The 1880 Democratic Territorial Convention
Washington Territory’s Democrats gather in Kalama to organize their bid for statehood and select a delegate to Congress.
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 Democratic Convention for Washington Territory met at Kalama on the 15th. The convention was called to order by a delegate. Judge J. D. Mix, of Walla Walla, was chosen temporary chairman; J. B. Reavis, of Goldendale, secretary; and C. D. Emery, of Seattle, assistant secretary. The convention proceeded to nominate Judge Thomas Burke of Seattle as its delegate to Congress, an action received with warm support from attendees. The delegates also adopted resolutions endorsing Winfield Scott Hancock for President and expressed strong desire for the speedy admission of Washington Territory into the Union as a state. The party leaders specifically called for an end to the current federal Indian policy, which they argued had been poorly managed by the Republican party.
“We are in favor of a speedy admission of the Territory of Washington into the Union as a State, and to that end we will lend our united efforts.”
In 1880, Washington was still fighting for the basic right of statehood and local representation. The delegates’ frustration with 'federal patronage' and distance from national power mirrors the perennial tension between Washington State's internal interests and the oversight of the federal government.
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