CONTENTS. xi
PAGE
tion — Senator Gwin, the Almighty Providence of California— Party iMues — Governor Bigler — Broderick — White vs Black — Slavery or Death ! — Legislative Proceedings — ^Talk of a New Constitution — Whigs, Democrats, and Independents — Another Legislature ....... 643
CHAPTER XXIV.
rOLinCAL HISTORT.
1854-1859.
Warm and Wicked Election — One Party the Same as Another, only Worse — Senatorial Contest — ^Broderick's Election Bill — Bitter Feuds — A Two-edged Convention — Bigler *s Administration — Rise and Fall of the Knownothing Party — Gwin's Sale of Patronage — Broderick in Congress — He is Misrepresented and Maligned— Another Election — Chivalry and Slavery — Broderick's Death Determined on — The Duel —Character of Broderick 678
CHAPTER XXV.
FOPULAB TRIBUVAL8.
1840-1856. '
State of Society — ^Miners' Courts — Crimes and Punishments — Criminal Class — The Hounda^Berdue and Wildred — Organized Ruffianism — Committees of Vigilance— The Jenkins AfGsir — Villanous Law Courts — James Stuart — Political and Judicial Corruption — James King of William — His Assassination — Seizure, Trial, and Execution of Crim- inals— A Vacillating Qovemor — A Bloody-minded Judge— Attitude of United States Officials — Success of the San Francisco Vigilance Committee under Trying Circumstances — ^Disbandment. 740
CHAPTER XXVI.
▲NNAL8 OV SAN FRANGI800.
1851-1856.
A Period of Trials — Land Titles — City Limits — Mexican Grants— Spu- rious Claims — Water Lots — Fluctuations of Values — The Van Ness Ordinance— Villanous Administration — A New Charter — Municipal Maleadministration— Popular Protests — Honest and Genial Villains — Increased Taxation— Vigilance Movements — Reforms — Another Charter— Real Estate Sales— The Baptism by Fire and Blood— Ma- terial and Social Progress — Schools, Churches, and Benevolent Socie- ties—The Transformed City 755