The artist forecasts a Whig electoral victory and dramatizes the politically ruinous effects of Van Buren's fiscal policy and his alignment with Loco Foco forces in New York. Whig candidate William Henry Harrison comes to the aid of a shipwrecked vessel, the "United States," and its crew of Democrats. Harrison, wearing a sailor's outfit, retrieves editor Francis Preston Blair from the surf with a gaff hook. He stands on a raft made of barrels of "Hard Cider" rowed by Daniel Webster and Henry Clay, and flying a flag "Tippecanoe and Reform." Clinging to the hull of their capsized vessel are (left to right) Levi Woodbury, Thomas Hart Benton, John C. Calhoun, and Martin Van Buren. Only the hands of Amos Kendall remain above the waves. The vessel has run aground on "Distress Rocks" and "Loco Foco Quicksand." A lighthouse "Constitution Light" appears in the background. Webster: "Dont be losing time Old Tip picking up the worthless crew who have so long mismanaged the vessel, but let us try to get her off the rocks and save her cargo." Clay: "Aye, Aye, I'll be bound they will take care of themselves unless their pockets are so full that it will sink them." Harrison: "I have hooked one of the precious crew! Lord bless me what a scare crow." Woodbury: "I cant hang on much longer! . . . and I cant swim against this current of popular opinion." Benton (to Woodbury): "It is your infernal Wall Street kite flying and cramming your pocket so full that has capsized us . . . !" Calhoun (to Van Buren): "You are a d---d pretty lubber to take charge of the helm! I knew you were carrying too much sail for your ballast, and now you have spilt the whole lot of us." Van Buren: "I wanted to try a experiment and thought I had hard money enough to ballast my subtreasury sails, and that we should have come to a safe anchor in the harbor of public security."|Entered . . . 1840 by John Childs.|Published by John Childs, 90 Nassau St. New York.|Signed with monogram: EWC (Edward Williams Clay).|The Library's impression of the print was deposited for copyright on August 31, 1840.|Title appears as it is written on the item.|Weitenkampf, p. 66.|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 1840-56.

A Whig vision of the rout of Van Buren in the presidential election of 1840. In a stormy sea Van Buren grasps the mast (labeled "Maine") of a foundering vessel "O.K." (the initials for "Old Kinderhook," a Van Buren nickname derived from his birthplace and home in Kinderhook, New York). In the water are supporters John Calhoun, Amos Kendall, Francis Preston Blair, Thomas Hart Benton, and Levi Woodbury. The gale seems to emanate from three faces which appear in the clouds: William C. Rives, William Henry Harrison, and Nathaniel P. Tallmadge. The image represents the formidable alliance of conservatives and Whigs that Van Buren faced in the election. (Tallmadge and Rives were conservative Democrats-turned-Whigs in opposition to Van Buren's fiscal programs.) Van Buren: "I can hold no longer to be forsaken at such a time by Maryland & Georgia too. Oh Curse that Cataline to force me to pass the Sub-Treasure Bill." Calhoun: "If I had minded what [ally and political editor] Duff Green said to me this would not have happend." Woodbury: "This is worse than getting White Washed." Kendall: "Oh my dear Babys." Kendall's remark probably refers to an incident in May of 1840 when a Whig mob discharged a cannon on his front lawn, frightening his children. This, combined with Van Buren's reference to the Independent Treasury Bill, passed by Congress in July 1840, suggests that "The Shipwreck" appeared during the second half of the year.|Entered . . . 1840 by H.R. Robinson.|Printed & published by H.R. Robinson, 52 Cortlandt St. N.Y. & Pennsa. Avenue Washington D.C.|Signed: N. Sarony (Napoleon Sarony).|Title appears as it is written on the item.|Weitenkampf, p. 66.|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 1840-41.

The Van Buren administration's record, particularly with regard to the handling of public finances, is condemned as corrupt and a perpetuation of unpopular Jacksonian policies. The artist echoes perennial Whig charges of the Democrats' disregard for the Constitution and their autocratic style of governing. The nursery rhyme theme of "The House that Jack built" employed here was also used in several earlier cartoons. (See nos. 1820-1 and 1833-6.) Murrell also reproduces an earlier and somewhat similar E. W. Clay version of the "House that Jack built," probably dating from the bank wars of around 1834. Here, the "House" is Jackson's subtreasury system, represented above by a banking house interior whose floor rests on "Constitutional Currency," and whose cellar stocked with empty boxes. The scene appears in a cloud of smoke, which comes from the pipes of Andrew Jackson (on the left) and advisor and publicist Amos Kendall (on the right). Kendall's pipe also blows bubbles, symbolizing vanity or idle schemes. Nine verses from the nursery rhyme and corresponding satirical scenes appear below. 1. "This is the Malt that laid in the House that Jack built." The scene shows crates labeled "Post Office Revenue," "Public Land Sales," "Custom House," "Bonds," and "Pension Fund," suggestive of administration graft and intrigues in a cellar. 2. "This is the Rat that eat the Malt . . ." shows Van Buren's Treasury Secretary Levi Woodbury as a rat. 3. "This is the Cat that caught the Rat . . ." shows Daniel Webster as a cat toying with Woodbury. 4. "This is the Dog That worried the Cat, . . ." has Thomas Hart Benton as a dog threatening the cat Webster, who is now standing on a book "Constitution" atop a chair. 5. "This is the Cow, Whit the crumpled Horn, That tossed the Dog . . ." shows Henry Clay as a cow tossing Benton aloft. 6. "This is the Maiden all forlorn, That milked the Cow, . . ." John C. Calhoun as a milkmaid laments over a spilled bucket "Nullification" as the cow runs away with a sheet marked "Tariff." The reference is to Calhoun's role in the nullification crisis of 1832-33, and Clay's compromise tariff which temporarily resolved the conflict. 7. "This is the Man, all tattered and torn, That kissed the Maiden . . ." has Martin Van Buren in old Dutch clothing, wheeling a barrow of cabbages, saying "Here's your fine Kinderhook Early York Kabbitches." (Van Buren's home was in Kinderhook, New York.) 8. "This is the Priest all shaven and shorn, That married the Man . . ." Washington "Globe" editor Francis Preston Blair in liturgical vestment presides over the wedding of Calhoun and Van Buren, ridiculing the unlikely political alliance forged in 1840. 9. "This is the Cock of the walk, that crowed in the morn, That waked the Priest all shaven and shorn, . . ." A rooster with the head of William Henry Harrison stands on a globe "Ohio" as the sun rises behind it.|Davison lists a version of the print with the Childs address at 90 Nassau Street.|Entered . . . 1840 by John Childs.|Pub. by John Childs 119 Fulton St. New York.|Signed with monogram: EWC (Edward Williams Clay).|Title appears as it is written on the item.|Davison, no. 155.|Murrell, p. 141 (earlier version).|Weitenkampf, p. 62-63.|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 1840-48.