Evening journal., 1912-07-15
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
How Simon Cameron Decided
to Become a United
States Senator
By Holland


General Simon Cameron, who was
Lincoln's first Secretary of War, was
for many years prior to the birth of
the Republican party, a stanch Jack
sonian Democrat 1t was largely
through Cameron's efforts that
James Buchanan, also of Pennsyl-
vania, was thrice elected to the
United States Senate, the first time
in 1884. and later became President
Years ago." said President Arthur
to me one day some months after he
had succeeded President Garfield, Il
was told the story of the manner in
which General Cameron first became
a United States Senator, succeeding
James Buchanan. II has always
seemed to me that the swiftness with
which Camerons mind worked and
the intuitive acourcy OF his judg-
ment on political matters we're best
illustrated by the experience he had
with Buchanan about the time Of his
election to the Senate.
when Polk was elected President
in 1914, Buchanan was one of the
United States Senators from Penn
sylvania He was even then looked
upon dh III lllit lDi TIC bihAoAA dAAN
Presidential nomination.
One day he met General Cameron
and calling him to one side, said to
him, confdntly, that President Polk
had invited him to enter his cabinet
Are you going to accept Gener-
al Cameron asked.
Eyes, / shall accept, provided a sat
isfactory man can be elected as Sen
ator in my place. Have you got any
body in mind2 Can you suggest any
one?' Buchanan asked.
Certainly | can General Gamer
on replied. I will be the candidate
myself
'Youl' exclaimed Buchanan. who
was both surprised and irritated by
General Camerons statement that he
would be a candidate.
buchanan turned on his heel and
left General Cameron, and a rev
days later brought out his own can
didate after he had resigned his seat
in the Senate to accept the cabinet
Office
Nov. the fact was, Cameron never
thought of entering the Senate till
! Buchanan spoke to him. He did moi
/
cd a place in Polk's cabinet anC
would accept But, quick as thought
he decided upon his own action. real
izing that his own political prestige
and power in Pennsylvania depended
upon his filling the vacancy tha
would be caused by Buchanan's re
signation.
Cameron no sooner decided to b.
candidate than he began 10 do
kind of work in which he was extra
ordinarily proficient He set abou
perfecting O coalition between tn
Wings and the Protection Democrat
in the Pennsylvania Legislature
That was the sort of politics at whic
he was a master hand. II was sue
cessful and in that way Simon Cam
eron succeedd James Buchanan /
the United States Senate.
buchanan was so angry that h
persuaded Polk to ignore Gener;
Cameron when making Pennsylvani
appointments But Cameron was HI
match IN the Senate: he persuade
the Senators TO reject every one {
these appointments. Buchanan sa'
what his own danger was in maxim
an enemy OF Cameron and he at lal
offered him the olive branch. l haN
been told by those familiar wit
Pennsylvania politics that if Buchai
an had not done this it would hay
been impossible for him to have bee
nominated for President in 1856.
Simon Cameron" continued Pre-
ident Arthur. has always been OF
Of my political idols, and he was Il
time my personal friend. | remer
, her, as a young man beginning n
active life, how greatly impressed
was with the statements in the new
papers of that time that Gener
Simon Cameron, then a Senator
Congress. who had always been
Democrat was preparing to desert q
Democratic party and join the Whil
partly because of quarrel he HI
had with Secretary of State Jam
Buchanan-the very quarrel l ha
0 told you about
> Copyright. 1912. by r. J. Edward
I All rights reserved