The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-03-21

heSi1aee W invest nlS own means, Wnep
prosperity and fortune dawned upon
him, in enterprises of great public ims
portance. In 1884, he originated and
carried to successful completion the
Harrisburg, Mount Joy and Lancaster
Railroad, surmounting difficulties and
prejudices which would have appalled,
and paralyzed man of ordinary ener.
gy and determination. In 1888 he was
nominated for Congress, but declined.
He was engaged in public enterprises
from which he would not permit him.
self to be drawn aside by any consid-
Grafton of Office or personal elevation.
In 1851 he was mainly instrumental in
the formation of the Susquehanna Rail-
road Company, by which the upper
valleys of the Susquehanna are con-
nected with the capital of the State.
There was still another link wanting
to form a direct and continuous rail-
road to New York city, the great COM
mercial metropolis of the Union. Gen.
Cameron's practical mind soon sug.
gested the mode and manner of supply
ing this want; and the La5anon Val
ley Railroad Company was organized
and that road built, and now copsoli-
dated with the Philadelphia and Read
ing Railroad. In 1882 Genera. Came
ron was elected cashier of the Middle
town Bank-a position which he held
for twenty-seven consecutive years. So
that about the year 1854, he was at the
same time President of the Susque-
hanna Railroad Company, President of
the Labonon Valley Railroad Compa-
ny, President of the Commonwealth
Insurance Company, and cashier of the
Middletown Bank, besides being di-
rector and manager in several other
institutions, and having large private
business of his own to manage and su-
perintend. Yet notwithstanding the
vast labor and responsibility of these
positions, he performed the duties of
them all satisfactorily and successfully,
GIDEON wsLLs, sEcRErARr or rHE NAVY.
Mr.. Gideon Wells, of Connecticut, ID
the Secretary Of the Navy. Mr.. Wells
has been for upwards of thirty years q
leading politician in Connecticut, and
for much of that time has been con-
neoted, directly and indirectly, with the
public press, welding a partisan pen,
and always exhibiting evidence of un:
questionable hostility to his opponents
in the advocacy of his opinions, po-
litioal or otherwise. He for sometime
held the office of Postmaster at Hart
ford, under Mr.. Van Buren's admins
tration, and left the Office soon after.
the election of Gen. Harrison in 1910.
During part of Mr.. Polk's admins
tration he occupied an important posi-
ton in the Navy Department. Like
many other prominent Northern Dem
ocrats, Mr.. Wells disagreed with his
party on the subject of the repeal of
the Missouri Compromise, which
breach was still further increased by
the Kansas policy of the Pierce and Bu-
chanan administration. The Ferritor;s
al question being the chief one atlissue,
he became Unidentified with the ,Repub.
lican party soon after its organization,
and has since been one of IFS leaders,
taking prominent part in its conven.
tions, State and national. He wss
delegate from the State at large to the
Chicago convention, and constituted
one OF the committee to proceed to
Springfield with official notice of Mr.
Lincoln's nomination.. He was 4lso
one of the Presidential electors. Nor
was bis visit to Springfield the first
time he had met that distinguished
gentleman. While in Hartford, q year
or more since, they formed somewhat
intimate acquaintance, which resulted
in the warmest mutual friendships and
confidence ESQ that Mr.. Lincoln has, ia
the selection, no doubt acted as m.sh
upon his own personal knowledge and
estimation of the man. as upon any So
licitation Of prominent New England
Republicans.
MONTGOMERY BLArR. PosrxAsrEa-eExERAt-
The State of Maryland will be rep
resented in the Lincoln Cabinet BY
Judge Montgomery Blair, who resides
at Montgomery Castle, near Silver
Spring, Montgomery county, Md
Judge Blair is son of Francis p.
Blair, well known in Gen. Jackson's
time. He graduated at West Point,
went to the State of Missouri, prac-
tieed law at st. Louis; was made Judge.
and was appointed by President Pierce
one of the Judges Of the Court Of
Claims, from which place he was re-
moved by President Buchanan. Judge
Blair is now in the prime of life and
mental vigor, and there is no man south
of Pennsylvania who is more devoted
to Republicanism, or who is more pop
ular among radical Republicans all
over the North and West. He is SON.
in-law of the late Hon. Levi Woodbury.,
Of New Hampshire, and brother Of
Frank p. Blair, Jr., Congressman elect
from the St. Louis District.
c. b. SMITH. SECRETARY OF TIE INTERIOR
Caleb B. Smith, Secretary of the In
terror, was born in Boston Mass, in
1908, and is of the same age therefore
with Mr.. Chase. He was educated at
the Cincinnati College, studied law,
and went to Indiana. In 1882 be be-
gan editing Whig journal, and in the
following and several subsequent years
was member of the State Legislature.
He was representative IN Congress
from l843 to 1849; was Presidential
Elector in 1910 and 1856; and was
member of the Board for Investigating