Black vs Tricolor: Federalists and Democrats
Once upon a time, the American patriotic cockade was black. But by the time of the Civil War, the American patriotic cockade was tricolor. What happened in the meantime to change it?
The French Revolution.
Ahh... but it wasn't quite that simple. There was a whole generation of patriots who were aghast at the excesses of the French Revolution and clung to the black cockade. Today we'll look at a letter to the editor by one of those patriots. It's a fascinating little history lesson!
In a letter to the editor in an 1838 newspaper, the writer explained why he preferred to wear a black cockade instead of a tricolor. The letter was unsigned so I'll call him Mr. Patriot. And I'll insert some explanatory notes throughout. Hyperlinks are underlined if you want to learn more.
Messrs. Editors:
As one of those who wore the black cockade in common with Richard Rush, Esq., and many other Federalists, I beg leave to correct the history which you have given of the origin of that measure one of your late newspapers.
In order to show their extravagant sympathy with the French Democrats, some ultra republicans, in this country, had worn the tri-colored cockade.
The "French Democrats" were the Democratic-Republican party, an early political party which favored the French Revolution. The Federalist party opposed them, and the French Revolution, for reasons which Mr. Patriot proceeds to explain.
This induced some young men who were zealously attached to the Washington Administration to call in a body, upon that great and good man, then at the head of the government, [i.e. President Washington] in order to learn what was the national cockade of the United States. In reply he was cheerfully pleased to say, that the color of the American cockade was black. The fact that this application was made, and this answer received, will be proved by John Harned, one of our most respectable mechanics, and he has told me that he was present.
I had long understood that the American cockade was black, and when in common with many other young Federalists I attached a black cockade to my hat, I did it in order to distinguish myself from those who had worn the tri-colored cockade; who were for approximating our government to the monarchical government of the French Jacobins, and for involving us in a war with the mother country in opposition to our true interests, and the councils of the father of his country. Men whom he had designated in these memorable words, the "partizans of the French Revolution, otherwise the advocates of war and confusion."
Federalists insisted that it was in our best interests to take the side of our "mother country" Britain in Great Britain's wars with France in the 1790s-1800s. This was in sharp contrast to the "French Jacobins" (Democratic-Republicans) who favored the side of France. The Federalist side initially won out and we had a Quasi-War with France during John Adams' presidency.
At the time when I wore the black cockade, I was an enthusiastic friend of republican liberty, and a zealous admirer of the constitution. My abhorrence of my political opponents arose from the impression that their measures were tending to revolutionize our government and produce anarchy first, and afterwards despotism.
Mr. Patriot is expressing common fears during the French Revolution that the excesses of the Reign of Terror would be brought to America - and bring the same anarchy followed by the same despotism of a dictator Napoleon. Republican ideals are fine, he says, but anarchy and despotism are not something we need in America.
It appeared to me that nothing could be more impracticable than to approximate our government to a monarchy - two of the essential elements were wanting, loyalty and an order of nobility. The favorable mention of either of these by any party would be enough to render them extremely unpopular. In this country the people had been made sovereign, and it was absurd to suppose that they would voluntarily abdicate their power, and if King George with his armies and his millions could not coerce them, who else could be so foolish as to attempt it. The only danger of American liberty, it appeared to me, must come from some demagogue, who, like Cromwell, Robespierre or Jackson, would tyrannize over a minority under the plea of doing good to the majority of his constituents.
Mr. Patriot is refuting the accusation of the Democratic-Republicans that the Federalists simply wanted to go back to the British monarchy. Nothing of the kind! He wryly observed (and accurately, as history again proves) that the only tyranny Americans are susceptible to is that of demagogues legislating for our supposed "good."
If any others, who, like my old friend Rush, wore the black cockade at the period alluded to, were actuated by different incentives from mine, it was unknown to me. I judged of their motives by my own. If subsequently I have had any doubts of the patriotism of a portion of them, it has arisen from their upholding the party discipline established under Jackson and deputed to his successor.
This is a dig at President Andrew Jackson, newly retired from office, and "his successor," Martin Van Buren. Jackson was founder of the modern Democrat party, but his and Van Buren's heritage was from the French-loving Democratic-Republicans.
When I formed the opinion that our government could not be approximated to a monarchy, I did not foresee that party organization might confer on our executive the power which is in other countries founded on armies. I did not foresee that an aristocracy of demagogues might take the place of an order of nobility.
In Short...
Though cleverly disguising his political letter as a history lesson, Mr. Patriot now reveals his pet peeve: the power of "demagogues" in government, in particular those tricolor-wearing Democrats!
Just in case his audience doesn't get the point, Mr. Patriot now spells it out and ends his letter.
Is there a shire in England which is in more slavish subordination to any peer of that realm than the State of South Carolina is to Calhoun?
John C. Calhoun, vice president under Jackson, was also a Democrat and a South Carolina leader in the recent Nullification Crisis. As we know, the issues that led to nullification by South Carolina are some of the same issues that led to the Civil War 28 years later. Southerners thought the political descendents of the New England Federalists were too "monarchical," too fond of heavy-handed centralized power. Northerners felt that nullification and secession would lead to that "Jacobin" anarchy ominously foreseen by Mr. Patriot.
In hindsight, we can see that both sides had a point.
Mr. Patriot takes us from George Washington to the French Revolution... to Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren... and shows us that the Civil War didn't happen in a vacuum. Though he had no idea a Civil War was coming, he was part of the long line of political debate - and cockades! - that led to it.
The Politics... and Cockades... Go On!
Are you a "black cockade Federalist" or do you favor the "Jacobin" tricolor? Either way, I've got a cockade for you!
The Cockade Column looks different!
What happened?
The email service I've used since 2012 is sadly going out of business. That means your future Cockade Columns are going to look different as I move to a different service.
I am going to give Substack a try for my upcoming Columns. I have endeavored to move everyone's email subscription over here, but I'm sure there will be inevitable glitches in the process. It’s also possible that you ended up getting this email by mistake - so please feel free to unsubscribe if you think this won’t interest you.
Substack has a lot more possibilities than my previous service, so hang on as I go through the learning curve to give you more fun cockade stories! Thanks for reading and see you next week!
~Heather
Just got compliments on my cockade doll belt at the Corset and Cravats Conference! Told them you made it.