The Lake County star., 1876-06-08
NUMBER 6.
Simon CamerOn's Home Mt Harrisburg
fGeorge Alfred Townsend.

Dy Tile ldWu Vi tuc pusq ucuduud,
which flowed under two very long
bridges near the house-a clear, green,
fierce current, with mountain banks and
willowy islets-was an old tree trunk,
thickly coated with plaster and paint to
preserve it. An iron railing protected
it, and the name "JOhn Harris" was cast
in the iron gate. Within was a gigantic
tomb. There lay the founder of Harris.
burg, and opposite the grave, on the
town side, lived the almost immemorial
politician of the State. Cameron's man.
sion bore Harris cipher, and at the door
bell was the plate, "Simon Cameron"
On one side of this broad, large blue
stone house, with its fine dormer win
dOws, was glass conservatory; on the
other side was the more modern residence
of the Senator's widowed daughter, Mrs.
Burnside, who keeps house for him since
the death of Mrs. Cameron two years
ago. A pair of large dogs loitcred over
the grassy lawn, among the fower-beds,
and under the shade-trees. 1t was cool
and shady river street, and children
played in the reservation next the river.
while the aged toll-bridge in sight toiled
over to an island, and then, with bent
and laboring spans, curved its hunchback
stature to the distant shore. Where is
there such river? To call it Rhenish
would be to liken it to something less.
:" is an aisle Of silver along the mountain nave,
Where towers the Allegheny reflected in its wave"
Cameron was born the year before the
opening of this century-the year Wash
ington died-and heis therefore seventy
seven years of age. Buchanan was
Cameron's senior by eight years. Since
1922, when he was twenty-three years of
age, Cameron has resided at Harrisburg.
and twenty-one years after he appeared
here he was elected to the Senate as
Buchanan's Democratic successor. He
left the Democracy in 1854, and was
again made Senator three years after
ward. His election in 1866, and again
in 1873, make three full terms and one
partial term. His additional honors, as
is well known, were the Secretaryship of
War and the Russian Mission He used
to be accused of buying his honors, but
the charge is made no longer. He is
master of the Republican party in Penn
sylvania, with its consent, and is a pOpu-
lar man among his neighbors. Like
Thurlow Weed he has passed off into the
last generation, and men assent to drop
the issues of his cOmbative past, if, in
deed, they are known to living men.
Cameron was country editor, and
was fifteen years old when Thad. Stevens
moved to Pennsylvania. His life bas
not been conspicuous for brilliant acts
or speeches, but he possesses cOnvivial-
ity and bluntness which make him pleas
ing to his friends and well understood
by his enemies. He works for those he
likes as hard as he expects them to work
for him. He drinks little or nothing
but champagne. He is wealthy, but
careful of his money. Banking, trade,
contracting, and assisting as a silent
partner have made his money. He re-
ceived most of the vote of Pennsylvania
for President in 1860, and his son, Don
Cameron, is to be his political successor.
Don lives at Harrisburg, and is very
wealthy. Cameron antagonized David
John w. Forney for Senator, though
Forney was assisted by Buchanan he
beat Governor Curtin in combinations;
he is now Oppo ed to General Grant
His house is large and roomy-a parlor
OH the right, library on the left, and
the stairway and dining saloonat the end
of the long hall 1t is baronial dining
room. Cameron and his wi }, in marble,
look down the stairs from inches. Nearly
all the pictures are prints, and old prints,
as if heirlooms. He has a marble bust
of Calhoun on his mantle; he co-operated
with Calhoun to nominate Polk and beat
Blair and Rives, the Administration
Editors. observed print of Sir Even
Cameron, the head of the clan Cameron,
and portI ait of Colou,l Cameron, the
Senator's brother, killed at Bull Run.
He is rigid Scottish clansmau.
When Cameron, Jerry Black. Wilmot,
Buchanan, Stevens, George NJ. Dallas
and w. M. Meredith we're alive, Penn
sylvauia had a fair body of public men.
It's Governor never hau more than local
reputation, and franklin, Galla.i and
Stevens are still its leading statesmen in
fame