The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-01-09
Grants Simon,

From the Springfield Mass Republican.
In his exceedingly piquant and instruc-
tive Life of Abraham Lincoln Mr..
Ward Lamon has given the public several
hitherto unedited chapters Of political his
tory, Here is one Of them:
Before the Chicago Convention of 1860
assembled it became evident to Mr.: Lin
coins friends that the only chance of beat |
ing Mr.. Seward lay in arranging a comb |
nation of interests against him. Accord
ingly they went to work and arranged 1t.
1t was a delicate piece of business, but the
average Illinois politician of those days was
not very heavily burdened With scruples
nor squeamish about the means which he
took to achieve his ends. How delightful
to note the change which has since passed
upon his character
These friends of Mr.. Lincoln, assuming
to speak in his name, approached .ICa-
leb b. Smith, of Indiana, and MIR. Simon
Cameron, of Pennsylvania, with PROPOSE
ton of very practical and business-hke
nature If those gentlemen would contract
to transfer the vote of their friends in the
convention to Mr.. Lincoln, the Illinoisians
would in turn guarantee them seats in MIR.
Lincoln's cabinet, supposing him to be
6leCUSu. MT. REPRESENTATIVES
were at first disposed to haggle and stand
him the position of Secretary of the Treas
ury But this demand was pronounced
inadmissable. and finally the original bar
gain was ratified. The delivery of the
votes followed in due time.
After the election it became necessary to
inform Mr.. Lincoln of what had been done,
and what he was expected to do. He was
both annoyed and distressed, but his
friends insisted upon his performance OF
the bond. They told him that his honor
as well as theirs was involved, and their
arguments finally prevailed upon him to
tender Mr. Smith the promised portfolio.
But at Mr.. Cameron he stuck for long
time-so long that the latter supposed fol
season that the bargain was off, and
actually wrote to another Pennsylvania
Mr. Stevens, proposing to Withdraw in his
favor. Mr. Lincoln was thoroughly in
formed of Mr.. Cameron's antecedents and
character. He was assured both by lette1
and word of mouth that the man was no
toriously corrupt, shameless and unscru
lous intriguer, possessed with mean ambi
ton to occupy exalted trusts for which h
was hopelessly incompetent.
He was told that Mr.. Cameron neve
dared to offer himself as a candidate TO
the suffrage of the people; that such Off
ces as he had held had been bought of We
nal Legislatures that his appointment
would Oe scandal and affront to the part
and country. Mr.. Lincoln felt the flu
force of these objections. He said: "a
that l am in the world-the Presidenc
and all else-I owe to that opinion of IN
which the people express when they ca
me honest old Abe Now what will the
think of their honest Abe when he appoint
Simon Cameron to be his familiar advis
err" Ho told Colonel Mcclure that II
would make his charges against Mi. Gan
eron specific and produce the proof the al
pointment should not be made. But tn
pressure was too strong for him. Mr.. Can
eron insisted upon his bond, going on
Springfield to look after its aquittal. III
friends to whom the new president was II
debted for his Office were equally stree
uous. Mr.. Lincoln gave way, and NJ
Cameron went into the War Department
The American people have surely n
forgotten the history of his brief stay
that Department. They have not forge
ten the stencil of corruption which presen
ly issued from it's doors and windows, al
which finally grew soofensive that the re
resentatives of the people under the lea
among others, of Mr.. Dawes-undertoC
to investigate and discover the sourc
They have not forgotten either, that NJ
Cameron suddenly resigned and to-
himself off to Russia. But few of the
know the whole history of that resign
tion," and the account of the affair viii
Colonel Mcclure has furnished Mr.. Lam
will have all the interest of a disclosure ::
II saw Cameron the night of the
that Lincoln removed him. We met
a room of a mutual friend, and he W
very violent against Lincoln for removi
him without consultation or notice. (
denunciation against the President was {
tremely bitter, for attempting as he sa
his personal as we'll as his political destrl
ton. He exhibited the letter, which "
all in Mr.. Lincoln's hand writing and W
literally as follows / quote from care
treasured collections.
Hon. Simon Cameron, Secretary OF War.
DEAR SIR: / have this day nominal
Hon. Edwin nj. Stanton to be Secretary
War and you to be Minister Plenipoter
airy to Russia. Very truly,
A. LINCOLN
II am sure there is no material error
my quotation of the letter. Camera
chief complaint was that he had no kno
edge or intimation of the change Vi
Chase delivered the letter. We were tn
as ever before and since, and we ever 81
be, not in political sympathy, but our 7
sonal relations were ever kind Had
been entirely collected he would proba
not have said and done what heard
witnessed; but he wept like child,
appealed to me to aid in protecting |
against the Presidents attempt at pers
al degradation, assuring me that un
like circumstances he would defend
In my presence the proposition was m
and determined upon to ask Lincoln to
low letter of resignation to be antedat
and to write kind acceptance of the 81
in reply. The effort was made, in WI
Mr.. Chase joined, although perhaps igl
ant of all the circumstances of the q
and it succeeded. The record shows