Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

To: nickcarraway

In the Antebellum era, southern Pennsylvania was Democratic country or “Doughboy” country (Northerners with Southern sympathies). James Buchanan was from southern PA on the border with Maryland. Not surprised the paper of Gettysburg were Cooperheads.


8 posted on 11/15/2013 11:47:22 AM PST by C19fan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]


To: C19fan; nickcarraway
C19fan: "In the Antebellum era, southern Pennsylvania was Democratic country or “Doughboy” country (Northerners with Southern sympathies).
James Buchanan was from southern PA on the border with Maryland.
Not surprised the paper of Gettysburg were Cooperheads."

Ha!
A "doughboy" was a World War One US infantryman.

You are thinking of "Dough-faced" northerners, a term of derision coined by Virginia Congressman John Randolf, circa 1820.
These "Dough-faced" northerners, of whom President Buchanan from South-central Pennsylvania was certainly one, were necessary & essential to holding the Union together for 40 years -- from the 1820s until 1860.
Most were northern Democrats, but some were Whigs, and it was the political elimination of the Dough-faces by anti-slavery Republicans which ended the ante-bellum Union, and led to Civil War.

From the Founding of the Republic through the election of 1856, Pennsylvanians had always voted with Southern Democrats, and so it's not surprising that a Harrisburg newspaper would naturally want to belittle Republicans in 1863 -- just as they do today.

Pennsylvania voters' dramatic change in 1860 from pro-slavery Democrats to anti-slavery Republicans was doubtless just one more straw that broke the camel's back of Southern Unionism.

17 posted on 11/15/2013 5:49:48 PM PST by BroJoeK (a little historical perspective....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson