Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-06-27
simon Ga meron Dead.

No common man passed away in the
death of Simon Cameron, which took
place yesterday. He was in his ninety
first year, having been horn in Lancas-
ter county, Pennsylvania, on the Sth Of
March, 1899. He began life as prin-
ter, and subsequently became editor,
banker, politician and statesman.
No ma in the political history of the
United States ever possessed more per.
sonal influence than Simon Cameron,
with the exception of several men who
can be counted on the fingers of one
hand, of course excluding the founders
of the Republic. Jackson, Clay and per-
haps Lincoln, were those exceptions,
although Cameron's influence began so
long before Lincoln was ever heard Of,
and lasted go many years after Lincoln
was dead, that it is perhaps mistake to
include the latter in the exceptions. In
his early days and, indeed, during
nearly his entire political career,
Cameron was a political jobber-a
politician of the most pronounced
Blaine type. His early fortunes were
very much assisted by his contract to
remove the Winnebsgo Indians to the
government reservation; and from this
he derived his title of the "Winnebagc
Chief" He was also known amongst
his familiars as "Lochiel," title which
was, of course, referable to his Highland
Scottish extraction.
During those years of his life which
were embraced in the first half of the
current century, Mr.. Cameron was 6
Democrat. About 1S4S-the year il
which the Free Soil element of the Dem
ocratic party nominated old Martin Var
Buren,, with the avowed object of defeat
ing General Cass and the Democratic
party-the unerring political instinct O
Cameron advised him that it was tim,
to change his political bearings; and ht
bridged the chasm which should mari
his separ alton from his old politica
associates by procuring himself tc
be elected to the Senate Q,
the United States by what was
termed the Peoples party. Power
full as he was, and devoted as his friends
always were to him there never was a
time in the political career of the dead
chieftain in which he could have been
elected to any office by vote of the peo-
pie. He viewed this fact with character
istic and sa rdonic indifference. He knew
how to command fortune; and, through
that, success. He belonged to the school
of statesmen of whom Sir Robert Wal
pole was the archetype and the chief.
He believed, with that English worthy,
that every man had his price; and, un-
happily for high estimate OF human
nature, both of these eminent men, both
of whom had exceptionally endearing
and splendid qualities, found confrma-
tion of their theory in their experience.
Probably the most disgraceful episode
ever known in the political history of the
United States was the open bribery by
which Simeon Cameron was elected to
the Senate of the United States
in the interim between the election
of James Buchanan as President in 1856
and his taking his seat in March, 1857.
Pennsylvania had gone Democratic at
the Presidential election of 1856, and the
Legislature had a slender Democratic
majority on joint ballot. The sentiments
of the people were Democratic, as was
proved by the election OF Asa Parker the
year following. The Democratic caucus
nominated the celebrated Col. John w.
Forney for Senator, and by the ordinary
precedents of parties, that gentleman
should have been elected.
But here Simon Cameron's gold came
in. He bought three Democratic men,
bers, Lebo, Minear and Wagonseller,
and triumphantly took his seat. This
was the first osten tatious instance Of the
use of coin in a Senatorial election in the
political history of the United States.
The infamous example has been followed
since, possibly in the hietory of both
parties, but the shame and the evil of it
will be forever inseparably associate d
with the name of this able and un-
politician.
In 1860 Simon Cameron was a formid-
aible competitor with Lincoln for the Re-
publican nomination for President. 1t