High Prices
Economy
This exchange between "Farmer," a reader of the Puget Sound Herald, and the editor of the newspaper is revealing.
The editor, in his original article, claimed that farmers on Puget Sound could and were doing very well. He was teasing his readers, but he was also doing his job - as his newspaper was sent south and east in exchanges, his editorial would be excerpted and reprinted, encouraging migration to the area. "Farmer" argues that farm prices are no higher than they should be and institutes comparisons with New York, that the editor takes issue with. A good-natured disagreement, that tells us much about the antebellum economy on Puget Sound.
"Farmer"
Puget Sound Herald
Steilacoom W.T.
Allurinda
article
Letter from Puget Sound: Organization of the Territorial Legislature
Politics and government
A hilarious description of legislative stubbornness. The Territorial Legislature spends a week electing officers. Moving the capitol to Walla Walla was discussed. The Council (forerunner of the Senate) managed to elect most officers with the exception of Sergeant-at-Arms. After the 98th ballot, the effort was given up and the meeting adjourned.
"But little business in the way of legislation will be transacted until after the holidays. In the meantime the most important matters are being discussed freely on the outside."
"From an occasional correspondent"
Daily Evening Bulletin
San Francisco, CA: San Francisco Bulletin Company
newspaper
Article GT3000186922
Letter from Puget Sound
Separatist movements
Unionism in the North - The correspondent asserts near unanimity in Washington Territory against secession or a Pacific Republic, while also noting the territorial District Attorney had resigned to fight for the South.
Politics of Washington Territory - The correspondent thinks former Governor and incumbent Territorial Delegate Isaac Stevens will likely be renominated as a Democrat [he was not] but acknowledges that many people think Stevens neglected his duties as delegate during the Presidential campaign. Stevens worked to get former Oregon Governor and current Senator Joe Lane or anyone else nominated by the Democratic Party, other than Douglas, and when that effort failed, he served as the campaign chairman of the Breckenridge/Lane ticket advanced by the anti-Douglas Democrats. (See Richards, Isaac I. Stevens - Young Man in a Hurry, pp. 345-357 (1979). It is no wonder that he lost the support of many Democrats.)
"From an Occasional Correspondent", Dymas
Daily Evening Bulletin
San Francisco, CA: J.W. Simonton; G.K. Fitch; J. Nesbit; C.J. Bartlett
newspaper
Letter from New York - Gwin Disclaims the "Pacific Republic" Notion.
Separatist movements
The Bulletin's New York correspondent comments on the arrival of news from San Francisco of March 27, printed in NYC papers April 11. In that news item, Californians repudiated the idea of a Pacific Republic, which he says mirrors the sentiment of every Californian in NYC. Second, he refers to a writer from Washington, D.C., who says that Senator Gwin (referred to as "The Doctor") now disclaims ever having had sympathy with the Pacific Republic movement or any desire to link the fortune of the Pacific states with the southern secessionists, unlike (he claims) some challengers for his senate seat.
Additional information:
Sen. Gwin, a southern Democrat representing California, did not retain his Senate seat. Later, "[h]e was arrested by order of [U.S., California District] General Sumner at the beginning of the Civil War on suspicion of disloyalty and was imprisoned at Fort Lafayette from November 18 until December 2, 1861. In 1863 he went to Paris, where he met Napoléon III and interested the Emperor in a scheme to colonize Sonora with Southerners. He drew up plans for the project which were approved by Napoléon and submitted to Maximilian [who disapproved of them]." Online Archives of California, www.oac.cdlib.org, "Guide to William McKendree Gwin Papers, 1833-1897"
"From Our Own Correspondent"
Daily Evening Bulletin
San Francisco: J.W. Simonton; G.K. Fitch; J. Nesbit; C.J. Bartlett
newspaper
The Speaking in Whatcom County
Politics and government
This Republican paper says Garfielde (Democrat) and Lander (Independent Unionist Democrat) were evasive in their public speeches, saying they would support what the Administration did if they agreed with it. Wallace's stand-in offered unqualified support for the proposal that force must be used to retain the border states..
On p. 2, "Arrival of Gov. Wallace," reports that Wallace has returned to Washington Territory.
"Gnik Nhoj"
Washington Standard
Olympia, WA: John M. Murphy
article
A234
Olympia Correspondence
Copperheads
Editor Charles Prosch expresses his resentment at the award of the lucrative territorial printing contract to a member of the opposing party, the Democrats, whose loyalty to the Union he slurs here.
"Ion"
Puget Sound Herald
Steilacoom, WA: Charles Prosch
article
The Presidency
Politics and government
"Julian" writes, "It is conceded upon all hands that the South should have the next President, inasmuch as the two last Presidents were from the North." Writing in 1859, "Julian" argues that the Democrats should select a southern man for president on their ticket in 1860, and that R.M.T. Hunter of Virginia should be that man.
"Julian," "a follower of that lamented sage and patriot, John C. Calhoun."
Puget Sound Herald
Steilacoom, WA: Charles Prosch
electronic
article
Another Letter from Puget Sound: Fatal Personal Affray; Muss between J.D. Bagley (whilom of San Francisco) and M.S. Griswold
Politics and government
An hour after Olympia newspaper editor B. F. Kendall fatally shot elderly Horace Howe, Territorial Legislator M.S. Griswold (from Pacific County)” advocated a Vigilance Committee to take Kendall in hand”, but J.D. Bagley, an old Californian who had been "exiled" from there by a vigilance committee, opposed the idea, and a fistfight erupted.
"Juno", "An Occasional Correspondent"
Daily Evening Bulletin
San Francisco, CA: San Francisco Bulletin Company
newspaper
Article GT3000GT81637
Another Letter from Puget Sound: Gen. I.I. Stevens and J.D. Bagley
Politics and government
Because Bagley had been a personal and political enemy of General Stevens, the correspondent thought his delivery of a eulogy was in bad taste.
"Juno", "An Occasional Correspondent"
Daily Evening Bulletin
San Francisco, CA: San Francisco Bulletin Company
article
Article GT300081637
Letter from Puget Sound: A Homicide Case
Politics and government
The original conflict of this feud was over the farming land claimed by Great Britain. The farmers of the community were opposed to the Puget Sound Agricultural Company (formerly Hudson Bay Company).
In the aftermath, Kendall's friends were considering lynching Howe's son.
"Juno", "An Occasional Correspondent"
Daily Evening Bulletin
San Francisco, CA: San Francisco Bulletin Company
newspaper
Article GT3000082194