Azariah Cutting Flagg, NY editor and pol; Bucktailed Burnburning (anti-Hunker) Free Soiling Republican
(Why, what’s your sobriquet?)
A longtime force in the Democratic party in New York, Flagg managed to be included and/or lead most of the silly-sounding party factions in NY state. Flagg began as a member of the Bucktails faction of the Democratic-Republican Party, then became a straight Jacksonian Democrat, then a Barnburner (i.e. an enemy of the Hunkers). Wound up being a Free Soiler, and finally a Republican. His career basically tracks that of “the Little Magician,” Martin Van Buren, on the state level.
This exercise in confusion provided by Wikipedia, and the Papers of Martin Van Buren.
Dael A. Norwood 