The Van Buren press., 1876-05-30
WASHINGTON LETTER.
We extract from our Washington let
ter of the 23d as follows:

lcE VI tii& IOu aS fOilONS.
Republican papers here, and elsewhere
are predicting the defeat of tie Demo.
cratic party in the Presidential campaign,
on the ground that Ohio will go Rcpub
lican, 1t is only necessary to say in re
ply to this, without admitting for one
moment that Ohio will go Republican,
that il cannot defeat the Democratic par
ty II il does The Democratic party Is
not dependent upon Ohio or Indiana for
success. We want and intend to carry
those States, but it will be a very serious
mistake for our opponents to suppose
that the loss of either, or both of them,
will defeat US. We will carry the entire
South, with the possible exception of
South Carolina and Florida That, with
New York, New Jersey and Connecticut,
in the East, and California and Oregon
on the Pacific, will elect a Democratic
President. With united front to the
enemy, and with Administrative Reform
inscribed upon our banners, led by cam
dIdate who will command the confidence
oil the people, we shall sweep every one
of those States. Ohio and Indiana will
swell the majority. but we do not depend
on them for success. Indeed if we were
to carry Ohio and Indiana, and lose New
York and Connecticut. or New York and
New Jersey, we should be defeated.
But we do not intend to lose any of these
States, and our Republican friends need
not be alarmed on our account.
Another characteristic act of Grant
was the nomination of j. Donald Came
ron, son of Senator Cameron, of Penn
sylvania, to be Secretary of War. AS a
person remarked when he heard of the
nomination, "Truly. Grant moves in a
mysterious way his wonders to perform 7
Senator Cameron has frequently said that
he would secure place for his son in the
Cabinet before he died, and at last he has
succeeded. Ever since Bore went out
as Secretary of the Navy, the old man
has complained bitterly because Penn
sylvania had no representation in the
Cabinet. New York." he was wont to
say, has two places in the Cabinet
Secretery of State and Attorney General,
while my State is ignored. It's id
shame" SO disgusted did he become
with the Administration that he sulked
for long time, and seldom went near
the White House. On one occasion,
however, last summer, he came to Wash
ington to see the great Ulyssus, but
found that he was at Long Branch. He
then pensively wended his way
to the office of the Attorney General, and
found that functionary absent also The
veteran Pennsylvania was tempted to
indulge in profanity. but desisted for the
time being, and walked over to see the
Secretary of the Treasury, On reaching
the door of the Secretary's office he was
confronted by messenger who said,
" Senator, the Secretary is out Of town.
This was, indeed, too much. The old
mans brows became corrugated, and
turning away slowly, he muttered loud
enough to be heard by everybody around
him." Well, ain this hell of a time r
Grant has always humored the old fellow,
and put him off, from time to time, with
promises of what he ultimately intended
to do for Pennsylvania, and on the 22d
inst. he made the pertinacious Simon
happy by appointing his son, young
man not much over forty years of age,
to the responsible pasitisn of Secretary
OF War.