The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-08-11
For the Republic.
LOCOFOCRACY AND THE OPPOSITION.

For the Republic.
LOCOFOCRACY AND THE OPPOSITION.
There is " a set of politicians in this country
known as locofocos; but who, repudiating the name
term of baclguardism, delight to be called and
recognised by the name which they have assumed.
But those who adhere proprieties cannot consent
to this sole appropriation This party, Of which we
are speaking, has been in the enjoyment Of all the
fat offices Of the people of this great republic for
very long period Of time. During this PERIOD it
has, in order to maintain its position and make its
influence to be Jsh, pursued that line of policy
which distributes the Offices of the people almost
exclusively among the supporters of the party.
The end, however, Of the long period to which we
have alluded, was in November last. son account
OF the odous character Of their political principles
and conduct" the American people, energized by
the active cooperation and unity of one heart--one
mnd-One Notwithstanding the plurality of
vast number decreed that this same force party was
,oaniing twas found, contained in the ballot-box
to be minus adherence to the will of the people as
expressed by their representatives plus veto or one
man power, including spols to the victors We
wish such men as run the plough through the soil,
and such as labor in docks and arsenas and other
places of public employment, to remember these
facts. And we wish them to watch closely the
present conduct Of this force party, and to observe
how shamelessy they whine the loss of office,
the loss of spoils In addition to watching closely
the present conduct of this force party, wish the
bone and sinew of the countryfor is in these that
the pooer resides which is to WELD the destinies of
this great and favored landto ask themselves if the
course of the socalled Democracy is not puerile and
disgusting We wish them TO ask themselves if il
is not unmanly thus to submit to the will Of the
majority' We wish them to consider how unre-
publican and undemocratic is such submission by
that party which pretends or processes to hold in
such esteem every thing republican, every thing
Democratic' The people, !. e., Gas they are called
by fierce oppositon,) the motley crew that elected
ZACHARY TAYLOR" willed the decree that displaced
this party and elevated the present "The motley
crew" willed the change. Did you hear that, ye
men of the soil and the loom and the anvil! How
very respectful to the people! "The motley crew."
This is the characteristic by which you distin
guished. How republican How Democratic
1t is, however, only further evidence of the delusion
of party in our country, which, when placed in
power by ''the motley crew. can pirate and fondle
and fawn as fulsomely he who does " that
thrift may follow" But, SO soon as the people,
this same 81 motley crew." turn this force party,
this so-caed Democratic party, out of power, just
so soon is its tone towards the people changed.
Like orator Puff, these Locofocos show that they
too have two tones in their voice, the up and
the other doDn In the bottom. When " the motley
crew" places them up, their voice is up so, away
above in the alto key, far above the lines. 1t is
then, A" the dear people, the honest yeomanry
of the country'-"he Democracie'-" us"-" the
rem" Mr. Polk" But change their position.
Oh what scampering among the thorough bass!
| What an imitation of night and darkness, and
| clouds and gloom What notes of wo-what
waIling about roscrpton-tomahawk s-guillo-
tines and treason One man, who has had his head
chopped off, has actually, in his last will and testa-
ment or The certificate he affords that eright man
had been HIT bequeathed his hat to the Secretary of
| the Treasury How kind thus to acknowledge
that the blow partook of the nature of the hathat
! ii was felt The cry is, the Offices are going-go-
ing. The spoils departing-departing: are
wrenched day after day from that grasp which long
and uninterrupted possession had rendered so rigid
that they had hoped it would have become as un-
relaxing and unyIeldng the Undetermined
grasp Of the Indian fakr. Day after day the Oppo-
sltion teens with the fond record" and trivial Of
| ugubrious and saucy if not scathing" letters Of
hostile ofice-hoders. And if we are TO Judge from
the signs Of the times, the ten officers TO one which
| the Locofoco party is said TO hold at this moment,
| will be dwinded down to the Equalization" stand
ard of one To one. That is this will be done pro-
/ vded rigid Justice" be enforced or meted out.
But this equality! eve didn't mean equality in
| spoisw This "motley crew." however, that
elected old lack" has decreed that there shall not
| only be change of measures but Of men also.
| Ayl there's the rub
Notwithstanding these opposite tones, that are
| pped up or doton according the position of the
| Locofoco music-masters, there may be detected
even a dlscord in the music Some think il is bad
policy to abuse President TAILOR. e., to pipe
doiUn so low as some have piped. Accordingly,
they change the notes; and, instead of abusing the
old hero, whose reputation is emphatically A7aeri-
can, and in which every patriot feels lively and
sensitive interest," they have discovered that they
must reserve, occasionally. some Of the lop notes
| for the Cabinet and the Hon. TRUMAN SMiTH-the
Regency and the "Wooden- Nutmeg Man, As
further evidence of their sense Of the prQfun-
diiy to which they had descended in the musical
scale, II will now be perceived that the National
Inielhgencsr and the Republic have been decidedly
acknowledged organs Of the Administration.
| Before they were "semi-orgons"-"organ Of the
! President'-'organ of the Secretary of State"
Once it sung, "The Inieligencer and its humble
tender, the Republic" and, again, "The Republic
and its echo, the bnefiigencer" And although
both these "orgaps" are now and then called upon
to answer questions and deny statements, when
! they answered and denied it is still soemnly
presidential Office have been delegated to the Cabi-
net and that General TAYLOR has had but
an equal vote with the other members Of the Cabi-
net conclave." Do you believe we ask people Of
every persuasion that the who, before the glo-
rious battle Of Buena Vsa--glorous to American
valor and reputatlon-broke up the council he him
self assembled to advise him, and who advised him
| to rereag the man who, after this gave the word
Of command, "March-Onward, would or could
allow himself to be vo'ed down where he was the rul-
ing spirit and where his position gave him the po,oer
TO order as he willed, when Impressed by a solemn
sense Of dutyi Is not such belief as is expressed
by the Opposition, the most absurd faith ever enter