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In U.S.
history,the locofocos were a radical wing of the Democratic Party, organized
in New York City in 1835. Made up primarily of workingmen and reformers, the
Locofocos were opposed to state banks, monopolies, paper money, tariffs, and
generally any financial policies that seemed to themantidemocratic and
conducive to special privilege. The Locofocos received their name (which was
later derisively applied by political opponents to all Democrats) when party
regulars in New York turned off the gas lights to oust the radicals from a
Tammany Hall nominating meeting.The radicals responded by lighting candles
with the new self-igniting friction matches known as locofocos, and proceeded
to nominate their own slate.
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