East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-12-13
HISTORY OF SENATOR M|TCHE[L's
BRILLIANT CAREER IN OREGON

The Portland Oregonian prints the
following brief historical record Of
the late Senator Mitchell's brilliant.
yet stormy career in Oregon politics.
The Oregonian says:
1t would, perhaps, be difficult in
all the history OF American politics
to find a man whose political career
equaled that of Senator John H.
Mitchell. Men whose political careers
have been as full OF turmoil and strife
as that of the dead senator have
sprung before the nations eye, but
they only bloomed and flourished for
a brief time, and their names became
forgotten with the flight of time.
Not so with Senator Mitchell. He
became a factor in Oregon politics
when the SOS were young. and almost
from the day on which he was elect
ed state senator his name has been
one to conjure with in the history of
things political in oregon.
When Senator Mitchell first made
his hand felt in Oregon politics. he
entered n tempestuous conflict. How
he weathered those storms that re-
peatcdly broke around him. how he
persistently fought and overcame ap-
parently overwhelming political tides
which ever threatened to destroy him.
made men marvel for almost half a
century
Beginning with the famous bolting
caucus of September. 1866. Senator
Mitchell has been an issue in Oregon
politics to this day. But handful
OF men who mixed and mingled in
the political strife OF that time are
alive today. Only a few of the men
whose names are at present on the
political horizon are familiar with
that part of Oregon's political his
tory. Mitchell had been elected state
senator. had served one term. That
was the beginning. 1t was in 1862.
In 1864, just two years after, he was
elected president of the senate. Even
as early as this. Senator Mitchell had
his political star directed to the
United States senate.
His political aspirations were in the
nature of a whirlwind. and the har-
vest OF that whirlwind was reaped
when he was finally elected to the
upper house of congress. Before his
ambitions were gratified came the
tempestuous days of the legislature,
which met in September, 1885.
Bolt Defeats Gibbs.
Salem, then as now was the center
OF all political storms Addison c.
Gibbs was then governor and the
avowed candidate for senator 1t was
claimed that Governor Gibbs was the
choice Of As republicans and this was
borne out when he was nominated at
the caucus. Mitchell was also a can
didate, and he was charged with hav-
ing engineered the bolt which fol-
lowed the nomination of Governor
Gibbs at this caucus. Not only that,
but from that day to this, certain re-
publicans have followed this lead. and
have never felt bound to follow out
the mandates of a caucus.
Mitchells plan of overriding the
wishes of that republican caucus was
unique. Mitchell, who was charged
with having manipulated the primar-
les of Multnomah county, had elected
the men he had nominated. 1t Is O
matter of record that Multnomah del
egates voted straight through the
caucus for Mitchell. In joint conven-
ton four men-all Mitchell support
ers--bolted Two Of these were from
Multnomah.
1t was suspected that Mitchell was
behind the revolt and a trap was lait
to catch him. deal was made witt
two democrats with the understand
ing that IL Governor Gibbs received
enough votes to elect him their vote'
we're not to count Again the vote
was taken. w. w. Upton, promi
nent Multnomah county lawyer II
those days, was the last to vote. HI
voted blank. and 1t was found tina
Governor Gibbs was short one vote.
The story of that day had 1t tina
senator Mitchell gathered around hin
II faithful adherents. 1t was agree'
that all but five would remain silen
and that five were to stand outside
and that II there was detection anon
the five one of the silent IL was I
atep into the breach. 1t was thi
which caused the political pot to bo
over, and with this incident began tn
factional fights In the republica
ranks which have never healed. TIL
result of the "bolting" was the cleo
tion of Senator Corbett.
The campaign of 1872 saw Senate