Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1890-12-05
A Change Needed.

original States. excepting one, met IN Phis-
adelnhia 10 revise the Articles Of Conieder-
ation that formed their Bond of Union;
and bv the 18th of the following septem-
her. they had formulated and signed Con-
stifnt,on for the United States Of America.
.sin order 70 form more perfect union.
establish Justice, insure domestic tranquil
litv. provide for the common defence, pro-
mote the general welfare, and secure the
blessings Of liberty to ourselves and orr
poS;erity.r
The delegates were men OF patriotism
ana political insight. George Washington
was President Of the Convention, and though
they had no precedent 70 guide them, their
work. which vas adopted By all the States,
and which has stood the severe tests of The
remarkable expansion Of the Nation and
the conflicting interests Of the different
sections, has proved their wonderful Wis
dom
The Constitution as signed by them, ex-
cepting the change made in the mode Of
eIecting Presidents and Vice-Presidents,
and with the Amendments that the course
Of eveuts have made necessary, is yet the
supreme law Of the Nation, and probably
win be for many centuries to come, ex-
cepting further change that should oe
made in the election Of Presidents and
vice Presidents, ard also change in the
method Of electing United States Senators.
At the tire of the formation of the Con
s.itution there were no telegraphs and rail
roads to disseminate the news Of the world;
people did not read OF, discuss, and con
sider the affairs Of the Nation as they 90
now; the Judgment Of the masses on i'm
portant subjects, and as to the proper per
sons to ill the highest positions was not to
be relied upon, and therefore the trainers
OF the Constitution placed the selection oi
The officers named in the hands of electors
and State Legislatures, and by this method
men have been elected President who rep
resented minority of the whole Natlon'
and in the different States men have been
elected to the United States Senate, and
are members Of that body 10 day who have
neither personal following among me
people, nor the requisite qualifications for
the Office, but who can and do secure Their
positions BIZ the use Of money and patron
age
The Senators were made elective By the
State Legislatures for six years; they were
divided into classes, so as to secure The
election of one-third of their number every
two years, and they were given concurrent
Jurisdiction with the President in The max
ing Of treaties with other nations, and the
selection Of all the important Federal
officers.
Next alter the President the Office o.
Senator is The most responsible, ard mos'
powerful in the Government, and no man
in the Nation has a greater influence for
good or evil than United States Senator
BY this method Of electing q. 5. Sena-
tors some thirty-three men have, since the
organization Of the Government, been
honored and trusted by the Legislature OF
this State with seats in the Senate of the
United States.
Some Of them are known to have been
great men, an honor and a credit to the
State. while Of others there is difference
Of opinion.
A United States Senator is to be chosen
by the Legislature Of Pennsylvania, thai
IA eets at Harrisburg next month, TO oil the
seat now occupied, or at least owned, by
J. Donald Cameron, whose term expire
the following March; and as he is candi.
date for reelection, and as a powerful
effort will be made in that direction, bi.
qualifications for the office, and his claims
upon the people OF the State for their con
tinued favor are proper and pertinent sue'
iects for discussion at this time.
.rWho is j. Donald cameron"
Ask that question Of any hundred in.
tellieent men Of this State, and the answer
Of ninety mine Of them will be, "Why, he
is the son of his father, Simon Cameron,
deed" or words to that effect.
And who was Simon Camcron'
Well. Simon Cameron from all we car
learn was remarkable man. He started
in life poor boy, learned the printing
trade, and made his own way in the world
and in politics till ls45, when Democratic
Legislature elected him to fill the place IL
the U. S. Senate made vacant by the
resignation Of James Buchanan, who went
into President Polk's Cabinet.
Judge Woodward and Simon Cameron
were the candidates before the Democratic
caucus for the position; Woodward won,
Cameron bolted and with the aid of the
Wings was elected.
In 1857 the Legislature was Democratic
by majority of five on joint ballot, and
John W. Forncy was the Democratic
caucus nominee for Senator, and Cameron
was that Of the Republicans. On election
day three Democrats, named Lebo, Wagon
seller and Menear, voted for Cameron, and
he was again elected to the Senate. The
Democrats claimed that he had bribed the
three Democratic legislators, and there was
great fuss made. but Cameron held hiF
seat till he resigned it to enter Llncoln's
cabinet, as Secretary of War, a position
that he did not fill to the satisfaction OF
the President and the party, and when the
House OF Representatives at Washington
passed a vote of censure upon him for some
scandal regarding the giving Of contracts
for army supplies be resigned, and Lincoln
sent him 10 St. Petersburg
In 1863 the Legislature Of Pcnn'a was
again Democratic and this time By but one
"a Of a majority on joint ballot. Chas r..
Buckalew was the Democratic candidate
for Senator, ard Cameron was the Reprb-
lican candidate. 1t was rumored that
Cameron Lad secured the vote of Demo
cratic member namei Boyer, Of Cieariield
Co, and on election day train load Of
Philadelphia toughs, under the lead of a
man named MeMullen, surrounded the
Capitol building at Harrisburg, and
thronged the corridors aud galleries, with
orders to kill any Democrat who voted for
Cameron, end under this intimidation
every Democratic member voted for Buck
alew and he was elected
In 1857 Cameron beat Thaddeus Stevens,
the greatest eommoner that has ever repre-
sentcd any Congressional district Of this
State in Congress; the leader Of the House
at Washington during the war and the
man who originated some Of The great
measures that carried US though the war;
in the Republican caucus at Harrisburg
for the nomination for Senator, and Of