Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-09-28
THIRTY YEARS AGO.
CALIFORNIA; MARROW ESCAPE FROM
sLAvERYs CURSE.
Senator CONFESS Recalls Bit of Early
History-A Baseball Tournament
Some Local Incidents.

to the SUNDAY UNION as follows, unoeT
date of September 23d: Herewith is some
thing for your Thirty Years Ago column,
if you think it worth printing. l think 1t
strictly true that The modes of contest OF
those times-the fighting to the death; the
buying and selling of votes; the terrible ex-
ample Of all or nearly all public action
has fastened upon California legacy of
yileness from which the State will be slow
to escape. 1 could not put it strongly with
out much writing, and have, therefore, but
limited at it.
"Opening a California paper to-day I
found this caption to an article-Judge
Solomon Heydenfeldt-en though il told
of but one more in the procession of Pic
neers to the grave, sorrowed deeply over
it. l knew him in the early days, bat have
not known him later. 1t is, however his
due to say of him that, through the thick
and thin of early life in the young State,
he was always the gentleman-ahle,p per-
spicacious and discreet.
at was during the session OF the Lsgisla-
ture of 1858, held in Vallejo and Beuicia,
that first knew him. He was not mem.
Der, and it was my first experience as q
California legislator. Then the subject of
slavery-though California had been made
a free State-was rife, and upDermost in
mems minds. An Act had been passed by
a former Legislature allowing the owner of
any slaves brought into the State prior to
the admission of the State into the Union
one year to take such slaves away. This
Act had been extended ami ii was proposed
to extend it indefinitely, SO that by an Act
of Legislature the prohibition of slavery by
the Constitution was to be rendered nuga-
tory There was also an effort made then,
for the second time, to pass a Constitu-
tional Convention bill, with the purpose of
establishing, or opening the southern part
of the State to slavery. Those were the
measures contemplated and urged by
Southern men at that time.
Judge Heydenfeldt was an extreme
Southern man, but one who sought. by
quiet and considerate measures, the inter
ests Of slavery. He was man of order,
and rot of violence, sweet in temper and
moral in all of his inclinings. Finding
him an advocate of good measures and
very influential, as well as a leader among
Southern men, l asked him upon one coca
sion why he pursued the unattainable in
measures OF Southern policy, and thus sep
arated men who would otherwise agree and
accomplish much for the State. He re-
piled, speaking for Southern men, saying:
Now, in this State everything is against
US, and therefore any change we can bring
about will be g gain And so, in those
early days he wasted great influence which
might have been used for all good eEds, by
reason of the identity he had with, and the
support he gave to, the institution of slav-
cry in free State.
do not xuFfta 70 hlaT,a hin, 10 n, Ok
any impression to his iiscredit, for l have
ALWAYS remembered his polite and digni-
fed personality with the greatest pleasure,
and now wish to contribute this testimony
to your Thirty Years Ago column in the
SUNDAY UNION
at is thirty-seven years since the period
have referred to, but the habit and mode
of conducting the discussions aid differ
ences then inaugurated have l fear, in
ficted untold injury upon California
...... There were two great baseball
games played on the 25lh of September,
1860, between the Sacramentos and Eagles,
the crack club of San Francisco. The
games were played under the auspices of
the State Agricultural Society at the Yolo
Park course. The Sacramento players
were: Robinson. p; Kendall C; keenan,,
s. s.; Allen, list b Morrill,, "a b; Coyall,
Sd b; Penney, r. f ; Brummett, |. f Leslie,
C. f. The San Francisco players were
Gelston, Fisher, Dixon, Wilcox, E. kerri-
gan, Carroll, Durkee, J. Kerrigan and
Wade. The scores of the games were
divided, two tables being employed for
each game The first had but two col
umns, headed respectively, III. L." and
Runs" The second had columns for
"Flys,n Bound Base and Foul"
One game was umpired by 0. P. Truesdell,
% ~ Cfr,A g Co
and the other by Rev. J. A. Anderson of
Stockton Each game was played for 500.
1.-THE Dance of Death" is not a
modern idea, by any means. As far back
as thirty years ago Rev. Mr.. Briefly
preached strong sermon in Nevada City
against round dances. He said that mo
respectable lady could engage in them and
leave the ballroom as pure in thought as
when she entered He added that IF the
ladies were cognizant of the remarks made
by the men standing around while they
were going through the may waltz, they
would seek their chambers and weep scald-
ing tears.
Either the atmosphere must have
been unusually clear, or al Dudley, the
noted Democratic stump speaker of those
days, must have been possessed of power
full pair Of lungs. He spoke at Brecken
ridge meeting in front of the st. George
Hotel one night, and citizen residing on
Seyent and Q slreets-a good half mile
away-sat out on his porch aud listened
TO Dudley's Democratic thunder. He
claimed to have heard the speaker quite
distinctly.
.........There was a great pigeon-shooting
match al the State Fair IN 1860, the Society
giving several fine prizes. The men shot
at ten birds. with the following result DR..
Aylette 10, Jack Gamble 10, George Great
house 10. Charles Fairfax 9, Charles Boice
8, r. D. Critteaden 9, George Hume, Grove
Adams VIM. Hume, Albert Foster, Sam.
Hyatt N. Ault, DR.. S. p, Thomas, W t.
Grissim and others, also shot, but did not
finish their scores.
........A long train Of emigrsnt wagons
arrived on the sd OF September from San
CANON county, H., containing the families
of b. f. Policy, E. Policy, Abyam Gamble
and others. they having just crossed the
plains. They were four months and half
making the trip from the Missouri river TO
Sacramento. The party was heading for
Napa valley.
There were exciting times in Salem,
Or, on the assembling Of the Legislature.
The Democrats foresaw q Republican
Douglas coalition to elect Colonel f. D.
Baker United States Senator, and five
members of the Senate left that body and
took to the woods and brush, where the
Sergeant-at- Arms had to huat them down
with posse of citizens.
.........The horses General Taylor, Stock
bridge Chief, Vermont and Morgan Rattler
trotted for a $3.50 purse over the Yolo Park
Course on the 23d of September. General
Taylor was the winner, the fastest heat
being 2:4S.
-. Mr.. and Mrs. James Stark were
supporting Jean NJ. Davenport. at The For
rest Theater in this c;ty. snd the Lyster
Opera Company were performing at the
Metropolitan Theater.
Alexander n. Stephens, of Georgia,
was Douglas Democrat, and made strong
Union speeches during The campaign Of
1860. He declared that Breckenridge had
no hope Of election, and that his running
endangered the cause Of the Union.
.........One night during the State Fair OF
1860. II. NJ Bernard encountered rough
fellow at Sixth and L streets, who bad
been annoying little girls, snd gave him a
sound thrashipg. Harry looks as II he
could do I'D the average tough even now.
......... j. z. 0verton was then exhibiting
in this city a steam road wagon of his own
invention and mechanism. Now, thirty
wears later, these motors are again being
introduced for road purposes, running
gang-plows, etc.
on the 10Th of September, 1860 the
thermometer registered 96o in the shade at