The Fourth of July in Olympia at the Height of the Civil War
A fervent address by Elwood Evans calls for absolute loyalty to the Union as the Territory celebrates the nation’s independence during its 'most tearful trial.'
On the 66th anniversary of American Independence, local citizens gathered at the Capitol in Olympia. Elwood Evans, Esq., delivered an impassioned oration, later published at the request of leaders including A.A. Denny and Governor William Pickering. Evans emphasized that Washington Territory must stand in unyielding support of the Federal Government and the Union, repudiating any secessionist sympathies. He traced the history of the Revolution to argue that liberty and union are 'one and inseparable,' framing the ongoing Civil War as a necessary struggle to preserve the republic’s integrity. He declared that while the Territory is remote from the front lines of 'blood and carnage,' its citizens remain deeply committed to the success of the Union army and the restoration of national unity.
“The Union must and shall be preserved.”
This speech highlights the deep anxiety felt in the Pacific Northwest during the Civil War, when settlers feared the conflict would shatter the young nation. Today, Olympia’s civic identity remains tied to its role as the seat of government, though current debates about political polarization echo the intense demand for 'whole-souled allegiance' articulated by Evans in 1862.
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