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The Pony Express Ends: Lincoln Wins, But the South Sees War

As the Pony Express delivers the shocking news of Abraham Lincoln’s election to a nervous Sacramento, Olympia residents mark local weddings and watch their market prices hold steady.

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.

ARRIVAL OF THE PONY!!

The following dispatch was received in Sacramento this morning:

Kearny County, Nov. 14. The Pony Express mail dates from St. Louis to Nov. 7th has arrived in New York.

Lincoln is elected President. New York City has given the fusion ticket a 30,000 majority. The State has given fifty thousand majority for Lincoln. All six Republican Congressmen are elected in the city.

Massachusetts, outside of Boston, has as far as heard from, given Lincoln 45,000 majority.

Lincoln has also carried the following States by large increased majorities: Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Indiana, Michigan, Iowa, and Minnesota.

Pennsylvania. In Pennsylvania Lincoln's plurality is from fifty to seventy thousand over all.

Ohio gives Lincoln 30,000 majority.

In New Jersey, Pennington has been re-elected in the Third District. Mount, Republican, is also elected.

Illinois, scattering returns, Lincoln 5,000 ahead.

Delaware has gone for Breckinridge by 1,500 plurality; Republican Congressman ahead.

In Maryland the indications are favorable for Breckinridge. In Baltimore, Breckinridge has 2,000 over Bell, and 16,000 over Douglas.

In Virginia, Bell has very large gains. North Carolina is conceded to Breckinridge.

Missouri, as far as heard from, gives Douglas 13,000; Lincoln 11,000; Bell 11,000, and Hawes 4,000.

Kentucky is claimed for Bell by 10,000. Louisville, Bell 6,500; Douglas 2,000, and Breckinridge.

Tennessee, probably for Bell. Memphis, Bell 100; Douglas 1,700, and Breckinridge 445. Nashville, Bell and Breckinridge 2,000 each; Douglas 2,500.

Louisiana is reported to have gone for Breckinridge. New Orleans, Bell 7,200; Douglas 2,000, and Breckinridge 2,000. A private dispatch from New Orleans states that all the States South of Tennessee have gone for Breckinridge.

In Mobile, Douglas over Bell 210; over Breckinridge 322.

Summary: The Republicans claim California for Lincoln, as far as heard from he is ahead.

The Legislature. — The following, without being strictly accurate, says the Sacramento Union, is perhaps an approximate statement of the results of the late election in regard to the political complexion of the California Legislative body. It is founded upon the popular vote and actual returns from most of the counties:

SENATE: Douglas 9, Lincoln 4, Breckinridge 4. ASSEMBLY: Douglas 21, Breckinridge 20, Lincoln 20.

It is also said that the Governor of Virginia has resolved to call a meeting of Southern Governors at Richmond, shortly, for the purpose of concerting measures for the defensive, in view of Lincoln's election.

Another statement is, that leading members of Congress from Virginia, recently at Washington, said they had no idea the Virginia delegation would take their seats. It is rumored that a meeting of the Senators and Representatives from Virginia has been called, and will take place several weeks prior to the meeting of Congress. The called session of the Virginia Legislature is believed really to be for the purpose of considering this question.

The Adjutant General of Virginia recently visited New York with a credit of half a million of dollars, and orders for the purchase of complete armament for the State.

The secession press of South Carolina and of other States continue violent agitation on the subject. A strong conservative sentiment is expressed by the Union press South.

The Washington correspondent of the N.Y. Herald says rumors are rife that extraordinary overtures from the Republicans have been made to the South if Southern leaders will keep quiet; at Corwin says Lincoln will execute the Fugitive Slave Law, and will not countenance the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia without the consent of the inhabitants. He also reports that combinations are forming which will astonish the country.

The Washington correspondent of the N.Y. Herald says: "The determination and cordial union of the South against Lincoln cannot be mistaken. New York alone is now looked to for rescue from the dilemma of submission to sectional misrule or resistance thereto. The Federal authority in the slave holding States cannot possibly be exerted by a Republican from mere default of the subordinate officers. What Southerner will dare incur the odium of office-holding under a Republican President? Bailie Peyton, Bell's elector, denounces the Tennessean who would do so, and excited crowds there indicate that they would drive the recipient of Lincoln's patronage from their midst, as if his neighborhood was pollution. The feeling is still stronger in other Southern States. Whenever it shall become manifest that Lincoln is to be President, there will be but one swell of popular sentiment in the South, and all the factions then will have to join in it or be overwhelmed. Uncompromising opposition will be the universal cry."

Secretary Cobb returned from Georgia this morning. Great excitement, he says, prevails throughout the South on account of the probable election of Lincoln. He is apprehensive that there will be serious trouble in case Lincoln is elected.

The steamship City of Washington has arrived from Liverpool 11th inst. The news is important and gives details of the battle of Volturno. The Neapolitans estimated 90,000 strong, attacked the Garibaldians on the 1st under cover of a thunderstorm and carried some positions, and for a time succeeded in driving back the Garibaldians whose numbers did not reach half theirs. Garibaldi went forward revolver in hand cheering on his men, and after a desperate fight of eight hours duration, the Neapolitans were broke and retreated and were pursued close under the walls of Capua. A Brigade of Germans was cut off from the main body of the Neapolitan army and driven to the mountains. The Garibaldians took 5,000 prisoners and it was estimated that the Neapolitans had 12,000 killed and wounded. The loss of the Garibaldians was stated at between 12,000 and 14,000 men. Rumors were current that Capua had surrendered. Garibaldi had sent to the king of Sardinia for 40,000 men to be despatched immediately.

Married: In Olympia, on the evening of Nov. 20, at the Washington Hotel, by Rev. D. Willis West, Myrick Folsom, of Sammamish, to Miss Anna B. Hutchinson, of San Francisco, Cal. Nov. 30th. At the residence of the bride's father, by Rev. J. H. Boyd, Mr. Thomas Cornell, to Miss Adelaide Miller, all of Whidbey's Island. At Seattle, Oct. 21st, by Rev. Daniel Hagley, Mr. George Fry to Miss C. E. Denny. On Thursday, 1st inst., near Steilacoom, by A. J. Burge, Esq., Mr. W. N. Savage to Miss E. A. Gerlach, both of Pierce county.

Then · 1860166 years apartNow · 2026

This page captures the precise moment the American Union began to fracture, with Olympia residents witnessing the national crisis unfold through the lens of local life. While the nation braced for civil war and secession, daily commerce in the territorial capital continued, with merchants advertising sewing machines and gin alongside marriage notices, illustrating how ordinary citizens lived through history's most violent political shifts.

The original page

Washington Standard (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1860-11-23. Library of Congress, Chronicling America.

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From
Washington Standard (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, NOV 23, 1860, Page 3
Rights
Public domain
Place
47.03553, -122.90083 · placed automatically
The paper in the Library of Congress catalog ↗