From \;abject \;poverty to undispu ted political boss of Pennsylvania\, Lincoln&rsquo\;s secretary of war\, s enator\, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee\, and a founder o f the Republican Party\, Simon Cameron (1799&ndash\;1889) \;was one of the nineteenth century&rsquo\;s most prominent political figures. \;A key figure in designing and implementing the Union&rsquo\;s military stra tegy during the Civil War&rsquo\;s crucial first year\, Cameron played an essential role in pushing Abraham Lincoln to permit the enlistment of Afri can Americans into the U.S. Army\, a stance that eventually led to his for ced resignation. \;In his wake\, however\, he left a series of questio nable political and business dealings and\, at the age of eighty\, even a sex scandal.
\nAmiable Scoundrel \;puts Cameron&rsquo\;s actions into a larger historical context by demonstrating that many politicians o f the time\, including Abraham Lincoln\, used similar tactics to win elect ions and advance their careers. This study is the fascinating story of Cam eron&rsquo\;s life and an illuminating portrait of his times.
\n