1846 Phelps 'Tree of Liberty' Patriotic Broadside

United States as the Tree of Liberty.

This is an 1846 Humphrey Phelps political broadside of the United States as the Tree of Liberty. Thirty-six medallions adorn the branches: 34 represent states and two, at top center, depict the Great Seal of the United States.

A Closer Look

Statistics relating to each state, including when it was first settled, when it was admitted to the Union, its population in 1790 and 1840, and the miles of railroads, post-roads, and canals within its borders, appear below each medallion. Three young arborists collectively represent American economy. One is a farmer, holding a plow and a bushel of wheat. Another is a blacksmith with hammer and anvil. The third is a sailor, seated next to the tree's trunk, resting on a ship's anchor, and holding a sextant. Two vignettes occupy the lower corners. On the left is a view of the landing of Christopher Columbus in San Salvador. On the right, a view presents the arrival of the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock.

The Tree of Liberty

The expression 'Tree of Liberty' harkens to a letter written by Thomas Jefferson to William S. Smith, a diplomatic official in London, on November 13, 1787. The full quote reads,

What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure…

The letter concerned Daniel Shays' 1786-1787 rebellion in Massachusetts. While Jefferson did not support the underlying causes of the Shays Rebellion, he did support the rebellion itself as a proper expression of men's natural rights to overthrow an unjust system. The letter is a window into just how fiery Jefferson's own political thinking had become. In modern times, the 'Tree of Liberty' has taken on darker meanings and is often associated with terrorist and political fringe groups. Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City Bomber, wore a tee-shirt emblazoned with a bloody 'Tree of Liberty' in 1995 and in 2009 William Kostric carried a sign reading 'Time to water the tree of liberty' when he carried a semi-automatic handgun to President Obama's Town Hall Meeting in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Publication History and Census

This broadside was created and published by Humphrey Phelps in 1846. We note three OCLC examples: New-York Historical Society, the American Antiquarian Society, and Williams College. An additional example is located at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth, Texas. In 1846, Ensign and Thayer published their own edition of this Tree of Liberty broadside. Phelps worked closely with both Ensign and Thayer, so it is likely that both editions were printed from the same plate.

Cartographer

Humphrey Phelps (June 10, 1799 - October 8, 1875) was an American map, guidebook, broadside, and print publisher active in New York City from the early 1830s through the 1860s. Born in Hebron, Connecticut, he developed a publishing business centered on geographical information for travelers, emigrants, and urban visitors. His early New York City plan, subsequently issued as Strangers Guide through the City of New York: With the Latest Improvements, carried a copyright dated July 1, 1830. During the mid-1830s, he published with B. S. Squire, Jr., their joint imprint appearing on maps and emigrant information concerning the expanding western states. Phelps subsequently worked through several publishing partnerships: the 1847 edition of Phelps's Travellers' Guide through the United States appeared under Phelps, Ensigns and Thayer, while Phelps, Fanning and Company issued Fanning's Illustrated Gazetteer of the United States and Phelps' Hundred Cities and Large Towns of America in 1853. His output ranged from portable folding maps and city guides to decorative geographical sheets, including Pictorial View of the World, copyrighted in 1846. He also participated in the market for historical and popular prints. With his nephew Gaylord Watson (1833 - 1896), he operated Phelps and Watson, a New York map and print publishing concern that distributed Kellogg lithographs during 1859 - 1864; this partnership dissolved on January 1, 1865. Phelps returned to Hartford, Connecticut, in 1868 and died there in 1875.   Further Details...

Condition

Good. Full professional restoration. Closed tear extending five-and-one-half (5.5) inches into printed area professionally repaired on verso. Areas of infill in along top edge not effecting printed image.

References

Amon Carter Museum of American Art 1969.184. OCLC 1035417176, 83838677.