all
pleased with the prospect of having a regular court and endeavored,
as far as lay in our power, to make the stay of the Judge with us
agreeable. I had been in the habit of receiving a package of New York
newspapers by every steamer, and among them came copies of the New
York "Evening Post," which was at that time the organ of the so-called
Free-soil party. When Judge Turner arrived, I waited on him to pay my
respects, and sent him the various newspapers I had received. He had
lived for years in Texas, and, as it proved, was a man of narrow
mind and bitter prejudices. He seems to have had a special prejudice
against New Yorkers and regarded a Free-soiler as an abomination. I
have been told, and I believe such to be the fact, that my sending
him these newspapers, and particularly the "Evening Post," led him
to believe that I was an "Abolitionist"--a person held in special
abhorrence in those days by gentlemen from the South. At any rate he
conceived a violent dislike of me, which was destined in a short time
to show itself and cause me great annoyance. What was intended on my
part as an act of courtesy, turned out to be the beginning of a long,
bitter, and on his part, ferocious quarrel. At that time my affairs
were in a very prosperous condition, as I have already stated. I had
$14,000 in gold dust, a rental of over a thousand dollars a month, and
a large amount of city property constantly increasing in value. Such
being the case, I thought I would go East on a visit, and accordingly
began making arrangements to leave. But shortly before the opening
of the June term of the District Court, Captain Sutter came to me
and told me he had been sued by a man named Cameron, and wished me to
appear as his counsel. I answered that I was making arrangements to go
East and he had better retain some one else. He replied that I ought
to remain long enough to appear for him and assist his attorney, and
begged of me as an act of friendship to do so. I finally consented,
and deferred my departure.

Soon after the opening of the court, some time during the first week,
the case of Captain Sutter was called. A preliminary motion, made by
his attorney, was decided against him. Mr. Jesse O. Goodwin, a member
of the bar, sitting near, said to me that the practice act, passed
at the recent session of the Legislature, contained a section
bearing upon the question; and at the same time handed me the act.
I immediately rose, and addressing t