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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1860 | 3 |
| 1861 | 11 |
| 1862 | 11 |
| 1863 | 3 |
28 stories matching assembl
- The Great Territorial Rifle Scandal
Legislators in the late assembly faced public backlash for voting themselves government-issued military rifles as personal loot.
- Legislature Honors Fallen General Isaac I. Stevens
Lawmakers declare a ten-day mourning period for the former Governor and Union General killed in the Civil War.
- Seattle's First Great Milestone
The University of Washington is dedicated, marking a pivotal moment in the territory's intellectual development.
- The Territory's Loyalty Crisis
A bitter partisan divide breaks out in the Legislative Assembly over a set of resolutions affirming support for the Union and the Lincoln administration.
- Vigilante Justice Follows the Murder of a Pierce County Leader
A mass-meeting in Steilacoom formalizes the community's outrage over the vigilante killing of a citizen-slayer, reflecting deep distrust in the local courts.
- Olympia Rallies for the Union
Citizens of the Second Judicial District gather in Olympia to pass resolutions against secession and the threat of a Pacific Confederacy.
- The Seat of Government Stays Put
The Supreme Court of Washington Territory voids legislative attempts to relocate the capital from Olympia to Vancouver.
- Olympia Trustees Protest County Seat Move to Tumwater
Olympia trustees fight to keep the county seat, accusing Tumwater commissioners of political maneuvering and bad faith in property dealings.
- The 1863 Legislative Session Wraps Up
A look back at the territorial assembly's busy session, featuring a major overhaul of the legal code, debates over the Idaho statehood movement, and the struggles of members waiting on federal pay.
- Patriotic Rivalry at Oak Point
When steamer crewmen beat the local ladies to the punch on a flag-raising ceremony, the women reclaimed the duty themselves.
- The Port Townsend Loyalty Meetings
Citizens organize to refute allegations of disloyalty published in regional newspapers.
- Olympia's Legislative Logjam
As the eighth session of the Territorial Legislature draws to a close, a cynical editor chronicles the stalling of business, the maneuvering for position, and the technicalities used to avoid public votes.
- The Governor’s Vision for a Growing Territory
Governor William Pickering addresses the 1862 Legislature, detailing the critical needs of a frontier rapidly filling with settlers and miners.
- The Territory's Thin Ledger
A look at the precarious finances of Washington Territory in 1862, from debts to the cost of territorial convicts.
- Washington Territory’s Wartime Blueprint
Governor William H. Wallace outlines a vision for the territory’s future while railing against 'peace men' and traitors amid the Civil War.
- A Wartime Thanksgiving in 1862
Governor William Pickering issues a formal proclamation calling for territorial prayer and unity amidst the 'monstrous conspiracy' of the Civil War.
- The Union Ticket: Thurston County's 1862 Political Campaign
As the Civil War rages, local political factions organize mass meetings to nominate candidates and define their loyalties in Olympia.
- The Speakerless Session: A Legislative Standoff
After seventeen ballots and tense debates over legal swearing-in procedures, the Territorial House finally elects a Speaker.
- The Divorce Factory of 1861
Tired of a legislative session flooded with endless divorce petitions, the Washington Territorial Council finally moves to curb the practice.
- The Political Rumble at the Capitol
Candidates for Congress square off in Olympia as the territory prepares for a heated election season.
- A Frontier Call to Stand by the Union
Meeting in Steilacoom, Pierce County Republicans resolve to support the Constitution and condemn the removal of the Territorial Capitol.
- Founding the University of Washington
In 1861, commissioners reported on the hard-won construction of the territory's first university, built from scratch with donated land and volunteer labor.
- Paying the Volunteers of the Indian Wars
A federal act authorizes millions to compensate the Washington and Oregon volunteer regiments who fought in the 1855-1856 Indian Wars.
- The Phrenologist's Wedding Scandal
A self-proclaimed doctor and phrenologist attempts to marry a woman without legal authority, leading to a public arrest and a heated courtroom spectacle in Olympia.
- The First Republican Banner in the Territory
A local correspondent celebrates the arrival of a new political voice in Whatcom, marking a rare moment of partisan pride in the remote frontier.