Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-08-10
The Cameron Dynasty.

as personitied and illustrated by Came.
| ronism. The Democratic State plat
form declares squarely against both.
"First-We do protest against what
is called the boss system and the plum.
dering of Office holders by assessments
of money for political purposes. Pub
lie offices are the property of no party
but are open TO every citizen honest,
capable and faithful to the constitution,
qualifications which Jefferson declared
were the requisites for office.
"Second-We protest against the
spoils system; it is prostitution of
the offices of the people, SO that they
become the mere perquisites OF the poll
| tician.n
The people of Pennsylvania are famil
lar with the history of Cameronism.
The denunciaton of it has not been
confined to the Democracy.
Nearly 90 years ago, William ID. Kelly
then as now Republican, and who is
the oldest Congressman in the Penn
| sylvania delegation wrote: mo stone
may mark the spot where my poor re.
mains may finally rest, but mean that
my children shall be able to vindicate
my name by pointing to the fact that
Simon Cameron and his confidential
| friends were ever hostile to me-"
In 1867 when Simon Cameron was
nominated for the United States Senate
by the Republican members of the
Pennsylvania legislature, the Philadel
| phia Eyening Bulletin, owned and pub.
lished on the same direction under
which it is now the chief Stalwart organ
in the city said:
at is disgraceful that a man whose
power and influence are avowedly due
to his wealth, should be made Senator
when such men as Stevens, Curtin,
Grow, Kelley and score of others, dis.
tinguished for talent, integrity and
faithful service, were in the field. But
the mischief is done and cannot now
be repaired. There is no hope for any.
thing beyond 'whitewashing will be
done by the committee appointed to
| investigate the rumors of bribery"
When the elder Cameron advanced in
years he sought to perpetuate the rule
of his family by transferring the politi.
cal power of Pennsylvania TO his son,
who was without either experience in
or capacity for public affairs. How this
transfer was viewed by the people of
the state may be inferred from the fol-
lowing editorial camments of that con,
servative journal, the Ledger on the
following day:
"Word was sent out from Harrisburg
yesterday of a nature calculated to
puzzle those old-fashioned folk who sup.
posed that Proprietary Government
had come to an end in 1776. 1t is TO
the effect that the representation of the
state in the Senate of the United States
is to be transferred from Cameron,
senior, to Cameron, .junior-by virtue of
some amicable family arrangement, it
may be supposed. Whether the title
to succession is to be transferred by
deed or gift, or by last will and tesla.
ment, or by any other OF the well.
known modes of conveyance and inheri.
tance is not made known in the de.
spatches. The members of the legisla.
ture are, of course, expected to vote, in
order to comply with the ioruls. Theo.
retically, the representation of Penn.
sylvania in the Senate OF the United
States is supposed to involve the civil
and political rights of all the people of
the commonwealth. In a party point
of i view at this time it nearly concerns
the honor and manhood of the whole
Republican constituency Of the state
practically, however, if the above men.
toned report be true, it would look as
if those very agreeable gentleman, the
Camerons, regard the matter as il the
principal interest in ii attaches TO them.
selves, and the docile members of the
legislature are doubtless expected to
take the same view. If there shall be
occasion Tor any balloting on the subject
We shall have chance to find out
whether the Proprietary Government
really ended a hundred years ago, or is
continuing in full vigor in our own
day."
Inc Ledger and the rest of the state
soon discovered that the "Proprietary
Government" continued in its full vgor.
The younger Cameron was elected Uni.
ted States Senator simply because the
elder Cameron decreed 1t.
Months after that, when the burst of
Indignation which followed this event
had subsidized and men measured their
words, Benjamin Harris Brewster, now
the representative of Pennsy ylvania Re-
publcanism in Arthur's Cabinet said:
Last winter our people we're shocked
with the election of j. Donald Cameron,
the irresponsible sou OF Senator of
whom | will not speak, because he and
his acts have become a part of public
history and must be measured with
more deliberation than can be given in
casual conversation like this--a son
that has neither mind, attainment,
dignity Of character, knowledge of pub.
lie affairs, party services or personal
worth to warrant his advancement, and
who has no record but bad one as an
intriguer and manager of bad men. He
was first forced into the War Depart.
ment as the price of his offer to betray
his state and renominate General Grant,
and after being there he was so base
born in his notions of decency and gen.
tlehood as TO solicit and urge, by ali the
mean arts of political contrivance, that
he should be retained as the companion
of Cabinet officers and gentlemen who
4 4 Ill. -. Al. L.,