The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1859-11-09
California Correspondence.
OVERLAND MAIL.


ALEoHANYTowN, Sept. 2lst 1859.
MEssRs. MEAD e. FULLER Il write
you from this far-of State, and will at
tempt to give you some of the passing
events this side the Pacific.
Our political strife for 1859, has Just
closed. The Democratic party $50 called)
still has the ascendency-by small ma
jority--brought about by divisions in the
opposing party-We have had the hardest
and most bitter struggle here that Cali
fornia has experienced since she became
State. Our political horizon has been in
great commotion and plainly indicated
that it would burst forth in a tornado of
passion which would end in the destruction
of human life. and what was most dreaded
has been realized Our political men
who had always been associated together
as Democrats, were widely separated in
their views in regard to policy of the
present Administration. The Buchanan
party seem to think it crime to oppose
them OF differ with them in the least
Every political man that considered him.
self capable Of making speech, took the
stump. Senator Gwin, Senator Broder-
ick, Gov Weller and many others were
constantly in the field. They commenced
with war of words, falsehood and truth
were so blended together that the people
were led to exolaim "who hath believed
these reports" 1t seemed that the ad-
ministrat.on party conscious OF their
waning power were determined to make
desperate effort to put down the friends
of retrenchment and reform--hence they
played upon harp Of Thousand strings
that they might touch some notes that
might please the ears OF the people, and
prolong the life of that party as long as
possible, While the Republicans, or op.
position party seemed to be conscientious
in their opinions and boldly advocated the
necessity of establishing a course of re-
form in the affairs of the State and Cen
eral Government, both parties seemed to
rally every faculty of brain and muscle to
establish their political principles to be
the correct ones. 1t is greatly to be de-
plored that the major part of the speeches
were too personal in their character. Such
course is not creditable to the speaker,
as it borders too nearly to slander, which
is not commendable, especially in men
who have the handle Of Hon. attached to
their names.
| At this time the dark cloud hangs like
pail over our young State. One of its
brightest sons has fallen Senator Brod-
erick is no more He died a martyr to
just and righteous principles. He was
stricken down by corrupt combination
of evil men, because he dared to stand up
alone and boldly declare to the world his
principles and determinations to battle for
the right, in defiance of all wrong, or
perish in the conflict. Although his op-
ponents were many, and the battle long
although they used every epithet that they
could invent, he held them at bay, and
his words were like sledge-hammer upon
their heads. His superiority over them
left them no other hope of success but to
put an end to his existence on earth BY the
sad event our State is draped in mourning
"and refuses to be comforted,' for one of
her noblest and purest sons has fallen.
His fall will cause the scales to iall from
the eyes of those who have been politically
blind, and his murder will be a death
knell to those who were instrumental in
his fall. And now they exclaim ms the
conspirators against Socrates did: I'VE
have slain the just Of the Greeks, they
throw their weapons at his feet and SLAM
der him no more.
The cause and preliminaries, in relation
to the false "code OF honor, you may
have learned before this reaches you.
Suffice to say, that Judge Terry, in
speech, entirely uncalled for, made some
unjust remarks derogatory to the charac-
ter of Senator Broderick which he heard
whilst at a public dinner-table Mr..
Broderick remarked that he had said that
Judge Terry, he believed, was as fine
and upright Judge as ever sat upon the
bench, and that he, Broderick, paid two
hundred dollars a week to publish paper
in his, Terry's defence, while the vigil.
ance Committee had him in San Francis.
co, or something to that effect, Terry