The Ring is Broken: Seattle’s Republicans Revolt Against the 'Corrupt' Delegate

The nefarious system by which the popular will has been set at naught and unscrupulous tricksters have been elected to office through the machinery of packed conventions and party drill, has been broken in this Territory, we devoutly hope never to be revived under the auspices of any party. All over the Territory we hear of men of the most commanding influence and consistent devotion to the Republican party openly repudiating the Ring nominee, Gillette, and advocating the election of the people’s candidate, Judge McFadden.

In Olympia, alone there are over one hundred such, including several Federal officers, who still maintain their allegiance to the National Administration, and Gov. Salomon, who has just returned from a stumping tour through California in behalf of Grant, to publicly aid in the election of McFadden. In this county, the President of the Republican County Convention and many of the most influential delegates in that Convention openly support McFadden.

In the Whidbey and Snohomish district, Thomas Crannoy, an avowed supporter of McFadden, is nominated by both parties for Joint Councilman. C. E. P. Wood, was nominated for Joint Councilman in the Jefferson district, by a McFadden convention, and was adopted as the candidate of the Republican convention, knowing him to be an ardent supporter of McFadden.

We have frequently heard the remark made by men of high social and political standing, that they had never voted for a Democrat, but should vote for Judge McFadden, because they regarded the interests of the Territory as paramount to the success of party, and this declaration is so common that it has ceased to be regarded as a party offence. In the western portion of Washington Territory, where there were six avowed Republican papers before the nominations, there is now but one which openly supports Gillette, and that one is owned by himself and sustained by the Federal influence which he controls.

The Courier in this county who was bought and paid for by Gillette’s friends, dare not openly espouse his cause, and privately throws off on him to unite votes himself. Under these circumstances, it will take a large expenditure of corruption money and a great number of Indian votes to re-elect Mr. Gillette, and in that event he would return to Washington a disgraced and dishonored man.

Abuse of Garfield—The Courier, which has been recently edited purely in the Oregon style of billing-gale and personal detraction, whines frantically at what is denominated "abuse of Garfield," saying that Judge McFadden in all his speeches, has lost many votes to himself by this personal abuse. But Judge McFadden has, in a single instance, assailed the personal character of Mr. Garfield, directly or by innuendo, is not true. But, that a fair statement of Mr. Gillette’s public record should be deemed abusive, is not to be wondered at.

Mistakes—Tom Reed, who does the editorial business for the Courier at the present time, seems greatly afflicted with an infirmity of memory, or intellect, which does not admit of his telling the truth. A short time since he accused Mr. Shueffer and Col. Purdee of forging the names of Republicans to a pledge to support McFadden... Reed admits that he might have been mistaken.

Commerce Thunders—The Commercial Gazette, a paper published in Portland, devoted exclusively to commerce and finance, speaks of the pending election in this Territory as follows: The election next month in Washington Territory is of greater importance than any proceeding one. Not from a partisan point of view, but commercially. Washington Territory should be represented by a man who has taken at the Northwest, and particularly the Territory, at heart... It is the testimony of all disinterested men that Mr. Gillette, in his two terms in Congress has done literally nothing for the interests of his constituents, and has in nearly every instance sold out and betrayed the interests of those clients who have paid him for his services.