The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1878-08-17
CAMERON AND LINCOLN.
Hew Gen. Cameron Settled the Re.
Election Of Lincoln by Coup d'Etat.

ElectlOn OF Lincoln Dy coup OECaCs
from tho Harrisburg pa Telegraph
Mr.. Lincoln's cabinet was not composed
Of his personal friends, it having ambition
in 1t, disappointed great statesmen. who
felt that they ought to be In the first in
stead of q second or subordinate place in
the Government. At the time Gen. Came
ron was living quietly at this country home,
Lechiel, near Harrisburg, taking but little
part in the intrigues Of politics, though
watching the political chess-board with
that intense interest which has always
characterized him. Then 1t was that he
conceived the idea of making move which
would put the denomination Of Mr.. Lincoln
beyond the peradventuro of q doubt. In
accordance with this idea Gen. Cameron
dictated letter, drawn with a view to re-
quest Mr.. Lincoln to be q candidate for
the Presidency a second time. This letter
was prepared under the direction and die
tation Of Gen. Cameron, and when it had
been completed to his satisfaction, at his
instance It was signed by every Republican
member Of the Legislature, Speakers and
Clerks of both Houses (all being Republi-
cans), and the document thus prepared
was presented in person by Gen. Simon
Cameron to Abraham Lincoln, and the fact
telegraphed to all parts OF the country.
When the announcement was made that
the Republican majority of both Houses
of the Pennsylvania Legislature had united
in requesting Mr.. Lincoln to be a candidate
for reelection, 1t excited the wonder and
alarm Of all Of LincOln's Opponets, while
the Republicans In the State Legislatures
then In session hurried forward with similar
addresses, each anxious to be in second to
Pennsylvania in offering the highest honors
Of the party to the illustrious character
who afterward became the great MARTYR of
equal rights and exact justice on the West
ern continent. When Gen. Cameron pre-
sented the address Of the Republicans of
Pennsylvania to Mr.. Lincoln he sagaciously
regarded 1t as his morning card, and &C.
cepted the act as the most sincere evidence
Of personal devotion he had received since
he reached the White House. It silenced
all his opponents and squelched the intrig-
ues started for his overthrow and without
q doubt secured his denomination. This is
q fact In the political history Of the country
u0ScI uclOIo UIOuSHL Out, UuL IL Is u I8CC
nevertheless which can be attested by
living witnesses.
That Gen. Cameron's movement through
the Pennsylvania Legislature insured Mr..
Lincoln's denomination was admitted at
the time by the leading journals OF all
parties in the country. Mr.. Lincoln keen
ly felt and cordially acknowledged the
great personal devotion thus manifested
for him, because it instantly lifted him out
OF anything like o personal effort on his
part for the place for q second term, and
made him, by the united voice Of the-Rep-
resentatives Of the Republicans Of the
Keystone State, the recognized leader of
National Republicans and the favorite can
didate Of his masses for reelection. The
entire movement originated with Gen.
Cameron. When the letter was proposed
BY him. which the Republicans in the
Legislature afterward signed, no human
being knew Of its preparation but himself
and his Secretary, and the first Republican
who signed It was the first man out side
the medium Of Its preparation who had
any knowledge Of its existence. This