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 ga set of politicians in this country"
known as locofocos; but who, repudiating the name
term of b'achguardsm, 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
speaking, has been in the enjoyment of all the
fiat 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 felt, 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 g On account
of the odous character Of their political principles
and conduct" the American people, energized by
the active corporation and unity of one heart-one
mind-one strength--pervading the plurality of
vast number, decreed that this same force party was
,oanting IL found contained in the ballot-box,
to be minus adherence TO the will of the people as
expressed by their representatives plus or
man power, including spos to the victors. We
wish such men as run the plough through the soil,
and such 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 shamelessly 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 countryor it is in these that
the pocer resides which is to WELD the destinies of
this great and favored land-to ask themselves if the
course of the so-called Democracy not puerle 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 undemocraiic is such submission by
that party which pretends or processes to hold in
such esteem every thing republican, every thing
napo oftr, he /o.s 81 ,llol
by fierce opposition 1.-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, We
men of the soil, and the loom, and the anvl' 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 deluson
of party in our country, which, when placed in
power by "thc motley crew." can pirate and fonde
and fawn as fulsomey as he who does 80 " that
thrift may follow" But, soon as the people,
this same 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 do,on 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. IL is
then, :" the dear people," the honest yeomanry
Government" the President'-" Mr. Van Bu-
rem" MIR. Polk" But change their position.
Oh what a scampering among the thorough bass!
| What imitation Of night and darkness, and
clouds and gloom What notes of wo--what
waIling about roscription-tomahawk
tines and treason! One man, who has had his head
chopped of, has actually, in his last will and tesla
ment the certificate he affords that the right 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 hatlhat
it was felt! The cry is, the Offices are gong-go-
| ing. The spos deparling--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 un-
| relaxing and unyielding as the me-benumbed
grasp of the Indian fakr. Day after day the Oppo-
sition teens with the fond record" and trivial of
ugubrious and saucy, if not scathing" letters Of
hostile ofce-holders. And if we are TO Judge from
the signs IF the fines, the ten officers one, which
the Locofoco party is said TO hold at this moment,
will be dwindled down to the Equalization" stand
ard of one 10 one. That is, this will be done pro-
vded {" rigid Justice" he enforced or melted out.
But this equality "We didn't mean equality in
spoisl" This "motley crew." however, Z" that
elected old Zack," has decreed that there shall
only be change Of measures but Of men also.
Ay! there's the rub.
Notwithstanding these opposite tones, that are
pped up or do,cn according TO the position of the
Locofoco musIc-ufasters, there may be detected
even discord in the music Some think il is bad
! policy to abuse President TArLoR-i e., to pipe
dozen so low have piped. Accordingly,
they change the notes; and, instead of abusing the
old hero, whose reputation is emphaticay A-peri-
can, and IN which every patriot feels a lively and
sensitive interest, they have discovered that they
must reserve, occasionally, some of the lop notes
for the Cabinet and the Hon. TRUMAN SMIrH-the
Regency" and the "Wooden- Nutmeg Man, As
some further evidence Of their sense Of the prqun-
duty to which they had descended in the musical
scale, II will now be perceived that the National
Infeihgencer and the Republic have been decidedly
acknowledged as organs Of the Administration.
Before, they were "semi-orgons Of the
! Presdent'-"organ of the Secretary of State"
Once it sung, The Enieiiigencer and its humble
tender, the Republic" and, again, "The Republic
and its echo, the fnfeiigencer." And, although
! both these organs" are now and then called upon
TO answer questions and deny statements, when
they are answered and denied il is still solemnly
believed by the Opposition that the "duties of the
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 Vsta--glorious to American
valor and repuation--broke up the council he him
self assembled TO advise him, and who advised him
10 retreats the man who, after this gave the word
Of command, "March--Onward would or could
allow himself to he vo'ed down where he was the rul-
ing spirit, and where his position gave him the poper
TO order as he willed, when impressed by a solemn
Of duty' Is not such belief as is expressed
by the Opposition, the absurd faith ever enter