[Ads-l] antedating "cold deck"

[Bill Mullins]

OED has 1857

1841 Southern Pioneer, and Carroll, Choctaw and Tallahatchie Counties Advertiser [Carrollton, MS] 23 Oct 3/3
A week or two since the anti-bonders of Hinds, notwithstanding their previous caucusing and intrigues for the last two or three months, for the purpose of finding four candidates to run on the Locofoco ticket for the Legislature, contrived to search out three who were soft enough to come out, but whom we understand have since declined, to escape the blush that would have been caused by the certain defeat that awaited them had they persisted in their folly not being able to persuade another in the whole county, after due consideration they recollected one who was opposed to the payment of the Bonds when first they mounted this hobby, who lived in the interior of Madison county, but as this humbug was got up too soon and so much light had since shone on the subject they thought it was likely he had changed, but as there was no certainty of this fact and it was their only resort, the gamblers thought to ring in the cold deck on honest old Hinds; they were however mistaken, and did not catch her napping, but true, as she ever has been, to republican principles.
https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn86074084/1841-10-23/ed-1/?dl=page&q=cold+deck&sp=3&st=image

1842 Detroit Free Press 8 Nov 3/1
In Ohio they speak seriously of McLean or Cass -- but neither gentleman will be so short-sighted as to permit his name to be used by the desperate political gamesters who have been packing cold decks to be rung in by Mr. Clay.
https://www.newspapers.com/image/1047526922/?match=1&terms=%22cold%20deck%22

1844 Edgefield [SC] Advertiser 14 Aug 3/2
Seeing their inevitable defeat upon all the great issues involved in the contest, the are attempting to introduce a collateral one, a "cold deck," as Mr. Clay would say -- by which to win the Presidential game.
https://www.newspapers.com/image/72098093

I note that both the 1842 and 1844 cites mention Henry Clay.  Is there some famous quotation from him prior to 1842 referencing a cold deck?



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