later became known as Blair House, the official state guesthouse of the President of the United States since 1942.
Sources:
Wikipedia contributors. "Dixon Hall Lewis." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 17 May. 2011. Web. 29 Jun. 2011.
Wikipedia contributors. "Francis Preston Blair." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 18 Feb. 2011. Web. 29 Jun. 2011.
Extent
1.0 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Political cartoon depicting United States Senator Dixon Hall Lewis of Alabama, and Francis P. Blair, editor of the Washington Globe, discussing President James Buchanan's remarks to the Senate on the currency.
Provenance
Unknown
Processed by
Martha Bace, 2011
- Title
- Guide to the "Expansion and Contraction as Witnessed in the Senate" Political Cartoon
- Status
- Completed
- Date
- June 2011
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the The University of Alabama Libraries Special Collections Repository