William Daniels

Background

William Daniels was born in Mentor, Ohio in 1817 to parents Aaron and Anna Daniels, who were farmers.

Education

In Oregon, in addition to continuing his farming, Daniels studied the law and became a practicing lawyer

Career

They were some of the earliest American settlers in the Territory. Their experience as farmers starting out from Ohio probably helped the family cross the plains on the Oregon Trail in a covered wagon. He quickly became involved in local Republican Party politics.

In 1863 with the creation of the, President Abraham Lincoln appointed the Territory"s first Governor, William H. Wallace, and the Territory"s first Secretary (Secretary of State), Daniels, on March 10, 1863.

Both were active Republican supporters of Lincoln. Daniels was also a lawyer from the now state of Oregon.

They arrived in on July 10, 1863, to a contentious public environment, with mining interests set against farming and ranching interests, northern state supporters against southern state supporters. Governor Wallace called for an election on October 31, 1863.

Wallace decided to run for the position of Territorial Delegate to the United States House of Representatives, a position he had previously held for the Washington Territory.

Wallace promised to resign the governorship should he be elected a delegate to the Congress. He was elected despite a strong Democratic showing. In December, 1863, the new Territorial Legislature met with Daniels as both the Secretary and the Acting Governor of the Territory.

The Territory was feeling the effects of the Civil War to the East, as well as its many issues.

In his inaugural address, Governor Daniels said in part: "Shall Idaho, the largest of the territories, take her stand in sympathy with a cause (slavery) so vile, and cloud the morning of her existence with the darkness of treason? Number, let her, as her name indicates, sit among the mountains, a gem of the brightest luster, radiant with unconditional loyalty, attracting by her glorious light the gaze and admiration of mankind." Political sentiment quickly shifted from Republican to Democratic Party support, and as the Territory soon became overwhelmingly Democratic, due to a large immigration to the mining camps from Missouri and other Southern States. The Territory was not represented in Congress by a Republican for the next two decades.

Some local newspapers also turned against Daniels, particularly the Golden Age newspaper in Lewiston, Daniels had given the newspaper all government printing contracts, but wanted to buy the newspaper in order to get an outlet for the administration"s political opinions. The paper began a heavy attack on Daniels, and the Acting Governor retaliated by pulling all of the printing contracts from the newspaper.

Times became so difficult, that William Daniels resigned and returned to Oregon.

Connections

opponent:

Alonzo Leland

Friend:

Washington Territory