The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-06-29
SIMON CAMERON,

SIMON CAMERON.
The death OF Simon Cameron on Wed.
nesday evening Of this week, at his home
at Donegal, Lancaster Co., Pa, naturally
swskens membranes of very singular
and notable career. 1t Is claimed for him
that he was of the blood of the famous
clan Cameron OF Scotland, but II 80 the
"clan" had run down to pretty low estate
when In 1747, the grandfather, father
and son of the house simultaneously emil.
grated TO America locating on small
farm In the township of Donegal, within
two miles of where the most noted
scion of the clan expired on Wednesday
evening. Simon, the grand. father, worked
as a common farm laborer, leaving several
SONS of whom the older, Charles, the
father of the late Simon, pursued the
humble, but honest calling of country
tailor until his death, two years after
young Simon's birth. The mother seems
to have kept the family together until
Simon was IA years old, when he entered
the printing office Of the Gazette at North
cumberland, Pa, as "devil" to learn the
printers trade. He remained there but
few years, however, and In the spring of
1918, foated down the river on raft to
Harrisburg, where he entered the office
of John Peacock's Reporter, to finish his
trade. There, In about 1920, he attracted
the attention of John ID. Inglam, after.
wards Gen. Jackson's secretary OF the
treasury, and was by him induced to take
charge of the Doylestown Democrat
While successful In harmonizlng the party
by divisions in which Inglam had just
been defeated for the state senate, the
paper, however, was no great success and
quitting 1t In two years, Cameron next
turns up as a compositor In the office of
the Mtelligencer In Washington City. The
pay was poor enough, but Simon had the
advantage of forming the acquaintance of
some eminent politicians, among whom
was John c. Calhoun, an ardent friend of
whom he returned to Harrisburg In about
1928, and having bought an interest in
Peacok's Reporter changed Its name to the
Intelliqencer. and warmly supported Cal.
houns aspirations for the presidency. The
paper was recognized as the leading dem.
ocratlc organ at the seat of government
and Cameron was elected state printer.
He seems to have made pretty good
thing out Of 1t, 80 that In few years he
was ready to retire. The paper was sold
at good figure to Harry Welsh, who re.
vived the Reporter, and for many years
afterwards continued to hold the position
of state printer. 1t was about this time
the Pennsylvania canal and Columbia
railroad were being built, and Cameron,
with his brother Jim, dabbled largely In
contracts, by which he made so much
money that in 1882 he started the Middle
town bank
About this time Gen. Jackson, who was
of course the unanimous choice OF the
democrats for reelection, but who despised
Calhoun and desired Van Buren, to be
placed on the ticket as vice president, and
knowing him TO be greatly disliked in
Pennsylvania found means to induce
Cameron to espouse VanBuren's cause and
1t was generally understood that 1t was
mainly through Cameron's influence that
the Pennsylvania delegation was fixed !"
to vote for VanBuren, thus securing his
nomination.
While his influence in the democratic
councils for the next four years must have
been considerable, Cameron appears to
have claimed or at least obtained no Off
cial reward under Jackson's second admin
istration, but kept on rapidly making
money and accommodating property In his
banking and contract business.
After the election of VanBuren, how
ever, In about 1887, Cameron asked for
and obtained an Indian agency, with
headquarters at Detroit. Among other
duties that fell to the agent was the pay.
ment of large subsidies to the Pottawatta-
nile and other Indians who were being
removed 70 the west. The Indians were
TO be paid in coin, but Cameron undertook
to pay the Indians off with Middletown
paper, then In about as bad repute In the
west as the famous Michigan wildcat
of that day. The Outrage" caused such a
clamor that Cameron had to be removed,
and he returned to Niddletown.
Soon afterwards the democrats had a
great triumph In the election of DR.. Riley
to Congress from the Dauphin, Lebanon
and schuylkill district, but, although
Dauphin gave Riley handsome majority,
the democrats were Indignant at the loss
Of their county representative ticket, which
they attributed to the Vaccinations of
Simon Cameron. A few weeks after the
election they held big meeting In Har-
risburg and unanimously read Cameron
out Of the party.
The democrats had no confidence In
Cameron from that day forth. Yet two