St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-01-26
RETIRING PENNSYLVANIA sENA-
TOR GIVES HIS VIEWS ON
MATTERS.
TELLS SOME INSIDE HISTORY
OF THE GRANT THIRD TERN
MOVEMENT-HOw-B BLAINE LOST
THE PRESIDENCY.
VIEWS ON THE MONROE DOCTRINE.
How He Originated the Movement
for a Fast Navy While secre-
tary of War.

taFy Oh war.
copyrighted. 1896, by Frank G. Carpenter.)
WASHINGTON, Jan. Ex-senator
Cameron has announced his intention
Of retiring permanently from the Unit
ed States senate. This will take, an
other famous name from the rolls of
that body. The Camerons have been
prominent in congressional matters for
the past fifty years. Simon Cameron
was first elected to the senate IN 1S45,
when James Buchanan was called into
Folks cabinet Buchanan had a SEN
atorial candidate of his own and, as
the story goes, when he was appoint
ed secretary Of state, he came to Simon
Cameron and said: mr. Cameron, the
president rendered me the position of
secretary of state. What had 1 better
do about it?''
Why do you ask me?" was the reply,
when you have already made up your
lnind to accept it?"
But I am anxious to know who will
succeed NE as SENATOR" said Mr.. Bu-
chanan- Il don't like to leave the
senate until I know
Il rather think that Simon Cameron
VIII, was the reply.
Simon Cameron did succeed Bu-
chanan, and I have heard that the
two were never very close friends after
that Simon Cameron served his term
In the senate He was again reelected
for the six years beginning 1857, and
served throughout Buchanan's admin
tstration. After he left the senate he
became Lincoln's secretary of war. then
minister to Russia and then again
United States senator, which position
he had until 1877, when he resigned in
favor Of his son. Senator James Don
aid Cameron has held the position from
that time to this. and when his pres
ent term closes he will have been in the
senate twenty years. He has, / under
stand, several times thought Of retir-
Ing, but has continued his senatorial
career in order to show the people that
ne Is something more than the son Of
his father and that he has an intellect
ual force and power of his own. When
he first entered the senate he was spok-
en- OF as Simon Cameron's son, and his
enemies said that he could not be re-
elected After he was again returned
10 the senate they prophesied that he
would surely go out when Simon Cam
eron died, and they were not satisfied
to give him credit for being one Of the
BEST political managers in the United
states until he showed it by his last
election, in 1891.
II Is hard to see where Senator Cam
eron's force lies. There is nothing of
the Observation-Disclosures, hail-ffllow-
WelI-Inet politician about him. ETe is
vad !,
seems courted frownS rather than
SiplleS- He has mapped out his own
ilHsS and followed them, and has been
a success both as a f1nancier and poIiti-
cian- He made fortune independents
ly OF his father, and he is said to be
one OF the shreWdest business men in
the United States He began his bust
ness life very young. After graduating
at Princeton he went into a bank at
Middtstown. Pa, as clerk, rose to be
cashier and finally became president
Re then got possession Of the Northern
Central road, and managed 1t for many
years including the period of the late
war Th1s road was cut number OF
times By the Confederates, but Senator
Cameron rapidly repaired all damages.
and made it Of great value to Uncle
Sam in carrying our government
troops Ii may be that he got his ac-
QuaiHtance with Gen. Grant through
fsS POSITION as president of this road,
but however that was, he and Cen
Grant became great friends, and :1ur-
ing Grants presidency he chose Mr..
Cameron as his secretary of war. This
appointment was supposed to have
been made al the instance Of MIR. Cam
eFon's father 1t was not. Gen. Grant
Seldom asked advice as to his appoint
menfS, and the nomination of Mr.. Cam
eron TO the war department was a sur
1-r@-A{ 70
presented when Simon Cameron was in
one OF the committee rooms, and was
promptly confirmed. The old senator
did not want his son to accept it, and
the first knowledge Senator Cameron
had OF his appointment was telegram
from his father announcing his confir-
nation and advising him to decline to
serve Mr.. Cameron, however, thought
differently. He concluded that he would
like the position Of cabinet minister, and
he held the Office until the close Of the
Grant administration. During this time
his friendship with Gen. Grant became
still stronger, and he remained one of
Grants closest friends up to the time
of the generals death.
The movement for Grants election to
third term was largely engineered by
Mr. Cameron, John A. Logan and Ros-
coe Conkling. They were the leaders
who held the famous 306 together at
Chicago. Just now, when President
Cleveland is possible third-term can
didate, the inside history of this move
ment is OF especial interest. According
to Senator Cameron, the plan to nomi-
nate Grant for a third term was not
based on the desires of the Grant
forces to secure office or power. 1t was
upon much higher grounds, and was,
in fact, a patriotic movement, which,
had it succeeded, would have tended
to the breaking up of the solid South
and to an entire change in the history
OF this country. I had a talk with SEN
ator Cameron some days ago concern
Ing this matter. He told me that Grant
was at first aVerse to having his name
proposed to the convention, but that he
afterward left the matter in the hands
of his friends. Said he: 1.-THE South
was favorably inclined to Grant. The
Southerners appreciated his generosity
at Appomatox. They had read with
pride the story of his trip around the
world and his reception everywhere by
the great men Of all nations. They
looked upon him as a great national
hero, and when upon his return from
the tour, he made a journey through
the Southern states, he was received
with enthusiasm everywhere We felt
that If he was the candidate he would
divide the Democratic party in the
South, and that the parties there would