Eugene Casserly His Political and Legal Career

Eugene Casserly contributed to the legal and political development of California during the formative years of early statehood following the Mexican war. During the tfar between the States he stood firmly for the Union, urging allegiance and loyalty. As a Democrat in a Republican-dominated Senate for the first part of President Grant*s administration, Casserly stead­fastly upheld constitutional principles and advocated a tempered, conciliatory treatment of the seceded states. Later, in the California Convention of 1878* he worked on the Constitution under which the state of California is still governed. Sources of information on Casserly are few and scattered, limited for the most part to histories and biographies, printed speeches, and commentaries. Hone of his personal papers are extant. The correspondence of his brother-in-law and partner, John T, Doyle, contributed some information on the Pious Fund Case and on the relations of Doyle with Casserly. The Congressional Globe was the main source of his speeches in the Senate, in addition to a small collection of printed pamphlets; his participation in the Constitutional Convention was recorded in Debates and Proceedings of the California Constitutional Convention, 1878-1879. The New York Freeman’s a Journal has a special value because Casserly had been its editor, and his successor followed him with interest through his years in Washington. Eugene Casserly played an able part in state and national life during critical years in California and United States his­tory. His contributions are practically unknown to the present generation because his personality lacked the glamor to make him a popular figure in his own time. Though Casserly may not claim a place beside Broderick or Stanford among the notable names of the state, he well merits a recorded account in history as one of California\u27s respected and worthy Senators