The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-01-11
A SENATOR'S SUCCESS.
A Pen Sketch OF Senator Cameron's
Senatorial Career.

A PEN Sketch OF Senator Cameron's
Senatorial Career.
The following article is from the
pen of J. V. Cracraft, the Washing
ton correspondent ofthe Pittsburg
Telegraph:
The man that stands pre-eminent
to-day at the seat Of Government
as the leader of the Republican par
ty is James Donald Cameron, of
Pennsylvania. While Conkling re-
mained in the Senate he bore the
palm alone. with no one to dispute
his title Of supremacy. AS an ora
tor he was unequaled as debater
he had few if anv successful rivals ;
for political sagacity and audacity
he was u marvel of the petty men
who blindly followed him. and who
regarded him with much the rever-
ence due superior being. But in
an unfortunate moment he cast
away the toga and stepped aside to
enter the walks Of private life. 1t is
foreign to the present purpose to dis
cuss the causes that led to the
sudden abdication of the great
Senatorial leader or to deter
mine the wisdom or folly Of
his course. Suffice it to say that
he retired from the arena when
ha hoI wor, rannu,, and ipfrop oh o1
himself in power and left to others
the direction of the affairs he had
had in hand. In the ranks was a
young man-young in years and
young in experience in legislative
assemblies, though not in practical
politics. Moreover, this young man
was no orator as 'Brutus is. His for
mer life had besn spent in the hum
drum of business affairs-in bank
ing, manufacturing and rsilrosaing
and not in the forum where states
men and scholars cross swords in
debate. But he brought to his new
| field of labor and of usefulness say
ing common sense, knowledge of
affairs and a practical bent of mind
that peculiarly fitted him for his
position, though lacking in what
has always been regarded as the es-
sential element OF Senator and legis-
lator-oratory. All the great lead
ers of the Senate in ancient and
modern times, from Cicero and Ce-
sar down to Clay and Conkling,
were eminent for their eloquence,
and this makes the success of Cam
eron in forgeing to the front in the
fourth year of his service in the
Senate all the more remarkable.
William A. Wallace, ho for time
was Cameron's cole, sue, distin-
guished himself in the Senate and
was a power when he left it Il the
expiration of his term but took
Senator Wallace six yea to estab-
lish himself in the confluence of his
associates in the Senate, so that
they gave ear and accorded weight
to his counsels and placed him in
positions of commanding influence.
The career of Senator Wallace is
cited as an unusually brilliant one,
and friend and foe alike concede
him the true meA Of praise both on
account of his ability as an orator
and his capacity as a leader. But
considering, first, that Cameron
lacks eloquent expression, which
has always been regarded as a pre-
requisite to brilliant success in the
Senate, and second, that his term of
service embraces but four wears all
told in any legislative body while
Wallace was for four years the lead
er of his party in the Senate ofPenn-
sylvaniaJ, his success is more mark
ed and his career more remarkable
than that of his former colleague,
or in fact than that of any man who
ever represented Pennsylvania in
the higeer branch of the national
councils. To say that in q shorter
time Cameron has excelled Wallace
in acquiring power and cxerting in
fluence in the legislative department
of the Government, is no mean COM
pliment, rs everybody acquainted
with the rapid rise ofthe latter from
the back benches to which he was at
first remanded upon his entrance, by
Senatorial courtesy and custom, to
the front seat he occupied at the end
of his term.
The very circumstance that CAM
eron is not an orator has strengthen
ed him with his Senatorial associates.
Great orators like Conkling and
Blaine in the heat Of debate and for
political effect are apt to make bitter
speeches, which crate harshly on the
ears and arouse bitter feeling in the
minds of their party opponents.
Cameron has made no enemies in
this way, for he has INDUCED in no
vituperation against the South or
her representatives, or gasconade
of any sort to gain the plaudits of
the galleries. On the contrary his
intercourse with his fellow Senators
has always been marked with 4 de-
gree of urbanity and sauriser IN modo
that could have no other result than
to make him fast and devoted
friends. He was particularly fortu-
nate at the beginning of his term in
securing the favor of the Southern
Senators by his vote for the admis-
sion OF General Butler, of South
Carolina, who was justly entitled to
his seat Cameron's course in voting
to admit Butler has been attributed |
to desire to repay an obligation of
his father to an uncle Of General
Butler, but whether this was the |
motive or the action was taken on
the higher ground of right and JUS
tice, the result was the same, and it |
not only secured for him the favor
of Butler, but besides of q number of |
his Southern colleagues who were |
disposed to regard the act as an evil |
dence of a liberal and Catholic spirit. |
Cameron has taken every occasion |
to improve upon this favorable i'm
preston, and the consequence is |
that to-day he has q stronger hold
on the ex-ConfedeFatesi in the Sena,c
than almost any Northern man,
Democrat or Republican.