The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1882-08-11

stone may mark the spot where my
poor remains may finally rest, but /
mean that my children shall be able to
vindicate my name by pointing to the
fact that Simon Cameron aud his con-
fidential friend were ever hostile to
me-
In 1867 when Simon Cameron was
nominated for the United States Sen.
ate by the Republican members of the
Pennsylvania Legislature, the Philadel-
phia E'ceni,sg Bulletin, owned and
published on the same direction under
which it is now the chief Stalwart Or
gan in the city said
sit is disgraceful that a man whose
power and influence are avowedly due
to his wealth, should be made Senator
when such men as Stephens, Curtin,
Grow, Kelley and score of others,
distinguished 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 white washing 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
political 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
following editorial comments of that
conservative journal, the Ledger, on
the following day:
"Word was sent out from Harris
burg yesterday of nature calculated
to puzzle those old-fashioned folk who
supposed that proprietary Govern
ment had come to an end in 1876. 1t
is to the effect that the representation
of the state in the Senate of the United
States is to be transferred from Cam
eron, senior, to Cameron, junior--by
virtue of some amicable family arran-
cement, it may be supposed. Whether
the title to succession is to be transfer
red by deed or gift, or by last will and
testament, or by any other of the we'll
known modes of conveyance and inheri-
tance is not made known in the dis
patches The members of the legis-
lature are, of course, expected to vote,
in order to comply with the forms.
Theoretically, the representation of
Pennsylvania in the Senate of the
United States is supposed to involve
the civil and the political right of all
the peopleof the commonwealth. In a
party point of view at this time it
nearly concerns the honor and manhood
of the whole Republican constituency
of the state practically, however, if
the above mentioned report be true, it
would look as if those very agreeable
gentlemen, the Camerons, regard the
matter as if the principal interest in it
attaches to themselves, and the ocile
members of the Legislature are doubt
less expected to take the same view.
If there shall be occasion for any bal
loting on the subject we shall have a
chance to find out whether the Pro
prietary-Government' really ended a
hundred years ago, or is continuing in
full vigor in our own day"
The Ledger and the rest of the state
soon discovered that the "Proprie-
tary Government" continued in its full
vigor. The younger Cameron was elected
United States Senator simply because
the elder Cameron decreed it.
Months after that, when the burst
of indignation which followed this
event had subsidized and men measured
their words. Benjamin Harrison
Brewster, now the representative of
Pennsylvania Republicansm in Ar
thurs Cabinet said:
'Last winter our people were shock
ed with the election of j. Donald Cam
eron, the irresponsible son of Senator
of whom will not speak, because he
and his acts have become part of
public History and must be measured
with more deliberation than can be
given i'll casual conversation like this
"a son that has neither mind, attain
ment, dignity of character, knowledge
| of public affairs, party services or per
sonal worth to warrant his advance
ment, aud who has no record but bad
one as an intriguer aud manager of
bad men. He was first forced into the
War Department 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 gentlehood as-to solicit
and urge, by all the mean arts of poll
tical contriyance, that he should be re
tanned as the companion of Cabinet of
ficers and gentlemen who don't want him
/ Failing in that, by the coarse brute
} force of organized power he jostled hi
old father out of his place and thrus
himself into Senate where he will b,
an object of derision and disgust. Th'
public are sick of those odious men
, and the public will do away with them
We have destroyed human bondage il
l the South we will next break dowr
: political bondage in the North and
South
r The people in Pennsylvania are max
: ing an effort to free themselves iron
e political bondage. Don Cameron pur
7 poses TO perpetuate it by the election
of his man for Governor. When Bea
yer was not his man he was beaten fo
the nomination. In the convention o
1873 Beaver had no show, In 1881
D he went to the Chicago convention as
= delegate. He was Instructed for Blaine
. His constituents were for Blaine. But
he pleased Cameron by "his offer I,
} betray his state and renominate Gen
eral Grant After he had thus proyeC
himself "Stalwart of Stalwarts" Cam
eron said "Boys we'll go home ant
make Jim Governor of Pennsyl vania
The election of Beaver means the con
tinuation of proprietary Government
in Pennsylvania-xith Don Cameron
, as proprietor.
Since October /, 1881, TO August