California Senator / Private Coin Minter David C. Broderick Autograph on Cover sent from D.C. Broderick, U.S. Senate, to Edwin Carpenter in Schenectady, New York. No stamp or cancel. David Colbreth Broderick came to California in 1849 and worked as a smelter, assayer, and minter of private coinage. Broderick was one of the people who James King of William attacked in the newspapers for allegations that his gold coins were not as represented. He was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of California in 1849, a member of the State senate from 1850-51, and then a US Senator for California from 1857 to his death in 1859. Just prior to the start of the American Civil War, the Democratic Party of California was divided between pro-slavery and "Free Soil" factions. Broderick led the Free Soilers (those opposed to the expansion of slavery into the Western States). One of his closest friends was David S. Terry, formerly the Chief Justice of the California State Supreme Court. Terry advocated extending slavery into California. Terry lost his re-election bid because of his pro-slavery platform, and he blamed Broderick for the loss. The tensions between the two escalated and led to a duel. Broderick was mortally wounded and died on Sept. 16, 1859. California