Page 321 - PGM Compendium

in 1856, where he became a supporter of Senator Stephen A. Douglas. Though Douglas lost the
Democratic nomination to James Buchanan, Garfielde proved a loyal Democrat traveling heavily
through what were then the western and northwestern states, delivering thousands of public
speeches in support of Buchanan. He earned a wide reputation as a "captivating" public speaker.

President Buchanan proved grateful to Garfielde for his campaign efforts, and appointed him
Receiver of Public Monies for the Land Office in the Washington Territory. Garfielde emigrated
to Olympia, Washington Territory, that spring. Almost immediately, he became a supporter of
Isaac Stevens, then campaigning for election as Washington Territory's first Territorial Delegate
to Congress. When Stevens ran for re-election in 1858, Garfielde abandoned him early in the
campaign. He feared that Stevens would lose the general election, jeopardizing Garfielde's position
at the land office.

By 1859, Garfield's political views had shifted. A staunch Unionist, Garfielde (still a Democrat)
now allied himself with the newly formed Republican Party. William Winlock Miller, a former
prominent federal official in the Oregon Territory who had become an important businessman in
the region, advised Stevens to deprive Garfielde of his land office position. Stevens attempted to
do so in January 1860. But Democrats in Kentucky rallied to Garfielde's defense, forcing Stevens
to hold off. By late May, however, Garfielde's support had withered in light of his pro-Republican
activities, and Stevens was able to block Garfielde's reappointment. Garfielde's term as receiver of
public moneys ended on August 16, 1860.

Garfielde sought the Democratic Party nomination for Territorial Delegate in 1861. Stevens saw
unification of the Democratic Party as the only solution to the national crisis over slavery, which
was threatening to tear the United States apart. Garfielde, however, broke with pro-secession
Democrats, putting him at odds with Stevens. At the Democratic Party's territorial convention, pro-
Union forces obtained a ruling from the chair that proxy votes could not be counted. This heavily
damaged Stevens' chances for renomination as Territorial Delegate. After two rounds of balloting,
some of Stevens' supporters became disgusted with their treatment by the chair and walked out.
His candidacy crippled, Isaac Stevens withdrew his name from contention. The convention then
split, with pro-Union forces nominating Garfielde and pro-secession forces nominating territorial
judge Edward Lander. Republicans, meanwhile, nominated attorney William H. Wallace.
Garfielde and Lander spent the campaign attacking one another, and on election day Wallace won
election to Congress with 43 percent of the vote.
Garfielde switched political parties, becoming a Republican some time between November 1861
and January 1864. Garfielde continued to practice law, but he also continued to be actively
involved in politics. In the Territorial Delegate election of 1864, he stumped throughout the
territory for Republican candidate Arthur A. Denny. By 1865, Garfielde could be counted among
the top Republican contenders for any office he chose. In 1866, the Republicans denied Denny the
nomination, choosing instead Alvan Flanders. Garfielde's popularity was such that, at the
beginning of the convention, even he received a few votes to be the party nominee.
President Andrew Johnson appointed him surveyor general of Washington Territory in 1866, and
he served in that position until early 1869. Garfielde continued to have outside interests as well.