Sacramento daily record-union., 1889-09-08
he DID SLEEP ONCE.
GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF A PoLITI-
CAL EPISODE.
How the Wire-Pullers Worked in the
Stirring Days of Fifty-four-
Exciting Events.

Saio ASo. IerLllb me 10 lncluQe, Tor
this occasion, more than the span of thirty
years.
The UNION appropriately depicts Mar
TIN Rowan as the polished, courteous,
genial and open-hearted Bohemian" all of
which he was. The following sentence is
inaccurate as to particular detail, although
generally fairly descriptive, as to Martins
apparent quality of Minerals bird-that
he "never slept, so far as his friends knew
On an occasion, which somewhat changed
the political condition of California, and
obstructed for two years the representation
of the State in the Senate of the United
+, States, Martin Rowan slept at night, as
not one of his friends had suspected, and
| learned only too late--after the irreparable
disaster to the man who had most de-
pended upon him had its overwhelming
| elimination.
The famous contest between William NJ.
Gwin and David C. Broderick for the seat
in the Senate of the United States which
DR.. Gwin had occupied since the admission
of California into the Union had begun as
early as 1858. The term of Senator Gwin
expired March 4, 1856. The sessions of
the State Legislature were then annually.
The general impression, and it was almost
unanimous, was that it would devolve upon
tie Legislature of 1S55-beginning session
the first Monday of January of that year
| to choose the Senator. But Mr.. Broderick,
who was fertile of ofresources, well-trained
member of Tammany Hall, and was pos
sessed of consuming ambition to repre-
sent California in the Senate of the United
States, had devised scheme by which this
ambition could be satisfied.
The Constitution of the United States Or
dains that "the Senate of the United States
shall be composed of two Senators from
each State, chosen by the Legislature
thereof, for six years." also, "the times,
places and manner of holding elections for
Senators y shall be prescribed in
each State by the Legislature thereof"
In these clauses of the Federal Con-
stitution existed apparent authority and
warrant to support the scheme of Mr..
Broderick. The Constitution made clear
provision for the choosing of the Senators
by the Legislature the State Legislature
of California had made no provision as to
"the times, the places and the manner of
holding elections for Senator'S" and all
| this was to "be prescribed in each State
by the Legislature thereof"
1t was the opinion of some of the
ablcst lawyers in the State, at the time.
that the project broached by Mr. Broder-
| lex, to have the Legislature which con-
vened January, 1884, choose the United
States Senator to succeed to the term to
begin March 4, 1885, was within the con-
stitutional provision, and this opinion was
entertained by number of Democratic
| Senators from the Southern States. and
! by Ashbury Dickens, the venerable Sec
retary of the Senate.
| The project was a surprise. The State
election of 1858 was held in September,
and not until the result of the election
had been proclaimed was there even quiet
announcement that an attempt would be
made, on behalf of. Mr.. Broderick, to have
the Legislature of 1854 choose the Senator.
The open development of the scheme
came with the opening of the session. The
Legislature sat in Benicia. Without recit-
| ing details of the contest, it will suffice
to state that the bill to have the Senate
and Assembly meet in joint convention to
elect Senator of the United States for
the six years succeeding March 4, 1866,
was introduced and passed by vote of Al
to 80, and it subsequently passed the Senate
by the casting vote of the Lieutenant
Governor, Purdy
Then occurred the all-important change
in the vote, which was occasioned by the
neglect of Martin Rowan to maintain
sharp and close watch and ward in the
care of Senator who had been confded to
his vigilant keeping by Mr. Broderick
himself. Martin Rowan was one of the
AssembIymen from Calaveras county. He
was Jealous in the cause of Broderick.
Assemblyman Beatty, from the same county,
was earnest in the cause of Gwin. VIM.
b. Norman, the Senator from Calaveras,
was among Gwin's most ardent supporters.
Among Broderick's supporters were Sena-
tors c. A. Tuttle of Placer Charles Ii.
| Bryan of Yuba, John S. Hager, Z. J.
None, David Mahoney and VIM NJ. Lent
of San Francisco, Pablo de la Guerra of
Santa Barbara, Liyermorc of Santa Clara,
Cofiroth OF Tuolumne, Gavan d. Hall of
| FL Dorado, Colby of Sacramento, Royal
I. Sprague Of Shasta, Whiting of Santa
Cruz, Kuntz of San Diego, Stebbins of
Yuba, and one other in the body of thirty
| two members.
The Legislature convened the first Mon
day in January, 1854, in Benicia. In
February of that year the Act passed to
make Sacramento the State Capital, and
the removal was made so that the Legisla-
ture reconvened in Sacramento on Monday,
March 9th. The County Courthouse, cor
ner of Seventh and streets had been fitted
up for the purpose. Mayor Hardenburgh,
DIR. johnson Price, Vincent f. Geiger and
and other prominent citizens of Sacramento
had engineered the removal from Benicia
to Sacramento. The friends of DR.. Gwin
were quite evenly divided upon the ques-
| sion. Mr.. Broderick had been at length
prevailed upon by his supporters to give
his assent to the move. 1t could not other
wise have prevailed. 1t resulted, never
theless, in the defeat of his absorbing am
bition-the election to the United States
Senate to succeed DR.. Gwin.
During the interim of removal from
Benicia to Sacramento, the Legi: lature had
| voted an adjournment of two weeks. In
that time the members enjoyed vacation.
Senator Grewell, of Santa Clara, had been
connubiating with the friends of Broderick
| lie had been so far reckoned on the side OF
IRWIN. Vigilance and strategy had not
been neglected by Gwin's faithful adher-
ents. \ successful mission had been made
to San Jose in Gwin's interest Letcher,
an Assemblyman of Santa Clara, had singu-
lar control of Grewel
| Grewell had cast the vote which gave
victory to Broderick. 1t was not yet too
late for reconsideration and change of
vote. On GrewelPs arrival in Sacramento
he was placed in charge of the friends of
Broderick. For the night he was put in
the guardianship of Che urbane and
accomplished Martin Rowan. Mar
tin was convivial and generous in
his inequalities. The arrival of the
Senator in Sacramento had been most
carefully managed and the custody of his
person adroitly arranged. He was not
Incorporate. He was shrewd. His sleep
ing place had been appointed in the upper
floor, the third story, of popul,r lodging
house on street, the Fountain Hotel-a
large frame structure quite out of the way
of the haunts of the political workers, and
unsuspected. There, in thorough quiet,
Rowan was to pass the eventful night in
the same bed with Grewell, unknown and
unsuspected by any inimical to Mr.. Brod-
erick.
/ Rut there ORC littla birJs ,yL,ol oo~-,-