CAMERON, SIMON (1799-1889), American politician, was born in Lancaster county, Pa., on March 8, 1799. Left an orphan at the age of nine, he early entered journalism, and, in banking and railway enterprises, accumulated a considerable fortune. He became influential in Pennsylvania politics, and in 1845-49 served in the U.S. Senate, being elected by a combination of Democratic, Whig and "American" votes. In 1854 he became a leader of the "People's Party," as the Republican Party was at first called in Pennsylvania. In 1857 he was elected to the U.S. Senate as a Republican. His prominence as a candidate for the presidential nomination in the Republican national convention of 186o led to his being selected by President Lincoln as secretary of war. His administration of this office at a critical time was marked by his accustomed energy, but unfortunately also by partiality in the letting of Government contracts, which brought about his resigna tion at Lincoln's request in Jan. 1862 and his subsequent censure by the House of Representatives. He again served in the Senate from 1867 until 1877, when he resigned to make room for his son, whose election he dictated. Cameron was one of the ablest politi cal organizers the U.S.A. has ever known, and his long undisputed control of Pennsylvania politics was one of the most striking examples of "boss rule" in American history. The definition of an honest politician as "one who when he is bought will stay bought" has been attributed to him. He died on June 26, 1889.
His son JAMES DONALD CAMERON (1833-1918) was born at Middletown, Pa., on May 14, graduated at Princeton in 1852, and became actively interested in his father's banking and railway enterprises. Trained in the political school of his father, he developed into an astute politician. From June 1876 to March 1877 he was secretary of war in President Grant's cabinet. In the Republican national convention of 1876 he took an influen tial part in preventing the nomination of James G. Blaine, and later was one of those who directed the policy of the Republicans in the struggle for the presidency between Tilden and Hayes. From 1877 until 1897 he was a member of the U.S. Senate. He died on Aug. 3o, 1918.