Olympia Rolls Out the Torchlight for Judson
John P. Judson's 1876 campaign swing through Olympia brought cannon fire, bonfires and a packed Columbia Hall—and the Argus predicted a Democratic landslide.
OLYMPIA, Oct. 29, 1876.
Editor Argus:
Last evening the people of Thurston county, assisted by their fellow citizens of Pacific, Lewis and other counties, upon the arrival of Hon. John P. Judson, from east of the mountains to Olympia, accorded to him the grandest reception ever given to any person in Washington Territory. He was met by a large number of carriages on his way from Tenino, and escorted from thence to Olympia with the Olympia brass band, where he was received with the booming of cannon and the wildest enthusiasm. Afterwards he was escorted to Columbia Hall by a torchlight procession and an immense concourse of people, the streets being ablaze with bonfires and illuminations.
The hall was filled to overflowing, and for two hours the speaker held his hearers in an eloquent speech by which he made many votes. Jacobs' men have about given up the race here. He will have but few votes in this county outside of the Federal officials. They are making a very sickly fight for him and Judson's election is regarded here as certain.
The people are beginning to think it is time to be represented by one of their own people and have come to the conclusion that "worn-out political hacks" shall no longer be foisted off upon us.
The news from east of the Mountains is glorious, as also from the river and central counties of the Territory. Coming from the south and out Judson will have 500 majority when he reaches Puget Sound.
Look out, when you vote, and see that some agent of the officials does not pawn off on you some BOGUS ticket. They will do anything to elect even one man of their choice.
“The hall was filled to overflowing, and for two hours the speaker held his hearers in an eloquent speech by which he made many votes.”
The 1876 race was framed as a choice between "the people" and a federal patronage machine, with local newspapers acting as loud partisan amplifiers. The same language—outsiders versus locals, corruption versus accountability—still shapes how campaigns argue over who deserves to represent a community.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.