“During the American Civil War, political figures and residents of California, Oregon, and Washington Territory considered establishing an independent Pacific Republic separate from the United States.”

Since Senator LATHAM arrived from California, it is announced that an address will be put forth by the members of Congress from the Pacific slope recommending to their constituents the formation of an independent Confederacy by the Pacific States and Territories.—The isolated position of that section of the Union; its completeness in all national material and resources, make the project apparently feasible, but there seems to be one little objection.

To what extent, though, did the Confederacy hold sway over the Far West, and how likely was it the Pacific states would join the Confederacy, or even more disconcerting, secede to form an independent Pacific Republic? … Some, including California Governor Milton Latham, expressed true frontier nationalism by arguing for an independent Pacific Republic.

He predicted that, in the absence of strong federal support, White emigrants in the Far West "would probably organize an independent gov-ernment, calling it the California or Pacific Republic, and might endeavor to introduce [sic] Oregon to join them." … Newspapers, such as the Oregon Statesman, the Portland Democratic Standard, and the San Francisco Chronicle, among others, argued that the Far West should keep its riches to itself, and could do so as an independent nation.

If a Pacific Republic arose out of westem states, as Burch suggested, anti-secessionists predicted that California would carry the financial and labor burden.

The declarations of figures such as outgoing California Governor, John B. Weller, who voiced his support for an independent “Pacific Republic” as early as January 1860, provide important insight into the evolution of Californians’ sentiments on secession and independence. … Subsequent secessionist statements by both of the state’s congressional representatives, Charles L. Scott and John C. Burch, and its senators, William M. Gwin and Milton Latham, further illustrate the extent of extremist views among elected officials in positions of power.

When the split was refused at the start of the Civil War, some citizens began to support the theory of the Pacific Republic. The Pacific Republic, which would include Oregon and California, would separate from the United States to form its own republic on the west coast.

In early 1861 – with the word “pacific” taking on a newly ironic double meaning – the moment for a Pacific Republic seemed to have arrived. … Rather than accede, the congressman argued, Californians should secede – taking the opportunity to seize for themselves “our vast agricultural and mineral resources, and our geographical position with China, Japan, and the East Indies, and the trade generally with the East, which is now in its infancy.”

Weller offered the alluring alternative of independence. “If the wild spirit of fanaticism which now pervades the land,” he said, “should destroy (our) magnificent confederacy – which God forbid – (California) will not go with the south or north, but here upon the shores of the Pacific found a mighty republic, which may in the end prove the greatest of all.” … “We are for a Pacific Republic,” the editor of the Sonora Democrat declared. … The fantasy of a western republic, extending from Canada into northern Mexico and from the Pacific to the Rocky Mountains, seemed more real when news of Fort Sumter reached Los Angeles on the afternoon of April 24, 1861.

The primary focus by the army throughout was on rumored bands of secessionists ready to either turn the entire Pacific Slope to the South or create an independent "Republic of the Pacific."

The men and commanders in the Department of the Pacific not only had to quell any internal unrest that might be planned and initiated by secessionists, whether the aim be to join the Confederate armies or establishing the Pacific Republic; they also had to maintain peaceful relations between the various tribes and the flood of whites that continued to flow into the region.

In the beginning of 1861, as the secession crisis began, the secessionists in San Francisco made a failed attempt to separate the state and Oregon from the union. … A group of Southern sympathizers in the state made plans to secede with Oregon to form a " Pacific Republic".

With the secession of southern states, the formation of the Confederacy, and the outbreak of war in 186 1, a few Oregon Democrats openly supported disunion. Others counseled neutrality in the war against the Confederacy, and some even went as far as to propose that Oregon secede from the United States and form an independent Pacific republic.

Rumors of a Pacific Republic grew when the (Salem) Oregon Statesman published what the Democratic editor, Asahel Bush, called the plans for three American republics. … Two were to be in the East, one northern free labor, and the other northern slave holding, and the other was to be in the Pacific West, with the issue of slavery to be decided. The Pacific Republic movement had been active in 1860 but died after the election in November.

Rumors of a Pacific Republic grew when the (Salem) Oregon Statesman published what the Democratic editor, Asahel Bush, called the plans for three American republics. … Two were to be in the East, one northern free labor, and the other northern slave holding, and the other was to be in the Pacific West, with the issue of slavery to be decided. The Pacific Republic movement had been active in 1860 but died after the election in November.

Rumors of a Pacific Republic grew when the (Salem) Oregon Statesman published what the Democratic editor, Asahel Bush, called the plans for three American republics. … The Pacific Republic movement had been active in 1860 but died after the election in November.

From the mid-1850s to the early 1860s, the territory explored ideas of secession, with pro-slavery Democrat Benjamin Stark laying claim to the idea, supporting the formation of a "Pacific Union", along with California politician William Gwinn. … In 1860, there were three different statements from separate influential individuals on the creation of a "Pacific Republic". … When the Southern states of the U.S. seceded to form the Confederate States of America, some Oregon Territory settlers reacted to the instability of the union as another opportunity to seek independence.

Our nearest neighbor, The Oregon Historical Quarterly, in the issue for December, 1930, publishes a very interesting and scholarly article from the pen of Professor Joseph Ellison of the Oregon state College, Corvallis, Oregon. Bearing the title, 'Designs for a Pacific Republic'...

In this piece an author identified only as “W” argues that California and the Oregon Country were destined to become an independent republic. … At one of these meetings, held early in 1843, a majority of those present voted in favor of establishing an independent republic, free from either British or American jurisdiction.

The first attempt was to create the Pacific Republic that was neutral to both sides of the conflict. … Articles routinely pointed out, "California and Oregon cannot be expected to remain forever attached to a government a month's ride away from them, the bonds of empire must become feeble."

With the national division reaching the west, the conversation among many Southern sympathizing Californians turned to secession and the possibility of the state joining the rebellion or becoming independent.

During the secession crisis following Lincoln's election as President of the United States in 1860, a group of Southern sympathizers in California made plans to secede with Oregon to form a "Pacific Republic".

So it was that during the critical period of US history from 1850 to 1865 when the forces making for the destruction of the American Union were gathering impetus for their most dangerous attack on the integrity of the national government, and when the Pacific Railroad had not yet bound the West to the East with bands of shining steel there developed on the Pacific Coast a movement for the establishment of a Pacific Coast Republic. … It was shown that the Senators and Representatives from California, the Senator and Representatives from Oregon and the delegation from Washington Territory, representing altogether a little more than a million of people, had held a caucus and resolved to favor disunion and the formation of three separate republics, and that the formation of a Pacific Coast Republic was broached and advocated in case of a dissolution of the Union by Senator Latham of California.

The idea was that when the South seceded, so would the West. The country west of the Rockies would declare itself as an independent nation, calling itself “Pacific Republic.” … There was, alas, a subtle problem with the scheme: Very few Californians, Oregonians and residents of the Washington Territory had slaves.

A recent pony from the east took back again to california a heavy package ot of letters ail all addressed dressed tro fro from fiends friends on the pacific to friends la in th aba a confederate sates states the letters were ripened at the dead letter office and remitted to gen geh gk sumner for his calm caim perusal

Most importantly, he maintains: "There was a large minority of Californians who would have been glad to see California join the Southern Confederacy, or secede from the Union, and form a separate Pacific Republic. . . ."

Nard Jones, author of the novel Swift Flows the River, took note of a movement called the Pacific Coast Republic. In the fur trade days, Hudson Bay factor John McLoughlin mused about creating an elongated nation from Oregon to California (a later version was called “Cascadia”). Following outbreak of the Civil War, this dream of a separate West Coast nation was revived. Newly arrived Southerners were among the enthusiastic supporters of this secessionist idea for starting over with a clean slate.

Events started badly after Lincoln’s election. Confederate sympathizers in California decided they would join with Oregon and form their own country, the Pacific Republic.