Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 1).djvu/543

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CAMERON
CAMERON
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som was wounded in Banks's Red river expedition of 1864. After this he commanded the district of La Foiirehe, La., till the close of the war, receiving the brevet of major-general on 13 March, 1865, and it is said that he and Crawford are the only physicians that have attained the rank of general officer since Dr. Warren fell at Bunker Hill. He was superintendent of the colony that founded the town of Greeley, Col., in 1870, and of the Colorado springs and Manitou colonies in 1871. In 1885 he was made warden of the state penitentiary at Cailon City, Col. Cameron parish. La., Cameron's cone. El Paso co.. Col., and Cameron's pass, Lara- mie CO.. Col., were named for him.


CAMERON, Sir Roderick William, capitalist, b. in Glengarry co., Canada, 25 July, 1825. He was educated at the grammar-schools of Williamstown and Kingston, and came to New York, where he estal.)lislieil. in 1852, a line of packet ships to Aus- tralia, through the agency of John Ogden, who acted as broker. The line continues to the present day, and the firm of R, W. Cameron & Co. is well and favorably known in this country and in Australia. Sir Roderick was a delegate to Wash- ington from Canada in 1849 and 1850, to advocate a reciprocity treaty, and has been honorary com- missioner from Australia to the International ex- hibitions at Philadelphia in 1876, and Paris in 1878, and from Canada to those of Sydney and Melbourne in 1880 and 1881. His report on the Australian exhibitions, and on Australian statis- tics, has been published as a blue book by the do- minion government. He is a member of the geo- graphical societies of New York and England, and is vice-president of the Canadian club of New York city. Sir Roderick is an advocate of out- door sports of all kinds, as contributing to im- prove the physique and health of both sexes, and clainis that there is already apparent a great im- provement in the habits and appearance of the present generation, resulting from a love of such sports. Sir Roderick has done much, by his judg- ment and liberality, for the improvement of the thoroughbred horse in this country. Pie was the importer of Leamington, the sire of Iroquois, win- ner of the Derby and St. Leger in England, and many other well-known horses.


CAMERON, Simon, statesman, b. in Lancaster CO., Pa., 8 March, 1799; d. there, 26 June, 1889. He early received a fair English education, and began to learn the printer's trade when but nine years of age. He worked as a journeyman in Lancaster, Harris- burg, and Wash- ington, and so im- proved his oppor- tunities that in 1820 he was edit- ing a newspaper in Doylestown, Pa., and in 1822 one in Harrisburg. As soon as he had accumulated suf- ficient capital he became interested

in banking and in

railroad construction in the central part of the state. He was for a time adjutant-general of Pennsylvania. He was elected to the

U. S. senate in 1845 for the term ending in 1849 and during this period acted with the democrats on important party questions, such as the Missouri compromise bill. This was repealed in 1854, and Mr, Cameron became identified with the " people's party," subsequently merged with the republicans. As its candidate he was re-elected to the senate for the full term of six years beginning in 1857, a period that covered the exciting crisis of secession.

During this time he was so earnest an advocate of peace that his loyalty was suspected. At the re- publican convention that nominated A'oraham Lin- coln he was strongly supported for the presidency, and again for the vice-presidency ; but lack of har- mony in the Pennsylvania delegation prevented his nomination to the latter office. Mr. Lincoln at once called him to the cabinet as secretary of war, and he proved equal to the arduous duties of the place. He advocated more stringent and aggres- sive war measures than Mr. Lincoln was prepared to carry out, and when Gen. Butler asked for in- structions regarding fugitive slaves, directed him to employ them " under such organizations and in such occupations as exigencies may suggest or re- quire." Similar instructions were given to Gen. Sherman and other officers in the field. In the original draft of his annual report to congress, in December, 1861, he boldly advocated arming fugi- tive slaves ; but this was modified, on consultation with the cabinet. Mr. Cameron resigned the secre- taryship 11 Jan., 1862, was at once appointed min- ister to Russia, and his influence undoubtedly tended in a large measure to secure the friendship of that powerful nation during the civil war. His official conduct in a certain transaction was cen- sured by the house of representatives, 30 April, 1862 ; but Mr. Lincoln immediately sent a message assuming, with the other heads of departments, an equal share in the responsibility. He resigned as minister to Russia 8 Nov., 1862, and remained at home until 1866, when he was elected U. S. sena- tor, and appointed chairman of the committee on foreign affairs on the retirement of Mr. Sumner in 1872. He was sent to the senate for the fourth time in 1873, but resigned in favor of his son. During the years of his active public life he was a powerful political leader, practically dictating the policy of the republican party in Pennsylvania, and wielding a strong influence over its policy in the nation at large. The accompanying view rep- resents " Lochiel," the residence at Harrisburg of the " Czar of Pennsylvania politics," as Cameron has been called. — His brother. James, soldier, b. in Maytown, Lancaster co.. Pa., 1 March, 1801 ; killed 21 July, 1861. At nineteen years of age he entered the printing-office of his brother Simon, at Harrisburg, and in 1827 removed to Lancaster and assumed the editorship of the " Political Sentinel," studying law in the mean time in the office of