Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1843-10-24
From the Democratic Union.
LOCO FOCO.

This appellation, conferred upon the De-
mocratic party by the federalists, the Demo-
Gratis have accepted and made synonymous
with the words, Honesty, Sincerity, Repub-
lcan Simplicity. Its derivation, (from the
nflamable matches used at a meeting of de-
mocrats in Tammany Hall to relight their
extinguishad lamps,) is well known. But the
etymology of the term has often been hunt
ed for by our political opponents, and as of
ten propounded, yet without much apparent
success. 1t was, perhaps, the humble artifi
c.r of the simple method of quick ignition
now SO common who first applied the two
words which have become so important in
our political vocabulary, to his invention;
without, ir would seem, much attention to
roots or cases.-A few years ago before had
ever welded or shvered political lance, |
was wont to contribute a few matters of serb
ling to the journal edited by most amiable
and good fellow, the late W. q. Clark, OF
Philadelphia. Interalia, was an analysis OF
the terms: Loco Foco' Whatever became
of the essay, know not. fever published
| anticipate any charge of plagiarism by this
explanation. In Italy, if the traveller wants
a fire, he has but to say 'fuoco,' pronounced
loco, and servant brings it. Focus in la
tin, is a heart. Locus place. Loco in
Italian is place.-'Loco Foco' might mean
local or portable fire, by mctonymy. Loco
in Spanish, is lunatic, mad. Mad fire. for
the matches referred to; night not be far
from tie truth: bat Spanish adjective would
there p-ecede an Italian noun. 'Fuego is
the Spanish word for fire. 'Luego tucgo,
would be fire in an insrant. Loco Foci, III
Latin would be in lieu of fire place. 10
co Foco,' as two Latin words, would be Ell
ther two datives or two ablltlyes, and would
not agree, as | think, in the sense indicated.
Are not these terms, then, the conf lraton OF
some poor Italian artist more skiltul in che
m cal than lngual combinations! Be this as
it may, these two little words now designate
a class, (yet class consisting otvast muses.
of men, who are arrayed aglinst Fraud, Hy-
pocrisy, Aristocracy, and every other guse
of wing ascendcncy. The loco-foco, i'll the
simplicity of his heart cannot distinguish be-
tween the rogu2ry of corporation and that
of an individual. The wings see great f
ference, have long thrved by the frauds of
corporations. The loco-foco thinks that cor
porate vilainy should be denounced, openly
exposed, and severely punished. The wing
contends that policy dictates the necessity
of cloaking it, lest the character of the com
munity should suffer abroad. The loco-foco
detes's bank PROMISES as substitute fol
money, The wing sees in gold and silver
coin an invitation to the counterfeiter, to i'm
ta;e it with the baser metals. The loco-to-
CO has never desp1ired of the great cause OF
Democracy. The wing signs for what he
calls strong government, in other words.
an arbitrary oligarchy. The loco-foco is a
pllin, stern, Just man. The wing is a smj-
ling, plant gentleman, and just, SO far as cal
cullton agrees, or retirement prompts! The
wings are in the minority, in the city Of trees
and broken corporations! They are IN mi
nority in the haunts of the yeomanry and the
tille:s of the soil.