Locofocos, Barn Burners, and Putty Heads Torchlight rally of Know Nothings in NY City  Don't you wish you could call some politician a " Locofoco ?" Or protest "all those  Barnburner   Putty Heads ?"      Plus  Know Nothings ,  Hards  and  Softs ,  Conscience Whigs , Free Soilers, Putty Heads  and  Fusionists  just to name a few of the political parties or factions of political parties. Modern political terms just lack this sort of colorful speech. Sept. 25, 1852 NY Herald (On the NY State Democratic convention)      Thus was the State ticket made up of two  softs , one  barnburner  and one  hard shell hunker ; and having formed an electoral ticket upon which are eighteen  hunkers  to seventeen  barnburners  and  softs , and a State committee which reckons nine  barnburners  and  softs  to seven  hunke...