The Irish standard., 1896-02-01
An Interesting Sketch Of the. Noted
Senator From, the Key Key 5.,
stone State. a5', .s.@.
At the Expiration of His Present
Term He Will Have Served
E - " Twenty Years. =. \. ...... 4.
He Was One of the Leading Fac-
tors In Pushing Grant for
--.. :.
..r.5 =. .-.. "a Third Term. s.stss..

Senator Cameron has announced hissin-
tention Of retiring permanently from the
United States senate. Thas will take an
other famous name from the rolls OF that
body writes Frank G. Carpenter, from
Washington. The Camercns have been
prominent in congressional matters for
the past fifty years. Simon Cameron was
first elected to the senate in 1645, when
James Buchanan was callea into Folks
cabinet. Buchanan had senatorial can
didate Of his own. and as the story goes,
when he was appointed secretary Of state
he came to Simon Cameron and said:
MIR. Cameron, the President has ten
dered me the position OF secretary of
state What had I better do about 1t p
"Why do you ask me-" was the reply,
when you have already made up your
mind to accept it %
But ! am anxious to know who will
succeed me as senator" said Mr.. Buchan
an. IT don't like to leave the senate until
know"
II rather think that Simon Cameron
Will, WdS lue reply.
Simon Cameron did succeed Buchanan,
and have heard that the two were never
very close friends after that Simon Cam.
eron served his term in. the senate. He
was again reelected for the SIX years be-
! ginning 1857 and served throughout Blu
chcanan's administration. After he lott
the senate he became Lincoln's secretary
of war then minister to Russia, and then
again United States senator, which po-
sition he had until 1877, when he resigned
in favor Of his son. Senator James
Donald 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, l Under
stand, several times thought Of retiring,
but has continued his senatorial career in
order to show the people that he is some
thing more, than the SON of his father,
and that he has an intellectual force and
power of his own. When he first entered
the senate he was spoken of as Simcn
Cameron's son, and his enemies said that
he could not be reelected. After he was
again returned to the senate they prople-
sled that he would surely go ont when
Simon Cameron died, and they were not
satisfied to give him the credit Of being
one of the best political managers in the
|
last election in. 1891. "a
It is hard 10 see where Senator Cam
erons force lies. There is nothing of the
slap-you-on- the-hacl1, hail-fellowwell-
met politician about him. He is very re-
served, and he has, as rule, It seems.
courted frowns rather than smiles. He
has mapped out his own lines and fol
lowed them, and has been q success both
AS a f1nancier and politician. He made a
fortune independently of his father, and
he is said to be one Of the shrewdest bnsi-
ness men in the United States. He began.
his business life very young. After grad.
uating at Princeton he, went into a bank
at MiddletowD, Pa, as clerk, rose to be
cashier and finally became president. .He.
then got possession of the Northern Cen
raj road, and managed 1t for many years,
This road was cut a number OF times nv
the confederates, bitt Senator Cameron
rapidly repaired all damages, and nates
it. OF great value to Uncle Sam in carrying
our government troops. It may be that
he got his acquaintance with GeneTAi
Grant through his position asspresident OF
the road. but however that was, he ard
General Grant became great friends, a;ad
during Grants presidency he chose Mr.. 4
Cameron as his secretary Of war. This ap-
pointment WAS supposed to HAYS bean
made at the instance of Mr.. CamerOn's
father. 1t was not. General Grant ssl-
dom asked advice as to his appointments,
and the nomination of Mr.. Cameron to
the war department was a surprise TO-
everyone in the senate. It was presented
when Simon Cameron was in one Of tie
committee rooms, and was promptly con-e
firmed. The old senator did not want his
son to accept it, and the first knowledge
Senator Cameron had of his appointment L
was a telegram from hts father annonnc-
ing confirmation and advising him to de-
cline to serve. Mr.. Cameron, however,
thought differently. He concluded That
he would like the position Of cabin 1t Tnin7.
lister, and he held the oftic until the ,ioss /
of the Grant administration. During this
time his friendship with General Grant
became still stronger, and he remained
one Of Grants closest friends up to the
time of the generals death. 81 s5SS q
The movement for Grants election to
a. third term was largely engineered by
Mr.. Cameron, John A.~Logan and Ros-s
coe Conklin They were the leadsTS,,
which held the famous 306 ztogethsr atS
Chicago Just now when Preside
Cleveland is a possible third term candi-@
date, the inside history of this Move
ment Il. of especial interest. According
to Senator Cameron, the plan. to month";
ate Grant for a third term was not yased
on the desires OF the Grant forces tosse7
cure office or power. 1T was MpOn much \
higher grounds, and was, in facta a pRtsg
riotic movement, which, had, il Huccegdz2
ed, would have tended to the breahing
up OF the solid south and TO san entire
change In the history OF this cot, try .4s
4 had a talk with Senator Cameron some