New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-10-10
DEATH OF BRODRRICK.

from San FrsDcscO to the 18th ut, dispslling the
uncertainty that had previously shreuded the result
| of the Broderick and Terry duel Judge Terry i.
the VICTOR not the victim The duel took place on
| the 18Th, and the Hon. David c. BrOderick, U. S.
Senator, was sho. through the lungs on the frs!
fire, and fell mortsl|y wounded He fingered TIL
the morning of the 10th. when death ended his
sufferings.
| Mr.. Broderck was no common man Born IN
the Federal Metropolis, be was removed q. tender
age to this City, where he grew to manhood. His
early fortunes were humble and his education
defective. He was first known as a fireman,
the keeper of grog shop, leader of "tbe
"roughs," and of course Tsmmany Democrat in
politics Az such, he ran for Congress in 1876
and was beaten few votes by Frederick A.
Tallmadge. Emjgrating at an early day to Cali
fornia his talents, experience and energy soon gave
bin leading position among the politicians of the
Northern or New York section of the Democracy as
opposed to the Soutbrons or " Chivary." The ntes-
tine war of these factions was bitterer and fercer
than that which they waged against their common
adyerssry-all the fiercer for being smothered The
two factions used the same party watchwoTds and
met IN the same Conventions but met as deadly foes
At length the superior numbers and industry OF the
Nortberners prevailed and they werefully ascendant
in the State Convention of 1855. " The Chivalry,"
however, knew trick worth two of theirs. They
went bodily over to the Know Nothip gs, then just
rising into consequence, and threw the State into
their bands, electipg their State Officers, Legsl.
ture, and most of their County Tickets. But the
ncop eruous coalition thus foisted into power had
no elements of cohesion. It fell to pieces on the
first attempt to WELD the scepter its elements had
combined to achieve With two thirds ofthe Legs-
lature they could not agree on United States
| Senator, and went into liquidation course.
| The Democracy necessarily reganed power in
| 1856, ard Btoderick was now their acknowledged
leader. He was elected to the Senate for the full
| term with hardly show of opposition, but com
mitted the fatal mistake of allowing Gwin to be
chosen for the uuexpired four or five years of the
vacancy created by the failure Of the Know-Noth-
ings to elect. Gwin WAS abject enough to promise
in writing that he would not interfere in any way
with the disposition Of Federal patronage,
but would resign it all to Broderick,
who on his part was weak enough to forget
that q man who could sign such pledge
would not hesitate to violate it whenever
tempted to do so. Gwin did this unblushingly,
and not only secured full share Of consideration
in the disposal of "ihe spoils," but took the
wbols A SOuthron, bitterly hostile to Broderick,
was made Coll sctor of San Francisco, aud the Gus.
tom. House of that city has since been currently
known as the Virginia Poor House," and all the
Federal Offices of any account were filled from the
same school The blow was crushing one for
Broderck. Californis swarms with Democratic
Offce-seekers who at once made for the side on
which shone the sun of Federal patronage, leaving
Mr.. B. wrecked when, apparently he had
just attsined q commanding position. HIS
selfconfdeDce and indomitable energy, how
ever, did not desert him. He at once made open
war on the Administration which had thu, put him
under the feet of bis deadly enemies, and became
Of the boldest and most thoroug going leaders
and everywhere else, he proclaimed and proved
himself an Incorporating antagonist Of the Pro-
Slavery faction which had clutched the Federal
Offices and bonors, and nothing could exceed that
intense DISCUS. and oathiDg of the tergiversations
and moral cowardce of Douglas which he cherished
to the last.
Mr.. Broderick was of course the leader Of the
Anti ,Lecompton host in the resent desperate
struggle in California and fought the battle gal
lantly though We think not wisely. He held up the
Lecompton leaders to public execration as peculs
tors, corrup.ionists and public plum ierers calling
names and charging specific acts which should
have sent their perpetrators to prison as telons.
These charges were in good part well founded, but
not wholly so, and they impaired bitterness to
the contest which rather served to distract the
public gaze from the principles involved in it
An Ant.Lecompton triumph on the issues made
by Broderck would have been virtually verdict
that Gwin was the most ven.l aud corrupt of all
possible politicians that Latham had attempted to
brlbe the Chief Justice that Ferguson had been killed
BY Penn Johnston in order to hide the evidence
Lsthsns rascalty, &c, &c. OF course, the par
test hus squarey mpeached were driven 70 frenzied
exertions to oyerbear their assailants, and their
efforts were backed by the prestige of the Demo.
cratic name, and by the undivided control Of the
Federal. State ard most Of the County patronage,
and by the fatal division Of their opponents. The
battle was an unequal one, but was fought CALAMITY,
Il. A. L. l..t j.. L.. 4 L.