Organization

Washington Territorial Legislature

Named in 18 stories. Back to all names

Jan 21, 1859The Territory’s Muskets Were ‘About as Dangerous at One End as the Other’A Pierce County taxpayer audits the 1859 Legislature: condemned arms, a new enrolling clerk, and the old habit of hoping Congress will pay.Olympia, WA
Apr 20, 1861Territorial Legislature Declares Allegiance to the UnionAs the clouds of civil war gather in the East, the Washington Territorial Legislature takes a firm stance for the preservation of the national Union.Olympia, WA
Jan 11, 1862The Editor’s Defense of a Federal AppointeeAfter losing his status as Public Printer, the newspaper editor takes up the cause of the embattled Port Townsend Collector of Customs, Victor Smith.Port Townsend, WA
Jan 25, 1862The Public Printer's Stand-OffA legislative clerk threatened 'foul means' to seize official manuscripts from the printer, leading to a tense standoff over territorial records.Olympia, WA
Feb 1, 1862The Partisan Brawl of 1862A scathing editorial laments the Olympia legislature's refusal to pass loyalty resolutions, accusing lawmakers of secret disloyalty to the Union cause.Olympia, WA
Jun 14, 1862The Territorial Legislature’s Failed Loyalty PledgeA political standoff in the Washington Territorial Legislature over Union support reveals the region's deep sectional divisions during the Civil War.Olympia, WA
Dec 6, 1862The Speakerless Session: A Legislative StandoffAfter seventeen ballots and tense debates over legal swearing-in procedures, the Territorial House finally elects a Speaker.Olympia, WA
Jan 17, 1863The Rowdy Election of the Territorial PrinterWashington's early legislature devolves into political gridlock as members brawl over the powerful and lucrative appointment of the official Territorial Printer.Olympia, WA
Nov 3, 1877The Jailbreak Problem: When Every County Was Its Own PenitentiaryIn 1877, Washington Territory struggled with a chaotic, decentralized justice system where county jails were crumbling and prisoners were held for profit.Olympia, WA
Dec 15, 1877The Great Legislative Mess of 1877A scathing editorial reveals how Washington Territory lawmakers spent their time sight-seeing instead of legislating, resulting in a chaotic pile of 'undigested' laws.Olympia, WA
Oct 11, 1883The Ethics of the Free Rail PassA territorial representative is caught accepting a railroad pass while charging the government for travel expenses, prompting a sharp rebuke on political corruption.Olympia, WA
Nov 23, 1883A Call for a New AsylumLegislative committee finds territorial asylum buildings beyond repair, recommending a new site in Eastern Washington.Olympia, WA
Nov 24, 1883Spokane Editor Grudgingly Concedes Women the Ballot — and Fears for Their WomanhoodWashington Territory's 1883 suffrage bill passes the legislature, and the Spokane Falls Review's editor can't decide whether to congratulate women or mourn the loss of their 'sphere.'Spokane, WA
Dec 6, 1883City Hall vs. The Legislature: A Fight for Local ControlAn editorial challenges the legality of the Washington Territorial Legislature appointing members to the Seattle City Council.Seattle, WA
Jun 15, 1884The New Era: How Woman Suffrage Changed Seattle PoliticsAn eye-witness account of the 1884 election, where new female voters, juries, and a 'reformed' city hall signal a sea change in frontier culture.Front Street, Seattle, WA
May 7, 1886The Battle for Washington Territory's BallotA fiery Senate debate in 1886 reveals the complex national struggle over women’s suffrage during Washington's push for statehood.Front Street, Seattle, WA
Dec 10, 1887The Eight-Hour Day Battle in 1887Washington territorial legislators spar over radical new labor laws, including mandates for an eight-hour workday and the end of company-scrip payment systems.Seattle, WA
Dec 16, 1887The Political Pilgrimage to SteilacoomIn 1887, Washington Territorial legislators took a collective trip to inspect the state's asylum, but the solemn mission quickly devolved into a social affair that kept the real results hidden from the public.Western State Hospital, Steilacoom, WA