THE OFFER OF SWORD AND SERVICES
Immediately after the inauguration of President Lincoln, Governor
Stevens hastened to return to the Territory. General Miller wrote:--
"I believe that the National Democracy can easily keep possession of
the Territory. As to your own prospects, they seem as good to me as
ever they were. Now that you have won a national fame, you will
always be looked upon as the leading man of the Northwest. Should
you be thrown out of the delegateship at the next election, in two
years you would be the strongest man on the coast. But you cannot be
beaten even at the next election."
General Lane, however, had just been defeated in Oregon by a coalition
of the Republicans and Douglas Democrats, and Colonel J.W. Nesmith was
chosen his successor.
Breaking up the Twelfth Street establishment, and leaving Mrs. Stevens
and the three girls in Newport and his son at Harvard, Governor Stevens
sailed from New York on the steamer Northern Light, March 12, by the
Isthmus route, and arrived in Olympia the last of April. There he
denounced secession, took strong ground in favor of supporting the
government, and recommended organizing and arming the territorial
militia. Accordingly a company was raised in Olympia, known as the Puget
Sound Rifles; he was elected captain, accepted the command without
hesitation, and was duly commissioned and sworn in. This was before the
news of the attack on Fort Sumter and the grand uprising of the nation
had reached the Pacific slope, and the minds of many were still in
doubt.
The Democratic convention was held at Vancouver in May. Untiring efforts
had been made by the faction opposed to Governor Stevens to defeat his
renomination, and the showy and oratorical Garfielde headed the
opposition. The governor's friends felt too secure in his well-earned
and undiminished popularity, and the prestige of his successful career
in Congress, just crowned by the payment of the war debt, and neglected
the active work and support the occasion called for. Notwithstanding
this, a clear majority of the delegates were elected as Stevens men; but
when the convention met, the opposition were found well organized,
active, and bitter; they won over a number of delegates, several of them
by bribery, as was publicly charged, and rendered the governor's
nomination doubtful, and only to be made at the cost of a protracted
contest. Indignant at such unworthy treatment at the hands of the party
he had served so faithfully and well, and disdaining such a contest at
such a time, for the news of the firing on Sumter had just been
received, and he had resolved to tender his service to the country,
Governor Stevens at once withdrew his name as a candidate before the
convention. Garfielde was then nominated, and the governor accepted the
situation in the following manly and magnanimous speech:--
MR. PRESIDENT, GENTLEMEN OF THE CONVENTION, AND FELLOW CITIZENS OF
THE TERRITORY OF WASHINGTON,--I congratulate you on the harmonious
termination of your labors. Notwithstanding great differences of
judgment as to the admission of delegates and the fairness of the
organization of this convention, you have at length, with almost
entire unanimity, agreed upon a platform and a candidate. By your
action I shall abide. The choice of this convention is my choice,
and shall receive my cordial and unwavering support. For one, I
shall not look mournfully into the past. This, the hour of agony of
our country's life, is no time for recrimination and the indulgence
of selfish feeling. It appeals to whatever is noble and patriotic in
behalf of that country's cause. Our beloved Union is in most
imminent peril. The sad spectacle of civil and fratricidal strife is
being exhibited to the world, and doubt has arisen as to the
capacity of man for self-government. No longer devotion to our whole
country, no longer an enlarged view of the liberties and progress of
mankind, shapes the policies of parties and prevails in the councils
of the government, but the strife of jarring sections and an insane
grasp after ascendency has precipitated upon the country a cruel,
internecine war. It is the duty of the Democracy to unite for the
sake of the union of these States. The sundered Democracy of the
States has already come together. Let not our hitherto united
Democracy now separate.
I most heartily indorse the platform of the convention that
secession is revolution. There is no such thing, indeed, as
peaceable secession. From the beginning of this controversy, not
only have I deprecated, but I have denounced secession. I have
deemed it the worst possible remedy for the redress of the
grievances of the South. I have considered it an aggravation
ten-thousand-fold of all their wrongs. I feel that, as the
representative of the most northwest Territory, I have been true and
unfaltering to my constituency and my country. For during the entire
winter past I have used every exertion of my nature in behalf of the
union of these States and against secession.
Gentlemen, it is our duty as patriots, and as true lovers of
liberty, to stand by our government and our country in this its
great emergency. The aggressions of the South upon the property and
the forces of the general government must be sternly repelled. The
government must be maintained as well against domestic as foreign
foes. Let these States become the prey of revolutionary schemes, let
the doctrine be admitted that one of the parties can alter or break
up the compact without the consent of the others, and anarchy will
reign throughout the land and all hopes of regulated liberty will
come to an end. We must, I repeat, stand steadfastly by the
constituted authorities in their efforts to sustain the government.
Fellow citizens and fellow Democrats, I am profoundly grateful for
the confidence which, during eight long years of labor, you have
placed in me. I am especially grateful for the marks of confidence
which I have received in this hour of uncertainty and doubt. My own
views and opinions are known to you. I have nothing to explain, to
retract, or to apologize for. I have sought faithfully, under all
circumstances, to do my duty. I feel that at my hands the honor of
the Territory has been sustained, and I can look every man in the
face, knowing, as I do, that I have done no man intentional
injustice.
But many of his friends were so indignant at the rascally methods
employed to compass his defeat that they refused to support Garfielde,
and he was badly defeated in the election.
The day the convention adjourned, Governor Stevens tendered his services
to the government in the following letter:--
PORTLAND, OREGON, May 22, 1861.
HON. SIMON CAMERON, _Secretary of War_.
_Sir_,--I have the honor to offer my services in the great contest
now taking place for the maintenance of the Union in whatever
military position the government may see fit to employ them.
For my services in the war with Mexico I will respectfully refer you
to General Scott, on whose staff I served as an officer of engineers
during that war.
For my services in the subsequent Indian wars of the country, I will
refer you to the Hon. J.W. Nesmith, one of the senators from Oregon.
I need not add that, throughout this unhappy secession controversy,
I have been an unwavering and steadfast Union man.
I am, sir, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
ISAAC I. STEVENS.
[Illustration: _Facsimile of Letter offering Services_]
The same day, from Vancouver the governor wrote Senator Nesmith,
requesting him to see the Secretary and--
"let him know that the offer is made from the earnest purpose and
desire to do my duty in this great emergency of our country's
history.... I am afraid there is to be a protracted contest. I want
to see the rebellion crushed out. The policy of conciliation, to
which I adhered as long as it presented the least hope, has not only
been exhausted, but it has been contemptuously rejected by the
South. The war ought to be prosecuted with the utmost vigor. Let us
see if we have a government. Nothing can be worse than anarchy."
The governor was anxious to reach Washington at the earliest possible
moment in order to renew in person his tender of services, but was
detained in Portland over the sailing of one steamer by a severe though
brief fit of sickness. At this time he was obliged to borrow $600 of
Judge Seth Catlin,--a warm personal and political friend,--for his
expenses in Washington had been heavy and he had nothing laid up. He was
always too much engrossed in public affairs to give due attention to his
private interests, but he was always careful to meet his bills and
expenses. He was able to take the next steamer down the coast, the
Cortez, and on board of her he wrote General Totten as follows:--
STEAMER CORTEZ, June 19, 1861.
MY DEAR GENERAL,--I am on my way to the States to offer my services
in a military capacity to the government, and for the war.[15] I
feel and know that I can do good service. Educated at the public
expense, my country has a right to my services. This secession
movement must be put down with an iron hand. Anarchy and
interminable civil wars will be the inevitable, logical consequence
of yielding to it.
I do not propose a permanent return to the service, but simply
service for the war. Whilst I shall accept any military position the
government may tender me, I take it for granted proper regard will
be had to my somewhat large military experience since I left the
army, and my position before the public.
I want, therefore, the confidence of those in authority. You can
render good offices in the matter. I want the confidence of General
Scott. I have ever been his discriminating friend. Last winter I
sustained his entire course. I personally urged the President to
give his entire confidence to General Scott. I approved and defended
the bringing of regular troops to the city, the organizing, arming,
and promptly officering the District militia, of which, except the
late President and Secretary of War, the inspector-general, Colonel
Stone, is more cognizant than any one else. I had frequent
conferences with him about the District militia, and was able to be
of some service to him in consequence of my relations with Mr.
Buchanan and Mr. Holt.
It has been most fortunate that, notwithstanding my intimate
relations with most of the secession leaders, in consequence of the
part I took in the presidential campaign, I never wavered for a
moment in resolutely fighting secession. I was actively at work the
moment it arose. I gave it no quarter. My position was well known in
Congress.
General Totten forwarded this letter with the following indorsement:--
"With a high order of talent, his great characteristics of
promptness, boldness, and energy cannot fail to mark prominently any
career that may be opened to him as a soldier, and I trust the
government will at once avail itself of his high qualifications by
assigning him a position that will give full play to powers so well
suited to the present wants of the country."
Governor Stevens also wrote Professor Bache, Colonel Stone, and others
to present his merits to the new administration; for, confident in his
own powers, he was most anxious to secure such a position as would
enable him to render his best service to his country.
He reached New York early in July, and went straight to Washington, not
even stopping to visit his family in Newport. His reception there was
cold and discouraging. The very active part he had taken in the recent
presidential campaign, and his intimate association during it with men
who were now foremost in striving to destroy the country, prejudiced
many against him, and Douglas Democrats even more than Republicans.
Senator Nesmith rather turned the cold shoulder, alleging that he felt
bound to reserve all his influence for the benefit of men from his own
State. Governor Stevens called upon the new President, and made a good
and lasting impression upon him, but no response was made to his tender;
and while the whole country was aroused, and troops were flocking to
Washington, and the great needs of the hour were military ability and
experience, it seemed as though the services of one of her best
qualified and most patriotic sons would be rejected, and he be denied
the opportunity of serving his country in her extremity. He offered his
services to General McDowell as aide, or in any capacity, for the
movement which culminated in the defeat of Bull Run, but they were
declined. The only bright spot in this time of disappointment and
mortification was his meeting General Scott, and regaining the esteem
and confidence of his old chief.
Meantime his friends and patriotic men of all parties, who were anxious
that his services should not be lost to the country, were sending on
recommendations in his behalf. Governor Sprague and the legislature of
Rhode Island, Governor Andrew, Senator Wilson, Representatives Rice,
Train, and others, of Massachusetts, Senator John P. Hale, of New
Hampshire, Nesmith, of Oregon, Rice, of Minnesota, and many other
members of Congress urged his appointment as brigadier-general. The
"Springfield Republican" strongly set forth his qualifications, and
urged the government to employ his services. As, contrary to
expectations, it was not made, Governor Andrew offered him the colonelcy
of a Massachusetts regiment, and Governor Sprague that of a Rhode Island
regiment, both explaining that they would have made the offer before,
had they not supposed he would be given the position of general. But
just before these offers were received, the Secretary of War tendered
him the colonelcy of the 79th Highlanders, a New York regiment, which
had been badly cut up at Bull Run, and he had accepted it. A few days
later a paragraph appeared in the papers to the effect that he had
declined this position, and immediately Governor Andrew telegraphed,
"Can you now accept regiment temporarily while we try for brigade?" and
Governor Sprague telegraphed, "I hear you decline position in 79th. Will
you accept my offer?" But having tendered his services to the government
without qualification, Governor Stevens felt in duty bound to accept any
position to which he might be assigned, and therefore was obliged to
decline both offers.
Before entering upon the new duty he made a hasty visit of two days to
his family in Newport, where he addressed a Union meeting with General
Burnside.
At this time he was still reduced in health and strength from the
overwork of the last year, and mortified and depressed in spirit, almost
the only occasion his buoyant and self-reliant character was thus
affected. To a personal friend he exclaimed, "I will show those men in
Washington that I am worthy of something better than a regiment, or I
will lay my bones on the battlefield."
FOOTNOTES:
[15] Governor Alexander S. Abernethy writes the following anecdote
of Governor Stevens. Meeting him just before starting East, the
governor said that he had told the Southern gentlemen, with
whom he had been associated in the Democratic Executive
Committee and in the convention, that, if a war should result
from the action they had taken, he would be found supporting
the government against them. "And," said he, "I am going to
Washington at once, and shall offer the President my sword and
my services as long as this war shall last."