"In 1835, in the city and county of New York, a portion of the
democrats organized themselves into the 'equal rights' party.
At a meeting in Tammany Hall they attempted to embarrass the
proceedings of the democratic nominating committee, by
presenting a chairman in opposition to the one supported by
the regular democrats. Both parties came to a dead lock, and,
in the midst of great confusion, the committee extinguished
the lights. The equal rights men immediately relighted the
room with candles and locofoco matches, with which they had
provided themselves. From this they received the name of
locofocos, a designation which, for a time, was applied to the
whole democratic party by the opposition."
_W. R. Houghton,
History of American Politics,
page 219._