The Copperhead Election: A Territory Divided
Following a contentious election, the Washington Standard dissects the narrow defeat of the Union candidate and accuses the opposition of disloyalty.
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 full official returns of the election have not yet been received, but enough is known to justify the belief that the 'Democratic' nominee, Geo. Cole, is elected by a small majority. There are many reasons assigned for the defeat of the Union candidate, Mr. Raynor. The course of the Secretary of the Treasury in keeping in office his friend Victor Smith, by a very ingenious stroke of diplomacy, after the President had determined upon his removal and the appointment of Mr. Fred. A. Wilson, greatly embarrassed the canvass. Add to this the unfortunate endorsement of Mr. Cole’s loyalty by the Oregonian, and it is hardly necessary to look further for causes of our defeat. These, together, would have defeated any man in the Territory. We do not regard the election of Mr. Cole as any evidence that a majority of our people sympathize with the anti-Administration, anti-war party.
“He must be for or against the prosecution of the war—for or against the measures of the Administration.”
This article highlights the fierce partisan divide in Washington Territory during the Civil War. It captures the historical anxiety over loyalty, a sentiment that would define local politics for the remainder of the century.
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