A literal doughface in the 1850s was a mask made of dough or papier-mâché. These were sometimes worn as a practical joke to frighten people. Political doughfaces were northern congressmen so spooked by the threat of civil war-“scared at their own doughfaces” as one critic put it-that they were willing to compromise with the South on the slavery issue. Southern politicians later adopted the term with the opposite meaning-colleagues from the South who didn’t defend slavery staunchly enough. Both sides despised doughfaces. Eventually, “doughface” became a general nickname for a politician whose principles were flexible on any issue-especially if money formed part of the equation.
-
Recent Entries
Tags
1850s 1890s 1940s 1960s Activist actor Affiliation allegiance background ballot form Bill British campaign campaign trail candidates celebrity church Civil war Communism congress conservative constituent corruption demographic draft dodger election english-speaking expenditure Facade first lady fundamentalist government Government spending high-school educated ideology influence Journalists loyalty male membership military moratorium mormon Mud slinging news nickname obstruction opposition Party platitude President Presidential election Pro-war Project Religion Religious reporters reporting Republican party revenue rhetoric right-wing slavery small government small town speech state supreme court tax cuts taxes Voter Voting white house witch hunt working class
the ARGOTIST 