When Two Postmasters Abandoned Their Offices to Join the Legislature
In 1879, two Washington Territory postmasters resigned their federal jobs to become legislators — but their resignations were still in the mail, so they simply left.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The House of the Territorial Legislature last week stood Republican by two majority, with Stevens county special election to hear from; and great was the rejoicing among the faithful Bourbons when it was learned that two Republicans of the House were postmasters, and could not serve as Territorial legislators. This gave each side an even chance, when the news arrived at Olympia that the Democrats had carried Stevens county. This set the political pot to boiling with renewed vigor; and the Republicans became seriously alarmed. The two postmasters were Samuel G. Ward, of Tumwater, Thurston county, and Geo. W. Tibbetts, of Benton, King county. Both of them had forwarded their resignations six weeks ago, and expected to have heard of their acceptance at Washington, but no answer came. They had counted they could get out of office in five weeks, but they could not. It takes two or three months to resign a post-office, as a successor has to be appointed and give bonds before a resignation can be accepted. The situation was now critical in the extreme, and our postmasters became desperate and abandoned their offices without an order from President Hayes. Word was immediately sent to Postal Agent Steele, and he hastened to the Territory to look after the matter. He found the late public officials reveling in the unrestrained liberty of American citizens, and enjoying the well earned honor of members of the House. The loose post-offices were gathered up and turned over to the sureties of the respective postmasters, and the department notified of the state of affairs. That public interests might not suffer, with the consent of the sureties, temporary postmasters were appointed, and the right of Ward and Tibbetts to sit in the Legislature cannot be questioned. The realization of this last situation, so acceptable to the Republicans, was followed by the receipt of the news that Mr. Percival, Republican, had been elected from Stevens county by 14 majority, giving the Republicans a margin of three for organizing the House.
“Our postmasters became desperate and abandoned their offices without an order from President Hayes.”
More than a century later, the spectacle of officials abandoning one post to seize another still resonates. The story is a reminder that the rules for filling public offices — and resigning them — were just as convoluted in 1879 as today's fights over succession and vacancies, when a replacement must be confirmed before a seat can be vacated.
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