Camden moved to Spring Hill Farm, near Versailles, Kentucky, in 1890 and became involved in farming and Thoroughbredhorse breeding and racing. He served for a time as president of the Kentucky Jockey Club. He was also interested in the opening and development of the coal fields in eastern Kentucky.
He was appointed as a Democrat to the U.S. Senate on June 16, 1914, to fill a vacancy caused by the death of William O. Bradley, whose term was about to expire. Camden did not run for the full term, but won a special election for the last four months of the current term on November 3, 1914, and served until March 3, 1915.
In what is a mystery to many, Camden had the University Library at the then Morehead State Teachers College, now Morehead State University in Morehead, Kentucky, named for him in 1929. Camden had no ties to the school, nor had he ever visited.