BRO'DERICK, DAVID COLBRETH (1819-59). An American politician. He was born in Wash ington, the son of a stone-eutter; but early re moved with his father to New York City, where he attended the publie schools and afterwards learned his father's trade. He then kept a grog shop for some tine, became prominent as a leader of the rougher element in Tammany, and was chosen foreman of a volunteer fire-engine company, which had a considerable political in fluence. He nevertheless devoted much of his time to private study. and by bis moral habits and his personal integrity earned the respect of the better element in the city. In 1S4G he failed to secure a coveted election to Congress, and three years later removed to California, where he soon became the recognized leader of one of the two factions into which the Democratic Party in the State was then divided. He was a member of the California Constitutional Convention in 1849, and served two terms in the State Senate, for part of the time as presiding officer. In
1856 he was elected to the United States Senate, and soon became conspicuous for his opposition to the admission of Kansas under the Lecompton Constitution, In 1859 he took an active part in a rancorous political campaign in California, and, challenged at its close by Judge Terry on ac count of certain strictures in one of his speeches, he fought a duel on September 13, in which he was fatally wounded. His death under such cir cumstances caused a deep sensation in the East as well as in the \Vest, and was generally at tributed to the animosity aroused among slave holders and their political sympathizers by Broderick's unyielding opposition to the fur ther spread of slavery. espeeially in Kansas.