LOCOFOCO HYPOCRACY

A SPEECH BY JOHN A. MARTIN

1856

Transcribed by Ernst F. Tonsing

Thousand Oaks, California
July 13,2004

[The sixteen-year-old John A. Martin, probably speaking before the Franklin Institute in
Brownsville, Pennsylvania, in 1856, delivered this strongly worded denunciation of the
splinter Democratic Party called the "Locofoco" party. He is lavish both in his
condemnation of this group and their leaders, and as well as in his praise for Henry Clay.
The five, rapidly written pages have a few strike-outs, and seems to have been written
with some speed. The transcription below follows the original's spelling, punctuation
and capitalization. Sadly, the last page or pages are missing from the file in the Kansas
State Historical Society in which the rest of the pages reside. -Ernst F. Tonsing]

In no other connection is the miserable times serving hypocracy [sic] of the

Locofoco party1 so apparent and disgusting, as its course in regard to the "Old line
Things." Not a locofoco paper in the land can you pick up, but you are struck with the
touching eulogy and glowing tributes of praise which lavished upon their ancient
enemies. Not a stump speaker or petty politician in their party, but who is eloquent in his
praises of the consistency, patriotism, loyality [sic], honesty, and honor of the
"Constitution-loving Whigs,"2 "Henry Clay Whigs,"3 who are the very essence of
everything that is noble, generous, and honorable. The same men and the same presses,

1
The derivation of Locofoco is curious. One, is that it was the name of a self-lighting cigar invented by
John Marck of New York in 1834, that had a match material at the end that could be struck. A second is
that it is a term for a friction match. In 1834 it was applied to a portion of the Democratic Party, because,
during a contentious meeting at Tammany Hall in New York, the chair left his seat and turned off the lights
in order to conclude the meeting. Those who were opposed to adjourning the meeting then relighted the
lampsfrommatches, continuing their debate and passing their aims.
2
The Whig Party in the United States, echoed the origins of the name in a radical Presbyterian group in
Scotland (the "Whigamores"), by opposing the British loyalists ("Tories") during the Revolution, and, later,
by being adverse the presidential powers. It was organized in 183o's after the victory of the Democrats in
1832, electing Andrew Jackson to a second term. William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor and
even Abraham Lincoln were allied with this group. The organization of the Republican Party in 1856
attracted so many Whigs that it effectively ended the role of the party.
3
Henry Clay (1777-1852) was secretary of state under John Quincy Adams, and ran unsuccessfully for the
presidency in 1824, 1832 and 1844. The "Great Pacificator," as he was called, earned his nickname from
his art of compromise in negotiating the Treaty of Ghent in 1814, ending the War of 1812, the Missouri
compromise in 1820-21, balancing the free and slave states, and the tariff compromise that settled a crisis
instigated by South Carolina in attempting to repeal a tariff set by Congress. In 1850, Clay brought about
the acceptance of a compromise which moderated the threat of civil war temporarily. When Clay failed to
win the electoral votes in 1824, he supported John Quincy Adams, who named him Secretary of State.
However, the Jackson party accused him of a "corrupt bargain," an unfair charge, but one that haunted him
throughout his career.
which, a few years since, were reeking with the foul abuse they heaped upon the Whig
party and its leaders and who were wont to exhaust their entire vocabulary of
vituperation, in slandering the men and principles of that party as anti-republican, anti-
constitutional, and anti everything good, now, with the inspiration of Satan, eat with a
avidity their own lying words, and the vile traducers of the glorious Clay, strive, with
homed accents and loud praises, to win his admirers to the support of the man whose
contumelious lips originated the base slander which, even till the day of his death, they
hissed and howled in his face.

But it is not our purpose to enter into a defence [sic] of the Whig party, or its
principles; but we propose to show up the despisable [sic] course of the Locofoco party
and its candidate for the Presidency, in regard to the champion of the Whig party,
America's greatest statesman, Henry Clay. But let us examine the record in regard to
Buchanan's course, and for proof we will give evidence that cannot be gainsayed [sic].
We quote from "Hayne's Horoscope," of 1847:—
(piece marked,)4

These are the facts in regard to Mr. Buchanan's action in regard to this case.5 But
this is not all. Notwithstand [sic] receiving no encouragement from Mr. Clay, he went to
Gen. Jackson, and earnestly requested his consent to say from him, that if elected, he
would make Mr. Clay Secretary of State. The old hero, however, treated Mr. Buchanan's
proposal with that contempt it deserved, as Mr. Clay had treated it with regard to himself,
and Buchanan was defeated in his object. After Mr. Clay had accepted the Secretaryship
under Adams, and was violently assailed with the charge of "bargain and sale," by Mr.
Buchanan's personal friends, Mr. Buchanan himself, when summoned as a witness by
Gen. Jackson, falsely said that he believed Mr. Clay guilty of corruption, and then, when
Mr. Clay notified Mr. Buchanan of his intention to publish the above occurrence in Mr.
Letcher's presence, Buchan [sic] earnestly entreated him not to do so, and from that time,
for more than twenty years, humbly supplicated Mr. Clay to spare him by not vindicating
himself, but he never has been the man, even to this day, when all others of his party have
disavowed their belief of the charge, to come out and acknowledge himself in error, while
the gallant Kentuckian stood with sealed lips, and heard that base charge hurled against
his spotless fame, when a single word from him would have put it to rest forever. But
this is not the end of his vascilating [sic] course. When, on the 3rd of February, 1825, Mr.
Clay, from his seat in the speakers chair, demanded an investigation into the charges
preferred against him in the public prints by Mr. Kremer, and Mr. Forsythe of Georgia,
moved a committee of nine be appointed to examine into them. Mr. Buchanan, to prevent
an investigation, moved "that the House adjourn," which motion was negated. Mr.
Randolph then moved that the question "be indefinitely postponed," and on the question
being taken, it was lost by 71 yeas to 127 nays; Mr. Buchanan voting Yea! The original
4
Martin no doubt had a quotationfromthis source which he felt too lengthy to write into his text here.
5
James Buchanan (1791-1868) was elected to the House of Representatives five times, served as Minister
to Russia, served in the Senate for a decade, then became Secretary of State under President James Polk.
He was nominated by the Democratic Party for President in 1856, but was slow to realize how divided the
country had become over the question of the extension of slavery into the Kansas Territory and elsewhere.
In order to resolve the question, he attempted to force the admission of the territory as a slave state, but
alienated members of his own party, the Republicans, and thefree-stateKansans.
question was then taken up, and being put, was decided in the affirmative, by yeas 125;
nays 59; Mr. Buchan [sic] votinfi nay!! The committee was appointed, and on the 9 of
February reported that they had summoned Mr. Kreamer to appear and bring his
witnesses, which he declined to do, and in this posture the matter yet rests.
Was not this says Mr. Journae[?]6

But this charge of "bargain and sale," originated by Mr. Buchanan, was not his only act
of base hypocracy [sic] to Clay. When Mr. Polk was nominated for the presidency, Mr.
Buchanan took the field in Pennsylvania, and declared, "on his honor as a gentleman."
that he knew "Mr. Polk to be a better tariff man than Henry Clay."7 And by this base
slander the state of Pennsylvania was carried by Polk, and Mr. Clay was defeated for
President. And for his honest services in this campaign, Buchanan was rewarded by an
appointment as Secretary of State under Polk, one of the first acts of whose
administration was the repeal of the tariff of '42, while Buchanan, from his high seat,
looked down and saw the best interests of his native state scattered to the winds; heard
the lie given to his pledge, and made not an exertion in her behalf.

This for the leader; now for the party and its great love for Harry Clay. Well
might Prentice exclaim, as he turned with disgust from the filthy puffery and laudation
which the Locofoco press and speakers now shower down upon the sage of Ashland. If
Henry Clay was great, and good, and lofty, and patriotic, and if the life of the Whig party
was proud and glorious, what sort of men, or beasts, or devils, can those editors and
demagogues have been, who with their accursed pens and lips, lied away the life of both
Henry Clay and the Whig party?" Where now are their cries of the "perjured Senator!"
the "murderer of Cilley!"8 the "barterer [sic] for place!" the "hired assassin!" the
"gambler!" the "Sabbath-breaker!" and a thousand other vilanous [sic] epithets which
they were wont to yell against him. Where no the vile representation of Clay, which
disgraced their filthy sheets, picturing that glorious Orator as suspended] by the neck at a
ropes end, "the embodyment of Henry Clay," each line of which reeking with the foul

Apparently, Martin had the quotation on another sheet of paper which he did not copy into this speech.
7
James K. Polk (1795-1849), was Speaker of the House of Representatives between 1835-39, Governor of
Tennessee, and, as President 1845-49, committed the nation to a "Manifest Destiny," favoring the
annexation of Texas, an item popular in the South, Oregon and California. When Congress voted to secure
Texas, war with Mexico ensued. Finally, Mexico ceded New Mexico and California, and the United States
agreed to pay 15 million dollars in damages to Mexico. However, the new territories again placed the
question of the expansion of slavery before the nation.
Jonathan Cilley (1802-1838), studied law under John Ruggles, a prominent member of the Democratic
Party. Cilley strongly supported Ruggles against various opponents, dedicating his early career to this end.
However, when Cilley was elected as Democratic representative in the state legislature, Judge Ruggles,
who was aspiring for a seat in the Senate of the United States, accused Cilley of disloyality. When Cilley
gained in popularity and was later elected to Congress, Ruggles and his friends wrongly accused Cilley of a
variety of misdeeds to stigmatize him. Good-natured and even-tempered, Cilley remained above these
morally, and refused to stoop to the level of his accusers. Running against Ruggles as candidate for
Congress in 1836, Cilley won handily. A Mr. Graves of Kentucky, a friend of Ruggles, challenged Cilley,
but Cilley refused to respond to the provocation. Finally, Cilley met Graves, and, after Cilley professed his
respect and kind feelings to his opponent, when nothing would divert Graves, shots were exchanged and
Cilley was killed. The eminent author, Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) wrote his obituary.
odor of malignancy, hissed from serpent tongues, and venomous with epithets on his
great name, they hailed with solemn gravity and portentious nod, as a Gospel truth.

Yet this is the party who wish the "Old Line Whigs," ("old lying whigs [sic],"
they used to call them,) to join with them in elevating to the Presidency, the man who,
when all the foul fabrications which the demon of malice could invent, or the fiend of
falsehood howl, were showered upon the head of their cherished leader, Clay, stood and
looked calmly on, and with that same sycophancy and inconsistency which has marked
his career as a public man, begged the gallant Kentuckian not to expose his contumelious
conduct, and ruin his high hopes, and at the same time, when it was in his power to stay
the torrent of abuse which was poured upon him, and of which he was the author, did not,
and has not still this day, raised his voice to vindicate Harry Clay from the charge of
"bribery and corruption," though all others engaged in the transaction have declared they
were mistaken.

And now this party hopes, by extolling the virtues and praising the deeds of the
illustrious dead, to obtain the votes of the Whigs for the man whose fabrication defeated
their idol in '44. And will "Old Line Whigs," support this party and this man. Have they
so far forgotten the memory of

[The remaining page or pages are missing from the file.]