Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 July 1889 — DEATH OF CAMERON. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

DEATH OF CAMERON.

LAST HOURS OF THE VETERAN POLITICIAN. Poiiiixylviuiia's Aged Statesman Has Gone to His Long Home—A Brief Sketch of a Successful Political Career—His Life autl Character Reviewed. A Lancaster (Pa.) dispatch of June 28 says: Gen. Simon Cameron died at 8 o’clock Wednesday evening, after an illness of about a week. The General’s condition during the day was rather enc ouraging, and death came suddenly during a weak spell. Up to the last attack he was conscio is, and had no trouble to swallow the food given him and which he appeared to assimilate. Around the death-bed were ex-Attorney-General

MacVeagh and wife, Mrs. Haldman, James Cameron, Simon B. Cameron and Avifo, and Mrs. David Watts, a granddaughter. The funeral will be held in Harrisburg. Simon Cameron was horn less than twenty-live miles from the spot where he died, in 1799, the son of a poor country tailor. Apprenticed to the printer’s trade he worked in Washington in 1821 on the Congr. ssional debates, and there became acquainted with President Monroe. He was a Democrat In politics, and in that year of 1821 he wrote a letter favoring the election of John C. Calhoun to the Presidency. Pr or to going to Washington he was editor of the Doyleston Democrat. In 1823 he was elected public printer of Pennsylvania. In 1828 he became adju-tant-general of his native State. In 1828 he had the contract to build a canal from Lake Ponchartrain to New Orleans, aud relinquished that work at the request of Gen. Jackson to return to Pennsylvania and aid in organizing the first national convention held in the republic. At that convention, held in Baltimore, he was offered and declined the chairmanship. Selling out his interest in the canal contract he became a banker at Middletown. He had placed James Buchanan in the Senate, and when the latter entered Polk's cabinet Mr. Cameron, in 1845, succeeded him in the Senate. Mr. Cameron was reelected to the Senate in 1350, as a Republican, and in the convention which nominated Lincoln was Pennsylvania’s candidate for the Presidency. M hen the final conflict came Mr. Cameron’s friends voted for Lincoln to defeat Seward, and Mr. Lincoln was nominate !. Mr. Lincoln named Mr. Cameron for Secretary of War, and he held that office until 1802, when he retired and accepted the St. Petersburg mission. The moving cause of his retirement from the war office was his recommendation that the negroes be armed, which was considered by Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Cameron’s fellow-secre-taries impolitic at the time. Mr. Cameron was granted by Mr. Lincoln the privilege of naming his successor, and upon his nomination Mr. Lincoln made Edwin M. Stanton his war secretary. When in 1864 the movement to defeat the renomination of Mr. Lincoln became pronounced the President recalled Mr. Cameron and placed his interests in his charge. The veteran politician immediately went to Harrisburg and induced the Legislature to petition Mr. Lincoln to accept a second term. This action was imitated by the legislative bodies of the other loyal States and Mr. Lincoln’s renomination was assured. Mr. Cameron re-entere l the Senate ‘in 1867 and served until 1877, when he resigned and was succeeded by his son Don Cameron. Mr. Cameron has never lost interest in politics, and even in bis advanced old age he has wielded an almost autocratic power in the politics of his own State. He was a born leader of men, aggressive in his opinions: strong in his determination; quick to apprehend and to act; a shrewd observer of his fellow-men.

GEN. SIMON CAMERON.