Year: 1859

in which he endeavored to sustain the right
of the last Legislature to censure Mr.. Brod-
erick for his course in the Senate on the Le-
compton Constitution. Mr.. Broderick made
the folio wing reply, a report of which we
find in the Union:


Mr.. Broderick aid-Fellow-citizens am
very sorry that ventured to challenge this
eloquent gentleman to discuss the questions
which are now agitating the public mind, or
sought from him an explanation of his vote
on the resolutions sent to me by the last Leg
islature. And | am sorry, not on my own
account, but Upon lis lis, since ne manifests such
sensitiveness at the style of the remarks in
which | called him out. Why should he get
so excited Although he gives no substan-
tial reasons for his vote on the resolutions
urging my resignation, he evidently comes
up to the expectations of his friends and
can assure him that his merits as a public
speaker have not been underrated by the po.
9iticai opponents who have spoken of him in
my presence. I spoke of him. pleasantly,
not sneeringly, as a man who was accustom-
ed to the delivery of Fourth of July speeches,
at which he rises in high dudgeon; yet he
'confesses the habit attributed to him, and
gives practical confirmation to the report
which l repeated, by indulging in genuine
Independence Day effusion. Applause and
laughter 1 am gratifed by the sample,
though it answers no solid purpose on this
occasion. The gentleman is full of irony, as
l Judge from his tone of voice. but his great
forte is, unquestionably, in the fancy line
He ascends to the heavens, and takes the
largest orbs, and even whole consultations
into the service of his Imagination, and then
pays a complimentary and loving visit to the
bones of our Revolutionary ancestors. APP
plause and laughter He sarcastically
speaks of me as Gigantic Ajax" but he is
undoubtedly sincere when he calls Mr. Bu-
.chanan "Giant," "Gibraltar herself" and
trolling orb" which shall continue to shine
for considerable time after these candles
shall have burnt into their sockets. / have
no doubt but that you were considerably
panied when this charming orator positively
refused to allow the center of our solar sys-
tenn to stand a representative OF our Fed
eral Government Then this Administra-
tion is "heart of oak" bobbing away in a
"hickory Frame" and while the gentleman
was employed in getting up his excellent il
lustration | very much wonder that he didn't
name the kind of wood of which the head
was composed. Applause. Now, l sup
pose that l might without humiliation con.
fess that was unable to cope with this rhe-
torician, the variety of whose figures puzzles
me if it does not fascinate you. But l came
here to deal in facts, not to make fourishes
to use figures, which do not lie, not to amuse
myself or weary you by strained figures of
speech. The gentleman stated to you that
the resolutions passed by the last Legislature,
and for which he voted did not request me
to resign. l will read them to you and leave
you to judge in regard to the matter for your
selves


WHEREAS, The ninth session of the Legislature
ofthe State of California passed resolutions in
structing our Senators in Congress to supportthe
policy ofthe National Administration in regard to
the admission of Kansas under the Lecompton
Constitution and, whereas, the Hon. David G.
Broderick, United States Senator from this State,
not only disregarded said instructions, but iudI-
rectly charged that the members Of said ninth ses
sion of the Legislature had misrepresented the
wishes of their constituents; and, whereas, the
people of this State, at the last election, trium-
Phantly sustained the action OF the members OF
said ninth session of the Legislature: therefore,
for the purpose of giving to the said Hon. David
c. Broderick full understanding of the position
he occupies to his constituency, be it


Resolved, by the Senate, the Assembly concur
ring, That the Legislature of a State constitutes
the immediate constituency of a United States
Senator.





the right, and it is their duty, when deemed ne
cessary to instruct their representatives upon all
matters of public policy pertaining TO the duties
of such representatives. When so instructed,
there is left no other alternative save obedience or


Resolved, That Senator Broderick has neither
yielded obedience to the instructions of the ninth
session of the Legislature of this State, nor has
he, as yet resigned the seat he holds contrary to
the wishes Ofbis constituency.


RaSolVpd That tho LAM t1cad in fho oacI,
of said Senator. on the 22d Of March, 1858, in the
United States Senate, towards the Chief Executive
of this COnfederacy, was not only undgnifed and
disrespectfu but alike insulting to the nation and
humilating to the people Of this State


Resolved, That his Excellency, the Governor OF
this State be requested to forward copy of the
above resolutions to the Hon. d. G. Broderick.


The debate and the comments of the press
at the time of the passage of these resolutions
will help to a correct understanding of them
The gentleman devoted considerable, and,
perhaps, the major portion of his speech, TO
an eulOgy on the doctrine of instruction.
believe in the doctrine of instruction, when
the instructions come from the people, and the
Senator is confident that the people under
stand the questions at issue. In this connee-
tion let me allude to another portion of the
gentlemans remarks He inquiries if the
State is to suffer from a Federal despotism
L repeat the question with emphasis: Shall
we be crushed out by a Federal despotism
Shall the hordes from the Custom House be
permitted to gather at our State Capital and
cajole, purchase, or frighten Legislators into
voting for resolutions of instruction which
are obnoxious to all the informed and honest
men in the State? Shall Custom House
money continue to subsidize the press in the
interior and shall agents be supplied with
Federal funds to enable them to traverse the
State aud engage in the business of making
Influencing misstatements, so that the people
are induced to vote improperly and without
fair knowledge of the issues involved Shall
Custom House emissaries, and those sympa-
thizing with the sectional opinions there fos-
tered, be allowed to steal into our Legisla-
ture, under cover Of the name of Popular
Sovereignty, and then turn round and de-
nounce United States Senator because he
acted in accordance with the principles which
they professed in the canvass | am the man
who wants to know whether we are to be
overridden by the Federal Government |
was at Washington at the time the Lecomp
ton Constitution reached that place, and
know its history and purpose. But the gen
tleman carries his doctrine of instruction so
far as to make it a very curious "sheet-an-
chor of our liberties" He says that no mat
ter whether the Instructions are right or
wrong, the instructed Senator must obey or
resign Then, while the Legislature is in
session, the United States Senators are at the
mercy of that body, and must bow to its ca
PNslous. unwarranted and positively un-
righteous recommendations, or leave his seat
to pc nlled by successor less scrupulous OF
his honor. What doctrine is this. and who