That winter a convention was called to organize a State government and
apply for admission to the Union. The Southern element there wanted to
make it a slave State. The Northerners, including both Whigs and
Democrats, wanted it free. They did not want to be brought in
competition with slave labor in the mines, and have their occupation
degraded in that way. Their pride, as well as interest, was at stake,
and there was great feeling on the subject. Meetings were called all
through the mines and addresses made and candidates nominated. The
average of intelligence there was away above any other part of the
country. For they were men of enterprise, or they would not have been
there in that early day. At Mormon Island, one of the miners got up and
made a speech. He so impressed them with his ability that they
unanimously nominated him as their candidate to the Constitutional
Convention. He was an old acquaintance of mine. In 1847 or 1848 he was a
Democratic member of the Legislature of the State of New York, from
Washington county, and was chosen by that body to deliver the oration
on Washington's birthday. His name was George Washington Sherwood. He
was elected to the Constitutional Convention of California, and wrote
its first Constitution, copied after that of his native State, New York.
The Northern element prevailed in that convention, and California came
in a free State by its unanimous vote. Broderick headed the Northern
sentiment; Gwin, who had been a United States Marshal in Mississippi,
the Southern. I met him often. He would come into a bar-room and say: "I
did not come here to dig gold, but to represent you in the United States
Senate." He would then say: "Come up all, and take a drink." I thought
that was a strange way to inspire the people with the idea that he was
the proper person to represent them in the United States Senate. He was
elected, with Colonel Freemont, the first two United States Senators
from California. At the next election for United States Senators,
Broderick got absolute control, and although Gwin had fought him