His position aroused fierce hostility on the part of the Democratic leaders of California.

The contest grew so bitter in the autumn of 1859, when Broderick was canvassing his State, as to lead to a duel with Judge Terry, a prominent Democrat of Southern birth.

Broderick was killed at the first fire.

The excitement was greater in the country than ever attended a duel, except when Hamilton fell at the hands of Burr in 1804.
The Graves and Cilley duel of 1838, with its fatal ending, affected the whole nation, but not so profoundly as did the death of Broderick.
The oration of Senator Baker, delivered in San Francisco at the funeral, so stirred the people that violence was feared.

The bloody tragedy influenced political parties, and contributed in no small degree to Lincoln's triumph in California the ensuing year.
In the peculiar position in which Douglas was placed, still maintaining his membership of the Democratic party while opposing the administration on the Lecompton question, he naturally resorted to arguments which were not always of a character to enlist the approval of men conscientiously opposed to slavery.