The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-11-19
FRIDAY MORNING. NOVEMBER 10.
Broderick's Murderer.
IN. Y. Times.l

IN L lines.
David s. Terry, the man who received the
smallest number of votes cast for any MAI ON
the California Democratic Electoral ticket is
best known as the slayer of Broderick. In
1859, while the quarrel between Buchanan and
the Liberal or anti-Lecompton Democrats was
at its height, Broderick. then Senator from
California, threw his vote and influence
against the Buchanan or pro-slavery policy of
the Democratic party. Such was the power of
his personal influence in and out of the State
of California that it was thought necessary
that he should be put out of the way. 1t was
said, and generally believed, that the pro-sav-
cry leaders in California determined by lot
which of their number should challenge Brod-
erick to fight duel The lot fell upon Terry,
who was an accomplished duelist and an ex-
cellent shot, while Broderick was wholly un-
versed in the art of fighting with deadly wea-
pons. Terry forced quarrel upon Broderick;
a challenge was passed. and the young Sena-
tor went out to what seemed to be his certain
death, mistakenly believing that it was his
duty, as man of honor to put his ignorance
and ineXperience as marksman against the
experience and deliberate GOODNESS of his an
tagonist. Frederick was killed, apparently
with elaboration and Encouragement He
fingered for few hours, and his last words
opposing slavery" In California Broderick
was regarded as q martyr to the cause of hui
man liberty; and Terry who escaped the penal
ty due his crime by legal trick, was looked
upon mere vulgar murderer who had
awaited himself of the complications of ''the
code to rid the country of political oppo-
nent.
After many years the people of California
have embraced their first opportunity to reatfix
upon Terry the stigma which he earned in
the murderous duel of 1859 Terry who was
a Judge of the State Supreme Court, resigned
his position on the Bench when he fought the
duel. Subsequently he remained in retire.
ment, and when the first mutterings of the
civil war were heard he took flight into the
Confederacy and played an insignificant part
in the rebel army Returning to California
after the war, he naturally cast in his lot with
the reorganized Democratic party, and was
member of the so-called New Constitution par
ty a few years ago. With a fatuousness which
is truly characteristic of Democratic manage
ment everywhere, this blood-stained unrelent-
ing ex-rebel was nominated as one of the Han
cock electors. Voters who desired the success
of the Democratic ticket, refused to allow his
name on their ballots. He was vigorously and
effectively scratched" by members of party
who, whatever might have been their prefer
ence, so far as the party was concerned, would
not give particle of honor to the slayer of
Broderick. The result is that while the high
est on the list of Democratic electors has a ma
jority of 143, Terry is defeated and the high
est on the Republican electoral ticket-Henry
Edgarton-has SOY more votes than Terry, and
is consequently elected,
1t not an unprecedented thing that the cleo
toral vote of State should be divided. In 1906
Maryland gave nine of her eleven votes to
Thomas Jefferson and two votes to c. G. Pinck-
ney. New York in 1909 cast thirteen electoral
votes for James Madison and six for George
Clinton; and in the same election the votes of
Maryland and North Carolina were unequally
divided In 1S13 when Madison was re-elect-
ed, the electoral vote of Maryland was again
divided, six of her eleven votes being cast for
Madison and the remainder given to De Witt
Clinton. When James Monroe was second
time elected President in 1921, New Hamp-
shire cast one of her eight votes for John Quin-
cey Adams, the rest being thrown for Monroe.
More complicated divisions of the electoral
votes of States occurred at the election of John
Quincy Adams in 1929 when the choice was
devolved the House of Representatives, and
in 1929 when Andrew jackson was elected
the first time, and when Maine, New York
and Maryland divided their electoral votes be-
tween the two candidates. But the result in
California is solely due to the unpopularity of
the candidate for elector. rather than to the
choice of the people, so far as the Presidential
candidate is concerned. Under the laws of
some States Terry would be forever debarred
from holding any Office in the gift of the citi-
zens. But the California Bourbons, arrogant
ly disregarding the sentiment of the people,
forced this man upon their ticket The result
is a rebuke which is most signal and emphatic
If it had happened that the Democratic candi-
date for President had been defeated by reason
of this folly, it might have been said that the
will of the people had been thwarted by rea-
son of the perversity of the political managers.