The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1859-10-19
The California Duel,

ment throughout California and is u topic OF
general comment by the press at large. A cor
respondent of the n. O. Crescent gives these
particulars
The quarrel grew out of politics Judge
Terry, who was the Chief Justice Of the State, \
was up for a denomination, but failed before
the Lecompton Democratic Convention. He
afterwards addressed the Convention endors
ing the nominations. In his remarks he made
the following allusion to the opposite party
Who have we asked Judge T.) opposed
to US A party based on no principle, ex-
cept the abusing Of one section Ofthe country,
and the ACCOMPLISHMENT Of another; party
which has no existence in fifteen States of the !
Confederacy party whose principles never !
can prevail among freemen, who love justice |
and are willing to do justice. What other
A miserable remnant Of faction, sailing I'M
der false colors, trying to obtain votes under |
false pretences Applause. They have no |
distinction they are entitled to /; they are the |
followers of one man, the personal chattels of
a single individual, whom they are ashamed |
Of [Great applause They belong heart and /
soul, body and breeches to David c. Brodcrick. |
Laughter and applause They are yet |
ashamed to acknowledge their master, and are |
calling themselves, forsooth, Douglas Demo-
Gratis. Applause. When it is known-well !
known to them as to us-that the gallant |
Senator from Illinois, whose voice has always |
been heard in the advocacy Of democratic prin- !
ciples. who now is not disunited from the De- |
mocratic party, has no utilization with them, |
no feeling in common with them. Perhaps |
Mr.. President and gentlemen, | am mistaken
in denying their right to claim Douglas as their
leader. Perhaps they do sail under the flag
of Douglas, but it is the banner Of the Black
Douglas, [great cheers whose name is Fred
erick, not Stephen. Gentlemen, as far as your
nominations are concerned, it is my duty, and
that of all Democrats, to acquiesce in the de-
cision of the majority. had aspirations my
self, but the convention have selected the men
who in their opinion were most fit to be no.
minated for the various offices in their gift,
and acquiesce in their decision, etc
Mr.. Broderick read this extract the next
day while sitting at the breakfast table in San
Francisco. Becoming excited he made some
remarks as follows:
The damned miserable Wretch, after being
kicked out fthe Convention, went down there
and made speech abusing me. | have de-
Tended him at times when all others deserted
him. paid and supported three newspapers
to defend him during the Vigilance Committee
days: and this is all the gratitude get from
the damned miserable wretch for the favors /
have conferred upon him. | have hitherto
spoken Of him as an honest man as the only
honest man on the bench of miserable, cor
rupt Supreme Court-but now | find | was
mistaken. / take it all back. He is Just as
bad as the others.
! You remember this speech was resented at
the time by Mr.. Perley, Terry's friend, but
Broderick said he would fight no one who
held situation inferior to his own, and that
he would fight no one until after the election.
On the morning of the 9Th after the cleo
tion rumors were current that duel was to
be fought, but owing to the vigilance Of the
authorities and the interference of friends,
nothing transpired until the 18th, when both
parties were arrested on the ground Being
taken before the Police Judge of San Francisco
all hands were released, as no case could be
made out This was on the 18th On the
18th, in the morning, they met, and the fight
resulted in Brodericks losing his shot by a
too speedy discharge of his weapon, and Ter
RVS shot taking effect in Brcderick's breast.
Judge Terry, before fighting, resigned his
position aud his successor was appointed
! Mr.. Broderick, after he was shot, bore up
well until just before his death. When at
last he was informed that his end was APP
preaching, his exclamation was that he had
been killed because he had opposed the ex
tension of slavery and a corrupt Administra-
ton y His last words were, 81 die-protect
my honor p
The San Francisco Herald of the 14th, has
the following account of the duel:
A very serious duel occurred yesterday be-
tween the Hon. David c. Broderick, Senator
for California, and the Hon. David S. Terry,
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the
State. The difficulty had been long pending,
and as the whole matter has already been
pruiteu abroad, we decline going over the
ground. The parties named met yesterday
morning, about quarter before O'Clock, in
a beautiful ravine on the rancho OfMr Davis,
in San Mateo county, two miles from the d.
viding line, between the counties of San Mateo
and San Francisco. They were accompanied
by their seconds, surgeons, and about seventy
friends. The ground was measured off. the
principles posted, and the word given The
weapons were regular dueling pistols, the
distance ten PAGES, and the firing to be done
between the word fire. and the word two"
At the first fire Mr.. Broderick received his
antagonists ball in his right breast, about two
inches above the nipple, while his ball struck
the ground a few feet in advance of Judge
Terry. Mr. Broderick reeled and fell, when
Judge Terry left the ground with his friends.
Mr.. Broderick was conveyed to the house of
Mr.. Leonidas Haskell, at Black Point, where he
received every possible care and attention. At
8 o'clock last night, we learned that the ball
had been extracted. 1t was found lodged
under the skin on the outside of the left Shout
der, near the point Of articulation. The ball
had entered the right breast at the point above
named, where it took an outward course,
passing through the muscles, shattering the
sternum, or breast bone, and wounding the
left lung.
The following is the correspondence which
led to the meeting:
OAKLAND, September 8, 1853.
Hon. d. G. Beode,iek-Sir: Some two
months since, at the public table of the Inter-
national Hotel in San Francisco, you saw fit
to indulge in certain remarks concerning me,
which were offensive in their nature. Before
mad heard OF the circumstance, your note Of
the 18th June, addressed to Mr. D. w. Perly,
IN which you declared that you would not re-
spond to any call ofa personal character dur
ing the political canvass Just concluded, had
been published
! have, therefore, not been permitted to take
| any notice of those remarks until the expira-
ton OF the Limit fixed by yourself l now
Jake the earliest opportunity torequire ofyou
retraction Of those remarks. This note will
De handed to you by my friend, Calhoun Ben
nam, Esq, who is acquainted with its contents
and will receive your reply. d. S. TERRY.
SAN Francisco, September 8, 1859
Hon. ID. c. Byodaick-Sir: Should you
have occasion to communicate with me sooner
than the time agreed upon between us, will
be found at the Metropolitan Hotel. omitted
to leave my address this morning
Very respectfully, your obedent seavant,
T CALHOUN BRNHAM.
San Francisco, September s, 1859.
Hon. ID. S. Ie,Ty-Sir Your note of Sep
TENDER reached me through the hands of
Mr.. Calhoun Benham. The remarks used by
me, In the conversation referred 10, may be
subject OF future Misrepresentation, and for
obvious reasons, have to desire you to state
what were the remarks that you designate in |
your note as offensive, and of which you re- /
quire from me retraction | remain, etc,
d. C. BEopEmcE.
San FRANcIsco, September 8, 1859.
Hon. d. c. Brodeiek-Sir: reply to your
note of this date have to say that the often
sive remarks to which l alluded in my COM
munication Of yesterday are as follows: al
have heretofore considered and spoken of him
(myselG as the only honest man on the Su-
preme Court bench; but | now take it all
back'-thus, by implication, rejecting on my
personal and official integrity. This is the sub
stance of your remarks, as reported to me; the
precise terms, however in which such an i'm
plication was conveyed, are not important to
the question You yourself can best remem-
Der the terms in which you spoke Of me on
the occasion referred to. What | require is,
the retmction of any words which were used.