Editing Isaac Stevens (section)

===Governor of Washington (1853–1857)===
[[File:Isaac Stevens - Brady-Handy.jpg|thumb|upright|Isaac Stevens ({{Circa|1855–1862}})]]
Stevens was a firm supporter of former [[Brigadier general (United States)|brigadier general]] [[Franklin Pierce]]'s candidacy for [[President of the United States]] in 1852, as both men had served in the Mexican–American War. Stevens was rewarded by President Pierce on March 17, 1853{{sfnp|Territorial Timeline - ''Pierce appointed Isaac I. Stevens''}} by being named governor of the newly created [[Washington Territory]]. (The position also included the title of [[U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs|Superintendent of Indian Affairs]] for that region). Stevens chose to add one more duty as he traveled west to the territory he would govern: the government was calling for a [[Surveyor (surveying)|surveyor]] to map an appropriate [[railroad]] [[Pacific Railroad survey|route]] across the northern [[United States]], hoping that a transcontinental railroad would open up Asian markets. With Stevens' engineering experience (and likely the favor of Pierce yet again, as well as [[United States Secretary of War|Secretary of War]] [[Jefferson Davis]]), he won the bid. His party, which included [[George Suckley]], [[John Mullan (road builder)|John Mullan]] and Fred Burr, son of [[David H. Burr]], spent most of 1853 moving slowly across the prairie, surveying the way to Washington Territory. There Stevens met [[George McClellan]]'s party, which had surveyed the line between the [[Puget Sound]] and the [[Spokane River]]. He took up his post at [[Olympia, Washington|Olympia]] as governor in November that year.{{sfnp|HL, Stevens, Isaac Ingalls (1818–1862)}}

As a result of his expedition, Stevens wrote a third book, ''Report of Explorations for a Route for the Pacific Railroad near the 47th and 49th Parallels of North Latitude, from St. Paul, Minnesota, to Puget Sound'', (commissioned and published by the [[United States Congress]]) (2 vols., Washington, 1855–1860).

Stevens was a controversial governor in his time. Historians consider him even more controversial, for his role in compelling the [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] tribes of Washington Territory by intimidation and force, into signing treaties that ceded most of their lands and rights to Stevens' government,{{sfnp|HL, Stevens, Isaac Ingalls (1818–1862)}} likely forging some of the signatures.<ref>{{cite book |last=Kluger |first=Richard |title=The Bitter Waters Of Medicine Creek: A Tragic Clash Between White And Native America |date=March 6, 2012 |publisher=Vintage |isbn=9780307388964}}</ref>{{page number needed|date=July 2024}}  These included the [[Treaty of Medicine Creek]], [[Treaty of Hellgate]], [[Makah people#Treaty of Neah Bay|Treaty of Neah Bay]], [[Treaty of Point Elliott]], [[Point No Point Treaty]], and [[Quinault Treaty]]. During this time, the Governor imposed martial law to better impose his will on the Indians and whites who opposed his views. The consequent political and legal battles would soon overshadow the Indian war.{{sfnp|Richards|1993|pp=275}}

Stevens did not hesitate to use his troops for vengeance, and waged a brutal winter campaign against the [[Yakama|Yakama tribe]], led by [[Chief Kamiakin]]. This, along with his unjustified execution of the [[Nisqually (tribe)|Nisqually]] chieftain [[Chief Leschi|Leschi]], led to widespread pleas to President Pierce to remove Stevens from his post.  Two men were particularly vocal in their opposition to Stevens and his policies, territorial judge Edward Lander and influential private citizen [[Ezra Meeker]]. While Meeker was ignored, Lander was arrested by Stevens' forces due to his opposition. Pierce refused to remove Stevens from his position, but eventually sent word to the governor expressing his disapproval. Any opposition eventually died down, as most white settlers in Washington Territory felt that Stevens was on "their side", while they considered Meeker to be too sympathetic to Native Americans.{{sfnp|UI - Isaac Stevens}}

As a result of this public perception, Stevens was popular enough to be elected as the territory's delegate to the [[United States Congress]] in 1857 and 1858. The tensions between whites and Native Americans would be left for others to resolve. Stevens is often charged with responsibility for the later conflicts in eastern [[Washington (state)|Washington]] and [[Idaho]], especially the war fought by the United States against [[Chief Joseph]] and the [[Nez Perce tribe|Nez Perce]],{{sfnp|WSU - ''Digital Exhibits''}} These events were decades in the future when Stevens left Washington State for good in 1857.