The National tribune., 1900-03-15
URGING SIMON CAMERON FOR THE
CABINET.

CABINET.
"A few DAYS after the opening of the
legislative session in JanuarN. 1851" SAYS
Hon. T.. N. Hainas, 81 plain. portly smooth
faced elderly gentleman of medium hight
called upon ne, and introduced himself rs
Isaac Newton. of Philadelphia. r" he
longed to the sect OF Quakor;. or Friends.
who were quite numerous IN Penn
syIvaria. He said that he had called upon
me To solicit my influence in = matter Of cor
siderable Importance, which was. that he
desired 10 Secure The appointment by Mr..
Lincoln of Simon Cameron. of Pcnisyl
vapia. rs Secretary OF the Treasury.
Cameron had hC"I a caudif'atn at the Con
ycntion al Chicago, ut which Mr.. Lincoln
was nominated and ut which he had the
support of the Pennsylvania legation,
but Iie Withdrew as 4 candidate. tr:.,iS-
ferriag the support Of his friends To Mr..
Lincoln. This ii was 3uppa5ed would be
favorabIy considered by Mr.. Lincoln. in
lie Claims Of Mr. Cameron for this position.
Whon Mr Cameron w2S iirst !nnoaaccd as
Il candidate for PrcSideny from PcnnSyl-
valia Mr. LacOlI's lGatnc had not been
much mentioned, and lie was secrecy con
SiGercd a5 available, or rs having any
cha1arS for The nomin.t,iOn: but there was
quito a strong move in The, North. especially
in Pennsylvania. for Cameron for President
and Lincoln for Vfcc-Prcsidcnt. ] had
Mr. Lincoln became more prominent be-
fore the country as candidate Tor PrcSi-
dent. cassed myself among his friends,
but was ranked amoug the friends of Mr..
Cameron, ana rs favorable 10 the move
ment for transferring his strength 10 Mr..
Lincoln. These cirGumsi@accs, and the
fact that vas a member Of the Legislature.
were probably thn rrason5 why Mr.. Newton
called on m" 10 join him inuTgirg the claims
Gf Mr. Cameron for the position mentioned.
Al that timo knew nbtilirg Of Mr.. Cameron
save what had-bcen presented by his friends.
This having boon faYorabr. and having
baen in the move 10 nominate him for Prcsi-
dent. ] responded TO tho relu * of Mr..
Newton, and assured Linn that would
add what ittle influence ] could 10 obtain
favorable consideration of his case with Ir.
Lincoln. Soor thereafter, ! met MIR. Lin
coin in the street. on the I!orih side Of the
Statn House square, and presented the
matter TO him. We stepped around the
corner of the adjacent building. to talk il
ov.r. He was quite cordial and frank. and
treat a what | had to say with much CON
sidcratou. He said that Mr. Cameron YVES
BEING mentioned and strongly urged by the
people OF Pennsylvania; and he remarked
that IT was "A singular fact that whilst
everybody in PenaSl llvalii;. seemed to be in
favor Of Mr.. Cameron, everybody out Of
Pennsylvania seemed oppo2ed TO him.
view; and Ot course he could not properly
give. neither could | expect. any positive
assurance from him as TO what would be his
course III tll'. premises"
THE SERIOUS ASPECT OF NATION AL
AFFAIRS.
During tie months Intervening between
his election and his departure for Wash
ington, Mr.. Lincoln maintained a keen
though quiet watchfulness Of the theaten-
ing aspect of affairs at the National Capital
and throughout the South. He vas careful
not to commit himGcif by needless utter
anccs; but in ali his demcauor as a friend
said. he displayed all the firmneSs and
determination. without The temper OF Jack
son. IN December, 1850. he wrote the
following letters 10 his intimate friend, Hon.
f. B. Wasburne, thea a member of Congress
from Illinois:
SPRINGFIELD, ILL, Dee. IL, 1860.
"HON. +. b. WASHBURNE.
"MY DEAR SIR: Your long letter re-
ceivcd. Prevent, rs far as possible, any of
our friends from demoralizing themselves
and our cause by entertaining propositions
for compromise of any sort on the slavery
extension. There is no possible com
promise upon il. but which puts us under
again and leaves us all our work to do over
again. Whether it be a Missouri line, OF
Eli Thayer'S Popular Sovereignty, it is al
the same. Let either be done, and immedi-
ately filibustcring and extending slavery
recommrnccS. On that point hold firm, as
with a chain of steel. Yours as ever.
"A. LINCOLN"
SPRINGFIELD, ILL.,. Dec. 21, 1860
HON. T.. B. WASHBURNE.
my DEAR SIR: Last night received
| your letter. giving an account of your inter
| view with Gen. Scott. and for which thank
| you. Please present my respects 10 the
General and tell him, confdentially, | Ishal
| be obliged TO him 10 be as well prepared as
| he can 10 either hold, ,or retake, the forts, as
inauguration Yours as ever,
"A. LINCOLN"
THE SOUTH N. N.REBELLIoN.
| The Southern States; led ON by Soutl
Carolina, which formally severed its con
| preparing 10 dissOlvettt7eir alliance with til,
Free States. Mississippi passed the ordi
nance Of secession yaa. g. 1861; Florida
followed on the lOth Alabama, on the 11th
Georgia. on the 10TH, Louisiana. Oh th,
10Th; and Texas, on the 1st day of F'ebru
| AIRY.
TREASON AT THE CAPITAL.
Meanwhile, treasQni%.had full liberty t,
| accomplish its nefariosIS work at the Capi
tai of the United St;llt.s. Traitors in III,
Cabinet and in CongrRss ,conspired TO de
plete the resources Of the Government
leaving it helpless TO contest the assump
tons of .he confederacy arising in tn,
South. The Treasury was deliberately
hankrupted; the ships of the navy wer,
banishcd to distant ports; the Norther,
arsenals were rificd to furnish arms for tn,
rebels in the seeded States; the fortified
places on the Southern coast were delivered
into the hands of the enemy, with the ex
| ccptiOn of Fort SunIrr which WIS gal