Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-05-28
HON. SIMON CAMERON.

John DOnald's dyspepsia and delicate
health are true.
In fact, if it wasn't so much bother.
the gay old boy. Gen. Simon Cameron,
could be United States Senator to-day
Just as well as ever. He is living quietly
at his beautiful old country home on the
banks of the Susquehanna, near Harris
burgh. For sixty years he has practical
y carried the politics of Pennsylvania in
his pocket. In a monarchy of the old
time he would have been maker of
kings. He has been. in fact. a maker of
Presidents. He made possible the nom
ination of Van Buren, for the vice-presi-
dency in Jackson's time, he made Blu
chanan Senator from Pennsylvania, he
turned over the Pennsylvania votes to
Lincoln in 1850. in the convention. and
nominated him: and again, in 1864, he
came home from Russia to renominate
Lincoln.
Simon Cameron was the poorest of
poor boys. He who was to be adiutant
general of Pennsylvania. United States
Senator for eighteen years. minister to
Russia. secretary of war. railroad builder
and railroad president was the son of a
tailor who had more children than Gus
toners. They We're 50 poor that Simon
was put to live out with one of the neigh
bors when he was 10 years old. There
Is something pathetic in the story of his
early struggles. From his mother he
gets the strength and courage that have
led him to success.
lie learned the printing trade. and wan
dered to Washington. where he put into
type Congressional debate in 1S21. 'bv
the light of IA tallow candle" as he him
self says. He worked twelve hours a
day and got so a week pay. But he
had liking for Presidents even then. and
though only Jour" printer. while in
Washington he made the acquaintance of
President Monroe and he has known per
sonally every President since. 1t would
not he easy for a jour printer to be on
friendly terms with a President to-day.
At the age of ~ he was elected public
printer of Pennsylvania. Before that.
however, he had been new paper editor.
lie went with the governor of Pennsvl-
vania to meet Gen. Lafayette in 1928.
Besides the other irons he had in the fire.
he began to take contracts for canal
building. He got his start in life from
canal running from Lake Pontchartrain
to New Orleans. President jackson was
about to be renomimated. but he wished
to defeat John {. Calhoun for vice-preSi-
dent. This he did by calling national
nominating conventions. the first ever
held in the United States. Cameron had
begun life a. a Democrat. and jackson
summoned him home trtm his canal
building at New Orleans to look after
PennSy lvania Cameron was Il leader of
men from the beginning.
He was delegate To that first cOnven-
ton. There We're only four States more
than the original thirteen then.
On the formation of the Republican
party in 1916. Cameron joined it. He
has worked for it with enthusiasm ever
since. He had been Il Democratic United
States senator under Polk Buchanan
had been Senator before him. bur went
into Folks cabinet. He asked Cameron
who should succeed him.
IF | am not mistaken. | will" an
swered Simon, pert enough.
And he did succeed him. but Buchanan
never liked him afterwards
Mr.. Cameron admits modestly that he
had talent for money making. But he
also had talent for politics. and he
could not let that alone. Between one
and the other he has passed his life "a
busy but pleasant one, he says.
1t was on Simon's own recommendation
that Edwin VI. Stanton succeeded him as
Chase and Seward had conservative. not
to say timid, notions about carrying on
the war. Cameron was for bold and
thorough-going measures. So there was
disagreement and Cameron became
minister to Russia. But Lincoln could
not do without his planner of campaigns,
Simon came home. Some of those whose
names we revere as patriots now-Chase'
Seward and Ben Wade among them
were trying to defeat Lincoln for the
second term. Lincoln sadly and anxious
ly talked with Cameron about it. Cam
eron said; "Why, Mr.. President. don't
you remember what was done when An
drew Jackson was a candidate for the
second time: They went around and got
the legislature of every State in the Union
to sign a paper asking him to be Il candi-
date for reelection. This created such a
sentiment in his favor that no other man
could stand against him. shall go to
Pennsylvania tonight aud it shall he the
first State to start the ball"
1t was done, and in very short time
nearly every state in the Union had done
likewise. The great wire-puller then
went back to Washington to see the