Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1867-01-24
Grand Ovation to Gen. Cameron.

Grand Ovation to Gen. Cameron.
After the vote for United States Senator
had been taken in both branshes of the Leg
islature, the Republican members thereof re-
paired to the Lochiel House, in a body, to
congratulate Gen. Cameron on the brilliant
close of the Senatorial contest in his favor
The dining room of the Lochiel had been
prepared for this meeting, and as the Repub-
hcan members of the Legislature, with other
friends of Gen. Cameron, filed that spacious
apartment, the band from the Carlisle Bar
racks entertained the company with the
thrilling music of "Hail to the Chief" The
dining room was almost instantly crowded
to jam, and the enthusiasm of those pres
ent, as Gen. Cameron made his appearance,
knew no bounds. Within the last six years,
we have witnessed many enthusiastic greet
ings of distinguished men i'll different parts
of the country. We have beheld welcomes
extended to conquerors such as no man ever
before received. But for warmth, undis-
guised sincerity, devotion and uncontrolla-
bic enthusiasm, that extended to Gen. Cam
eron on his election to to the United States
Senate, exceeded all We have ever before be-
held The contest had so shaped itself as to
involve in the result not only the fair fame
of Gen Cameron but the honor of all his
personal friends. His career having been
one of identification to friends, his acts were
necessarily shared by hosts of these so that
whatever had been said in condemnation of
him was accepted and resented as insults to
those. Hence it is that SO many good men
rejoice at the victory OF Simon Cameron,
| and that the greeting extended to him was
so full of stern meaning.
As soon as order could be restored. and
Gen Cameron had found place on which
to stand and address his friends, he spoke
substantially as follows
GENTLEMEN:-Your greeting is very
kind and cordial, and | thank you for
it. thank GoD that in spite of the
ISLANDERS my enemies have repeated,
for twenty years, my fellow citizens,
who have seen my life from day to
day, have always stood by my side
and helped me to repel them. This
last struggle of my political life has
ended in victory. | desired this as
an answer, to vindicate my honesty
to my children and to my friends. |
now propose to put these ISLANDERS be.
hind me, and to forget alike, the liars
who coined them, and the fact that
good men, in some cases, by the rep
etition of them were induced to be.
lieve and repeat them.
Of the eighty-two Republican mem
bers Of the Legislature, my friends
assure me that sixty of them PREFER.
ed me to any other candidate, and
would have voted for me, rather than
have witnessed my defeat. The char
acter of my supporters is as crafty
ing to me as their numbers. Any
one, who knows anything of our pol
itics, who will read the list of those
who voted for me will find names as
pure and honorable as that of the pu
rest christian mGralist among nv ri
walls and quite as unlikely to lister
to any corrupt proposal. Just there
leave the whole matter, putting al
falsehoods, and animosities, aud pre-.
judices, together under my feet anc
| go forward to the honorable duties
to which my native State has callet
me for the third time
Six years ago thought,that slave
ry was the strength of the rebellion
and ought to be destroyed without
delay. wished also to arm all black
men who would volunteer. OF course
| thought that clothing a black mar
in the American uniform clothed hin
also with the rights of an American
citizen and | am always sorry tC
see black soldier, and reflect thai
even Pennsylvania denies him the
ballot-the only weapon whereby he
can protect himself. | hope to live
to see the word white" !" stricken
from our own Constitution, and the
spirit of caste, based upon color, ut
terry destroyed.
The South, however, is more con
trolled by social influence than by DO
litical principles. If you are wise
and firm you may possibly educate
the rising generation into loyalty
but there is no method of statesman.
ship which will make this generation
of the South loyal to the Union and
to the flag The poison of thirty
years cannot be eradicated by the
subserviency of the President, or by
the statutes Of Congress. Let us
look the truth in the face. The South.
ern territory is disloyal. The loyal
men of to-day must guard their chill.
dren against another reasonable reb
ellion. The Constitutional Amend.
ments and impartial suffrage will
help to do this, but universal amnes-
ty will help to undo it.
Of Andrew johnson said lone ago
that he was traitor to his party,
and enemy of his country, and a bad
man. He has done many bad things,
but nothing worse than offering the
offices of the country to those few un-
principled men who agreed to desert
and betray the great Republican or
ganization for his patronage. He
joined the Democratic party long ago.
He has right to give them the of.
fees, but he has no right to dis.