The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Locofoco

LOCOFOCO, formerly a familiar name for a member of the Democratic party; applied especially to the radical or equal rights section of that party, because at a meeting in Tammany Hall, New York, on 29 Oct. 1835, in which there was great diversity of sentiment, the chairman left his seat, and the lights were extinguished, with a view to dissolving the meeting; when those in favor of extreme measures produced loco-foco matches — then a comparatively recent invention, rekindled the

lights, continued the meeting, and accomplished their object. (See ). Consult Byrdsall, F., &lsquo;History of the Loco-Foco Party&rsquo; (New York 1842); Alexander, De A. S., &lsquo;Political History of the State of New York&rsquo; (Vol. II, New York 1906); Woodburn, J. A., &lsquo;Political Parties and Party Problems in the United States&rsquo; (2d ed., ib., 1914).