By Sydney B. Brinckerhoff
This article is one of a series that will appear in this space during this year on historic events relating to the Arizona Territory’s Sesquicentennial and the founding and establishment of Prescott as the Territory’s first capital.
Of the many individuals who held political office in the Arizona Territory, few were as influential as Richard Cunningham McCormick, also known as “Slippery Dick.” He came by this epithet as a result of many years of service to the Territory, years in which he made staunch friends, along with some very vocal and bitter enemies. Slight of build, delicately featured with a perceptive, expressive face, McCormick may have given the impression that he was a man of thought rather than action. He was urbane, well-lettered, and a stylish dresser.
Most of all, he possessed considerable drive and ambition. Throughout his varied careers as journalist, public servant, and businessman, he displayed a remarkable blend of hard work and finesse. While romantic and sensitive in nature, he likewise proved pragmatic and forceful. Certainly his most evident quality was his consummate ability to seek out and grasp the essential aspects of any situation. His decisive and artful manipulation of people and events bear witness to this asset.
When McCormick arrived in Arizona on December 27, 1863, he had already proved himself a man of energy and ability. With powerful congressional support, he received an appointment as Arizona Territory’s secretary. The restless, adventurous new appointee soon set out from Washington, DC, with the gubernatorial party, which reached the temporary capital in January of 1864 where today’s Chino Valley is now situated.
The thirty-one year old launched himself into his new duties with enthusiasm. Although new to Arizona, the West, and territorial government, he nonetheless arrived prepared for office. Armed with a copy of the laws of New Mexico—under which Arizona was to be governed temporarily—a printing press, and a personal collection of books (mostly historical works that became the first territorial library), McCormick came ready to assume the tasks awaiting him.
Having designed the territorial seal while still in the East, he now turned to setting up his printing press, which on March 9, 1864, began to produce a monthly newspaper, the Arizona Miner (the forerunner of today’s Prescott Daily Courier). After founding the first territorial newspaper, he then focused on the many serious problems confronting him and his fellow federal officials. Among the challenges was the reaction of various American Indians to the arrival of more whites into their traditional homelands. Moreover, there was friction between some of the government officials, and all faced the question of when they would be paid.
Undaunted, on December 29, 1863, McCormick’s proclamation speech at Navajo Springs exuded optimism. The following spring he enthusiastically accompanied John Goodwin, the territorial governor on a tour of the region. After the completion of a census, the first elections took place on July 18, 1864, to establish the legislature and select a delegate to the United States Congress.
Aware that many of the first legislators harbored Southern sympathies, he sought to ingratiate himself with these men, and in so doing insured their support for the Union-based government of Arizona. His tolerance of and search for allies in the opposition drew harsh criticism from some of his radical Republican associates.
After Governor Goodwin won the seat as the congressional delegate from the incumbent Charles Poston, McCormick became the acting governor in September of 1865. In this capacity, his message to the Second Legislative Assembly reflected his characteristically positive view for the future. He sensed the territory’s potential, and believed that with hard work it could be rapidly developed. Finally, on April 10, 1866, President Andrew Johnson appointed McCormick governor. He was sworn into office on July 9 in Prescott, which had become the capital two years earlier.
As secretary and later as governor, McCormick demonstrated his deep interest in hastening the development of Arizona. He involved himself in all aspects of the young territory’s growth and problems. He pushed for an expanded mail service, the codification of mining laws, a full survey of the territory, and engaged in plans for vital stagecoach, railroad, and telegraphic services. He advocated an adequate educational system and showed a significant interest in the expansion of mining and agriculture. By the time McCormick was elected to be Arizona’s third delegate to Congress, he could state: “In review of the record I have made here I find nothing of which I am ashamed, or that I am unwilling to submit to the scrutiny of time.” His words were not an idle boast. Over the decades, they still ring true.
Days Past is a collaborative project of the Sharlot Hall Museum and the Prescott Corral of Westerners International (www.prescottcorral.org). The public is encouraged to submit articles for Days Past consideration. Contact 445-3122, ext. 14, or email dayspastprescott@gmail.com for information.