Bibliographical references included in "Notes" (p. [245]-293) Bibliography: p. [295]-303.
Summary
" Simon Cameron, born of humble parents at the close of the eighteenth century and apprenticed to the printing trade in his 'teens, became, before the Civil War, one of Pennsylvania's leading financial and political figures. At one and the same time he was president of a bank, three railroad companies, and one insurance company. He entered political life as a Democrat and supported that party - with some irregularity - until the eighteen fifties. Becoming dissatisfied with the leadership and tariff policies of the Democrats, Cameron cast his lot with the opposition, aided in the establishment of the People's (Repub lican) Party in Pennsylvania, and became its first Senator from his state. In the short session of Congress preceding Lincoln's inauguration, he exhibited a spirit of conciliation and manifested a strong desire to compromise the difficulties between the North and the South. During the last half-century he has frequently been the victim of misrepresentation. Various phases of his career have been subjected to study with an excessive amount of attention paid to certain of his actions. This has resulted in a distorted view of his career and thrown it out of focus. Some writers have based their stories on no firmer foundation than rumor and malicious gossip, while others have presented a perverted picture through failure to make use of available documentary material." [from the text]
