Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-13


Simon Cameron who was four time
elected to the United States Senate by tn
Pennsylvania Legislature until his son at
tsined ihe same distinctioa as his successor
and he would have won fifth election, with
out serious contest, had he not voluntaril,
resigned to assure the succession to his son.
Camhron was q Senator when Lincoln
served his single term in Congress, but they
did not become even acquaintance. and ht
first became involved in Lincoln's political
life in 1860, when both were candidates fol
the Republican nomination for President
The success of Lincoln at the November
election left the political situation in Penn
tylvanis without change, except that the
war of factions was intensified. Curtin did
not give even perfunctory support to Cam.
eron for the Presidency, and Cameron gave
about the same kind of support to Curtin
for Governor, and when 1t was announced,
about January l, that Cameron had been to
Springfield ana had returned with the prsf
fer of Cabinet portfolio. it Immediately
inspired tn, most .ss ssesslve opposition to
his sppoIatm.it.
McClurs sstests Against Cameron.
Twas not IN sympathy with Cameron and
promptly teleg:.pa.4 Lincoln. protesting
against his appointmsst. to which Lincoln
answered urging me to come Immediately
10 Springfield. When 1 met Lincoln he
frankly informed me that on thu last day of
December be had given Cameron letter
rendering to him position in the Cabiset,
reserving the right to decide whether il
should be Secretary of the Treasury or SEQ
retsry of War I explained to the Presi-
dent, with all the ardor of an .stense partisan
In the factional feud, that the appointment
of Cameron would be q misfortune to the
party in Pennsylvania and q misfortune to
the President that he must soon realize
after his Inauguration.
1t is needless now to review the causes
which led to this active and embittered
hostility Of the friends of Curtin to Gamer
on's political advancement 1t is sufficient
to say that there was persistent war be-
tween these elements, and the usual polit-
ical decentralization that ever attends such
conflicts was painfully visible. 1 saw that
Lincoln was very much distressed at the
situation in which he had become involved,
and be discussed every phase of it with
unusual frankuess and obviously with pro-
found feeling. 1 did not then know that
Lincoln had been pledged, without his
knowledge, by his frie eds at Chicago TO the
appointment of Cameran, nor did Lincoln
intimate it to me during our conversation.
After an hour or more Of discussion on the
snbject Lincoln dismissed it By saying that
he would advise me further within very
few DAYS
It Changed Lineoln's Plans
I left Lincoln conscious that had seri-
ously impressed him with nv views, but
entirely unable to form anv judgment as to
what might be his ultimate action. AL
though left him as late as IL o'clock in the
evening, he wrote Cameron a private letter
dated the same night, beginning with this
Eentencei ''Since seeing you, things Have
developed which make it impossible for me
to take you into the Cabinet" He added:
''You will say this comes from an interview
with Mcclure, and this is partly, but not
wholly true; the more potent matter is
wholly outside of Pennsylvania, yet am
not at liberty to specify. Enough that it
appears to me to be sufficient" He fol-
lowed with the suggestion that Cameron
should write him declining the appoint.
mens, stating that if the declination was
forwarded be would 'not object to its be-
ing known that it was rendered. to him.
He concluded by saying: "No person liv-
ing knows, or has an intimation, that 1 write
this letter" and with a postscript asking
Cameron to telegraph the words "All
right"
Lincoln also wrote me lette of single
sentence, dated the same night, asking that
the accusations against Cameron should be
put in tangible shape for his consideration.
am unable to quote literally any of the
correspondence with Lincoln on this sub
feet, as all of my many letters received from
him, and the correspondence relating to the
campaign and the organization of the ad-
ministrat1on that / had preserved, where
destroyed whel Chambersburg was burned
bv McCausland in 1864. i answered Lin
coins very indefinite note by declinging to
appear as an individual prosecutor of Cam
eron and his request for the formulation of
Cameron's alleged political and personal
delinquencies was not complied with
Great Efforts on Both Sides
Lincoln's letter to Cameron rendering
him the Cabinet appointment had been
shown to some confidential friends whose
enthusiasm outstripped their discretion,
and they made public the fact that Cameron
wes an assured member of the new Cabinet.
The second letter from Lincoln to Cameron,
recalling the tender of a Cabinet Office, was
not made public and doubtless was never
seen beyond very small and trusted circle
Of Cameron's associates; but it soon became
known that Lincoln regarded the question
as unsettled, and that led to exhaustive
efforts on both sides to hinder and promote
Cameron's appointment.
Sanderson, who had made the compact at
Chicago with Davis for Cameron's appoint
ment, was sent at once to Springfield to in
force its fulfllment He reasonably COM
planned that Lincoln's letter to Cameron re-
voking the appointment, was Extensively
blunt and needed explanation, as it gave no
reason whatever for the sudden change in
his Judgment While Sanderson and other
prominent Pennsylvanians who visited
Lincoln about the same time, failed to OBJ
tanned from him any assurance of his pur-
pose to appoint Cameron. Lincoln was
prevailed upon on the 18th Of January, tel
days after he had written the letter revok-
ing the appointment, to write 9 confidential