Cameron, Simon (kăm`ərən), 1799–1889, American politician and financier, b. Lancaster co., Pa. From humble beginnings he rose to be a newspaper publisher and with considerable success branched out into canal and road construction, railroad promotion, banking, and iron and steel manufacturing. His private wealth brought him influence in the Democratic party; he played a major role in winning the vice presidential nomination for Martin Van Buren in 1832 and in James Buchanan's election to the Senate the following year. Cameron was elected (1845) to Buchanan's vacated seat in the U.S. Senate but, defeated for reelection, served only until 1849. Having joined the new Republican party in 1856, he was returned (1857) to the Senate when three Democratic legislators also voted for him. In the Senate, Cameron bitterly attacked the pro-Southern policies of his former friend President Buchanan. At the Republican national convention in Chicago in 1860 he was a candidate for the presidential nomination but after the first ballot supported Abraham Lincoln, first exacting from Lincoln's managers, however, the promise of a cabinet post. Lincoln reluctantly recognized the bargain, made without his knowledge, and Cameron resigned from the Senate to serve (Mar., 1861–Jan., 1862) as Secretary of War. The President's worst fears were realized when notorious corruption in army contracts and appointments aroused the nation. Lincoln eased him out gracefully by appointing him minister to Russia, but Cameron resigned that post in Nov., 1862. The House of Representatives passed (Apr., 1862) a resolution of censure against him, but Cameron bounded back in 1867, when, in defeating Andrew H. Curtin for the Senate, he became absolute Republican boss of Pennsylvania. He retired from the Senate and from active participation in politics in 1877 but only after making sure that his son, James Donald Cameron, succeeded him in the Senate. The machine he created, later run by his son, Matthew S. Quay Quay, Matthew Stanley (kwā), 1833–1904, American political leader, b. Dillsburg, Pa.
..... Click the link for more information. , Boies Penrose Penrose, Boies (boiz), 1860–1921, American political leader, b. Philadelphia.
..... Click the link for more information. , William S. Vare Vare, William Scott, 1867–1934, American political leader, b. Philadelphia. He engaged in machine politics and became (1898) a member of the select council of Philadelphia.
..... Click the link for more information. , and Joseph R. Grundy successively, so dominated Pennsylvania that it was not until Franklin Delano Roosevelt's victory in 1936 that the Democrats carried the state in a national election.

Bibliography

See biography by E. S. Bradley (1966); L. F. Crippen, Simon Cameron: Ante-Bellum Years (1942, repr. 1972).

Cameron, Simon

(born March 8, 1799, Maytown, Pa., U.S.—died June 26, 1889, Donegal Springs, Pa.) U.S. politician. He was successful in several businesses before entering the U.S. Senate (1845–49, 1857–61, and 1867–77). As leader of Pennsylvania's Republican Party, he helped secure the nomination of Abraham Lincoln in 1860. Appointed secretary of war in 1861, he was soon dismissed for showing favouritism in awarding army contracts.

Cameron, Simon (1799–1889) businessman, politician; born in Lancaster County, Pa. Orphaned at age nine and largely self-educated, he began as a manager of newspapers, then bought the Harrisburg, Pa., Republican (1824); this gained him influence in politics, which in turn gained him lucrative contracts as the state printer; he then branched out into other businesses including railroads and banking. He served Pennsylvania in the U.S. Senate, first as a coalition Democrat (1845–49), then as a Republican (1857–61). He threw his support to Lincoln at the Republican convention in 1860 and was rewarded with the post of secretary of war, but he proved to be so corrupt and inefficient that in January 1862 Lincoln appointed him ambassador to Russia. He returned to run for the Senate in 1863 and lost, but, regaining control of the Republican party, he held the seat for 10 years (1867–77), resigning to let his son, James Donald Cameron, succeed him.