The old merchants of New York City / by Walter Barrett.

CF J EEW YORK CITY.

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Federal Whig. The second an out and out Whig.
The last a Loco Foco. Mr. Cambreleng received the
vote of the Tainmany party and of the merchants, and
had more votes than any other candidate. During the
nineteen continuous years that lie represented this city,
no man enjoyed such a commanding influence at Washington. He was all powerful. He fully comprehended
the commercial interests of the city, and lie faithfully
attended to them. lie was a mani too, in whom tlere
was no dereliction from priniciple. He was chairman at
different periods of the most implortant committees of
the House, - Ways and Means, Commerce and Foreign
Affairs. He enujoyed the confidence and respect of every President while lie was a legislator - Monroe, Adams, Jackson and Van Buren. Hle made no attempts
at oratory. lie rose to speak only when lie had something to say, consequently lie commanded the attention
of the house. He was listened to with pleasure, and
his opposition or his friendship to a measure was more
felt tlhan ten other men. After he retired from Congress, he was appointed Minister to Russia by President
Van Buren, in 1839. He was replaced by an appointment of John Tyler in 1841, and lie then travelled in
Europe for some months.
He kept on his mercantile operations until about 1827,
when lie partly withdrew from commerce, but kept his
office with his brother at 48 Pine.
After his return from Russia, lie retired from public
life, and for nearly twenty years has scarcely had a public
existence. It was known to a few that he was alive, and
but few knew who or what he was. He was a man of
note in days anterior to these, when our city and its suburbs are over a million,