Year: 1859

Know Nothingism swept over Califor-
MIA. 1t completely destroyed the exist
ing political divisions, and a general
breaking up of the political fabric was
the consequence. A new order of things
succeeded New men who had never
been heard of before rose up to the sur
face. The excited and bubblng caul-
dron threw to the top any amount of
refuse dross and worthless scum. Peo.
pie we're wadly excited. They cried out
for reform, and whoever shouted reform
and professed Know Nothingism was
hailed as an honest man and a reform.
err Thus men we're nominated for Gle.
waited positions of whom nothing was
known, and who, in the older parties
where the character and ability Of men
were better understood, would never have
been thought of as entitled to any posi-
tion above that of judge of a horse-raoe
or dealer of faro.


The most notable and disastrous in
stance Of the sudden elevation of a man
of this character that occurred during
that unfortunate period, was the election
Of one David S. Terry to the position
of Judge of the Supreme Court Proba-
bly,, had California been raked over
from one extreme to the other with a
revolving horse-rake, another man so
untitled for the position of Judge,
among those claiming to be lawyers,
could not have been found. He was a
man without education, and with as little
knowledge of the general principles of
law as would be required in any other
country to make a Justice of the Peace
He had distinguished himself only for
the numerous fights and brawls that he
had been engaged in. He had one
quality that he possessed in common
with the bulldog, and being a man Of
| powerful frame and great skill in the
use Of weapons, he was always regarded
as a dangerous man.


But bad as he was, and unfit as he
was for the position, yet the people
felected him to the high Office of Judge
Of the Supreme Court. He has held
that position until recently he resigned
it in order to fight a duel with, and, if
he could, kill Senator Brodcrick. Since
the death of Judge Murray he has been
Chief Justice, and has been distinguish
ed in that position for the extreme
brevity of his opinions.


During the season Of the Vigilant
Committee excitement he attained his
most prominent notoriety, by his at
tempt to kill man who had been de-
tailed by that Committee to arrest one
Reuben MalOney. The history of that
affair is so familiar to all, that we need
not recapitulate the circumstances at
tending it. He was not hanged, as
others had been, but was, after a long
Imprisonment, released, to take his scat
again upon the Bench, dispense justice,
and see that the laws were fairly and
honestly administered.


After he was let off by the Vigilance
Committee, he was constrained by the
Wholesome lesson then taught him to
refrain from his customary quarrels and
assaults. We will do him the Justice to
say that since he was let loose by the
! Vigilance Committee he has not attack
ed an editor, stabbed anybody in court,
or done any act Of open violence.


When the late Lecompton Conven-
ton assembled, Judge Terry was a can
didate for denomination. He did not
succeed, strange as it may seem, when
the character of the Convention is con-
sidered But after the Convention had,
to a great extent, concluded, and when
the successful or unsuccessful candidates
were trotted out to show their parts,
this man, the Chief Justice of the
State, came forward and made a low po-
litical harangue, going out Of his way
to make a gross, undigniied and un-
called for attack on Senator Broderick,
When Mr.. Broderick heard of this at
tack upon him, he denounced Judge
Terry in severe terms, and in the pres
ence Of a friend of the latter The
other circumstances intervening up to
the time Of the duel are known to our
readers. Judge Terry shot his man, and
it is supposed that, if Mr.. BrOderick
dies, as a reward for killing him, he will
be sent to the United States Senate.


From the Alta California;


THE tLOI 10 NJ RIDER bhubLtlChs


A friend showed us a letter yester
day, received from a prominent citizen
of sacramento, in which he wrote that
he had heard the Dragging, boasts and
threats Of the vagabond politicians about
the Orleans Hotel, who declared several
days before there was any announce
ment Of a duel, that Broderick was to
be killed ofF-that he was never more
to sit in the United States Senate-that
Judge Terry was to try his hand first,
and if he did not succeed, then a second
expert shooter was to try, and so on un-
til he was put out Of the way. Terry
being the best shot in the.State, was
sure to kill him, Then Terry was the
smallest loss if he should fall, as his
term of office was out-he was under
disgrace Of the Vigilance Committee
recollection, and could be best spared
out Of the crowd who hungered and
thirsted for his seat in the Senate.


Terry, by all the tricks Of the most
practiced duelist killed the hated, hun.
ted man. He was not TO be spared by
Terry-so no other man need try bis
hand.


Rev. w, M. Daily, on trial at Bloom
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