A nickname for the supporters of the Embargo Act, which prevented ships from leaving American ports. This Act was passed Dec. 22, 1807, and repealed March 1, 1809. Its opponents read the word Embargo backwards. See 1808, 1809, 1841.
1808. Pray what do you think of the Hum-bug-O, as it is termed everywhere but [in Washington]?—The Balance, Feb. 2, p. 20.
1808.
| But as soon as O Grab me! shall let go his end, | |
| I’ll haste to relate the sweet tidings to you. | |
Id., June 7, p. 92: from The Courier. |
1808. The wretched dilemmas to which our Embargoroons are reduced in their attempts to prop the falling fabrick of their darling democracy.—Mass. Spy, Sept. 28: from the “Newbedford” Mercury.
1808. One of the Embargoroons came into a Yankee watchmaker’s shop.—Id., Nov. 23: from The Centinel.
1808. The resolutions of Macon, Eppes, Jackson, and others of the Jacobin host of “Embargoroons.”—Id., Nov. 30.
1809. The Embargo laws were called O grab me laws.—The Repertory, Boston, Jan. 17.
1809. The word of command, with the Embargoroons, is again “as you were.”—Id., Feb. 17.
1841. The unoffending word itself became an object of vengeance, was put to the torture, and, being spelt backwards, was pronounced ograbme: a sort of revenge quite as rational as that of a celebrated despiser of manufactures, who declared that he never saw a sheep without feeling inclined to go out of his way to kick it.—Mr. Brackenridge of Pennsylvania, House of Repr., Feb. 3: Cong. Globe, p. 281, App.
