The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-29
JAMES CAMPBELL BEAD.
President Pierce's Postmaster General
and the Oldest Cabinet Ghicer.

President Pierce's Postmaster General
and the Oldest Cabinet ofhcer.
WAsHINGToN CITY, Jan. 2S.-.Postmaster
General Wanamaker has issued an order
announcing the death at Philadelphia yes
terday of James Campbell. postmaster
general during the administration of Pres
ident Pierce. Mr.. Campbell was the old
est surviving cabinet officer in the United
States.
flames Campbell was born in Philadelphia in
1913 He was the son of an Irish emigrant,
and after receiving a thorough education, was
admitted in 1884 to the Philadelphia bar, where
he soon took high rank. He was judge of the
court of common pleas from lsis till 1850. be-
came attorney general of the state in 1852, and
on March 4, 1858, was made postmaster general
by President Franklin Pieree. serving
through the entire administration
TIL March 4, 1871 The Pierce cabinet
was the only one in the history of the country
that went through four years, FROM 1865 to 1857,
without break in its membership Among his
colleagues were such historic figures as William
l.. Marcy, secretary OF state, to whom is COM
monty attributed the authorship o. tho saying:
"To the victors belong the spoils;" Caleb Cush-
ing, attorney general, whom Grant afterward
wished to make chief justice; Jefferson Davis.
secretary of war, and James Guthrie, secretary
OF the treasury Quite forgotten new are James
c. Dobbin, of North Carolina, who vas secretary
of the navy, and Robert Mcclellan, of Michigan
secretary OF the interior There has been no ADLER
cabinet than this since the days of Washington
All OF Mr.. Campbelts colleagues are long since
dead. Gone also are the cabinet of5cers of Bu-
chanan's administration which fcIlowed, and
all OF Lincoln's cabinet during has first term
He was only ~ years Old when he entered
Pierce's cabinet, but had already achieved bril-.
liant political success, In the deca4e preceding
the war Mr.. Campbell was vigorols leader of
the Pennsylvania Democracy, and in 1858 was
all unsuccessful candidate for the Demo-
cratic nomination for United States sepa-
tor. Charles K. Buekalew defeati1g him by
four votes. Since then he lived very
quietly in Philadelphia, practicIpg law
ana growing old gracefully He kas one son.
who is as ardent Democrat as rimself and
who. under President Cleveland, was the sur
veyor of the port a: Philadelphia. Friends OF
Mr.. Campbell often urged him to write out his
"reminiscences of his active political days, which
would throw much Light upon the administa.
ton OF Pierce. who. Mr.. Campbell believed, had
been much underrated by the present genera
ton; upon the duplIcity of Buchan H. and upon
other interesting points; but he never consented
10 do So Jefferson Davis, at the fime of bis
death, was the only survivor of Pierce's
cabinet best des Mr. Campbell. 1t is only
within few years that Ar. Camp
bell had the honor OF being the Oldest
surviving cabinet officer. Bancroft, the his.
torlan, VINO was SECRETARY OF the navy under
Polk, sntedated him considerably, and e1-sen.
ator A. II. II. Stuart, of Virginia, who was secre-
tary of the interior under Fi,lmore also took
precedence over him. Both Of these gentlemen
have died within the last two years Mr. Camp
bell had always been a strong Democrat and
Until recently an influential d@iser in the
councils OF the party. lie took keen interest
in politics and in all that went On around him
up TO the time OF his death. AS one OF the
trustees OF the GIrard estate ne Wa deep in
terested IL the welfare OF the boys at Girard
coilegel