The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-03-14
SENATOR CAMERON.
A Glance at His Political History
and characteristics.
HIS SENATORIAL CONTESTS AT HARRISBURG
Men and Parties in General
CanerOn's Time.


lfeor General Cameron, as he Is generally called IN
this Stateis event Of the greatest political sgni
carce in Pennsylvania, and Its announcement has
caused ripple OF excitement about the State Capitol
and in the hotels unknown since the battle era OF the
Senator's lie when he was lighting his way to suprem.
ucy in the councils OF the republican party Wherever
two or three politicians gathered together this I'M
exrected action on tho Senator's part the theme or
conversation, and every hand the episodes OF re-
markabic political career are recalled and discussed.
Few In political HE made such bitter enmes or
lasting friendships among the rank and he as well
As among the leaders both political parties, and no
politician not Jefferson Jackson or Clay or sum
ner ever held "a complete political supremacy. when,
MS boy began to take interest In political aIalrs
and | can the HERALD that am no mere lad
pow-General Cameron was already known al! over
the country as a politician OF astutenoss ana ability.
He is now in his seveny-nnth year, and before was
born he had been appointed an Indian agent by Pres
dent Van Buren, and acquired his title OF the great
Winnebago Chief That name is a peculiar illustration
Of American political nomenclature. 1t has chung TO
HIM for nearly forty years and Is used in character
Izing him by people who probably never
heard ,he story to which 1t owes its orr
gin. At the time OF his appointment as an
Indian agent in 1885, he the CASHIER and principal
owner of the Middletown Bank, at Middletown, vii
agc the Susquehanna River, few miles below this
city. His principal duty under his appointment was
TO settle and adjust the claims OF the Wipnehago
Indians against the United States, and the charge
against him was that he paid savages Middle
town Bank notes instead OF gold. Whether tho Issues
OF the Middetown Bank not as good as
gold may be a mooted question. but. however this
may be- his idea that tho kind OF money that was good
enough for the Pennsylvania dutch" ana ''Scotch-
Irish" would be good enough tor the savagcs with
whom he was dealing laid the foundation Tor much OF
tho political abuse which followed him throughout his
long From 1888 to 1s77-almost one-half OF his
nearly four score yeats-he has been known as the
great Winnebago Chief. and he will continue to hold
the long he lives, even though he should
prove to be the Oldest man Of the epoch
GENERAL cAMERoS's FIRST AFTER POLITICAL
POWER
When boy slowly climbing up toward my
majority General Cameron made his first attempt at
securing the political power Of the State write to
you thus in the first person because that attempt If
the earliest political event Of my recollection, was
the first movement in which took lively interest
and think shall be able to relate the story
vividy by retaining 1t from the storehouse of my
political memories. Al that time Colonel Mcclure,
now the editor Of the Philadelphia Times, was the
editor and proprietor Of the Franklin Repository, at
Chambersburg, and the incpiont foe OF all General
Cameron's political pretensions Cameron had already
been In the Senate OF the United States having
elected in 1s45 to fill the vacancy in that body
occasioned by the resignation Of Mr.. Buchanan who
had accepted the Office OF Secretary OF State under
President Polk He had previously been democrat
and he continued democrat until 1884, the year when
he again came prominently forward for the United
States scnatorship. Although twenty three years
have elapsed since that memorable contest remcm-
Der 1t well If 1t had been yesterday, and Penn
sylvanan could fail to remember It, Tor with It
the politics OF the State and dynasties
among the political factions which rule this Common
wealth with u rod OF iron. William Bigler the
Governor OF the State and Camerons antagonist for
the United States Senate. Charles X. Buckalew
State Senator and The rising nan OF the democratic
party. Ancrew ". Curtin was a lawyer practising his
profession IN the village OF Belleonte, away
up the Bald Eage Valley. and COM
paratlvely unknown. Colonel Mcclure was rural
journalist, talented and ambitious, but without any
distinction except that OF having been beaten as the
wing candidate Tor Auditor General OF the State.
Mackey, Quay. Errett and the other Cameron leaders
Of the present DAY and Mcpherson aud the young
who lead the opposition had not yet come 10 tho
front 1t was u transition period Tor men as well as
Tor parties, ana to that famous struggethc starting
point OF all the political complications IN this State
all the NOV ments OF the last quarter OF century
owe their direction aud impulse.
aow GENERAL CAMERON BECAME A "KSow NOTHING. F"
retrospect of Tue political aspect Of that time can
not fail 10 be interesting now that the distinguished
SENATOR whose career due 10 tue then existing att
tudc OF parties retired from the political positions
II not the political control he thereby gained. The
wing party had fought its last national contest
two years before, ana, although many 'old
line Wings were still battling to retrieve
lis fallen fortunes 1t was dead forever Out or It's
grave rose IN hldeous proportions tho spectre OF
Know Nothingism, and II gared mcnacngly alike upon
iiicans ana parties. on morning The State
election 1854 nobody suspect the exist
eBce Of the new quantity in the political entities OF The
time, aLd even General Cameron, astu,e as he was,
made "a rabid democratic speech IN this CITY on the
night previous. Around me as write are a hundred
men, enemies of both father ana son, who remember
that speech and recall II With us much bitterness
Today IT had directed against their cherished
principles IN the late campaign. IL was mistake
winch the wary politician was quick TO repair aud tho
story OF that coup detat told by these enemies OF the
ex-senator 10 one OF the most amusing things III
iencra Cameron's history. II he wanted political pre-
erment II plain TO him that he must look Tor in
he new organz which the people had 80 un-
sxpecedly reposed all political power. To most men
the obstacles the way OF would have been
insurmou ntablc Tor the organ a mys.
TIC Order, with signs grips, dark lanterns and secret
sessions. Baflcd as he nad been even In gaining so
mucn as knowledge OF It's existence he was quick 10
show that for its ways that were dark he had tricks
which were far from beng vain. Within month
after the election he WIS completely equipped Know
Nothing, with credentials antedang even his rabid
democratic speech on tue OF the election Within
another month he was the caucus nominee OF the
called American party Tor United states Senator and
the contest began which to have end al that
on OF the Legislature The democratic party hal
renamed comparatively uncorruped by the new move
meut abc Il shorn OF part OF It's proportions still
intact The Old wings had not all been gobbed into the
Know Nothing lodges. and some OF them had got
into the Legislature, where they fought Cameron and
Bigler with equal vruence McClure's village sheet
brstlcd with opithes threatenngs and denunciations
and TO McCures influence aud that of his newspaper
than to any other cause Cameron owed hls defeat
From that time up 10 the present the ennity between
the two hes been upceasing. In that opposition what
for Eileen years was known as the Curtin faction IN the
republican party mad It's inception and nearly all its
vitality, and the pluck and courage showed Ia It's long
and gallant light with the stronger Cameron wing"
owed to McCure's ability aud daring. Not Tor mo-
ment since 1884 has this opposition, always able
and viruent, ceased TO distract and disturb If not
oycrturn, General Camorons schemes, aud the
nnti-Cameron faction, which Is multcring to-day
against the election OF Don Cameron TO the Senate, ~
the legitimate child Of the opposition organze twenty
three years ago.
''LEBo, MANEAR AND wAGOysELLER."
Although beaten III his Senatorial aspirations In 1904
General Cameron was again elected TO the Senate IN
1886 This election, though not productive oi such
widespread or such lasting political consequences as
the ms OF Two years before, gave riso
10 still greater scandals The democrats Gad major
ty In tho Legislature, but IL was so sight that any de-
fect,on would either defeat the nominee OF The DON'T
mn bad boon done WIN Calneron IN The