Page 312 - PGM Compendium

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 sometime 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. About 1868,
Garfielde joined with Daniel Bagley, P.H. Lewis, Josiah Settle, and George F. Whitworth to buy up several
abandoned coal mining claims east of Seattle. They formed the Lake Washington Company, and won

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