[x]

My point has been to show that before 1850, really, before 1860, national politics were dominated by the alliance of Southern Democrat Slave-Power and Northern Democrat Dough-faces (big cities, immigrants).

Big city immigrants may have provided the votes, but the power belonged to native-born American leaders, largely of rural origin: Buchanan, Pierce, Cass, Douglas and their Southern counterparts (though Douglas's Southern-born second wife was Catholic and there was some speculation about whether he was as well). I always thought of "Doughface" as more of a native phenomenon, and don't really associate the term with Irish or Germans, whatever their politics or attitude towards slavery, probably because they didn't have much power in Congress yet.

[BroJoeK]

x: "Big city immigrants may have provided the votes, but the power belonged to native-born American leaders, largely of rural origin..."

Agreed.
Buchanan, Pierce etc., were certainly "doughfaces", a term implying overt political acquiescence, and as you note, probably not so appropriate for the big city immigrants who elected them.

Indeed, does that not remind us of modern Democrats?