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Thosa too larga to ba antiraly iocludad in ona axposura tin fllmad . baginning In tha uppar laft hand eornar, laft t& and top to bottom, as many framas aa lirad. Tha following diagrams. Illustrata tha mat^ f 1 2 fr Las cartas, planchas. tablaaux. ate. pauvent 4tra filmte i das taux da reduction diffirants. Lorsqua la document aat trop grand pour ttra raproduit an un aaul cllch^/il ast filmi i partir da I'angla supAriaur gaucha. da gaucha A droita, at da haut 9n bas. an pranant la nombra d'imagas nicassaira. Las diagrammas suivants illustrant la mtthoda. 1 ] ESS. The Rt. Hon. Sir John S. D. Thompson, P.C, K.C.M.G., Q.C. Fourth Prhftt Miniiler of Canada, flk 1' : H'- jr- '.,• • His Excki.i.kncy thk E ARL OF Abkruken, P.C., LL.D. Govemcf General of Canada. 0 I '■if . , I A;} it:',!". ■1- LIFE AWD WORK or THS ;v RT. HON. SIR JOHN THOMPSON ' P.e, K.C.M.G., Q.C. ' • PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA \ BY J CASTELL HOPKINS WITH A PREFACE BY His Excellency the Earl of Aberdeen Governor General of Canada. UNITED PUBLISHING HOUSES TORONTO, LONDON AND BRANTFOBO 189s .>>^^ , ,.•■<' V'' 7 > -^9C .^st ' ' i „ Offlop of the Minister of Agriculture. Linsoott, in the #^ f'-- /^^q/A vit-;;- • Her Excbllency the Countess ok Aberdeen ¥* . w TH«,RT. HOK Sir Jph. A. MAcnoN..o. P.C. G.C.B.. Q cT^ ^-/ Pri.n. Minium ,,«, ^^,.,^ ,^ c-^,//^'^- *''^- J ■■ ^ •^-^ ^ PREFACE. I \ The " Lite and Work " of a man.— Tie phrase ja sug gestive; and it is eminently ipplicaTile \a the title of a biography of Sir John Thompson. His/ life was full of #ork. and of work to whieh emphatically might be applied the old maxim, "Zdfcoror* wi oran>,f\f or the labours of his busy ^life wer^ pervaded and prompted by lofty aims and religious principle& ' That a record, a description, of his career should be ; given to his country and to the world, is a; matter not merely of appropriateness but of obligation; for the vari- ous grounds upon which a claim for a biography of any person may be made on behj^f of the public, are in this case combined, whether redlrded from the historical, the political, the legal, the exemplary, or the pereoiial point of ^*®'^' '^1^ '■' ■ To say this impliyihat the biographer will have lack of material; but it does not follow that. his task I be easy. Indeed it must be admitted that in no caae can the authorship of a biography bft^ free from difficulty; and of^<5our8e, especiaUy is this the case when the life to be presented is that of a statesman whose position and duties inevitably l^rought him not only into the midst of the stir and stress ofii centr^placo in public life, and the contra- vermes and eiiJ^lations with which it is surrounded, but aJso included th^ taking of an important part in interna- tional and other tisansactions requiring delicate handling «nd diplomatic skill \ ^ . The biographer of such a man will desir« to exercise discretion, but he wiU a^so wish to avoid th7 criticism ■ > Wii^, tr4v^!&I^..wl> ;- ^^ h prteface. •s "*• or line, of oonduiTwhirf, hi "^y-g^y ■Jtter- Prfiper a«M.of lovaltv tkT^"- '""" ■">' *"»w this #. ■''«^4^»t'o"Vr,'r^""^:f-^«- p^-^p- 4>a in qneation waa th». „» T! **W>'<'« on the ooia- f^d. When the Ir.^!^ '^;^'"j <" -- ^niely recent occurrence «>wn»d to are of ax- /'ahl::^;rthr:::;[^3X7foT*'""'"'«'-"*-'' ' "anner in which the mL77,t^ ^^ ."*'»"'"' *« the , M»P«t. It niay a^X L „^ "r <>''''«« Perfonned . »Pi«u-on willbeKhaa dci^TtL T "^^ ««^ .evidently ^e* at n^jTZ 1 ""^ "*'"• ^f ^ 'chronicler, together with thT^ * *' unpartiality tf a , He h«i also Ao™"htt I'^'^T'"™ »' »" «*»'W. . eag^oi.li/.ece^a^ii'"^;^^ »' .P^Portion "W-* i- -d «, Ml o1SL.t..a tS Si^',:^\^^^ « indeed not too much to eav «.»» , 7* ^'^°"'P«'"- " *hief portion of hie public .Zeft'^/^T^"* '""^ «» tory of Quad, duri^ the^«nL " "*. *° ""'« '"'i.- the author haa evSy leSlt ^-Z f " " ""» "-»» ' tiv. aketd, of .ev««l Xe lUT. *" ^"""^ ^^P- tion. which occupied «^t^w t^r^ J"^ P"*""" I"** during th*pcriod in vK „m ^ITo*" "^ *« "ountry/ P«>perly pr<»ented S^J^ *^ °««^*- ■». ^^^ ^' .& ^ V, PRKfAOl \ It has already been, remarked that the roasons for the appearance of this biography are numerous. A perusal of; the volume will make this apparent, even to /t)ioee not previously in any pekronal manner acquainted, with the; circUm8 -"^er left on his mind °T "^ ,7'' ">« dommant impression at«.ngth Jd r^ll' m r^» A*""' ° - """"-^ doubt often wore . Z.„„ ? i ' ^ countenance no but tins, „ a rnhTr^ . ■ ""T* * ''"''=»' «'P'««i<'» : smile »,<;« ati::atr • ^ ""''' "■* ""«"' --^ «»■>«« » ef i:^ri^"^;: «-^ « "'ten-, eombined with clear and lucid maC^i,. ^^"^ ""^ p.««nting in a a subject. m« rr st^'^XI'T •" ""' "T "^ "* ur. juany a quiet laugh have I shared yxriih hi^ dunng eonve«ati6ns on official mJ^Z T ' ^''^^ drew from him a ioeul J.! i ' "^^^^ anything . miu a jocular remark, or reojiUf^ri i^ ^uu i. an amusing anecdote or wminisience wl fv ' *"* "^ bumour, as is often the c^ ^^^1. ^'*\ <^^« ««««« of thei^ was the power of LZn^jLh 7 "'\P«^ ^^^ :iS:,!:rio?=^--?--;^w^^ /-■; PBBFACB. • •• XIU having many opportunitiea of hearing him speak in public, but the occasions on which that advantage was enjoyed would lead me to demur to the designation of "coldness " as applied to his oratory. Doubtless his delivery was calm, and in a sense unimpassioned ; but there was frequently a sympathetic ring — almost a tremor — in his tones, which in a pathetic passage would readily have moved many to tears. And indeed ii^ild not be that this note of sympathetic feeling, albeit as an undertone, should be absent from even the public utterahces of one whose deep and true feeling was mapifested so clearly in every relation of life. Ill short, as has already been said, in him were united gentleness and strength— marks of true manliness and nobility of character. Such were some of the characteristics of the subject of this memoir And though the promptings of affection and appreciation would incite the writer to linger on the theme, this informal preface must be brought to a close. Sir John Thompson was a great man. He has made his mark. His influence haa been for good, and its impress in of an abiding nature. His cquntry has reason to be proud of him ; it has reason to be thankful for him ; and it may be confidently recorded that his character and his , abilities were such as would have fitted him to occupy with success and distinction the very highest positions that can be attained %; any statesman in the British Empira Ottatoa, Feb. 96, 1896. J^'Jjh^ ii< t.W^jJ'-^ ,^A ''K**€ CONTENTS. A Om*, Canaduk. .. CHAPTER!. •' •. 27-34 (CHAPTER II. CHAPTER m. Provincial Government and Uf WT-Becomea a member of the «itobIi.hmentIJTe Lr^J;'*' T T"' "' ^^"-^Scotia-Hi, «.e P«.vineJ^:?Urar rdSrft^Slt'^r '^ ^^^ °^ Judge-Founding of the Law Bchool at \i^^.':^T..T:^,^^ CHAPTER IV. lationa and public aDnraoiatinn «f f k °°'nn'ent8-General oongratu 68-79 CHAPTER V. \ tU ttnatioii of Loml, RM-Hl. ™j!l. j '«i"«-K«!om1(j fo. ITL, ^^— -^^'"°* °wounoe« thow iaQi»bM »iL.JL^ %, 00NT V CHAPTER VL An Eubohow and a Fishkbiks Qdkstion. A critical period— Mr. Thompron makes a tour of Ontario with Sir Jolm Maodonald— !■ well received and delivers numeijous Speeches— An election and a Conser- vative Victory— The Minit/ter of Justice sent to Washington with Mr. Chamberkin and Sir Charles Tupper-His able work-A treaty arranged but afterwards Uirown out by the U. S. Senate-Speech «a the House upon the question— Created a K. C. M. (L, by the ^"•~" ••• r.... .97-116 CHAPTER VIL Thb Jmoits' Estatis Aop. Exceptional difficulty of the Government's position-History of the Question-Ihe debate-His great speech upon tiie Question-Overwhelming support given the Government in the House— Attacks upon Sir John from other quarten. 116-136 CHAPTER VIIL Equal Riohtb, Tm Fmmkim, and thb Febnch Lanquaoc Rise and influence of a strong Protestant party— Mr. McCarthy's Activity- Protests against tiie Jesuits' Estates PoUoy-tisheries' Question in Parliament-Sir John's Speech-The French Language in the Nortii. West— A race qnesti*». - !^3'-' Va^l^iiV-it t*t *i^**.*3V*"J -+,«■>* oaanwana. 17 CBAPTER XVL ComrionoH with thb Rohan Catholhj CHimcR. A flMse of wvera oritioiam and unjust aBpersion— Th* probable reasons for Sir John Thompson's change of religion— His sincerity, earnestness and Christian leal-His noble Christian character-Cardinal Newman and Sir John-The personal attacks of Rer. Dr. Douglas ^Mid the P.P.A.— Sir John defends the Orange right of free speech. . . .200-900 CHAFTBR XVIL PiaoAir Mattibs and TjuprnVouar. Tariff Policy of the new Qorem. ment-Mr. McCarthy's attitude-Sir John Thomps;)n announces in a briUiant speech before the Toronto Board of Trade, his intention to •• )op the mouldering branches away "-Ai^^ important utterance in the Auditorium, Toronto, shortily afterwards-A great meeting and reception to the Premier - Baeven Ministers present -Parliament , meete-The Cnrran Bridge Scandal-lTie Liberal Conyention-The ^oCarthyitesandthoP.P.A SOl^U I CHAPTER XVra. TMiB«?iBiNO 8>A QowmoN. Importance of the IsBues iuTolTed-A long- standuig problem-England willing to stand by Canada at any cost- Lord Salisbury'! famous announcement-Reference to Arbitration- Sir John ITiomp^m's appointment as British Arbitrator, a marked oompliment to Canada and to the Minister of Justice— His great «nrioee to tiie Dominion at Paris-Settlement of the Question- Return of Uie Premier, »nd his opinion of the results-The Queen appoints him a member of the Imperial Privy ComioU-Honours to Sir Charles Hibbert Tupper and others-Receptions and a banquet at ""^•^ • ..816-382 CHAPTER XEL 8m John I-hohmon and Mb. MoCaiwht. Characteristic, of the two men-Botii strong-willed and disinclined to brook opposItion-De- ^fTSJl^Lf^i'^r'^'^* ^P*" incident-Mr. McCarthy right liithinWng Sir John responsible for his Wngre«l out of the ^'Z^l y t;^* ^^* "^ '^'^ i-oe-His ipe«4«.show -=-titartr 1» tiio^ght xnwn « Vtty great dabger to the oountry-Mr. McCarthy*. Tiews-Both honesUy consistent and honestly antagon- istic .883-847 ■ I \Ni .. ^'■j£M' f I la OONRNIK CHAPTER XX. Th. NKjr Govtokoe-Gmbiui. and k Politioal Totm. Theoomfaarf tew^f n V T" *' Montreal-He visits many of the loadfnf towas of <)nUno and is everywhere splendidly reoeived-SpeS«"? Berlm and Ebnin^At Olinton-At Walkeito^At Tar. «S1outh ampton-At Luc^n- At Durham- At Alt. Fores^At KenCrtJ ' d Chnton-At MitcheU. Owen Soupd. Markdale and Glen J-Jhe " era! poUcy of the Government clearly and forcibly outlined . . 3«^ • ' CHAPTER XXI. Sin John Thompsoh a- MiKisx.a ok Jasr.o.. Hi. wonderful legal ability and kidustry-Position regarding moral questions. «,ch Td^voVS .nd Pabbc frauds-ParliamenUry interference in election IT! Constitutional questions-The Banking Act-Attitude upoHhe d»aUowance of Provincial legislation-Settlement of dispuC w th^ Ontano-Insolvenoy Legislation. f. .36^380 CHAPTER XXII, Tm CBniiKAL Cod. axd tiik CoPVBiOHr Laxv. Sir John Thomiaon'. great work m the initiation and completion of a CanadUn cJdkl Hw long struggle for Canadian Copyright-HU able ,peech«f and SUte pape„ upon the .ubjcct- Canadian Self governmr intl^ -t.^t injustice to the Canadian publishing iqteresU under pJTt ' ••:• 881-WI CHAPTER XXIII. %xL JoHH Thompson as an Imp«ual Statmman. Hi^ deep «,d earnest loyalty-ln this respect a fitting successor to Sir John Maodonald- rr!r/i^"!f.!!?l!-A*'~ 't^^^ *o Briti-h unity>View,":;;L„ the question of discrimination— British Independence denounced by Sir John alirt T J J , connection and nationalitv— Independence denounced by Sir John upon several , ourous denunciation of Annexation and its advocates- Goldwin Stnlth-Relations with Unit«I SUtes-A thorough top^: 1 occasions— Vig. .883-404 CHAPTER XXIV. Thk iNTreooLoiruii Confkeeno.. The central .rent of Sir John Th«np«,n'. Premie«hip-M«ch of it. .uooe« due. howev^ to £! \ , OOHTXMU. If MMkenzie Bowell's enthusiaatio and abls work— Sir John's briUiaui ■pMoh at the not leas brilliant opening-Results of the great gather- ^^T^ triumph for British unity and Canadian oommeictal develop, mei^t — The Premier's patriotism recognized by Lord Jersey and "*^«" ...406-416 CHAPTER XXV. LATiwErKNTSiHAOBiATLirK. The^udget debate-A pr««enUUon- National Council of Women -Ftanohise. Prohibition and^the French Treaty— Unveiling of Monuments at SpringhiU and HamUton-Visit to Toronto-Opening of the Exhibition-Bjloquent speeohes^ealing with Canada and the duties of a public man-In Muskoka f*a holi- day- UnveUing of the Statue to Sir John Macdonald in Queen's Park, Toronto— Sfdendid speech and popular reception .".417-430 CHAPTER XXVI, Last Dats axd Dramatic Death. Warned to retire from oflica in order to save his Ufe— Leaves for EngUnd to obtain a rest and to be sworn in as an Imperial Privy CounciUor-On the Continent for a short tima— Discussions with Lord Ripon and others regarding Cana- dian Copyright-Does not feel well-His last speech-Leaves London for Windsor Castle-Sworn in by the Quoen-Dies shortly after- wards-The most dramatic and perhaps saddest de»th in niodern his- tory — The noble and sympathetic conduct of Her Majesty — An Imperial Stote Funeral — " The paths of glory lead but to the grave.' .433-447 CHAPTER XXVIL -\^ A Splkkdid and Historic Bpbial. Arrival of the Blenheim at Halifax —The remains lie in State in the Provincial i 146 Sir Thomas Gait > igo Archbishop Cleary..... \ jgg Hon. A. Turcotte 170 Hon. John P. Wood ., 177 Sir John Carling jgg Archbishop Wah>h .,, ]g] Mr. Justice Gwynne 197 Hon. T. Mayne Daly ........ 203 Hon. Thomas Greenway . . . . 209 Rt Rev. Bishop Baldwin.. . . 210 Hon. Arthur R. Dickey 217 Hon. N. Clarke Wa^ace .... 226 Hon. J. C. Patterson 9S3 D'Alton McCarthy, Q. CM. P 241 Hon. F. G. Marcband 249 Wm Paterson, M. P 257 Hon. Joseph Martin, M.P. . . 267 Hon. John Christian Sclhultz 277 Very Rev. G. M. Grant, p. D. 287, Rt. Rev. Bishop Cameron. . . 305 Hon, Clifford Sifton 323 Archbishop Tach^ 341 Mr. Justice Taschereau 359 Sandford Fleming, C. M.G . . . 250 Hon. O. W. Ross, M.P.P. *. 377 %v. Dr. Potts. 258 Sir John Thompson Speaking 390 Douglas Stewart, Private Sec- retaty..... 4,3 Windsor Castle ..421 Uhnj^jT Window, Windsor Caiitl? 48, Gateway 0* Windsor Cast)e 4%i Sir Juries Tn|^r, ] 52 61 62 Hon. A. S. Hardy Ifr. Jnatiof Foamier. . , 161 1S3 H. m;8. .fifcnAeimV....... .. 46j' Commander Kingsmii)^ B. N. 454 John S. Thompson, Sr. . . . . U^^kjJiishM^^Aiii > -. ^..■•— . \/ \ A- Hon. Sir Mackenzir Bowell, K.C.M.G. /''i/ilA Prime Minhltr of Canada^ ' 9^l',i.l. ii2ki:i'k-.iM^.y^'-*.^:'l--iS:;\iX:^ * ^mmmm i f ■ if- I A *i^ * \ K 1^ John Thompson. Agtd 31 Years. ' ^"4*^^; \ r CHAPTER L i>«^^. ^ A Great Ca The Right Honourable Sir John JS. D. Thompson poesesaed one of those strong minds which, in different ages of the world's history, have octiteidoally swayed the deBtini«B of nations and controlled theii people,. by pure force of intelject. He was undoubtedly a great man. TVied by ordinary standards, it is perhaps difficult to comprehend his marvell.OQ8 success in public life, He had ncTidventi- ^ious surroujidings of family or wealth. He did not possess a commanding personal, appearance and had none of that magnetism of manner, that charm and fascination of ppeech and gesture, which enabled Sir John A Mac- donald, ^^ Palmerston or James G. Blaine to lead men whither t&ey would. Yet, by the power of ability, con- centmtion of purpose, and force of character, he rose with unique i^pidity to the highest place in his province, in his party and in his country. The last nine years of his life were filled with tri- umphs which cwne not as the reward of popularity, nor upon waves of national passion, but as the results of a great mind working with pa^ence and patriotic zeal ; with clear insight and acute intelligence, upon the different problems which were presented. Triumphs over p^^nal prejudice, bom of that fi|^lf-repression whiqh made a strong . from the^^rts of theoTdinaiyipolitielftnrTtnd' # r take refuge ii) a coldness of nianner whidi concealed jiif Xskt£ji«'-av*fj)r.^''T&5j/ttJ&''l>fe''-/5s>'?L»>', .::%k .g^.. [•ill 24 *-IFK AND WORK OF Am r ™«rt which for . long time refused to.admit the g«X« o U«,.t.tom» «,d thegoKlneaa of the n»„ whoTSrt Me. h;u^.obeyed hia consoienoe and conviction by a cCS •f reI,g,oa Triumph, of orato^r »t the Bar J/i^1£ lwment.upon the Bench and before ihe1»opleTj^?,jS' of ..Ut*,™n,hip, in the treatment of rT^d c^Tut t,onB which under the manipulation of demagoZTt,^^ «^^ed,a,nt<«r»tionof the Dominion ; a.lTtSl'^'^ »^P«I.am.nta.y matter, which mo« than once end«,«.^ theumty.adBtrenKthofthel»rty. Triumph. oJXS , ""cy, Which forced Mr. Blaine, with all hi. JcutenLT-d control of Canada and||( refnml to imiut reciDmnitTZ »y other term. : andlSch compelled^ZlSZ ^^ 1^^ line, of the long^lg BehrinXCbl^ B^umph. « an Imperial .tateeman which broughTato* the .ucce.. of the Inte«oloni.al Conference, crelw.u^" «.mmun,cation with Aa.t™lia, paved the way to ^" head of Canada through .ts Premier and reprertntaUve. J^hnTK °°'°'"»»"<"' "f 9»«Uti« which made Sir /ohn Tho.pp«>o so great in cha.«ter, m igfcfiiifclJn hJ[ career. Be w.S "ndoufeWly seltconBden^HCf .jj .ustamed. Ife wa. conlfo™, of hi. own WBS^^A rr -^ •. ^'•-'■OP O'Brien aud .hortly afte? .Wnd, tte Agnifled wticenceoT^u.. fc^ profe«Z '»WMB«nch| m public m-. in the Department of »^.y of^det«l.- w«, marveUoui.and con- -f ' -— ~.».a m, mn fimmiipfepared, and no argumant \/ SIR JOHN THOMnON. 25 ^e to him as a bewildorin^f surprise. Lucidity of Aw2?"»^* f"^ laDguage characterized him as a lawyer. If °MM ''is decisions as a Judge, and his State papers as a ^^^S^T. This faculty of clothing Bhe most difficult and ^involved transactions or propositions in clear and concise • iaftguage he possessedln an extW)rdinary degree. Judge ^ Townshend, of Nova Scotia, once declared that, " in shap- ' ing, modifying anjl adapting resjolntions and statutes to meet the views of public bodies of which he was a member, I think he-was unequalled." Like most re&lly great men. Sir John poasesBed a wonderful capacity^or work. He never seemed to be in a- hurry, and yet succeeded in constantly despatehing an ^enormous amount of business, Quickly and efficiently For some time before the death of Sir John Macdonald, it is an open secret that the Chieftain leaned greatly upon his Minister of Justice, who. during that period, as well as later under the leadership of Sir John Abbott, bore the burden .of work in !m> House of Commons, besides the many and heavy labours connected with his own Depart- ment Since then, also, he h^s at limes assumed diplo- matic duties and taken a position and share in the settle- ment of questions, such as the Behring Sea and Copyright problems, which must \have demanded much time and ' * studyf And in addition, there have been the continual .and normal requirements of deputations, speeches and journey* Perhaps it wSttW be an elaboi^ state paper to-day upon the London electionicase, a speech in the House to-mor-'" row upon the Tarte charges, an address the neit day upon the unveiling of a monument to the Springhill N. S., miners. And Sir John Thompson never did anything by halves. Whatever-he undertook was done as well as ability and close observation and application_eonld mRlrri poesibla In readmg Sir John Thompson's Jwipers and speeches ^ ■limt.: -t-n ^V.-^ " I ■r^' 26 LIFE AND WORK OP upon questiona like those of Hiel's execution, the dis-^ allowance of the Jesuits' Estates Act, the Copyright Law. or the Manitoba Schools, one is struck by the'L^^eten^' and thoroughness of his argument, the keenness and analy- ^ quality of his mind, and the industry and skill dis- ^ayed/m obtaining and marshalling the facts of the case. h!„XT.''u «^?«*i*»«o»*l or international questions, he seeined to be entirely at home. Early training hud no affec^^the M^itime Provinces, and his work li connec W.hT . i^f "^ Commission gave him a still wider msjght into both s,^es of the dispute. His later exoe- nehce as a Nova Scotian Judge and Premier increased tWs koowledge, while his position a^ Minister of Justice ^ally brought him into touch with all the legal complica- ions which followed the abrogation of the Fisheries' Clause >f the Washington Treaty and the unjust seizure of Cana- /dian vessels m the Behring Sea The British North America Act was thoroughly familiar to him in all its intricacies, and every shade of public opinion in Canada recognized frankly his high judicial insight and knowledge when It was crowned by st^lection as one of England's ar^ton, m that brilliant | gathering of statesm^ and junsts at Pans. A marked feature of th^ late Premier's character was his entire unselfishness. Devotion to duty was his watch- word, disregard of personal considerations and comfort his principle of action. Without any particular liking for politic^ as such, he left the Bench of Nova Scotia, with its und^KfT^^'f i^'u"^' ''"^ affluence and the prospect of .undoubted and high promotion, for the stormy caJeer of statesmanship. No doubt he had that ambition for fame -M ».ri{i wiK men navo^d which the next few years so fully realized. Perhaps, also, he felt that it was possible i;iiiSlfi!ft£|H4!i-1^f-. -■ /45ij;&'*iii.:ii«u,vii;-as».Kjiiste' Il Sir JOHN THOMPSON. 27 for him to render greater service to the country which he loved so well. Judging indeed by his subsequent career, there can be little doubt that Sir Johor Thompson did deliberately surrender the ermine of ease, as he at a later period refused to take the Chief Justiceship of Canada, in order to devote hiD(i8elf to promoting the welfare of the Dominion. / This quality of unselfish loyalty was well^xhibited in those dark days which followed^the death of Sir John A. Macdonlld, It was a time of political stir and stress ; a moment when the Conservative party was bewildered by the greatness of its loss ; a period when very little causes might have produced striking and startling results. A. man actuated by ambition only would have thought and said in Sif John Thompson's position that he had earned the Preniiiership, and'Ml'buld have expected it as a right But Sir John was a true statesman, and his appreciation of the situation made him see that the patriotic course was to step aside for the moment and' to continue doing his duty in a high, though still subordinate, sphere. No doubt, too, he felt the consciousness of personal power, and realized that his time could not be far distant. But it must also be remembered that at the moment in question no one knew the full strength of the sectarian feeling in Ontario. It might have prevented Sir John Thompson from ever obtaining the Premieiship, as the strength of a similar sentiment in Quebec in earlier days kept George Brown permanently out of power, and during many years in the recent history of Ontario, kept Mr. Meredith in Opposi- tion. ^ In still another w^^^as his self-sacrifice shown. No ^m&doabtt) that Sip^Jolm could have made- large rams oif — money at his profession, and maintained himself and his family in affluence. So also, had he remained a judgo, Qr >.'^. ^Si».i5iS1i*»i>!;i5ai».i»., \,.. , ^^j^ait.. ■a^. * <•. a- #! ■\-'- 28 LIFE AND WORK OF at any later period accepted a jadgeship once more, there « every p^babjlity that his life would have been mT r.'.!^^J r^;""? "' P^n-otion mpid ; while hia even- tual elevation to the lofty and remuoemtive post of a member of the Judicial Committee of the Imperial Privy Council would have been almost a certainty. But he nre dZt '^^r1.°^P'■''"'' '"« "--J ■'"'y^ 'te ease «d dignity of the Bench, and hi» sudden death left , family unprovided for, which, but for unstinted devotion to hta ^tional work, would have had ample fortune and to^ assured future. ,7?; His was a peculiar style of oratory-typical of the man and his work. He was unable, and fn any case would have been unwiUing, to move the masses by appeals to prejudice and passion. But it eloquence finds iL perfect bir John Thompson was emphatically a great orator. His memorable speech upon the Kiel question placed the new Min^tor of Justice at one bound in the front »nk ol Par lameBt^y debatora, and there he remained until his death. Indeed the fuH supremacy of his mastor-mind could hardly be aftlreciated sa« by those who heard »d (Jlti T?':? "■ *' ^'^*^ «' Parliament. Sir John M««ionald held sway in that Chamber for many years bv he force «f matchle» politicaUkiU and deztority, aid in the latter period of h^ life was aided by a ripe and respected ^r"".' "fr^^r"'' affection on tre part oT^et' T^Z \ /^ """^^ '»"'"''''«• B°» Sir John Thompro. stepped up at once to the place held by Sir fi^ he scene his supremacy as a debater was practically jSflT"; J°!!°T^'' °^ '"g^ I" allied Mr =»*«. wlKTB^kBOWn to-tams put inuch W)5r into t£~ wori»gofh».pe«,he.: in beauty of expression t^^nT s^iyS^m^. ■liii&i- ■(itt.xAmmi^ <^ ■ SIR JOfiN THOMPSON. 29 [' what reflembled Lord Rosebeiy ; in clearness and incisive- ness of style he might have been compared to Mr. Cham- berlain. His rank amongst the trained debaters of the Imperial Parliament would have been high ; his place in the Canadian House of Commons was the highest In the annals of the British Empire he will hold a permanent and lofty place. Under his leadership, though fostered and guided by the patriotic hand of^the Hon. Mackenzie Bowell, the movement for closer British rela- tionship found expression in the Ottawa Conference by means of which, tariffs, cables and steamship linos will be freely utilized ih drawing the distant parts of our vast Imperial realm into commercial, political and personal union. As the Londcn Daily News so well said, that step " established a precedent and suggested the possibility of an imperial federation. The calling of it belonged almost to the dreamland of statesmanship" But the result belongs also to the record of practical work and progress which Sir John perhaps appreciated more than sentimental considerations. The latter he by no means deprecated, however, and his mournful death, almo;,t at the feet of the Sovereign he had served so well, illustrates, as did his life and policy, the famous utterance in a speech at Belleville : "He who serves Canada, serves the Empire, and he who serves the Empire seivves Canada as well." But while his statesmanship exceeded the bounds of the Domini(^n and stamped itself upon Imperial history; while his heart went out to the Mother-land and his policy strove to bind its children in close union and brotheriy intercourse; yet the life work of Sir John Thompson was essentially Canadian. He was emphatically a son of the soil. Bom and edwated in CmadoTBIs early potitieal battles and later political successes were all fought and obtained within the Dominion. Imperial honours ware s»."\:CiiiV j^ W 'i'> rn 80 I-IPE AND WORK OP H the consequent def^u of fh P^^^^, ^^^^''^^'^i^^ion and and welfare of the Dominion "''''''''^>' ^*^ "^« Progress Sir John iDspired tbe rank anfl fir« „t .u '' thorough conBJence in hkM^ ', °' ""^ r'^ '""' most bitter opponent, Tith ^e" ^^^7' """ "'' honour. The result »•«.» thl ? , ^ '""""''y """l t».l strength! h"iusJra!d '»"'-'"-». '"3 intellec- become qu\li l„ :tX XT ^1^"°"'"'" "'^ power to'his ieader^h rtwch ' fa it 'l'^ '™' " P^"""- remained unshaken by aU the I , ill .T """'''' '"''"' rian advocacy. ^ ""''''''' "'"' '«"" °f ««»»»- It is difficult to be critical concerning such a Hf. . a character us that of Sir John Thomp.,on Ipart fmm ^H sympathy which-the AhtoI of n^th f , ™ "" and particularly when^? i Death creates for all men ^ with «"S „ 'l5^^„f^'^ ^-l" »™»odi„g, ^ ".. to find .ults in cithfrr'plrorpZ.^ JT' Hon. Si* Oliver Mowat, K.C.M.G., M.P.P, Prime Ministir of Ontano. I \\ t-A 1 ;i ■y''''>'i "KtT Hon. The Earl of Dbrby, PC, G.C.B. Lait Gmtmer^tKtral o/ Canada. ^,rf . ,^.,l.! V A. * '•••~ '--•o' m- ' t ' ir SIR JOHN THOMPSON. «, ' . 3J Men differed from him in polifcica. but all united in pitoiw ot his life, his motives his character, his attainments / When death came, the Opposition press was as eulogistic as were the Government organs. Men djiTered from him m religion, but his life was so pure, his change of faith has been proved to have been so conscientious and at the time so injurious to his material interests, that a.\\ criticism has been hushed, and the denunciations of Dr. Douglas, sincere as thit eloquent divine no doubt was. are buried with him His faults were undoubtedly few, his virtues many He lived indeed as though he fully appreciated the fact that " Our li/e of tnorba breath Is but a suburb of the life Elysian, " Whose portal we call death." ^ It is not fulsome flattery of a man, who was good as well as great, to say that his whole career and character constitute a noble example for young Canadians. There was never any doubt that Sir John Thompson would do right in any public emergency, in accordance with his con- victions, and up to the extreme limit of his power. His inflexible purpose compelled respect from the leaders of his party, and combined with his high chai-acter and great ability, caused his Cabinet, as well as his followers in the . House, and in the country, to give an extraordinary degree of consideration to his wishes. A well-regulated ambition coupled with concentration of aim and a wide degree of culture,^ brought him the highest place in a field which his patriotism had made as wide as the Empire. These quali- ties render the career of Sir John Thompson memorable, and important to all Canadians. They carried him from _ the repQfter's table to^hefoot^^fafrTfaronertfeey made — the young lawyer of other days Minister of Justice for this wide Don\jnion and a British representative -upon more i .^.t^ t.lv&Uias5*'ifiJi "r ./•■ '. u £ I LIFE AND WORK OF than one important occasion ; the^^ade the once youthful < pohtician and debater a great Prime-liKnister and powerful speaker. They will carry his name stffl, further down the corridors of time, as ' ^ " Were • star quenched on high, Fop agee would its light. Still travelling downwards from the aky. Shine on our mortal sight. So. when a great man dies Few years beyond oar ken. The light he Te»VM behind ^i'^ *4cn Upon uhc va^« <'< viaa.'* fj .-''■■-' ^^^ji^iiS.zM'^MM SIB JOSN THOMPSON. 8fi CHAPTER IT. Early DAYafi The Maritime Provinces' have .hsedme^J&mcr^ for the men they produce. The broad Dominion of Canada from end to end has felt the |^press of their virle forca wid unusual ability. The name of Sir Charles' Tupper is stomped m vivid letters upon the pages of provincial, nationa and ,mpenttl history. The eloquence of Joseph Howe 8t.ll thunders dovm through the years which have parsed smce his wonderful voice was hushed in death. ™^r%rT?^ *°^ '^"^ °^ ®^" ^"i«" »»™n have ^e McGiU Umversity one of thA great educational Centres of the world, and left his name l lofty one in the diffi^lt realms of science. The gi^at Work of Principal ' Granyaa built up Queen's University. Kingston, imd his fanjWs an w, but also to master the difficult art of stenography. Thea as in the future, What JeMndto^4o,h% did thoroughlyr-^Tid-whwi threarlr" yeara of hard Aoia constant struggle at the bur commenced, the young lawyer was only too gl^ to eke out his income by *".."- " ■ ' . » . •• ' - . ■ ■ o , — - '.5^«^ ^^^ 38 LIFE AMD.WOB^ OF the use of an accomplishment not very cofumoii at the time As a matter, of fjtct also, thefe is as much difference be- tween a first-clos^ 8ten(%rapher, such as h^e w practised law and, at the same time, reporter the^ debates of the Legislative Assembly. In V 1867, the ^^cial Reporter of the House was Mr. John G^rge B^rmot, now the, learned and distinguished Clerk of the Doimnion House of Commons. His volumes ipr that yearWke acknowledgment to John S. D. Thompson for assistaikce given, and in the succeeding year they beak: the signatur^f Mr. Thompson as ReportertM-chi6f. During the four following sessions he continued to report ^e debates with\oTeat advantage to himself in the gaining k a thorough an)i ready knowledge of the procedure of Pai? hament. It mitet also hav^ given him a very complete acquaintance witlkthe politics and political leaders of his province, and beenYf great assistance when he later on came to enier the House of Assembly. Meanwhile the reputation of the yourig lawyer was growing. When he had been at the Bar bu^ittle more than two years he hak won thfej^pect mnd con^ence of the Bench and of his professioMJirfit^n. ^Sin^Uelty, siaeeritp and^airneir s^m to have been the predonHinant qualities of the lawyer ^l Kr SIR JOBn THOMPSON. M as they were afterwanla of the judg^ and the statesman His first partner was Mr. Joseph" Coombes. for whom he- did the office work and prepared briefa ; his second ^ after a few years of indifferent progresei trom a pecuniary' standpoint, was Mr. Wallace Qraham. The firm thus finally formed Was a success, and Mr. Thompson soon jose in his profession until he attained the foremost place before the Provincial Bar. ,. . Duribg these years he worked exceedingly hard Matters were complicated by his father's health failing and for some years the son performed much of the >^ork 'per- taining to his parent's QoViBrnment position by sitting un and labour! . far into the nighl^ I* 18 a melancholy fact staled by (toe of his friends in those seemingly distant da^s, that his ambition then was to make sufficient money , to keep his own family from ever being in the difficultiw he himself had experienced. As a lawyer during this / penod he contributed to the true dignity of a greatr»e_ fession, scorned pettifogging tricks, and was ever oiTthT side of peace and settlement where such results were aT all poMible. His powers of concentration were very great and of course aided him not a little in getting thn>ugh multifarious duties and m winning legal successea In J870. at the age of twenty-six, John Thompson Affleck, of Halifax. /To her. the partner of !» Lriy struggles and his Uter greatness, he was ever the most devoted of husbands, as he has been to his children iW though ful and tendef parent. But the marriage was not «;complwhed without some difficulty. Miss iSeck was a Koman Catholic, he was a Protestant His fanuly wer« most d^yoted and pronoanced JtfetfaodiBtrr wife^^fia^ r ht le of that undue religious prejudice which is apt to de- velop in small communities and in the hearts and minds of the very best of people. He was, however, drifting into V. ^MM^i*!4 or nothing , and which indeed un- tters, either is intention ingageoient the church ;tended the ras decided f&y and as X, arrange^ > have the ion Power con of that >e matters. ly, and on Harried in lie Roman a marked ike, and in the silent t that as a )et Metho- f its ipost urprise in > had been Hon. Alkx. Mackenzie, M.P. Sec0mi Prime Minister o/ Canaiia. ...■,.-Xt;^ " -'^ •■ ^ !■/ SIR JOHN THOMPSON. 48 debating th^ question, and that the final step was ofily taken after the deliberate weighing of arguments and con- clusions which characterized him throughout life. He was never the creature of circumstaiiees, and' there cannot be the slightest doubt of his having made the change from the highest and purest of motives. As he reriiarked at the time to an intimate friend :— « I have everything to lose froma worldly standpoint by the step I am abottt-tb take " But so convinced were all his friends of his sincerity and 80 much did they admire his high-minded indifference to any success which might be attained by refusing to run counter to public opinion or individual prejudice, that they ^ clung to him all the more closely, and his popularity grew rather than diminished. A few months after the event he was elected an Alderman of Halifax in the fifth wArd, and by acclamation. This position he continued to hold for six years, in 1874 being also elected a member of the City Board of Schopl Commissioners. Of the latterbody he was for a time chairman. In civic affaire the young Alderman soon took an active and prominent part, and his surviving colleagues, as Will as the records of the Council itself bcM ample testimony to his ability and skiU. And so with the . School Board. Education was then, as it always is in mixed religious communitiee, a difficult matter to deal with in Balifax There were no Separate Schools, though of course many pnvate institutions were maintained of a more or less reli gious character. The School Board was chosen without reference to creed and it had to manage the conflicting views of the different elements of the people. In this Mr Thompson showed marked skill. It is said that he haidly ^m^^^A^ one. ^« did not belie >eiinHrtngoii1jgBg people, and if his manner was too cold and distant to win "opular affection, his qualities at least oompeUed public Lf rf ^ Be* a «_[Ji'f-'S^;t.- ''■r''f*i.. „;,iv..'.: 44 LIFE AND WORK OF wspect. while his quiet, Signified way of discusBinif matters prevented people from taking personal offence at his oppo- tttion to their viewa |He once warned a close personal fnend, who now holds a high judicial place in the Dominion that he was " too impulUe," and advised him to use every' possible argument agailist the point in dispute, but never/ so as to personally offend the other disputant. And there . ^ IS no doubt about his own success in these years of prelimi- nary struggle. His influence in the Council was supreme and no one could throw oil upon the troubled waters of the' School Board better than he. Writing on Dec 4th. 1877 the HaMfax HeraM says that " If any Alderman ever con- ducted himself in such a manner as to win popularity and - confidence that man was Alderman Thompson." During these years the young lawyer was .for some time President of the Young Men's LiteraryAssoiiation of Halifax, and of the Charitable Irish Society, taking a deep interest in their affairs a^d general proceedings. Naturally also he was steadily developing his debating powers as well as increasing the stores of information and knowledge of precedents, which Ue at the basis' ^ a genuine and perma- nent Parliamentary reputation. The shyness of early youth soon wore away, so far as any outward manifestation was concerned, but the reserveiT manner remained and dung to him through life. But then, and always, he disliked public speaking, and for this reason, probably, was never a good campaign orator. Any audience, however, which desired to hear a clear-cut analysis of the questions at issue with out oratorical frills or appeals to sentiment and passion could appreciate an address from John Thompson, and would probably leave the building impressed by the hon- ^•fr*P^ honor Pi the majaajyell aa by thfr4egical streagtfa . of^uaaguments. ^ • At this time the storms which had swept over fht 'IPU, f^jikj^^^iu)!^ >V"^^-*-'^ ■*& w BIB JOBN THOMPSON. 46 politics apd parties of Nova-Scotia wer^ somewhat abated, though much of bitterness still remained. The great figure of Joseph Howe had passed from the scene and only the memory wasieft of a man whom the Canadian people of to-day can hardly appreciate at the full measure of his superb ability and disinterestedness. The historic battles which he waged for responsible government and against confedera]tion had brought out a display of eloquence and power which, in a less circumscribed sphere would have made Howe one of the great men of the age. The latter contest was a struggle' of giants. Tho sledge-hammer blows of Dr. Tupper ringing against the sliiuid of his eloquent antag- onist made the prolonged battle a memorable one to all Nova-Scotianfi, and the literary part taken in it by Mr. Thompson, senior, as a devoted friend and follower of the Anti-Union leader, wa» by no means small. During this period the Province was literally deluged with pamphlets and political literature of all kinds ; the press v^ds loaded with arguments and fiery denunciation ; the air y^ras filled with the sounds of oratory. Finally, on "^e I8lh of September, 18C7, the new Dominion was startled by intelligence of the terrific defeat which the supporters of Canadian federation had received in Nova-Scotia. Out of eighteen members of the Commons, but one Confederate, Dr. Tupper, was returned ; and out of 38 members of the Provincial Assembly only two Confederates had survived the political hurricane. Howe literally held the Province in his hand and had he pleased, during the next year or two could have taken Nova-Scotia out of the Union and compelled the Dominion to conquer jt or else wait for a turning tide. But the Imperial Government refused to "gi^ant^wnstitutiohal repeal of tlie Union, and he was too loyal iv.mftn to dream of using force. Many of his followers ho\Vever, began to assume a disloyal\ttitude and to ^ven dally Writh American sympathizera . y^ 1 s«^^ ■■ "'*»tS*'jh *" :, Mt. .r,-^ 46 LIFE AND work: OP ilf Here was the opportunity for the Dominion .party, which had been gradually regaining ground during the in- terval And no one could seize an opportunity quicker than Sir, John A Macdonald. He came to Halifaxand saw Howe ; played upon his love of British connection and closer Imperial unity ; convinced him of the «SKou8 danger mto which the Anti-Confederates were drifting and «ie ut..»>svvi •fivj'-iffi. t-M^t^^^tMii 'viks-v , ^ SIR JOHN TH0MP8 )N. 47 oues coming before the Supreme Court of Nova-Scotia, and was i^pidly acquiring a foremost place at the bar, as well as inxmunicipal pdlitics, and in the appreciation' of public men wKo were able to judge of ability in those rising around them, ft was a curious friendship which existed at this time between the young lawyer, with his cold and reserved manner, his suppressed emotions and solid judgment, and the emotional and impetuous Archbishop 'Connolly, with his fervid temperament and characteristic Irish eloquence. Bishop Cameron of Antigonish describes his firet meeting with Mr. Thompson as being at a dinner in the Archbishop's house some years after the religious change, which has been elsewhere referred to, and says : •— " Dinner over, His Grace invited us to his room and began to give us the detailed history of a case at la-w in which he was largely interested. As a listener, a perfect listener, he (Mr. Thompson) impressed me very much. And when he broke his dead silence, his rapid and searching examination was a study, soon followed by unbounded admiration at the easy skill With which he proved that he had already thoroughly mastered the whole complicated subject at issue and completely dissipated every difficulty that had the mo- ment before seemed all but insurmountable." . 'Archbishop Hannan, who succeeded Dr. Connolly in 187e, wasfcot upon very intimate or friendly terms with Mr. Thompson, and the latter's action in defence of a local religious sisterhood which appealed to him fcA- legal aid, actually embittere4 their relationship. It seems that the sisterhood in question consulted the lawyer regarding cer- tain regulations made*^by the Archbishop which they did not like, and he advised an appeal to Romfl- Mfter* f3EQ- longed controversy, in which Archbishop Lynch of Toronto was accidentally involved, the sisterhood finally triumphed. 'Lettw (0 Um Aatiior, dated Dwe^W SOtihTl^l """"" . -Iw^ ». V -"fci ■H'i' . -Wl^'lp >fe --t 48 LIFE AND WORK OF But this was sometime after the period now under consi- deration. Meanwhile an important epoch in his career was at hand. During the thirty-three years of h\a past life he had proven the possession of certain qualities which almost ensure auccess to the man who has them. As a boy and a young man his affection for his parents had been something remarkable. His father naturally inspired re- spect, and the judicious and close intimacy to wbich he admitted the son, di^ much to mould the mind and char- acter of the future statesman. He won and wedded his wife despite the difference of religion which his education and family influence made a considerable difficulty, and being the man he was, it is probable that he never even considered the fact that her lack of money made the future depend entirely upon his Own exertiona He had clearly shown in the practice of law ^nd in the practice of prelim- inary politics that the performance of duty and the main- tenance of absolute integrity, wore to him far more pre- cious than the glamour of a fle^ \ing popularity, or the glitter of success obtained by doubtjEul means. And in the public recognition^of these qualit^s he had laid the foundation for a higher position and a j^^rmanent reputa- tion. «;Jter^N*J,'Ut-. iA under consi- ireor was at % ■3 T7^ ^ ^^""r HIK JOHN TUOMMON. 49 CHAPTER IIL ' Law anjD Poutios. { The time had noW come for Mr. John a D. lionSpson to rise out of the Prov&cial sphere of legal practice and to take a place amongst the more or less leading lawyers of the Dominion. He had, it is true, already made himself felt before the Bench of Nova^Sootia, and had been con- nected with a number of important cases. He had thor- oughly familiarized himself with th6 law and practice of his own Province, but as yet the sphere had been too limi- ced for fame and not sufficiently remunerative for weftlth = But in 1877 came the chance. In the early part of that year the Halifax Fisheries' Commission met. It was the outcome of the Washington Treaty of , 1871, by the terms of which the Americans had been |iven the right to fish for. twelve yeaiB within the limits of Canadian waters in return for a similar right on the part of British subjects within the jurisdiction of the United State& As this latter privilege was almost value- less it was agreed that an International Commission should meet at some date to be ther^ter arranged and settle the amo^nt of the compensation which was to be paid Great BritaiV on behalf of Cwada. Firom various causes nothing definite was done during the Ipllowing half^ioaien yeaw . It was notxthe fault of ithe Canadian Government On the 8th of Febrtiaq?,.1877, Mr. MackfenaeVadministratiiHri nounced through the Speech from the Throne that in spite of every ofibri tio advance had been made ia obtaining a ig^^mi^ > •\' . v^n-i+k, '.'■' * /-r «o LIFE AND WORK OF settlement from the United States^ pledged under the terms of the Treaty. Sir John Macdonald in speaking to the Address admitted that the fault did not lie with Can- ;*^*' ^^ expressed the earnest hope that the incoming American Government would "remove the stigma that had been ckst upon the good faith of the American people." by f the previous and positive refusal, to carry out this provi- sion of the Treaty of Washington. Hie expectations based upon the coming into office of President Hayes were promptly realized, and on June 16th the Commission met at Halifax. The central figure in the gathering was M. Maurice Delfopse, Belgian Minister at Washington, who was named by the Austrian Minister in London, and was expected to hold the scales with absolute justice between the British Commissioner, Sir Alex. T. Gait, K.C.M.G., and the. Amdrican Cotnmissioner, Hon. Ensign H. Kellogg. M. DelfossA was electel President, and per- formed his duties with dignity and ilaimess. Hardly less important personages were the twi) Agents, the British being Mr. (now Sir) Francis Clare Ford ; the American, the Hon. Dwight Foster. There was a brilliant 8rr<^ of coun- sel, the British side being especially strong in this respect It included such men as Joseph; Doutre, Q.C„ of Montreal ; S. R Thomson, Q.O., of St John, N.B. ; Hon. W. V. White- \ way, Q.C., of Newfoundland Hon. L. H. Davies, of Char- ^ Vtetown ; and R. L. Wheatherbe. Q.C.. of Halifax. Upon thA American side were Richard H. Dana, Jr., and Fr^cis H, Trescott But, fortunately for the case he had to pre- sent, %. Dana i^pcognized the necessity of calling in to his assistance, somd Nova*Scotian lawyer who was known to be thorougVy posted in Maritime Provincial matters and versed in thef^aw of maritime nations, deflected Mr. J. S. p. Thompson^and thw gave him the onrojpportunity Ixe ^ required. It wai^^ with him, as it is in such casea^^th all lawyers, a purely bosihess transaction. V ••-J" J Sf^ 'sA*- \ -■•^.»'tyiT^-tTi«?«- ^d under the a speaking to lie with Can- the incoming igma that had .n people," by it this provi- i • I -r SU John CaldwblL ABBort. K-CMIg., Q.C, D.C.L. / ThM Prtmitr of Canada. -f-j^^Mi&i'i: yslA t -^ i -a \ '(I: -y r t !• % Thb Hon. Sir Samubl IIknry SirpncV- Chirf Jutiiu 0/ CamaJa. *^ U !.«lfS«>*P?^'P5i?^-^ ■ ^71? ^IR JObN TnOMPSON. ft) f ' '. Two sides in art important international ease had to be presented before certain judges, and he undertook to aid in the preparation of the American brief. On the 80th of July and after the Commission had been flitting for three days, he was formally introduced in the following words, extracted from the official minutes : " Mr. Dwight Foster then requested permission to in- troduce Mr. J. S. D. Thompson, of Halifax, and lifr. Alfred Foster, of Boston, who would attend the Commission to perform such duties on behalf of the United States as might be assigned to them." Those duties, so far as Mr. Thompson was concerned, were suflSciently onerous. There was no publicity for him in connection with the case ; his name only appears once upon the minutes of the meetings ; he delivered no speeches and received no officialthanks. Tet there can be no doubt that he prepared the greater part of the American, case, and especially that which had a local application ; that he had to make a profound Study of the whole Fisheries question ; and was required to analyee the evidence produced, for the ' benefit of the United States counsel His rewaad was a largefee— estimated at $6,000— and a considerable increase in reputation. Afl the ffalifax Herald said some months afterwards, "It is a point of pride with us that Mr. Thomp. son was deemed so eminent in hip- profession as to be sought after by the American Qovemment " The result of the Commission was not all that Canada desired or expected, but to the United States it was ' intensely unsatislawjtory. The tribnial awArded Canada $0,500,000 by a majority vote, Messrs. Delfosse andOalt supporting, and Mr. Kellogg dissenting. For nearly a year " -the Ameriean Quvumment delayed thr payment to wfaf^=" they were in honour pledged, and while at least one-half of j^e fifteen millions paid by Great Britain in full for the ^ Hi: tAt-.-t^^^V' t fi>ii!,i^\-- 0' 'jSii, iJ..jn t> 4, ,■% ll~^ a) Ab' 54 LIPB AND WORK OF ! 1! m ..V' Alabama dliraa^ was lying in their vaults uncalled for and unclaimed. Finally, towards the close of 1878, the amount was handed over, but only after an ungracious protest from Mr. Welsh, the American Minister to England, in which he declared that "the Government of the United' States cannot accept the result of the Halifax Commission as furnishing any just measure of value of participation by our citizens in the in-shore fisheries of the British Provincea" Mr. Thompson was afterwards, for political purposes, criticized for his share in the case, but the very general feeling was that he had acted perfectly within his rights as a lawyer, knd that the very fact of a leading Halifax barrister being aUowed without public objection to tak%#uch a part, showed the Canadian desire to give our rivals every fair right to oasistance before the tribunal. It, no doubt, helped also in the moral compulsion after- wards required to obtain payment of the award. In November, 1877, the opportunity came for one who had proved himself an able lawyer to show whether he also possessed the qualities of a politician and statesmaa As a rule,*nd despite the number of lawyers who play at ^ politics and the politicians who meddle with law, the qualifications are not often combined in any great degree. A training in law is apt to^ limit the intellectual horizon and restrict the broad-minded interpretation of precedents and that freedom of mental action, so essential to a man who aspires to trtie statesmanship. The great English party leaders have never been lawyers, and men like Brougham Eldonor Campbell would perhaps have been greater in character and reputation had they adhered to law and not dabbled in politics. And it is probable that Mr. .Thomp- son's first essay in political life was not in the end success- fut,|>^nai.p»riypoinfrwf vlBW,b6causeTiew^^ ^ look, too much at legislation from the legal standpoint and ■,&;*fe^^lua«a.!ci«i^:&»:.»i'&^i ;; -■?#» SIB JOHI( THOMPSON. 55 think too little of popular sentiment in connection with it Other and specific causes thpre were, but in a general sense this had much to do with the result. * However, all went well at the beginning. A vacancy had occuwed in the representation of Antigonish county in the Local House of Assembly, and a movement at once commenced for the nomination of Mr. J. S. D. Thompson. At that time a little coterie of men were active in Halifax Conservative circles. aU of whom afterwards attained more or less eminence. Robert Sedgewiclc is now a Judge of the Supreme Court of Canada ; Martin J. Griffin, Editor of the Halifax Herald, is Parliamentary Librarian at Ottawa ^^ » well-known Canadian writer ; Wallace Graham, Q.O.! ^^lii^^^^ *^^ Supreme Court of Nova-Scotia; 0. J.' Tosipa^d became a member of several Nova-Scotian GoVemBents. and is now a Judge of the Province ; George Johnson is Dominion Statistician at Ottawa. There were ott^ers ^, including Mr. J. J. S^wart, the present pro- pn6tpr ^ the ferald. And the way in which they clung together was as renoy&rkable as the manner in which the most of them rose to fama Not Ifess noteworthy, perhaps was the regard in which Mr. Thotapson was held "by these rising men of his own home city. On the 2l8t of November, the Halifax Herald came out with an editorial declaring that, "Should Mr. Thompson be nominated by the Opposition in Antigonish, should he accept a nomination, at least seven-eights of the city readers of the Government organs will be found hoping he may win, % the organs fight against him under the melancholy diaadvaAtage of knowing that the majority of thei^^arty look upon Mr. Thompson as a man who ought JoJ>e in pnbMo life, who will be in public lifvwhowifr^ ^i make hi^ marie in public life, and who has the ability, character and standing to do credit to any public position . t '^W^^''Xd.\- .j^ ,»f ry^. 86 LIFE AND WORK OP in Wjiich he may be placed." Shortly after this high tribute, he was given the unanimous Conservative nomin-' ation, and during the brief campaign of a week which followed made ten speeches in the constituency. But it was not all clear sailing. His opponent was a Koman Catholic Conservative named Joseph McDonald who received the strong support of the Local Government' and who expected to obtain enough Conservative votes ii defeat the Opposition candidate. The Hdiifaai Chronicle commenced thq .campaign against Mr. Thompson by the charge that he was^ the nominee of Bishop Cameron, and that "his religion was expected to have more to do with his prospects in Antigonish than his politics." This was rather an absurd argument to address to a county which was overwhelmingly Catholic in population, but which had for years shown its moderation by electing otie Protestant and. one Roman Catholic. And in connection with this first appearance of a statement which has had considerable currency during many following years, a further extract from the letter of Bishop Cameron, which has been pre- viously mentioned, will be of interest. He writes- "Towards the end of October, 1877, 1 was convalescmg after a serious attack of illness, when one day I received! friendly visit from Senator Miller. A by-election was soon to take place in AntigonisL In that connection the Senator said : ' What do you think of the idea of inviting Mr. J. S. D. Thompson to become a candidate ? ' My reply was as follows: « T should be delighted to see my native oounty represented by a man of Thompson's standing and ability. Upon my being asked whether Miller would be allowed to make use of the above expression. I readily rephed that mxwordswmbPt the Jionoatoxpressiog^ 1^ my tiews. and that I was not ashamed of their being known to all whom they might concern." The Bishop ihen goes f S %\iik ^i^'.'^ttijC^'i'd'Vjv^ J". J "'iir! ■a;'-%-^' „ .■atak.Sf.A^.jjJfe, SIR JOHN THOMPSON. 67 >res8i<» of" on to say that he resided at that time in Arichat and did not visit any part of Antigonish County during the cam- paign that ensued. ^ As a^matter of course, the knowledge that Bishop Cameron favoured any particular candidate wo«ld help rather than hurt him tmder such ^conditions as prevailed T^ 11^ nail upon the head in saying that even if the C^gA was true in ite assertion. Mr. Thompson was \«. jHF "^ ^^'^ *'*'''°^ *^""d *»»e favourable Zfr^^''''^ t *^ "''** *^'^ ^^ scholarly, the most ^6ned and powerful, ecclesiastics in the Lower Provinces " But m fa^t. he was the candidate of no one man. Halifax Conservative opinion almost pushed him into publiclife- his nomination papers were signed by the principal men in' Antigonish County, which in any case had stro^Oppos^ t.on leanings; he did not seek the constituency^it ^Cht him. After the nomination, his speech was descS by a local paper. ITie Gasket, as something unusual '• We inTn '!r Si?"° 'P"^^" "^ ^'-•^<**' ^ *^« States. 1 m our own Frovmce, and we fear not to assert that Mr listened to. In fluency and ease, and grace and vigour of expression, he is without a peer in this country." ^Qther local referen^ to his ability and ^ntlemanly bearin ' resoited m the Uuge majority of 617. 1. ''™.V«'7«>Mider.ble viotory for a yo»i«r mm ^ho h«l Ju herto only taken a ^i^U inter^tZ^^^ ^^''L"'« _»''^« Qov»rpm«nt igtenat and ^a Xrri- wh.ch h. waa a eteanger, and in whjoh he had only , week t. b«»n.. «^aamt«l The Ck>n^„ativ. Oppia« i^ 1b.tilu4;, t « j'Mii '■ r I. ^8 LIFE AffD WORK OP lated the County of Antigonish on haWn^ secured the sei<- .vices of one of the ablest youug men in the Province' It congratulated Nova-Seotia upon obtaining the public ser- vices of a man of high character and tried ability it congratulated the Opposition upon such an accession of > strength to its ranka The Government of Nova-Scotia was at this tim*e In ttie hands of the, Liberal party, under the leadership of the Hon. ? a Hill. ^ A large majority of the Legislature was at Its back, but it^had become somewhat weakened by a . reckless management of the finances, by certain scandals m connection with details of Administration, and by the growilig unpopularity of the Liberal Ministiy at Ottawa, ooupl^ with that omtiiscient factor in political affain*!- hard times. Mr. Thompson's victory in Antigonish marked the tpming of the tide, and a year later, at the same time that^he Mackenzte Government was swept from power by the nsipg wavfes of Protectionism, the Nova-Scotia Minis- try was so badly beaten at the pdlls that only eight of its supporters were returned to the Legislature out of a mem bership of thirty-eight All the ministeni but one were defeated. '\ . Mr. Thompson feame. back to the Assembly from Anti- gonish by acclamation, and on the 2l8t of October 1878 a Conservative Government was formed by the Hoa Simlm H. Holmes, who ipok the portfoUo of. Provincial Secretary with J a D. Thompson as Attomey-GeAeral. and the Hon Samuel Creelman, a veteran Radical of the days of Howe' as -Commissioner of Works and Mine& Messrs. C j' McDonald, W. B. Troop, J. S. McDonald. N. W White, C J T^wjigheM and H F. McDouffiOl^^d^ce without port^ foJioa The new Attorney-General was warmly welcomed Hy a portion of the press, the Herald declaring him to be h SEtt JOtaf THOMPSOK. 69 of high standing in every situation of public or private life, with a reputation as dear as nqdnday from all charges and ^ven all suspicions. I^nch was expected from the new Ministry, and in a very substantiaV way much was received. To extrica^ the Province, from financial difficulties, to lift its railway . system out of the hopeless muddle into which it had fallen, and to reform the loose method of municipal government! were the requirements of the moment. The Premier and his chief assistant set themselves to this task, and in three years of economy and retrenchment paid off $70,000 of the $400,000 debt incurred by their predecessprs ; reduced expenditures by $160,000; doqWed the receipts froin mmes; and trebled the receipts from Crown Landa In another direction considerable success was achieved. ' The preceeding aovemment had subsidized Provincial railways, to the extent of $1,400,000 duririg its term kit office, but withqut securing the results aimfed at. There now seemed to be diflfculties in every direction. .Grants had been expended without half the work being done and in the case of the Eastern Extension Railway, the Com'! pany, contractors^ and OoveVnment appeared to be m a*" perfect tangle of troubla One or' two minor rdads w6i» soon completed by the new Ministry, and its energies were then dev^ to the production of a schen.e which should effect the complete consoUdation of tb;* railways of the' Province under the control, of an English syndicate. Some local men of wealth were interested, but the principal members of the Company were Sir Heiiry T^Jer Lord Ashley, Lord Colin Campbell, and t)ther Englishmen of similar standing. Under a voluminous contract Prepared "\ * . ^ -tlje Tkttorney-Qenerat. the Company, after ooniiderable discussion, both public and private, agreed to complete some of the existing roads, and to construct 140 miles of « Jt. IP. L s*J • ^1 .[£. £ JUV .. 1^ i i^ ' X 80 -L# UFff AND WORK OF Ml |l! new railway. *The Government in turn promised c(»n. siderable grants of land, and consented to guarantee the ^interest on dertain bonds. There seemed to be no gperal opposition to the . scheme. From one quarter, however, eafae steadfast and stinging criticism, and the ability with which Mr W?^ Fielding, then editor of the Halifax Morning Ghronide handled the question, not only eflfected the public mind injuriously to the Government, but helped to place him in the prominent position which he afterwards attained of Prime Minister of Nova-Scotia. But these attacks made no impression upon the Legislature. In opening the ses- sion of that body on January 19th, 1882, the Lieut- Governor was very optimistic, and prophesied that the railway consolidation arrangements would "mtfrk a new era in the development of the Province!" On Feb lut following, Mr. Thompson delivered a long and powerful speech upon the Railway Bill, which embodied the scheme in Its entirety, and the measure was carried by a sweeping majority. It easily passed the CouncU, but the success of the Liberals at tihe^.lls a few months later prevented it from ever going into Operation. .^ Another matter dei^lt with, and to the lasting benefit ^ of the Province, w« the reform of its municipal system! It was a most diffic^iilt task. The old method of municipal government waa vastly inferior to that of Ontario and even to the system which had been established in New Brunswick two years previously. Attorney- General Ihdmpson, however, went into the matter with his usual thoh)ughne8S, and seemed to be utterly oblivious of local pophlar clamor or of political exigenciea His Municipal Coq^ration Act, which finally became law.^efieeted iSr geni^ne revolStiop: Each county in the Provin'oe wal incor^)orated and provided with municipal self-government. 3 iJSL'.",*.. t steadfast luad liich Mr. W?^. iing Ghronide, te public mind k) place him in I'ds attained of 9 attacks m^ade pening the ses- '2, the Lieut- 3sied that the "mftrk a new On Feb. lut, ftnd powerful ied the scheme b^ a sweeping the success of prevented it * i *:« • ■\ ' Hon. Geo. E. Fovikr, D.C.L.,M.I'. « Finance Ministtr 0/ Panada. ■' — " . • ■■'\ I ■ - ■v >- / . ' • ' / ■-•■■■ ^ i \ . /■ • ■ . \. •'. •* % ■■■{K Sir AdoI^b Caron, K C.M.G., M.P. P»*tmtuUr-Gtneral. ~ -) .:-*? . , ^,!|i^^l^^^-^','.*^^a|^»,'%«fe»,J*«I,A,&4(^" V '5^'- • ' ' V***-' i.'.a.*.-,-4(»^ -' 1 SIR JOHN THOMMSON. 68 largely upon the Qntario plan, in place of the on^uated method of rulo^ by Sessions of the Peace and Grand Juriea luo control of road .and bridge moneys was vested in\he municipal councils, and many abuses develoiiied as tti< natural outgrowths of an old system^ were done away ^th. It was nat)aral that a measure of wholesale reform such as this should create discontent in different quarters, it The Liberal Opposition, as a matter of coi\rse, oppo^ and censured it. Magistrates all over the Province, whom it deprived of the §hare in governing the counties which they h^ hitherto held, were naturally indignant. And an army of officials who had been previouslj^ connected with the expenditures upon roads and bridges fought vigorously against the new proposals and against Mr. Thoifipson as the author of the reforms. But the measure wits so good as a whole that th^Legislature could hardly refuse to pass it, even thougl^.4^ majorily knew that the consci^tious labours 0^;itKe Attorney -General would deprive theNGov- ' emjoeirirparty in the coming elections. of the support of what had practically become a political machine — t^e magistracy ot the Province. A prolonged effort was also made by the Holmes^ Thompson Government, ^ if. was railed, to abolish the not \ very useful, a^nd certainly expensive, Upper House. In 1879, the Ministry introduced a bill for that purpose, which was passed by the Assembly but thrown out by the liegis- • lative Council. An address to the Queen was then carried through the pobalar chamber praying for such amendgnent , to the British |7orth Amenca Act as would permit the Lieui-Govemdr-in-Council to appoint enough members df . the Upper Hou9e to carry the measure. The latter body presented a. cQuiiitw address to^ Jl^ Mcyeityv-Mid^l Ministry followed that up with an able document prepared by Mr. Thiunpfon, and endorsing the views of the Assembly. •", // In Wt." !"■*" r. 64 LVn AND WORK OF .«*«,•■'■■'" The ImpenaJ Government, however, refused to interfere »nd the Legislative Council still stands as one of the B^utiona of Nova-Scotid. Other legislation was attested or carried out and. taken Altogether, the ^course of the^yemnjent won it a reputation which ettused so well-mf^ed a paper w the Sfc JohnMim to declare that. Nova-Sc6% had never been so weU^verped^ as it was during thu ]^od. / the 2m o| May^882, it was announced that a re-con struction of the C^W had taken placa Mr. Holies had resigned the PremWship on account of Ul-health and had accepted the oflSce dlProthonotory of ^lifax. 'xhe new Ministry was formed liMoUows : // * Wathoat Portfolio W W^S^ Hi^C. J^ IVnnwhend. Mr. Thompson became Prime Minist^ a matter of ^urse. He w« now, as a leading local ^r declared, first m his profession and first in the I^SslLre whHe "as the^n of one of the founders of "'LibeSuismW k^t' Scotia, he stiU retiuns the spirit which a0fcuated t^men who Won responsible government for us j^nd made fulhre reforms possible." But he was destined to Lid the poeit^. for only a very brief period. Dissolutioi^ foUowS^y" in June, and m the elections whi6h took pljce on June 20th ^he^Thompson government was defeated by a nuyority of fhe Premier himself was again reiumed tot Anti- gomsh. atid amongstjother notaMe selections at the poiU-^ ™^t of J. W. Longley for Annapolis^iuS W ST ingforHalifal. E^ in July the Q;,vUme^ ^ Ji:;^ -'^S^-Lk^Mfk^x^^^^i^i' ^^^k^^'^ttal - SIB JOHN THOMPSON. 65 and cm the 27th of the same month Mr. Thompson accepted a place on the Supreme Court of the Province . There were many reasons for the defeat of the Mmistry. The ability displaced by the Chronicle in Z strong^but unscrupulous attacks was one ; the enemies made by the municipal reforms was another; and the followmg statement by Mr. Fielding in a speech at^Halifax on June 1st was widely believed : " As Premier we have a gentleman who has many frienda It is well known that the Hoa gentleman who temporarily fills that office has no mtention of Training iu politics, but will at the earliest opportunity tafee a seat upon the Bench which his recog- nized ability M a lawyer fitjp him to adorn " There is no doubt that this was a popular impression strengthened by the Attorney-Geneml's disregard of the usual arte of the politician. And there seems ^so to have ^Jyl"''^'' '""'^'^ ^''^^''^ °^ *^»* «««<>*"«» spirit which had been shown in the first contest fought by Mr. Thomp- son m Antigomsh When a very few scattered votes could change the result in many constituencies, appeals to bigotry, whether secretly or openly made, wou^d naturaUy have some effect m a general election. Of genfiine teliffioiw fn^^Il^lu''''"''''''""^ *" ™ ^"^^^«P«^ ** a later period m OntAio. there never had been very much in Nova-Scotia. But. whatever the measure of influence wielded by diverse causes may have been, the battle was now, over; Mr Thompson had ceased to be Premier; his star of political success appeared tohave paled forever; and he had l^umed at^he eaily age of thirty.eight the ermine of the Provincial ^«l^*egarding his appointment. ThTLiberalTsaiJ. Il!i^^'^'"L The Conservatives declared that he Ablest Ifti^ ui Nova-Scotia had taken the place which 'V i' A^i^)i^^-M. Z ~ 'T.T<3t??* 66 LIFE AND WOKK Of ♦ he perhaps most desired, and which he was splendidl/fitted to fill. Long afterwards a few whispers were heard to the effect that he had deserted his party in its time of need, and that he should have stayed by the political ship in the shadow of failure as well as in the sunshine cf success; But there yraa no public expression of this feeling at the time, and it was confined to a few who may have been offended by his political rectitude or judicial manner of dealing with party questions. The Halifax Herald gave the Tory view in a parting eulogium in which reference was made to his having brought order out of Legislative chaoa; inaugurated m^ny valuable reforms; secured the \ completion and publicatipn of the Provincial Law Reports, and rendered the Province many other siervices which it ^ would feel for all time to cipme. An interesting tribute, unexpected at th^ time, an^xdestined to be of political service in years to come, was that tendered by the new Judge's most bittei* critic and ablest journalistic adversary —the MorniTig Ghrortide. Writing on July 27th, that paper spoke of him as p^bably the youngest Judge in the Dominion, and then Went on to say : "In politics we have differed fi-om'him, but our differ- ences have never prevented a>ecognition of his fine abiii- . ties and high standing as a law;^r. It will be admitted on all sides that he is one of the foremls»8t men in his profession, and possesses all the qualitiea neeeWry for a gbod Judge. . . . We predict for him a brilliant judicial care^" It was therefore under very fayo,m»ble circumstances that Judge Thompson began what.appea^d to be his real life-work. Politics had been a sort of pas^ng experimenl^: N in which he had not succeeded as a party l^er, though ■ PFOVlDfy niTnSU^IT innrA f,Vift.Tl an/U*tfXQfl'ftTl no n TymAJ-A^wfyil ^ ■:^y.*itf T a w^ ■ ■ 1 1 njujoxiL ajttwxo -MtittXL omjmyjox ttx clo cfcliiailliWr^QI ^ aad legislator. And during the next three years he did ^{pod work for Nova-Scotia. The Judicature Act of 1884;, '^wii^kd'i ^-M / . ■ j Jt '' ' ;. }i(% fv"-: / •IB JOHN THOMPSON. 67 by which the system of plQjldings *ml practice in the Pro-' vmce was greatjy simplified and brought up to the standard of Ontario andlK^Ingland. was chiefly his work. He took ^agreatesi interest in tjjkl^ing of the Law School at bated liberaUy to its 8u^^»i„,e when his aid mea^t Ufe or death to the i^^»ectured for y^ars in it. nalk without charge and |p^ding a seat on the Be^ch and devote^^ ninch time in other ways to what ip no^ # most successful and v^uable legal estabUshment. \ PersonaUy he displayed many of the qualities of an Ideal Jud^^ He was prompt in decision, fertile in prece- dent, mvanably courteous to the members of the Bar and • was undoubtedly possessed of tliat indescribable qualifica- tion known aa a judicial mind. He seemed to have a p^cu- har faculty for getting down through a huge maTof . apparently relevant, or really irrelevant, questions to the ciiicial pomt m tue most intricate of disputes. . No student Jt college ever worked harder than did Judge Thompson. In pursuance of a, resolution made when hfgteinded the Bench. It is understood that during the yei^remain J: m his position he devoted at leaat fiv6 houra a day to the ' study of law. So deep was the impression this legi jcnow- ledge now began to make upon the public mind that when his lectures upon "Evidence." at J)alhousie University were announced, a large number of the barristers bf Halif^ enrolled themselves as general students of th* college for " ' the pui^ of heariz^g them^ And these addresses u%n ^ most difficult branch of Idgal study are considered to be of ^e highest value a« well aa distinguished for lucidity and icholarly style. When therefore the caU came to '. ana nr-fflfi case to ialionaTresponsibilities, Judge Thompson was prepared for advancement, as is every mS i^^^doea thoroughly and well that which his hand finds f :^<- 'i^^;^#^^/&^ 68 LIFE AND WORK OK ^ . CHAPTER IV. Enters the Government. \ By the autumn of 1885 some important changes in the composition of the Dominion Cabinet had become necessary. Sir John Macdonald was not all that he had once been in • health and energy*, though his cheerincsi of disposition showed no signs of failing. Sir Leonard Tilley had fouad the Finance Department too great a strain for one of his years and strength, and the ministry was therefore about to lose the services of one of the best trusted of Canadian statesmen. Sir Charles Tupper intended also to shortly retire to the High Commissionership in London, and Sir Alex. Campbell was desirous of resigning his position. To find new men capable of in some measure taking the place of these distinguished veterans was the task which the Premier had to face. And it was all the more important that his selections shouH be men of vigour and ability be- cause the Riel question was at this moment threatening the party with^disintegration and the country with serious disaster. - , "^ It was, therefore, a happy stroke of wisdom and good fortune combined, when Sir John MacdonaM called in Mr. Thomas White as Minister of the Interior, and Mr. George E. Foster as Minister of Marine and Fisheriea Both had been -^ of considerable service to him in the preceding session when various causes had made debatiqg talent rather sdlirce upon the Conservative si^B of the Hlouse. and "^"both weTie W^-known throughout the . cou^y as skiilf ul speakers and dever politicians. But when it was announced .« , SIR JOHN THOMPSON. . 69 a short time afterwards that the most important portfolio m the Cabinet at that moment-the Ministry ufjustice- had been offered to a Nova-Scotian judge whom the Prime Minister had never even seen, and who, m a politician, had never hlled the public mind of the country in any national sense, there were undoubted and natural expressions of the mtl ^1?'"P'°" °" P^^^^"*^^ grounds, but made the mistake of trying to minimize it. Referring to the Ministerml changes generally, the Toronto Globe observed, on the 26th of September, the day after the new Minister 0 Justice waagaeetted. that •< these clmnges and shuffles .are of very little consequence to the c6untry. The men who remained in the Cabinet and the men who have lately been f«ken into the Cabinet, are small men who will exer cise no influence on the country." Such a comment upon politicians of the calibre of White and Foster and ThoL! son 18 enough to make partisans on either side smile to-day ^d It 18 quite safe to say would not be offered by the Olohe under its present clever managemeirt. should any similar occurrence again take place ^ MartiA J. Griffin, was on fariiiliar ground in dealing with the Hon^ John S. D. Thompson, and naturally did h Un more justice^ It wa. in a position to tell the Dominion something of his services a.s a'lawyer; of his , occasional successes as an 6rator; of his "high and unstrfned Z- sona d^atacter"; of M, eminence a. a judge ; and of ^L repui^tion since 1^ as "a most faithful%igh-mMe^ ^^fi^rlf^^^d^^vocate of the policy ofthegnl. diiof oj the Libeiul CopBervatlve party of Canada." ^T^ It must^be admitted that the country as a whole accepted the ap^mtment lar|jely on trust, and waited for time and t-mm^ ». ,;*,/ *l^#' » ^ M I 'l.t M ■W''.' ■*.'' 70 LIFE AND WORK OP experience to develop results before expressing any partic- ular opinion. The Conservative party, of eoui-se, had confidence in Sir John Macdonald's wonderful judgment of men, and those who followed politics closely knew also that there must be something remarkable in the new Minister or he would never have been selected to fill an exceedingly difficult post at the moment when a most complicated constitu- tional is^ue was darkening the whole national horizon with sectarian and pectional storm clouds. ' The man most directly concerned did not want the position. His party had almost forced him into public life when be first consented to contest Antigonish for the Local House, During the following period, while Mr. Thompson held office in Nova-Scotia, he made as few public appearances us possible, seldom delivered platform speeches, and though he laboured earnestly and unre- mittingly,, was known to have retired to the Bench with pleasure, when defeat ultimately came. And now his pa^ty had again demanded h\k aid. It was given with .hesitation, and only from a final conviction of duty. The well-known statement. of Sir John Macdonald's, that "the great discovery of my life was the discovery of Thomp- son," is, like most epigrams, somewhat inaccurate. It was absolutely necessary that a successor should be found to Sir Charies Tupper, and Nova-Scotia had, oi course, the first cldim to produce him. But it seemed very doubtful if the man was to be obtained in the Province. •k Mr. (now Sir) Charles H. Tuj»per.and his distinguished father, Mr. Robert Sedgewiek, Q.C., and the other, local Conservative leaders urged upon Sir John the-a-bility and jiervices ot Judge ThompsoiL The latter how»veyU>14^t8^ friends he would not take the position, and there reaUy seemed to be no one else upon whom the mantle of llowe .n m # fips^is^r^'^fS I,* \ ;)| i'v fit' ft ': I vi 4 ■ fc want the into public lish for the while Mr. kde as few d platform and unre- Bench with i now his »iven With luty. The , that " the of Thomp- te. It was s found to course, the doubtful if ^^ :;i,:S! LmMt^L^'-^- 1 if,,,,, I V, ■uiMiikszee^iiiiitA jotfsa \ Hon. Wilfrio Laorikr, Q.C, M.P. l^iadtr of tht Canadian Op^sition. i 0 :i . '/,• I i': m. lil ^IR Frank Smhh, K.C.M.G., Senator. Mimtttr'witk0ut P«r\foKo. ,t>> SIR JOHN 1H0M1»S0N. 7r And Tapper could for the time being fall Meanwhile the claims of the Hon. Georg6 E. King, ex-Premier and then ' Judge of the Supreme Court of New Brunswick, were being pushed by fiends in Tiis Province, and the result seemed very doubtful. Finally, Mr. C. H. Tapper. Mr. Sedgewi^, and others went once more and urged Judge Thopapson to accept the post they thought him so well fitted, to occupy A lettet from Sir John Macdonald was taken to him, form- ally offering the positipa, and stating that a County Judg©- ship had been accepted by Mr. Mclsakc. the Liberal M.P for Antigonish. and that his old cpnstituency was once more open to receive him. Sir Charles Tupper at thQ same time and with the consent of Sir John Macdonald, went down to Antigonish m order to obtain, if possible, the concurrence an^ aid of Bishop Cameron, who had now for some years been Judge Thompson's closest friend and confidant. He pointed out to the Bishop what a wide sphere of influence the chaajje v^ould open 4ip for his friend, and how greatly in the ip'yJv- est of Nova-Scotia and of the coui^try generally it v^ld be to have such a strop^lnan in control of the Deparf«it of Justice. Bishtop C«iheron eventually concurred and under the varied pressure thu^.brought upon him thi Hon. J, S. D. Thompson entered the^ominion . Cabinet. The «rhole proceedure was a great c8%liment to tbamin and his ability, and it proves also that the astut^ (jfeain at Ottawa had been^ore than favorably ftnpressed' by what had been told him regarding'the Nova-'Scotian Judga In this way he may be said to have "discovered" Kim. But the fact that Mr. D'Altoq McCarthy, Q.C., MP Z^ ^"ipggrgg^e Mlnwtry gf Justice before Jwlgi ^ Thompson was approached in the matter, rathftr tends to make the appointment one of those accidents of politic? which bring about the most strange and striking resul^ ' 1^4 / > 74 ■- '.% ;. I' . LIFE i^I|i^,^ORK Mr. jtfcCarthy'^N^rfii^ of.tlj||p^folio r^y paVed the Vay , for the successfiubi&fcilonal caWlV oihia great- w%&l. „ j ^ must haVe r«q jiyred, coni^ri^0^i|ph^g^ t9 f a^jb 1. 4v^, m fg uJKijori^, in 'ilntigoni ti^e j^w tl>kiisj^i|i]ilibiy (Hi^of i;i;^«%lectfed ty accl4niaMo^; i>w he pre- hi8 old^ienjis- Without heiSitatipn, §1^^ to ''sound ^ the^e^torf^r he faced a Lib- ittj* Jf 333 ; placed, his t^tH al^id political future f^rrVtmlM hands' 'of the, people of Anfr[^(tt^h; and despite '3 ''rane^l^d appeals in certain quarters t^||ie old religious ^ prejudice; and a natural local desire forlp^cal ^-epresen- '•^'^^4 tative sUch as Dr. Mcintosh was, who Qp{ia(^i^him as an I iMndependent Conservative ; the brief oauipa%iX^sulted in a sweeping triumph for the new Nova-Scolian' ie^er, by /. the splendid naafority of 228. , %. \^ • ., Thef comolents of the Nova Scotian press hajjl inHhe meantini6 beeu generally eulogistic and congratulato; . Unlike that of OAta^io it could speak with "knowledge of the past record and of the personal character and abilities ^\ of the lawyer and politician who was now to enter upon a ^jareer of broader statesmanship. The Hobtifoa Herald, Speaking on the 24th of September, when the appointment was first announce J, represented very apcu^tely the opinion of most of the intelligent Coi^ervatives of the Province\ . "Ad a gentleman the new n^inister hjp ever been a favorite among men of all parties, creeds JuL^lasses ; as a lawyer he has no equal in tl^e LoWer .PnmHS; and few if any sup^»|i33, in Canada; while ^^ jiUpPnan he dis- played jiuJH^ highest qualities of t^HlBltatesmaQ. ^onest,^Wmtrioiu, btoad-minded, ^^(eoa^ with a tli^i led and oour- easien «ma^ patriotic ambition to be useful in hi Mr. Thompson is unquestionably of all generation, in th6 Pro- »»). \K,J!/ J "" (tr « ' * ^Jf^ 1 ) "?" » »?« SIR JOHN THOMPSON. 75 isses: as a vince the oAe beat qiialified to succeed Sir Ovaries Tapper as the represfentative of Nova-Scotia in the Government of Canada." \ Fair mindW Liberal opinion was voiced by the follow ing frwn the Windsor, N.S. Courier :— "We congratulate the people of Nova-Scotia upon daving in theDoniinion Cabinet a gentleman of Mr^cThomp- ^n 8 ability ^nd unWing energy. He is an excellent speal^ep, aMear-headed lawjker, and will undoubtedly- fill the office to the satisfaction or the coUntn' "" '\ Well-iuJformed opinion outside of the province was repr^ented by the nronto i/at^— already Quoted— and the Mmtreal Gazette, w^iich declared that in the new min- ister the Government wo^ld recei^'id^ valuable acquisitioa It went\on to describe hiin thus :— " A profound lawyer, universaNy admitted as being in the foremost rank of. his profession! he combines the iqualities of a sound jurist, with those of an\eloquent and effective speaker, who will prove a valuable addition to the debating power of the Ministerial benches." iW i^luable, not even the Gazette had the faintest conception k The rabid and extreme partisan view may J?e obtain^ from a despatch sent by the Ottawa cor- respondent of tl^e St. John Tdegraph, which declared that "the members of the Orange order are greatly enra«red over the appointment. ^h(|y say he supplants a Protestant and tha^pi^l^ nfie P$ai%ed." ' Th^wsa a very ig|er4^i^ discussion following upon the ApIW'ntment, whicti was partisan in origin, constitu- tiorffli in form, anrfnot exactly per^jnal in 4pplic|ktiop. ""a . good many yeajs l|ffore this time Vice-CHfiiceilor koWat of the Ontario Judiciary had stepped dowredProm the be&ch to-aaaume th» A^tQrn«y-Genw|tbhipof Mt Frovince, anch to enter that political arena in which he h^ since had such con- spicuous suq^ The Cdnaervative press ^and S{Make«B of 7- ■I *, civ* ■ ^1-.. V"' V^ w^^. .n '■mf //. T6 LITK ^AKD WOBK OF / !!• bhafc day^had censured the Liberal party for thus degrading ^he Bench of Justice by making its occupants eligible for party favours and party rewards, and had espeijially de- nounced Mr. Blake, the retiring Premier of Ontario, who had nominated the distinguished Judge as his successor and had urged him to. accept the post Whatever force these arguments may fiaye had in Provincial politics, and ,. *| is not probable that an occasional retirement from the Bfench to toter political life will ever really injure tlie Judiciary, they had still less in connection with the Domi- jiion post of Minister of Justice.^ Who indeed could be "bettei* fftted to administer jus- tice for the nation ; to control the law- work of the Domi- nion; to look after and abolish, modify, change or amend its laws, than one wlio Had previously possessed judicial * experience ? Tlien in a matter of precedents— those thtigs whicb^ lawyers and politicuuas appreciate so much and which constitute such excellent reasons forCgction or inac- tion as the case may be— there is a considS)le resemb- lancelAeMijO the duties performed, between the position of (i^aaadian Minister of Justice and that of the LonJ Chan- cellor in England. In the Mother-country many of th^ most distinguished holders of that-great blue ribbon of the legal proJP^sion went from the Bench to the woolsack. Amongst themVere Lord Hardwicke, Lord Bathurst, liord Loughborough. Lord Truro,' Lord Hatherley, Lord Camden. Ix>rd Campbell, and, greatest ,' 1 ^ ) -f -w^^i.*" ^^, ion or mac- ■:\ SIR JOHN THOMPSON. 77 But none the less the diaoosaion was entertaining, ind gave the party organs something to talk about As there was nothing special about the new Minister to denounce, they fir6d a good deal of political ammunition over this little point, and it was one of the earliest matters referred to when Parliament opened its fourth session on the 26th of February, 1886. The new member for Antigonish was introduced for the first ti^e to the House/of which inlve years he was to be JUier, by Sir John A. Macdonald and the Hon. A. W. McLelian, and at once took his seat as Minister of Justice. At the same time the Hon. Thomas Wl»ite and Hoa George E. Foster went through the form of introduction and took their places, after having returned ^ to their constituents for election upon appcpitment to office. ^ Within eight years from that jay four out of thos0 five political leaders had passed through more qr less evitftfnl phases of political life, and had departed from the scene I How wonderfully true in this connection seem the beautiful Hhes by Lowell : " Life ta. leaf of paper, white, ^ I /T~ Upon which eaoh of ue may write I ■ I . Hie word or two. i I Then comes tlie night." I On ^he following day the debate upon the Address in reply to ^he Speech from the Throne took place, an\J Mr. Blake, a^jj^er of the Opposition, proceeded to p^u'r the usualvhot^hot into the Ministerial ranka He was parti- cUl^Ij^ sarcastic concerning the two different opinions iflppa^ntly- ^d by the party in power regarding the iippointme^|jndges to political office. It was with them, he declai^e^P .a matter of principle, but simply one- of expediency^ And then speaking of the Mowat incident, ^heflaid:VXjwaa4olAtfaatIbaaHl^>gradedtfarBenehrtfia^f ^ had soiled the hitherto unspotted ermine; that I had created ,», '^ iff" "^' UFE AND wmn^ OF .% f^eHhg of want of coiifidence on the part of the people in the judfires of the land^^U||||J|«||id rendered it impossible for the judges to coiliiliSnffi Jariallj?<«l(he trials of election cases," j And after this Ij^e paid his reppects to the new Minister in a style which was meant to make prominent.. Conservatives feel secretly annoj^ed, and to kake Mr. Thompson slightly uncomfortable had be really been, as Mr. Blake supposed, a small man in a large place. / "I congratulate the honorable incumbent of the o^ce. He enters Federal politics, as the French would say, by the gf^ftt gate. For hip there is no apprenticeship in our Be^liament. . . ' ^f greater compliment could be paid a {[>ublic man. The Qovernment felt the oflSc^jj^ impor- tant ; they felt they had no one available in Parliamont,- an# that they had to look outside. As a lawyer, the bon. gentl^an has come to the front with a bound over many heads ; as a legislator, he begins his Federiil career at olc^ as a Minister" % y "^ In his repl/fSir^John Mact^ald chaffed the Opposi- tion le^^r in^^feis usual, effeqtive^ style ; spoke of him as "the l^lvi^ view* of the Mackenzie Qoverwnent, sometimes in and sometimes but ; referred^-tb the Hon, W. B. Vail4i^^ been broJ|ght into t^t Government from Nova^ScfJK^^er the heipi of'mariS^Libei^l membera in the Honse; criticized the re^^ept^of VMll^Che^cellor S. H. Blake from tlfc ^ncl|Pfe^^pioke of the ^llevation of the Hoa R B. Wog«B the GhioJE Justiceship of Manit'jU by Mr. Blake as ^Blii]||byment of^the Bench for tUe reward of pdliticaralrvices. Finally, he had a few wj^/s, a^d only a few words, to say about the new Minister : " I lc|>ked out in Nova-Scotia when>4he (Ministerial) V/iAncy existed,'for a lawyer who could fill that position cryji^bly, and I found him jn my ho°'Jriend,jHuad if he v/ara not here at this mbmentTmigfit enter more fully into the fact . ~,^^^.'i',..?/,.'V.',-A *'" 'r , "ilT^ \ lof SIR JOHN THOMPSON. 79 yv,. his fitness, but I believe that eveu the hon. gentlemen opposite will admit before the Session closes the correctness of my selection and choice." ,, It iis probable that a very few mafiths of intimate association in Cabinet and private political discussion would be all that was nedessary for a man of Sir Jol^n Macdonald's keen ifsight tt have guaged. the ability and knowledge of the new ftTinister of Justice. But in^making 1^^ that last- prophetic rjBmark, aven ^e oould hanWy hav0 foreseen%the skill and value of Mr. Thompson as a Parli«- menta^ debater, though, no doubt, he was able. to make a shrewd guess at the truth. In the course of a few w^eks, however, there would be no poeuible doubt oonoerDing the matter. * i) iUf \J I. « N c.tii. ■ IS^gjftf "t.^ ^M^t£^.' 80 LIFE AND WUHK Of '■■'C m. k CHAPTER V. The Riel Question. The opening of this session of the Parliament of 1886, was perhaps the most critical period in the life of the new Minister jof Justice. At a crisis in the history of the government which he had joined and of the party ta which he belonged, he found himself called upon to bear the burden of defence against the fiercest ia^nd best organ- ized attack in the annals of Canadian legislation. Fresh from the Bench of his Province and long unticcustomed to heated discussions and party strife, he was to endure the lash of sectarian bitterness and sectional prejudice, inten- sified as it was, by an external and seemingly successful campaign of unscrupulous misrepresentation. Unknown as a speaker to nearly the whole of his critical, or already prejudiced, audience in the House, he had. to face the oratorical graces of Mr. Laurier, the powerful eloquence of Mr. Blake, and the fervid utterances of a score of others, who were borne by the excitement of the time to the crest of a storm-tossed political wave. There can be little doubt that the position of the Ministry was very precarioua The Old-time influence of the Conservative party in the Province of Quebec, seemed to have gone forever. The magnetic personality pf Sir John A. Macdonald appeared to have lost its power. He was freely denoumwd in great French- Canadian meetings as "the enemy of our nationality," and was even burned In eiB5gy at Montreal, whilst the Hon. J. A. Chapleau, the ■'j-< I i m 9 ••■I,": y^7 T "1 arl lament of in the life of he history of bhe party ta upon to bear d best organ- ition. Fresh ccustomed to ^ endure the judice, inten- ly successful u Unknown 1, or already to face the eloquence of )re of others, a to the crest sition of the influence of lebec, seemed lality pf Sir power. He ian meetinsfs even burned Hhapleau, the Rr. Hon. thk Earl of RoSeberv. K.G. P>i>»emiiisiirdf5rtai Britain. «■• \'A i 1 -y V / SIR JOEtN THOMl^ON. $3 doquont tribune of the people, was braqketed .v^th Sir Hector Langevm aftd Sir Adolphe Caron. in public resobationa. aa nmit6r8io their country." . Riel was^o be th« hero of Quebec and tne of the political martyrs of his nationaUty : Mr. Mercier wa? to be the leader of a new move- ment which m the aacred name of race ^nd religion was to avenge his exacution : the ,^arbi-Nationale was U, ,weep out of exisljnce the enemies of French Canada and of the Roman Catholic Church: Ur. Blake was to stir up the rr^Lt f"" *"*^^'* ^^""'^ ^^« ^'^^ committed what 30.0PO people on the Champ de- Mars in Montreal ^ ^^a^ of Inhumanity and cruelty unworthy of a -^ yrom the moment when the man who had caused so much o sor^W and bloodshed, sufering and death, was exej^^ted^ Rfeg«la, on the 16th of November. 1885. this agitation^ad grown in force and sunk deeper and deeper -into the hea^te of the jf^ople. Popular passion is always eyU> aroiise when questions are, raised touching even Sijia fringe of creed or nationality, and Mr Jtfercier, who ^aa trying to ride into power upon a wa4 of sectarian , J)rejudice, seemed utterly indifferent to_the danger of his ^urse. And in allowing the law to#e carried out the L .Komimoti'Qoverument had to face'-'a double difficulty^ ^^ T '""n ^'*"^"°"-^" Q"«b«° -itical : npt on^' ini§^^'' ^"'^^^^^'^^'^'^ P^P«r. represent th€ sent^ . .'o«n*^ of Its press as a whole in declaring; after the ' ^quti^-. tU^t ."Fanaticism wanted a victim : Rie has ^ "^7 r. ''/.^'^''''''•' '""^ ^'"-geism has hanged- him for hate and to satisfy an old thirs^fftr revenge ": U • the remarkable utterances of the Toronil MaU and Oranae «efin^., provided, additional ffiel io^i m ^^ ol ' excitemeut. ^Tfie former hdl d^ared on the "^rd" of ' November, precedmg the exe^tign. that " as Britons wa 1 .:. ii .!f ,' -;■'! JA 84 UFE AUD WORK OF l-ltll 'liillH believe the conquest will have to bo fought over again and Lower Canada may depend upon it, there will be no treaty of 1763." The Sentinel declared, in reply to fiery state- ments from Quebec, that the Government did not dare to hang the rebel; that "English -Canadians will not longer suffer this galling bondage : and the day may not be far distant when the call to arms wil. again resound through- out the Dominion." Tremendous pressure had been brought to bear upon the French- Canadian Ministers to resign from the Dominion Cabinet. They were told, and truly, that Mr Mercier was I about tpi sweep the Province of Quebec, ^ef eat the Local administration, and then turn his attention to aiding Mr. fiiaurier at Ottawa. Many of their Conservative sup- porters ^inted out that refusU ? tO leave a doomed government meant political extinction, and that if they attempted to condone the executionl of Riel, even a seiat in Parli^pient would be an impossibility. Whole batches of French-Canadian Conservaiives declared that they dare not support the Governmei^ in their proposal ttS let justice take its course, or iq their subsequent definite performance of that duty. M(|an while, Mr. Blake had not made thd^ outlook more pleasant by vigorous speeches in Ontario, during which he denounced the whole North- West policy of the Qovernmeiit. If appearances could be trusted it seemed indeed as though a general break-up of the national Conservative iforces was about to take place. ' i This then was the Situation when the Hon. J S. D. Thompson faced a stornf-tossed House of Commons oo the 11th of March, and listened with stociail composure to Mr. Landry's loner-anticipated ana now famus motion : — " That this House feels it its duty:to express its deep ^grof ^hat the sentence of death passed upon Louis Bie), SIR JOHN THOMPSON. 86 convicted of high treason, waa allowed to be carried into execution." m. Landry's speech was the key-note of Much that follow^ during a weel^'s debate. He described the Government's action in a strain of the fiercest invective. It wa^ a provocation-flung at the face of a whole nation- ahty|( It was a breach of the laws of justice : it "was an evidence of weakness on the part of the Ministry : it waa the gratification of a long-soiight vengeance: it was the wantion sacrifice of thp life of a French- Canadian Catholic upod the altar of sectarian hatred and bigotry. He spoke of the petitions that had been disregarded, and considered the ictions of Riel to be .those of an insane man or of a inonlieitor-aeneral) dTcl^ • fh!', Ik eeotral figure in thia w^ of r^ .rrjl^orlh^h ^t W maugurated, had been alternately «thibited J" hero, a martyr, a tool and a Wtia- ^. n^Zi Z^ » prove that BieJ waa wmply »n ambitious and utterly unscrupulous schemer. Hfo. Coiraol denouriced SattS of the ror«|,4,<.«. „ did Mr. Ungelier. Z ^WbuW the f^owmg remirks to the debate : "MWt-uted "»«'"«'oe8tor9,jrhon onl>«0000innniBber iftolndin.. »«., WOB.M, aud children, ,to«d their ground to fl^S against 50,000 of the best «oldie«, .ITonty rffi^.td' ' tutof theworf^ Now that we are. millta. «riT^- [fi I. *- •• 4'-*»'^»»'^4 e^ ■* ,.=* »=■, 5- in LIFE AND WORK OP 4—^ we couM offer a pretty stiff resistance to' the Tory l«nd grabbers who threaten us." ^ Sir Adolphe Caron, in an eloquent speech, declared that if cijcumstances shduld ever ttri^ similar^ those o^ last year, he would again do what he had then thottghtw^S his duty. Efe considered that Kiel had d^^^ved the half- breeds, and showed how he had offered to sdll for a bribe . , both his followers and his " cause." He read letters from • 1 Bishop Gra'ndin showing the in {I'Jo arid misery the^ rebel - p . i **^ ^^ caused, juid from Kiel to'" Poundmaker/which proved that he had tried to raise the Indians in revolt. Mr. Chapleau, in a most able effort, defended the Gov- ernment's p )sitiou and his own share in supporting the law of the land. He referred to the brilliant offers made him by the Parti-Nationale ; spoke of his refusal to take jthe leadership of that organization in Quebec, which for a time seemed, and was, all powerful; and urged strongly his conviction that Rfel was entirely responsible for his own actions. But the speeches around which centered the greatest interest, and uporj which depended the ultimate verdict of ^ Parliament, of the' people and of posterity, were those of • ./**'' ^^»^ke and Mr. Thompson. The House was expectant ** ^^hen the leader of the Opposition rose to his feet. It looked for a powerful arraignment of the Government ; for 'close reasoning ; for a wide display of constitutional knowledge ; for vigorous invective. But in the cabe of the Minister of Justice, it was simply curious. Conserva- tives anticipated a fair presentation of the case, but were hopeleas of any real reply to the groat speech which it was . known Mr. Blake had prepared. And Liberals would have laughed axceedingly had my one hinted that Blake might meet his match in the short, stout, fresh -coloured, young- ' . looking genttemati who hud. just come in from a Nova- f — L. SIR JOHN THOMPSON. 89 Scotian constituency, and who was to soon make his maiden speech in the House. Mr. BFake Reviewed the whole matter. HI went into the history of the rebellion : the' disconten^ of the half-brepds ; the action or inacMon of the Govemmeftt. He contended that the trial' had not ^en a fair one; that the choice of the magistrate had been unfortunate, and that the evidence and facts of the case proved Kiel to be insane. He spoke of the disre..^rd of the jury 8 recommendation to mercy, and enlarged up^n the qwestion of executive interference by the Government ' and as to when it was warranted. His case ^as a Very* >v,de and varied one; the .reference to authorities was extensive and many precedents were produced!) showy that as Riel, m his opinion, was not respobsible for hiT actions, he should not have been executed. The speaker - concluded by saying^hat. though he knew that many of / those of his own jace and re.igion would differ from him It was his conviction that the sentence should have been linpnsonment for life ; that by the execution a great bloW 1.^^''^°^'*'*^ "P^"" ^'^^ administratipn of justice, knd that the Government was responsible i^it In making what was really a great speech upon this occasion, there is no doubt that Mr. Blake fell into the fatal error of under-estimating his antagonist. Had he felt any comprehension of what was to follow, he would not have made his argument so general or so broad, and would have depended upon the strong points in the case without intro- dncmg weak ones, which seemed specious and plausible at hret sight, but which could not stand the shock of logical and keen analysis. Unfortunately for him. too, it was past midnight when- the speech wa« finished, and this gave the Minister of Justice an inestimable advantagie-one which experienced deUtera know how to approdaL and naake use ofc He promptly moved the acyoumment of the h < i . ' .' ,.)■ 1 .«.; ' h- p - ^W^Im .4K^ X . 0P LiyB AifD WORKy6p n / debafce,andiaftera couple of dayii' inteWal, rose to^ply donng the afternoon of Monday, the 22nd of iarch. ^ It is very seldom indeed that a public man achieves a reputation of the highest order by a first speech ih Parlia- mwit If m England a future leader, or a n a . of admitted and commanding ability, makes a mere favourable impres- sion up^n the House, he is considered to have done exqeedmgly well for the first time. In Canada it had only been tV case, and then ip a very modified form, upon one . previous occasion, when the Hon James McDonald, now Chief-Justice of Nova-Scotia, delivered artftaiden speech in the Parliament of 1873. Of course, in the American Con- gress where only pluck and pyrotechnics aW required it to Qomparatively easy to make aii oratorical success of a first efibrt. But in the case of the Hon. J. S. D. Thompson success meant the defeat of the greatest logician and debVter u^ the House of Commons, and the defence of the GoveS- mpnts position in a matter involving most intricate c^stitutional issues. It m^aant that a new man was to pitt himself victoriously against a veteran in Parliameofc^y dobate and knowledge of constitutional law. I* meai ttAfc he was to become a power in. the ^use and the nition. while failure involved results which w4ld' have m^e his subsequent rise impossible, or. at least, unlikely. Ihe Chamber w«8 crowdedvto excess, and from the moment when the musical voice .of the unpretentious, and not at all imposing, speaker wa^ «^t heard, u^itfl he sat do^ at^the end of two hoursf he held the close and undivided attmtion iif the House, and it may be almost kterally said that a pin cokld have been heard to fall Ihoee who jjnow the normal condition of the Commons. n<^matter who i, speaking, in regard to attention and quietness. wiU appreciate the full iorc^ of the compliment fchu8opnv«yU The speech was strong, clear an4oonvW T ■ A- we tojreply larch. 1 achieves a b ih Parlia- ^( admitted b^e impreS" have done it had only I, upon one 'onald, now n speech in jrican Con- required, it uccess of a Thompson tnd debajber be Qovei^- t intricate lan was to liameotpjy .It meant e, and the 'OUld' have b, unlikely. from the atious, and it|l he Bat close and be almost rdto fall Commons, ition and )mplimei4 i =^'.: m p. 4 >4 tJui "' ^ 1 H i "1 ^ t IH. n Ij f ' , wiHil 11 ' '! Hi 1 HI 1 ' r'' 1 J- 1 ! i 1 1 f'^ ii. ifl'f I / '^ L. ■*v ti,/^j, Hon. Sir Charles Hibbekt Tu K.C.M.G., Q.C., M.l'. Minister d/ Marine ami Fisher it i PPER. 1 ■ '• V. \' SIR JOHN TOOMPSON. 93 1 ■ ■ ■ i , > !|ig. The Minister of Justice seemed to be maater of him- sell, master of his subject, master of thej^ in its theo^ pri^tice and precedent, master of his au^|pb. He pi^ed thearaourof Afr. Blake's argument wilThe most direct and irresistible skUl. and while not appealing jn the least to^ his hearers' passions, prejudices or sympathies, he subdued a critical and censorious body of me# by pure force of reasoning and logical aigument. Beflr6 that speech was endet^. it is absolutely accurate tosay that he appeared to both friends and opponents as a \ ■^ -■ „ " Tower of strength That stood four-square to 01 the winds that blow." Mr. Thompson first deprecated the exti^eme feeling if not actual animosity, which hadbeeu ehoWn throughout the greater part of the prolonged debate. I He -made a sfeatenient of the part taken in the case by his own Depart- ment—that of Justice— and then proceeded to combat the claim that Parliament was a court of appeal in' criminal cases, pointing out some of the evil results whi^ might ; ensue in buch an event. He defended tke composition of the Regina Court, and met fully and squarely Mr. Blake's contention that the Judge was an in^-erior one and the«^ choice unwi«. He held that it would have been gross mjustieo, and a very dangerous precedent, to have enacted any specif law to meet the case. After going over th6 evidence and proceedings at the Regina trial, Mr. Thompson took up the ^rtion that Riel was a political offender, and, therefore, Should not have been hanged. He instahced the case of Johii Brown ;^ dealt wjth that of Lord George Gordon; quoted; Mr. Gladstone in connectioa^with the Feniang and th^ murder of Constable Brett, an^ gave the opinion of the Einglish Commiss^n on Capital Pfinishment which declared thi^t j* in cases of treason accompanied by ■ f I . ... ..y.Tji jig., .-».>,. .n,\r- .'.A' !..' -11 ■^- & i^ \ W . • ' \ ■ '■ ,» r. ' . . '. ■ ■ .' ' •' *'> ^» ■ • y . ■ , , ft it ■1"'"'"' ---■■ -- 'T - N_ 1 V * \ V "^ ^^' i ^g^ \ . .V-^'"' - :Jk^<.^^ . .^s&^- 94 LIFE AND WORK. OF extreme penalty now tbe Marquis of Salisbury, hud said that overt acts of rebellion, assassination or other violence, the must be maintained." Lord Cranborne, You must treaiitreason as the highest crime known to the law. If you impose capital punishment for murder you must for treason." He pointed out that Lord Bramwell had declared that " Treason i? worse than murder, because it involves the taking of many lives." The condition of a new country such as the North- West absolutely required strong enforce- '^^ ment of the law, and any laxity in the punishment of admitted crime would have been a criminal act on the part of the Government. He.^en dealt with the insanity question in a lucid and convincing manner, and asked in that connection hoW others who took part in the rebellion could have been dealt with if the head and front of the movement had been granted executive clemency. " I should like to ask how the Frog Lake murderers could have been punished if the man who incited them to rebel- lion was allowed to go free or to repose in a lunatic asylum until he got rid of his delusion ? " And then, in a few ringing words, he concluded his speech amid loud and prolonged cheering: " I think, Sir, it was absolutely necessary ^or us to show to those Indians, to every sectioi^ of the country, to every class of the population, that the power of the Govern- ment in the North-West was strong, not only to protect, but to punish as well ; and in the administration of justice* with regard to those territories in j^rticular, it was absolutely necessary that the deterrent effect of capital punishment should be called into play. (Cheers.) I am not disposed, remote as that territ«i^y is, strong as the calls are for vigorous government there and for the enforoe- ^^ifi0!St of every branch of the law, to be inhuman or / Mr Joak THOJtreoi*. ds anmeroifnl in the execution of the penaltte, which the W pronounces; but in relation to men of this cCe^ who t,u.,da«.inar, candidates for the extrenie^nX men who have despised meW when it was given L them befo^ I would give the a^&wer given «b those who p™ posed to abotah capital punishment in Fraaoe, -rory well but let the assassins begin." /' ' "'3' "«"• _ With the close of this speech there arose a new figure m|^nad,an politics and a chief amongst thoie who pUyed the leading p^ i„ the great game of public life. Three da^ afterwards the diyision was Uken" and the GoveZ ' m»tfomid.tself sustained by 146 to «. Meantime, the jtZ J; »P''«V'^»"''«'^<' by the new Ministe of the m«. from Nova-Scotia, the stranger who had entered i*: g the great ^arena of debate and overthrown the hitherto amost .nvmcible Blake, found himself famous as a«S tutional Uwyer and powerful speaker. '^!"^» h^ «very reason to be grateful for the firm d»poe,t.on and straightforward character of , its Ministe" 0 J"«t.o. dunng the crisis which prevaile^itfthe autumn - of 1886, as well as in that which has just been described There .s no doubt that Sir Hector Lan^vin had gT/i^tt fnends m Quebec secret assurances during the Ttorm o" ' protesto which came in while the executil of RW w« pending that a commutation of the sentence might be an^ would be granted. He spoke with the authority of a »«»,Phvy Councillor and a right hand man of the P«m,«sf6r many a long year, and it is probable really Wieved that his influence over Sir John Macdonald bo h M. persomil friend and as the successor of Sir (W Cartierinthe French-Canadian leadership, wonld be suT- fleient to eventually obtain it Hence hie oivan U uZtt «. permitted to jdn the chorus of protes4 P^« ^ f^^A^&^»?«&&i.>Lj t\ f ' I'' If 96 LIFE AND WORK OF politicians ; many Conservatives were deceived into join- ing the movement; and it was only when the agitation got '. beyond control and threatened the very existence of the Conservative party in the Province, that Sir Hector woke up at the same time to the dangerous situatioq he had allowed to develop in the ranks of hi^ own followers, and to the probability that he would be Wnable to guide the issue in the Cabinet ' Stronger men than he were at the back of Sir John Macdonald, and ha4 the chieftain entertained the least idea of interfering with the course of the law, the forceful personality of Mr. Thompson would have probably averted the evil. There is no indication or evidence that he ever did think of taking such an action, but Sir Hector ap- pears to have beeii in a serious predicanient, and the crisis was so acute that a weak-kneed Minister of Justice might have bee^ cajoled or coerce^jj^iidvising that the sentence be commuted. The excuse {iJi|Pven for bending before the storm might have been acjsepted or it might not, the pro- babilities being that a large majority of the Cabinet would still h(ive been m favour of the upright and honourable cburse which was In the end pursued. And this may be said without considerin;g " the Old Man's " masterful disposition. But none the less was the fact of Mr. Thompson being a Roman Catholic and possessing a vigorous will and char- acter of his own, very effective in keeping the Qovern-^ ment united to all intents and purposes upon f,he question which was sihortly to be the central one in a general elec- tion, extending from the shores of the Atlantic to the rod^-bouad coasts of the Pacifia m^''"-"- iK,i ..SIB JOHN THOMPSON. 97 t CHAPTER VL An Election and a Fisheries' TaEATrr ^k a sort of political myth, powerful in the Cabinet and in Partoment, but personally unknown to tiS pub i- H° mmseif ap* to take a leading part in the battle upon went so It was felt would go the country. The Conserva .1 that It mvo ved«f racial agitation and revengeful ^Z w^ uppermost, and the Province on Oct." ifth iTs? retuniedthe Libemls to power in the Wa, ^iCr!' and placed the sweets of office in the hands of Mr Metl"' Nothing could, therefore, be hoped from what hadT« been the mainstay of Canadian Toryism, and everytWn^ turned upon the result in Ontvio. everytning Hon "l" f n^T? °* November, Sir John A. Macdonald, the W H M ^•.,^'«'f 0^°' «» Hon. Thomas White and Mr. W.K.Meredi,h. started in the afterwards famous private car- Jamaica" upon th*ir politic tour of the ProVi^eT commencing with a large meeting at Renfrew. Mr. u2 dith,whowa« conducting hie own campaign at the same t.me agai^t Mr. Mowat, and who, in this el^ion, ol"t near to wmnmg 0,0 day, did not, of course, 8p«A at all the meetings „d . Uttlo later the three fi„t.^ed leade™ were joiMd bjr Hon. Qeoige E Teeter. With th^ at 'V- m tL-..j ii k' 98 tlFE ANP WOliK OK -<> i occasional intervals were the Hon. J. A. Chapleau, the Hon. John Costigan an Mr, Thompson Vas given a prominent place on the programme of almost ' daily speeches, generally opening the ball with a powerful arraignment of the Opposition's alleged policy of race and revenge in Quebec, secession in JS ova-Scotia, annexation in New Brunswick, and detraction everywhere. He invariably handled the Riel question, urged the preserva- tion of thfe Union, and spoke of the oneness of the Conser- vative policy as it was now presented in every part of the Dominion. Mr. White or Mr. Foster would follow, and then Sir John Macdonald would close with a few pithy, witty remarks. Very often there were two meetings — one in the afternoon, and one in the evening at the next town. A preliminary mass-meeting and detnonstration was held at London on Sept. l(5th, 1^86. Sif John Macdonald, Mr. Thompson, Mr. White, Mr. Chapleau, Mr, Meredith •^^.,iiK4HK^^^A 8IR JOHN THOMPSON. and M^ Carling w6fe the speakers, and the "Old Man" dehvered a lengthy and elaborate addresa The Minister sllf TrT',*'^'^"''' reception, and the eloquent S / %^\'P''*"''''«^"^* Q"«»^ orator, w^ one which It « safe to say. wijl never be forgotten by thosi who heard xt A little later, on Oct 14th Messrs. Whr observed that « Too much cannot -be said in praise fither Itt ""h"- ^k*""' °^ *'' "*^^^^^ the*^ Minister of Justice. He is the more polished speaker of the three, livery sentence is clear, incisive and graceful " At Owen Sound, on Nov. 16th, when the Ontario tour really commenced, the r^^ption was particulafoelaborate m arrangement and enthusiastic in spirit. Mr Thompson ^ .^warmly received and brought ringing cheers from a great audience by the, declaration that " one loyal man is ^ good as ten^ebels." Then followed a large gathering a Dungannon m Huron County, and on Nov. 20^ the Wy reached Hamilton. Here we find in Mr. Thompson's s^h a rather amusing comment on the varied policies of the LibenUa "There, however, Mr. Blake did Vave a pLlt in his pocket He had alright to christen his ownUb^^ and therefore, he called it the 'alternative policy' A better name for it, hoWever, .would have beerthe'-all- tuinative policy.' " >■ »• Gait Listowel. Stratford, Quslph and Samia were he« v«,ted. with all the now. familiar .«on,panime„ta o iremendoua crowds, torch-light proc«8ion« and loyal Jddr<««. At Stratford the crowd was «> great that Z M,n«te« oonid hardly get throngh it to the platfori Wh«, they d,d get ttere, Mr. Thompwn referred to " S w«n..he«ted hug" he had received a, one which . ,Z orilywmted once in a lifetime At SamU ho aid . rjh^ Kood thing at the expenw of one of the Uberal l«i^: '-♦ tt^Adi,i^^.^ t.'SRiife--.„-i«K t^i; 100 LIFE ASh WORK OF w I ' 'ii'i, " Sir Richard Cartwright has recently stated that the Prime Minister ought to pass intQ nothingness, but these demonstrations did not indicate such a result. Eight years ago he had himself passed into nothingness, and he was realizing to-day the bitterness of the old axiom that out of nothing, nothing comes." - ' In speaking of the recent Quebec elections, the success of the Nationalists, and Mr. Mercler's promised aid to Mr. Laurier in the coming Dominion contest, he referred — with more bitterness than usually characterized him — to " the blasphemer, Mr. Mercier, and th# traitor, Mr. Laurier." It is not unlikely that he afterwards regretted the violence of this language, but the provocation was great, and the people of Ontario only partially realized then, and have forgotten now, the terrific storm of abuse and misreprebent- ation by which Quebec had just been carried for the Local House, and by the continued use of which it was hoped to capture the Dominion. The applause, however, upon this occasion was long and continued* The episode showed, as did a certain reply to Sir Richar^VCartwright some years later, tljat the Minister of Justice could, when he desired, denounce his opponents as vigorously, as he could argue with them skilfully. Immense meetings followed at Orangeville, Orillia, Sunderland, Port Hope, Peterboro', Cobourg, Deseronto, Wei land, Essex Centre and Windsor. At Sunderland, on Dec. 1st, Mr, Thompson referred to the name applied by the Globe to the party of speakers, " the Chestnut Combina- tion," as being in a certain sense correct. The successful receptions to different Ministers in New Brunswick, Nova- Scotia and Ontario were, no doubt, becoming unpleasant " chestnuts " to the Liberal organ. " And," said he, " there W{U9 another sense in which they might be called a ' chest- nut combination,' and in respect of which they gloried in that the but these »ht years i he was lat out of le success id to Mr. ed — with -to "the Laurier." > violence , and the Eind have ■epresent- bhe Local hoped to ipon this liowed, as me years e desired, lid argue 5, OriHia, )eseronto, rland, on pplied by Combina- mccessful ck, Nova- apleasant le, " there a 'chest- gloried in Hon; w. e. Sankord, Dominion StHato>. mi 'P '■ .»■ i;- Mi' ii §4 Li ill ,1^ ';' iilli Hon. John A- Boyd, Chanctlhf y Ontario, A \ ^^« JOHN TnoMPsoijr. jQg to th, poop,... M Dc,er„„r.e jow"; :7*"^'y ,,ph««. in. rather effective way: ..'why U ml T" .elf repeated but ono speech in even, W ff Nov. s I"" fie d shed up cheatnnta r„..i i 7 ','^" °' Nova^Scotia. how he had acquired his money, and replied •• I CI, party when the Ubemls were fn power I ^iITI T Tories came in." At Welland Mr Thl ^'^^^"''en the ■Mr Bi.i. 1. J I !: "eiiand, Mr. ' hompson declared that Mr. B ake had better confine his attention to the Uork^is and mahgnant satire which suited his disposiZ sTver ' much better than any aII„si„n\to facts or flTrr" Z Wmdsorheonce n,o,.e struck at, Mr. Laurier ^a^ 1 who nXf resist:; '"fi'^rV''^'"''" ™^" *"" -'^ officW.°s tC^!!!.; r""" "'" »'«'"^. the Government sui« na well as Kiel and his asaoqiates ? " Ihe closing meetings of the tour were at Tnnan Sto^Fts?"""'"' ""V ''■■" <--'™t^n' Itat, S-Thlpsri^tlelfinth T"' ' City on De. 2Ist, b„Udresses ul'dTe Jbt Sir'lr and by Messj^, White, Foster and Chap.ean '' '"'"' .V,™ , *= P'*'<'°Sed to"' made the new Minister deservedly S,r John Macdonal^., His proper place was not upo" Z tump, though in this campaign many things combi^^ t render h„ speeches exceedingly eHecMve «.f useful to th^ 4k»._^,«%i'i yffi'j •. «>^ 104 LIFE* AND WORK Or { ^ party.' He could be sarcastic, and at times humoi^us in ^ narrative, though never ma^etic with that personal mertn- faient which has such influence upon a crowd. * He was also ' much too self-contained and deliberate to arouse large gatherings. .^Meantime-the^mpaign had been progressing al,l over ,the country. Mr. Ohapleau had done much to even matters up in QueW, as§isied by the efforts of Sir Hector Langevin and Sir Adolphe Caroa Sir Hector had filially thrown in his lot with the Ministry, and his work in organization during that time of political uncer- tainty, ^nd amid the' loss of party followers and friends, ^nd the smashing of party ties, was of great value. Sir A. P. Caron was always an elective and popular campaigner, and on this occasion he worked like a Trojan. Between them, they managed to hold the balance so that election day showed, instead of ihe expected Liberal sweeps a representation of about half and half. On the 22nd of February, 1887, the ballbt box settled the destinies of Canada for a few vears "longer. The Maritime Provinces returned » pretty solid Donservative "contigent,. Mr. Thompson being elected for Antigonish by a majority of forty over an old-time antagonist in local politics, Mr. Angu? McGillivray. -Manitoba, the North- , West and British Columbia ;|j^t straight Conservative, and Ontario gave^ a feif niajority. Once more, Sir John Macdonald had appealed subcessfully to '^ ^ " A weapon that oomes down as still > * As snowflakes fall upon the sod ; Bnt exeeutes a freeman's will / « As lightning does the will of Qod." / The Biel question was thus disposed of so far as Dongtinion politics were concerned, but it./was already pro- ducing, in the form of Mercierism, many serious evils, of which Sir Joho, Tbompsop himself did not live .to see ihe end. * ^*" JOHN "raOMPBoiir, . j^' *' vCr. retail ^srcH^ 'H.^rr^rh: ■ ton in 18SV upon ^.tn^ ;• '^'.^'"''■■'■"■y to Washing. *«wi "pon tne condition that h« aJi/^hU u ■ " 'panied-by the Hon T Q ^^ " '"^'^ "® »noold be accom- . ?;«, »'no ao^rthaf hM^^lT" " 'T' "<"*^'- situation, and after sitting Jfj!^"^, «Ppr«l>ended the >»..nttrithth,Mini8jof jLti» j" ' *'«'?Oo''- -^ thev^^n. hi, wide kVotielg^tdX rT^ ^r™' ' lional law would be in siieh . „„ ™' F""P »' '?«efHI^ ' revival of the old old IZf * ""T""" "^^ the Commiasion of 1877 th ' ."."'•'f'"'^ ''^ *''« »"»*« of the Fiahewl-SeeT^VX'lT f T'**" American Government i^IMs \^o7I^ Treaty by the tio. had .found .itaelf fioe L ft witrtt"",.''''^''"^ - ((ivi4 the Americans a free ha^in hi" »lt^""^ive of in-shore fisheries of the ^^LTZ7u^r'Z'^ upon the treaty of 18t8 which gav full Zver ,^"'"« '»«'' .t,on.nd conf^l of fo.ign nsTj:"rZ,:flT. " The Oovemment had jiatutally taken th.!;,- ' ""^ » won ot Canadian interests and Rnf.-oK u- ,*^ >^ *^^^% f^S; ouredforaction wWIa fL" ^ ' ^ '^'°«^ interests clam- i-oa^::^rrd^r5^r=^t ; '1: liif -"!ii • I, to- 'i i 1 *-<^^-rk 106 LIFB AND WORK OF either law or license. . Armed coasting-steamers had been at once despatched to the disputed fishing grounds with orders to capture and carry into the nearest British port any vessel found poaching within British jurisdiction. These orders were freely obeyed, and during the next two years many •American vessels were seized, the cases tried by the Oana- di«n Maritime Courts, and not infrequently the cargoes and vessels confiscnted. More than once there had been colli- sions between t :;cited crewa More than once bloodshed was only averted by the merest chance, and not infrequently during this perilous (period, tiie possibility of a war between the Empire and the Republic seemed to hang upon trifles light as air. Many were the menaces from the other side of the line. The abrogation of the bonding privilege, the refusal to permit Canadian vessels to enter American ports, the cessation of all commercial intercourse, were each in turn threatened either by the newspapersTby Congress or by the President. Canada, however, stood firmly by what the Qovemment believed to be its rights, and the Minister of Justice was at one with the Minister of Marine and Fisheries in the determination to uphold t|ie legal rights and Maritime interests of the Domtnion and of its large fishing population. The result was that on November 15th of this year, a Commission met at Washington to discuss the points at isstiS and make ^fl. attempt at settlement. The British Plenipo- tentiaries were the Rt. Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, M.P., the brilliant and keen-witted English Radical ; the Hon. Lionel Sackville Wect, British Minister to the United States, and Sir Charles Tupper, Q.G.M.Q., Canadiem Minister of Finance. The American Commissioners were the Hon. Thomas F. Bayard, United States Secretary of State, and Messrs. W. L Patnam and James B. Angell. With Sir Charles ISipper was associated Mr. Thompson as legal adviser. ^■' 1 M.liiAifii w*»i»™«*t 8'» J«HN THOMPSON. jq^ Tle^a^rMtllTj "t""' """" '"^•' "^ '»'-'«■ . mdmtood thoronilv th. ">« whole question; he '«««»; and ret^eritrroT 1:"'" °' "If ~'- means new tn »,;«, i* • *^® ^® ^^s by no pK.rc^:rn';:tJL;\Tj:rh:rhr r ""'"'- acute legal mind wM Lt ^ assistance of an thoroughly , ml A"!;^^^^^^^^^^ '-^ issue and prepared the brief for Z ^°''*'°'^' ^* countiy which he was now Jmeet inTcr^^"".^' *'^ doubt Mr Thomn«nn'o' discussion. And no w.h An.:H!L"i^rjHrr hr.rr''""''^ -ight into the somewhat tortuous Lh!!??" "" *." '"• mncy which was useful to even ttf „„„ '"'^"' "^'P'"" Ch»rles Tnpner or the ,Z a ■ « ^ experience of Sir »■ So far, howe^Jr 1 m'T: r ' "■" Chanfberlaia above the narrow anH R ! T "'"'"" '"^"^'^ *« ^se .onment '^".^'^^ '^"^^■^"tish prejudices of his own envi- A great deal of discussion and cross firing «p nications between the thrp« r '"^''®^"*'"°g of commu- Fn)m Novwnber ?«7 f , 'r.^* ^'■'** ^"*'""' ^^^^o^^ um xiovemoer, 1887, until Fobruarv l«« 108 MPE AND WORK OF they learn something of the wonderful ability and unique power of mental grasp shown by Mr. Chamberlain upon this occasion, and regarding a subject of which he had naturally known very little before coming to Washington, will indeed regret that Sir John A. Macdonald had not received the same keen appreciation and co-operation from the British Commissioners who helped or hindered him in negotiating the Washington Treaty of 1871. On the 15th of March a Treaty was duly signed. By its terms an International Commission was to be appointed for the decision of the exact limit? of Canadian waters, within which by the Treaty of 1818, the United States had renojinced for ever all rights as to taking, drying or curing fish. A method of calculating the three marine miles of exclusion was decided upon. Privileges were mutually given as to vessels reporting, entering or clearing for shelter, for repairing damages, for the purchase of wood or the ob- taining of water. Such vessels were relieved of compulsory pilotage and of harbour and other dues. Vessels under stress of weather or accident were to be allowed to unload, reload, tranship or sell all fish on board, subject to customs' regulations, when such action might be necessary as inci- dental to repairs. Full privilege was given for^t^J^^© replen- ishing of outfits, supplies, etc, when damaged W lost by disaster. Reciprocity was promised by Canada whenever the United States should remove the^^duty from fish, fish- oil and other produce of the fisheri^ of the Dominion. Upon this step being taken United States' fishing vessels were to be given annual licenses free of charge for the fol- lowing purposes : I. The purchase of provisions, bait, ice, seines, lines and all other supplies and outfits. nr^Transhipment of catch, for ean8port~1By~a^ means of conveyance. IIL Shipping of crews. v * SIB JOHN IHOKPSON. 409 Sach Wm the Treaty finally „«*, in which, of eou™ Newfoundland waa inclnded. And in order to ^CZZ'- national tnendliness and prevent any nosaibl. fJ^T Umted Statee a most favonrable modus vivenM or temrK,! be wel at laet m this most troub^teome of dispntee. U bemuse I believe that it '^p Jr^^rto"^ ;S and final adjustment, upon a baai, honourable »d W to relates. And in speaking of the modu, vivmdi .which h«lbeen offe«d by the British plenipotent»ries. hf «W On the 2nd of March a banquet was given Mr. Cham- Wain m New York by the Canadian Club and it. C .den^ Mr. Erastu, Wiman. In his speech the distii^uiZl Engl„h statesman pointed out the difficulties *h™ Comm,ss.oner, had encountered, and dech^ that they h«l left the Treaty "to the calm and sober judgment te feeling of the peoples of both countries." He gave a b™ sk^h of it, term, and of the concessiom, m'^e on erther^side; ,^ke strongly regarding the absolute iu,ti« and fiurnes, of the Canadian policy in the whole im^- «.d cone uded with an appeal to the United States Cte ' to ac^pt the settlement. After a visit to C^Td a most eloquent addre» in Toronto, Mr. ChamberWn «tarned to England, and in a speech at BinSS^ -mmm^t «,d .i, representatives wore desirous of terminatmg . state of irritation, dangerous in ITf^. W' i^dMf 110 LIFE AND WORK OF sible consequences, which had existed for a considerable time. They were quite willing to surrender the strict interpretation of their rights, and extreme contention^ and to deal with the matters submitted in a spirit of equity, and with the anxious hope of promoting neighbourly intercourse." ' A little later lir/^ Bayard wrote that "Conciliation and mutual neighbourly concession have together ddne their honourable and honest work in this treaty, and have paved the way for relations of amity and mutual advantage." In*the beginning of April the measure came before the Canadian Parliament for ratification. Mr. L. ^. Davies delivered a speech of general denunciation, and was followed by Mr. Thompson, who referred to the onslaughi^made upon the Treaty by the Liberal party and then to the equally strong claim of the Republicans on the other side of the line, that the interests of the United States were sacrificed in the arrangement : — " The enemies of the Administration, the enemies of this Treaty, the enemies of Canada, have been ringing^ the changes which he (Mr. Davies) has reveraed here to nighi" The Minister of Justice proceeded first to speak of the Fisheries as Canada's most valuable possession, and one that would as the years rolled by steadily increase in value ; and then defended the Canadian interpretation of the Treaty of 1818 — " It was always assumed, even in the courts of law, that the enter- ing of an American fishing vessel in defiance of a treaty would result in the forfeiture of the vessel and her cargo, and we Were only putting on the statute book in 1886 what had been the view of the law acted on from the earliest times, with the exception that the seizures in earlier times were by British vessels of war, and that -lately they have beeamadebjr Canadian revenge^atterg^ It had not been, he declekred, an " anti-oivilixed policy," Hon. a. R. Ant-ers, Sbnator, MinhUr 0/ AgricMlture. (i (i I 'I m. 1 I'i9jlll"i "4.' (ijL ■ ■« * 'V' Hon. J. A. Ouimet, M.P., Minister of Public Works. / SIR JOHN THOMPSON. *" j,- as.tiie Liberals had callArl .* k,,* * of C«.adi«, inCb Zi • ^"' one 9f prop,, p„t^i„„ carried out to TZ^'Z^, l """"^ *■" ^■'^'^ States retains «r T^ o^l^^r^p;.? 'or'c.^i: *«»-- " a^dUberalcooceesio™ on the JIf the iT^ t'' '"■" He then pointed oat that No™3L « f""^ ^'»'*»-" partionlarly want . tr^ty^Un^,l''T'r'^ ""' inshore fleheriee were pro Jt^hevL " ^'' 1 """"■ at aU. ■■ The only ne.Lity ttat iLt^ ? **" ''*'" " fact that onr neighbors sirn^rl f ^'" °°° "" ">« with the »,nstrnitowhilT!^\:^,';'r" ^"^^^ A nil f K*« -„ , w uica we put on theJTreatv of 1 ft i « » And then came an ^loqnent peroration : " If tZ fll ment had not protected the . fisheries a« f Jwf k ^"*- vigilance and with strictness i"!/^'^ ^*^^ ^'*» proud position we occupy tHay^h^ mT^^°^ ^'^^ t^ajy on the Table; we' ^h^uld We h^^^^^^^^ ^.^^ - make; we should have received „ '^^''*^ '"^ ''^^cessions to o. fishe™.en wouid notTal^l^a r::^^ th^T •• dunng the past few yeare • enr #.1, . °" " '"oy have . becn«i valn.Weas the^'tk^^?T T" ""^ """^ States nor any other Zu"^wtfdtt^°:L*^^^^^^ ''''"«' their while to go throut-hTJ 1 ?■ *°"8'" " ""Hb «a™.tin,.t?LtyS^vs:wh;^:r^''»^ • thought so mtle of that^hey did n^Zv^'^'^"" -;-.terthe,ews.t,^ir^,^-r«.^^ month of August fonowithow-«^e°i„'"'- i" '"^ actuated by consideration, of Z Ameriean Senate, wilhfe.wSicEigrrCham^riS7lI^^ "^ ^aH, threw out the wh^at^renrpS^^^^ i^X4let«$i5^.-' lU UFB ANQ WORK w;° "7^^ J':''r'''"«°'"» M.»wer that question," „Dliedst TtJ^ ^ **"» •*>'» '» «"(r for the moment hfanl. 5" ."'«'"' Thompeon. foiget- distinction w«, mMt f„l^ designation. This mark of *«0 the i^oXJ^^^^r™';:?, '^'"^ ^'^■■" P--^ well vofced publie opini™ T ""* "°"»^'"' P"tfy Mo™^'l'^™.\*^».» Dominion politie^sff t^'e pnblic men. Z Minie^"?1 ""r '""'"'" "" <»"- duty to act in a nu^/oTl ,"!*™ '* "«« ^^en hi, M ekai and the ™^ i^l"1''"«/<" «" 8«ateet «q«ttedhim«Ifwi.rwi;t^^rtr' "" •" "« "" "powerful a 1^ authorir.. X Bll" ''r^"'"'^ *" hamentary question was now «bo,rfU , ■*""' ' '^"^ l.oria>u which would "bTJ'*""' \^"'">-' ""e political «»«ed by the MinisterTj"s«oe * H l"^' ^^'^ P«- to leave its mark ud^ Ih. ~ • ^ ''^'"^ "■'" *«tin«l Ij^ ™"' "P*"*""""""* years of his poblic Si' . \ ..\-r> %k\T ■ ...jCs-., / in LIFE AND WORK OF CHAPTER VII. V. The. Jesuits' Estates Act. The action of the Dqminion Government in the case of Kiel, had stirred to a white heat^the prejudices of ultra Catholics in the Province of Quebec. Its refusal to disallow the Jesuits' Estates Act was now destined to have asimilar effeet upon tl^e ultratProtestants of the Province of Ontario. The ablest defence of the refusal to pander to theifectarian eleaients of French-speakinjEf Canada, had been made by Mr. John S. Bi.Thompson. And his great deliverance during the debate upon Colonel O'Brien's famous motion, defended up to the hilt the Government's policy of refusal to interfere with the Provincial legislation of Quebec, at the dictation of the sectarian elements in Engj^h-speaking Canada. By the first speech the Minister of Justice made his reputation. By the second he confirmed and enhanced it And curiously enough, they were each made upon opposite sides of the semi-religious i&ue which has more than once threatened 'the Dominion with serious disaster^ In connection wi^ this Jesuits' Estates question there seemed to be combined nearly every element which could embarrass a Govemmeat, provoke ill-will between the Pro- virftes, raise Sectarian issues, and make j.he action of the Dominion Ministry unpopular whichever line it might ultimately take. The Premier of Quebec, who had planned and^passed the legislation, was intensely unpopular in Ontario and other Provinces, because of his^speeches during trbft Rial agitation. The preamble to the Bill as carried through the Parliamentof Quebec was exceedingly oflfensiv^^ SIB MBS THOHraOH. 117 W' ^tattoo «.d to the „«e „r ^fco,i ,J mil^^ behev, m .,, ho.e.ty that Homah Ctholicam wL ^v.^ ^li^J TT °l <^«°'«'«-TAnd. although it T. d^te matter to refer to, ther« cio he no doubt that tht P«»»al pj»t,ou of tbe^iuieter of Wiee. «. a ooZrW The tot stages in the hietory of the aflair did not Bill for the settlement of the longstanding dispute betw«n ^.Jesm^the a,.^„, U,e C^ Catho Jchu^ 3 the Province of Quebec, was paesS^^ithout oppSi^r protest Uirough the Lower House of the Quebec SS.^'-" due. apnrso was assented to by the IAtZck>y^.Z b«ame law subject within a certain period todS.".^ by ft. Dominion authorities shonld the legislata t^ «dered unconstitutional or d«,gerous to\e TiZ^ HmjUngdon OU.nT:Z Z^^X^^TZ^ ^ ih^ • .T^?.°^ "■ "" taeasure. Mr. UmL mu fcereforejostifled in concluding whUe Ih. Bill X tefc^ tke I^lature that there could be no very irtrT fcZ! m^ the proposal in th, ft^vinc in<2,Z^3 H.e HoiL Mr. Lynch, a Pwtestant r^pr^ntatH. d^d^ *.n^ the passage „, «., „e«,„r^ ^ "UU w^^tS^ mg in It alarming in charaeter " - T*^ TIip Hon. Mr. Stamea. in tiie Legislativa O^ ^ -•■»*■» I >« ^ MwMnHwC \- ., r ]f> i^JS^^^BI 1 i»H •jf- ,<,*3'&i*r'^'*' la^^i^&iA-; ' ^^alJ^i-M -^ 118 UFK AND WORK OV %- that " Protestants and Catholics on^ht to be MthfiiH with the manner in which the questidn is now settled" The Hon. C^vid Ross, declared that*^' w® ^'^ ^ ^^ ^^^i^^ questioi^ of justice and I gave it^y support. .,Tl|iK>cll^^ testwts w^om I represent in the Cabinet are wel]| with the settlement." None the less howeyjer^^Mi^ was necesi^urily-well aware of the ultimaTO^tttflupof such legislation, especially When the introductory p^ion oji, tjjie Bill was worded in a way so peculiarly offensive to large elements of the national population. . He supplied the pro- vocation, and it is hardly unjust in view of his previous and subsequent record, to surmise that he did it deliberately, knowing the advantage which a sectarian agitation in.. Ontario would be to his own political position in Quebec. The CMOgin of the question was simple enough. Strippe jeng' period either precluded the sale of the lands by the Qovemment or very seriously hampered its action in dealing with them. flIB /OHN THOltPSOW. 119 private doio« in^ "T^y.-'T'^- » «».. ««6. by Under 'i^^^cZt^.^T^^ *' '^^ '^'"^ authority whom the J«„ita and ft. s!,*^"' T ""'' »"• *e aame ohorch eoiild J!h ™ ™''<>P" « >>Buichee of Church consented to dgX^ % k !. ^ ^"^^^ ^*'»<>"o appointed twlL^;Xte in the xnattel^Tliia Iafct«r «1 <» ac* as his attorney ^.lledr.ndina.e^lrt^^rhmrwvr'^"" = used in the subseauent OnL • ''^**'''^^'»*»«ely that he h„ S^to ibr<£''^' S"/*^ -^ q»«tion,TK.\ti,tosay.h™edt\^ „*!.■*"•*« ityprevioudy given to^^keaX^ S h""'^ gou« u,to the matter further at thT ». -^ '""'*™'- , that the bWne™ ar,«^T»t wae^t*^' t"°"" "•" .t has been depicted. Th" cLZ,^" •""" ?"*' * »m, «,ttlen^t wa, «beoluXl^",?'rr' "»* WM the only anthoritv tm^I^^^F' "*' "» J""!" H« two reIi^i,ueSi«rof 1^"" "^"^ ''^P"'* V :«eairJ-«^^'S^SS— ^"^Ij'W^rT^ and some of the . 4 1 ■•if •tf ^ M'^^' 120 LIFE AND WORE OF U correspondence itself, was a gross illustration of political de- magogism and a dangerous menace to the good-feeling in Ontario which had survived the ebullition of fanaticism of a couple of years before in Quebec itself. There c6uld be no doubt about the sentiment which the publication of the bill speedily aroused in many sections of the Upper Province. Aggressive Protestantism was stirred up ; Orange Lodges passed denunciatory resolutions ; the MaU renewed its vigorous and able but unjust and un- ' wise attacks, upon Quebec and the great religious institu- ^ Iviions of that Province; the Jesuits were painted in the bfcjk^st shades which tongue and pen could produce ','kad Equal Rights and Disallowance became th$ cries of the hour. Though this ebullition of strong and sincere senti- ment was confined to a limited number of the people it had the usual effect elsewhere. Extremes in one direction are almost sure to produce the opposite extreme. The Protes- tants of Quebec therefore commenced to think themselves aggrieved and a section of them began to agitate and pass resolutions which served to fan the flame in Ontario. The unwise language which is always used in sectarian disputes stirred up both sides to the controversy and very sdon the French'-Canadian press was denouncing the fanaticism of - the Upper Province in language very like that used by many Ontario papers during the Riel discussion. This then was the position of affairs which Sir John Thotnpson had to face before the country, and in the great !lE*arliamentary debate which soon became imminent With the forgetfulness of his stand in the Riel matter, which always characterises a busy public, he \^ looked upon by ultra Protestants as the central figure in ft^i^reat drama of 8nrrftiid<^r to tha mandat.eH of the ChurcS which he was known to legard with such devotion.^ It did not seem to occur to many of them, although the great mass of enlight- :ij«a*'ii!iiifeli«siSSL"SJ'. - •%&^HiWi^. / ? » i lllJHI ' , l||H it Ifl iImHh )' f 11 Ml |i; ^.1^ m ' r^ iffW*^"' Hon. Robert Skdgkwick '"P 1 » J ;! '* JfJ . < <.* ' H^^^^M ■ ^H 1 1 v>_^ Hon. (jRORGK E. King, Puisne Judgt Supreme Court of Canada, Formerly Premier of New Brunswick. i&^^MMi-'-- MB JOHN THOlIraoN. j„ OMwdians believed otherwiM fi..* . . b. .Eoman Catholic and ."ZlttV^**"""" «""<' «»»ing I^^w''i*t°*^."""'*'°™8' of the ft"™. *f, >««» *»'<>" the that the Minister of S« ^^1 ^ *'""'^"'' ''°«»«<>°. a.eeUewytheaovernrolT'^u °° "" ^«"<> Hi. «o the Ihirf question ZtZl^- .^' '««• Jan«a.y l..t; "«» the Act in q«L«on tott. ""^^ "' *'"»"'» "P»rt«l I»»«J «t the S^tr^f"'"' ">« "2 other Acts Aonld Ds left to its l^Z l^ ?°"^ Legislature, tte reporij of the fcS ;;j„*?.*''« ''""*'' «"i« days, in «.7 other „l,'.*^Ct,'t""r'' " '"^'^ difference bAween th!.^T . " "^^ *» *• «'«ri"g -pwvMl- in '!;i .1 'd i ! ij "I i ""I ^' 126 Lira AND WORK OF are not to admit of any ecclesiastical jui:i8diction of the See of Rome," and of those in which Governor Carleton is reminded in 1775, " That all appeals to, or correspondence with, an^ foreign ecclesiastical jurisdicticwi is absolutely forbidden under vpry severe penaltiea" The subsequent relaxation of restrictions was claimed to be simply tolera- tion, and not the giving of any legal right. A Jesuit was described as " a being abnormal in his conditions ; he has no family ties, no home nor country. Ho is subject abso- lutely to the will of his superior. Such a system, such an order, being subject to an irresponsible power, must be dangerous, as it alwaJys has been dangerous, to every com- munity in which it has existed." Mr. Rykert followed in a somewhat vigorous' defence of the Jesuits, by quotations from Macaulay, Parkman, and othera Perhaps the most iroportaht part of hb address was' the following extract from a letter written by the Very Rev. Principal Grant, of Queen's University, Kings-, ton: "If the matter was to be settled at all, let us remember that the great majority of the pieople of Quebec are Roman Catholics. ■ I do not see what else Mr. Mercier could have done than require the sanctipn of the Pope to the bargain It may seem astonishing to Protestants that Roman Catholics should acknowledge » man living in Rome as the head of their Church. But" they do. Protestants must accept that fact in the same spirit in which all facts should be accepted." The delicate satire of the last sentence or * two is simply inimitible. Mr. Rykert also referred to the Pope's interference in Irish matters, solicited, as it was upon more than one occasion, by the British Government, «Dd notably, to his denunciation of the Plan of Campaign. t Mr. Bt^a&a went badc^ ijo the days of Elizabeth, to statutes passed regarding foreign potentates and prelates at a time when England had jbeen in serious danger from i » SIB JOHN THOMPSON. i^ the attomptad invMion of Philin „f «„ • „ 166*, aad qaoW Todd fa ll.'^rK" "" ^''«'"<' ■" 1818. .„d in referenrto 1^ ?".°i "" ^^^ » toleration of the ^..tZ^X 1- 9"'^ = " « -» a of Rome only, to wWrThell^^'tr^V?''' **''"='' |»w™.nd Privilege, of anlSis'K.^^"' *" "" aer^rl" „^^r.r f Waoo;re;pon- -at„,,o.kindCrb::i^^\ ™i^«^^^^^^ wit P«>e«. which h^ never vet l^fn ""^ denominational -t«.ngiy denounjx w2: ^1^^"■■"-; ■»-) Quebec in 1887. "eo.porat.on of the Jcuib. in ««.er.fn.W^;Xl'Jrrnt?r"" '- ' '""^ 'ffectiveappea. for modeSrd tottlioT "S'"'"'/ ■»" to the many instances of it ,„ r"" ™<*™on. He referred te Hon. HO. jXTL^tb,V^ ^^o"""''" '" «»»« t^e, •^»ierandthe:!^^^tro7a''(^:^r"''>^ ■«'■■ v^here the Hon JO r^kw *''^°^'<' ^o'^stituency ; P^ahytenan." had ft ytrs^be» pr" r r'"'^"' ""derthe Conservative ^Ihl""""""^ T-*"""-' of .peaking two ftovincTtiiirt^r^^rf "' ""' "™ Protestants. Not lonir befo™ n j ? J*' «even were P;^dedovera -«el.«5 h^L th 'tl""'" '"^ of temperonoe. And in «« i , **»« advancement be inte^tfa, to many in ^^^It^^J^- """' "^ The Ron«« Catholi, Chu„h-I wiH S^ .^ ^ „ k<,aJjAfe(V4j; 1S8 LIFE AND WORK OF as a religious body — I look upon from a political stand- ppint as one of the strongest, if not the strongest, bulwark we h^ve in our country against what I conceive to be the most dangerous element abroad in the earth to-day. The Roman Catholic Church recognizes, the supremacy of authority ; it teaches observance to law:^ it teaches respect for the good order and constituted authorUiies of society. It does that, and there is need of such teaching ; for the most dangerous enemy abroad to-day in this land and on this continent is a spirit of infidelity ; is a spirit of anarchy which has no respect for any institution, human or divine ; which seeks to di-ag down all constituted authorities, emperors, kings, presidents^ from their seats, the Almighty from the throne of the universe, and to lift up the Goddess ^of Reason to the place of highest authority." The Hon. Petjer Mitchell then spoke briefly, and was followed by Mr. D' Alton McCarthy. It is impossible to do justice here to the able effort of the Equal Rights leader. He waa forcible, and sometimes, in view of the manifest unpopularity of his position so far as the House and its members were concerned, became almost bitter. And it would have been impossible to have denounced any body of men more strongly than he did the Jesuit organization. Mr. McCeurthy, in commencing, claimed that he should have been allowed the privilege of a reply to some one of the Ministers, and evidently did not like the idea of being followed by Sir John Thompson without previously know- ing the lines of Ministerial defence. He was, however, unwilling to let the occasion go by without explaining his reason for having to separate himself from "the political friends with whojn it has been my pride and pleasure to =aet^ up^to this tim«r' He thea^rent^into ^« history of tbe^ Jesuit claims, and of the limits of religious toleration and privilege accorded by the British Qovemment from the mK StLti ■^,j:n»:;Mdi' J,i^-&iMl&-itk^, cal stand- ,, bulwark to be the day. The emacy of tea respect jf society. 5; for the nd and on >f anarchy or divine ; ,uthorities, Almighty le Gkxldess f, and was isible to do hts leader. i manifest se and its r. And it any body ^anizatiOn. lould have one of the k of being isly know- I, however, lainin^ his le political )leasure to tory«tthe ration and > from the -ifv'-°{l l: c '(,•■: ..,y^.M iA.y„.->.'gitf'^i's..';',A.i..^ .i Hkv. Dr. Cakman, (iiMtr.ii Suierinttntlent of ihr Methodist Church o/ Cattadn. N.. FT^'^- -^ /' /> ■^, SIB JOHN THOMPSON, 181 the Provinee for educatkTl ™"™°<'<««d ^Z 'he .Grown to But there we^X^t^^ -". rlT «"r>- McCarthy, "tBat either thST„^ ^~*' ''«%«' M'- disallowed npon that 8^^^ M ' ?"«*»«<> We been -ta, prinoi^., of l^iXTaU ^r'''^ '^^»- and equal before the law • or if \T\ I "'WoM ore free proposition, then. Sir I cl I;™ fi . .u ""' '"'*'» '«g»l exe^W that j„d.;„;nt tL^ h ' . ~ """"^ '«'™ l*^ -«ld at once ',ta^pT„'' „ w^'^" p" *•"' •"""y-'Wch head, the attempt wMAhJ^ f"""^ " '«^ ite of State Chure-if aJ:;\T»^° ^^ ^^^^^isb a kind after a speech which tfoae^hotea^lT^''^ i'^'' '""««" mire, eren while many of th.,^ T^, . "*"''' "'" '"*'«i- h«late,ery„pp„rt„nLplrnl ■ r^ ">• apeaker «,<, « waa a elearTd cut^TrSZ^fofT'l''" '"•'^ and the Opposition alikf, aTdTrn^: 1-1 '""""^ popular with the element in «>. , ™ immensely • «»^n%.i.red,ptoti,;;'^rby^:-tX'r , fo^ttrre&tSat r::tS'tr^ --- ' from the logical «.d con8titati„n7st!^r? '"^'"^ »a«lsalm<«tge„er.llyadmitted InX'C"' r.*- ^peecl, in the Hou«, he had been obU^Zth '^' success over an audience to wl.i.1. i.- ° '"' "foy to known and against an iL^nt^tLTr""^ ""^ '»- >o,^tandsecureforsuSrtt^.''^n^,"'°"«'" pious .iifferences 'T^^'^^i:^''""''' reV.. !-«.. because it is concealed hent;':,::::^::;:^ •KB fff / I ^^^4^1&;i<3^^< ■l')v'.'*y*^*lJ'-^^KiLu I*;.," 'i,i i A t . 132 LIFE AND WOBK OF and even a favourable speech or vote. Re fully recognuect 1^, the gulf which it would place for the time being be- tWdlMT hjmself and many of th»pple. by saying in a few introductoiy remarks that he woulcl have to speak " under a sense of the fact that with one large portion of the people of Canada nothing that I can say will be satisfactory, and ^ that with another, and I hope the greater portion, no de- fence of the Oovornraent is necessary." But as in the Riel question,' he did what he thought his duty and no man can do more. . The Minister of Justice began by pointing out in refer- ence tp Mr. McCarthy's charge of unfairness, that it was th/place of the ministry, and especially of -himself, as the minister most largely responsible, to he^ the charges that , were to be bi^ught before making ajjeply. He compli- mented the member for Simcoe upon his " adminrole ad- dress," and then pointed out that Mr. McCarthy, in a three hours' speech, had preserited a very leai^ed andHX>mplete e&se for the purpose of " proving that the j'esnits of QiieJ^c j had lost their title to the estat^ in question— a fjact which* is admitted in the preamble wi^ Act." .He analysed the ^Treaty of 1763, and summedE& its provisions and their relation to the Act of Supremacy as follows :— " Obviously His Britannic Majesty (in granting the liberty of the Cath- olic religion to the inhabitants of Canada) meant ihat there should be perfect freedom of worship in the newly ceded country, subject only to the legislation which might Le made upon this subject from time to time by the Parlia- ment of Great Britain, certainly not that it was subject then to the laws as regards freedom of^ worship in Great Britain ; for let me remind the Hous^ that instead of there being any aueh freedom at that time, the ex.eroise-of the Qoman Catholic religion then amounted to the crime of high treason ; and no diMcnter under the riak of being im- prinnriAd. oould enter a conventicle or a meeting-house." /i K iu-lg. thoOovw-nor-Oenewl asthitl ^'°*^ Hia Excellency Hepointed out JTC^^^T'' ''~'°«''"' " '» '»ka" that the P„„i„ of Qu^tjT°7^,*^*^'«-»^iou. Province ehould be TkeTt^ ""'"'^ ""' "*'»«' "'« ■»oa6y.itd.„mdh«ve.l™r^ °?V **" <>' the from the Society ot J«.«»Th: '"""^'i "> «" fi«t pUce Pope hin>«lf. aid in thtlri ^ T"'' P"*** '"»» the '«Bo of the Propa.ll „d .J "S '""" ""» ^""^ Col- i» «one«l ^^^ »»^ V" Ko-"" Catl^c Chu«h "P, or the loo« way in whilh ^ '"^"'''» "'"'''niwu earried on. «,k1 in wUch « ^ ^ «»-rmpondonce had been that did not really tit "ZTC^f ^ "^ "^'^ farther cl.i.,|, jp thL " .■„J^°'' I" did point ont M«t „i| -ao«,t..yofthesXof^lnX^«^^«;^ V-t- , r". 11 »i»iT<>» -' 134 UFE AND WORK OF in the Mother-Country, there was not one instance of a pre- amble to a bill being considered a reason for such action. As to the supremacy of the Queen which Mr. McCarthy had just proclaimed "with gravity and force and elo- quence'^Uo-be seriously undermined by the Act, Sir John observed : "It does not, I submit, place the public money of the Province at the disposal of a foreigner ; it sets aside a sum of money for the extinguishment of a daim upon the public property of Quebec, and then calls upon ttiose who are litigants in regard to it, to abide by the decision of their arbitrator in the matter. . . . In the ordinary course, it (the $400,000) would be paid to one tii the claimants on the property ; but as there happen to be two, it is paid in the hands, or held subject to the order of, the person who has to settle disputes between them." Upon the subject of Provincial powers in legislation the Mmister of Justice spoke with no uncertain sound. " I say that within the limits of its authority and subject only to the power of disallowance, a Provincial IJegislature is as absolute as is the Imperial Parliament itself." He pointed out that thirty-seven years before— in 1852— the Parliament of Canada had actually incorporated St Mary's College, Montreal, a body of the Jesuits, and that the division list on that occasion showed in favour of the action 29 Protestants and 27 Catholics. He referred to Stoney- hurst and other great Jesuit institutions in the England of to day as showing what a dead letter the old religious laws of Elizabeth had become, and pointed out that not only had the Jesuits been incorporated by the Quebec Legislature in 1887, but that the whole body had been incorporated by the Dominion Parliament in 1871. -Ha-cliMaod that a aociety-^flf-^teachers and ■ W8 is not a church, and that money paid tO the Jesuits oould not therefore, be the endowment of a Church. And \. |v. -'-te^ SIK JOHN T^MPSON. 18S nessthat " whenever wXlt, ""^r "^^ ««"«'- qaestio,,,, which Jj^^^^tv '^"^''^ "" <"««»" pnn«p.es wS=h U « 1^«,:yl^°-> «- - 'wo the sake of the livino- fo„«*k 'V?f ^^^^ *° maintain, for Fed^ power, for the TCll 1 IS'T"™ "' *« >!h»rit> of »U our neonl? *! -j g<»d-will, and kindly »k« of the pn^LcS ^I"* '^'' ''"'°'-' »<> f- the do by living'^S^h^ol™'^"? '■"**'°°- " "e can on'y which „aed toSo^SILT ;^°""« "«^ *«'e™"«=es pies surely ^^ Slth.^^'"'^' """^ '^o p.inci. tions the State mu^t W^nolvT'^ '''^''g'-'V "■«*«« regards the conW ^Shf F^ 'f """"' "■"■ eienase over Provinm«l r. • V T '^™e''»I power can the freedom of Ttl " 'le ^'''^ '" """«" to-'hing app^priationsoftCl or "^'O" °' 't' People. thf no action of this oonS^thltt HtT*" °' "" J*""'' of Quebec or the humblSt and 1 .. . .f ^'*"' ■^™'» eoMtr^, can be govrrnS Jl J "'' ^""^ »' 'his yeara ago." '^ «cording to the faehion of 300 «'• M^^ofrMS^th"";; ""f "■■"-• «'• c-^iton. A- M«dona^d, «.d SfrRil J°^ «••• I"*'''*'. Sir John "pon a division, the l^i^^ZT'^' '""""'"• "O he view taken by the Zilr of ."uT™"' " "'" " by . non-partisan vote of Wto 3 tT "" '"''"'^ John Thompson had been a ™. b ° ''''*^ »' »«■ e'o" Mr. EdWd BhkeZlJT. """ '""^ ^t '*» •midst general appral^Il^J',''"' "^ "-e House, and I la ■'$dli^WS>'1l!i^«!<^ ."^ . M^' 4S^itaii&:i a . ( ;al ability, le blemish as hardly latter how y the case, nnecessary lent, worse ular preju- and it can m that at ivelopment menjb there is personal 'ch from a m historic »unced the « igour; the Eisterpieces. )art a mas- terpiece of iingled out iiing Equal .|fl "ON. John G. Hac.c. Minhttr 0/ R„i, ""ART, M.P., "••W and Canals. $^mM^y-- --'i-^^K^^i .&k »;, Hon. J.J. CuRKAN,<3C., M.P., Soh'citor-Gtntral of Can»«- On the very dav thafrf ' ''^ ""> "» «>«■>». as Chairman. The jIZZIZVH' =.^°''*"'= no measured iangnose and rtl v ^' '»"<'emned in a/. M«d,ne,l.K: rM'^rtc ^""^ f^ ««^- and others, were fervent ITj j' * ' ^™IP»' Caven, a Committe; towtend^L „ '^''«^- "<< »PPomted Dominion against aH who h^ '""™"'«" throughout the ''g^'^onlt^ m."'"^ orcondon«l the V.I Rights .S^no^.f'"' "" ■^^'""^ of 'ha ->•<•« ':.,Ai;fc-v.*l - ■.* 140 LIFE AND WOtlK OF ^ phrase of the moment put it; stood up for civil and religious liberty, for tlie people againsJb ihe politicians, for true British liberty, and -against any union of Church and State; Mr. McCarthy delivered the principal address and accused the Minister of Justice of hi»ving adroitly mixed up the divisions of the question so as to create confusion in the minds of the people. " He had fee^ perfectly amazed at the speech of the Minister of Jiistice. He had heard speeches in which the hairS were split very freely, but he .had never heard any arguments more specious, misleading, and. at the same time, so captivatiftg.'fw those used by the Minister of Justice.'' \ \ In accordance with an address issqed by the Citizen^ 'Committee to the people of Ontario and an. approving resolution passed at this meeting, a Provincial Convention wai held in Toronto on June 1 1 th ftnd 1 2th. It Was largely attended and very enthusiastic. The Equal Rights Asso- ciation was duly organized, with influential officers, and with Mr. McCarthy as the Parliamentary leader and the real chief. Meanwhile action had been taken in Montreal by Mr. Hugh Graham, who petitioned the Governor- General to refer to the Supreme Court of Canada for hear- ing and consideration an inquiry as to the constitution- ality of the Incorporation Act and the Jesuits' Estates Act. This was sent to the Minister of Justice for advice, and eventually the request was refused. A most able State paper was published in August, giving Sir John Thomp- son's reasons for recommending His Excellency not to grant the appeaL It was an exhaustive document, both in its wealth of legal learning and in the number of precedents produced. . \ His rwaons were y)parently very strong, and may be concisely summarized L The petitioner was duly represented in th© legisla- SIB JOHN THOMPSON. . , 141 oot.ppe^-tohi've^^'i^"' "•«■« »aetoeote, but does Ooven>orof Q„eb«wtoi„fo™XuL^ r "'^"'""- "ouW be left to their opemtZ Th "^ •«»PecUvely seve^I months whieh C^^T; J"'" "■" ■"" '■"'""'of W, and Mr. Graham Wift " "^"'"'^ "^ » "y l«P«. of time in the3o/Z T """ P?^"*^ "■"» "-y a. by the obligationeTpnl, 0 "firrdt"" ^* " "«" to both of them, it hal "^d t Te i^^^rn" "^"^ desirability that the st2Z T J^"""'"'"* ^ *"" -Mupo/bythe'tra ^f^tf ^^^blie'' '"""' ""' "^ perty being completed. '^ " """'"J' """J P"" «iK,ni a:oS:;::s:i^-,^-^^ ^^t u> can proceedings, in aci^lZ „! L^""T-.'° '""' '<«»' the validity of the Z Vt! ." "' '^•^^' ^ ^>' *ho„Id be diidedt t i„™&™"°"- . " " """ ^ «» belittle doubt that thsJudir'n ",f ■'"''■"""' « *e gmnt of money »d Zd „tl"'/^ ''"'«"'°'^' authorizes is bv its i«,l. * ,. ■ •" '*» ""^nd Act c«U.blj.hed"^fhe't^^„t„^,^'?« '"•"'• -^~«'». -.d ha. uen . e^;':?itu:rei"trk;! i ll MfdSi«te«»»4U.ri '■^ ,i.^A^; ^V'. 142 UFE AND WORK OF Mercier and his Mi iatry, but the idea was not followed up. The object of too many of the Equal Rights advocates in both Provinces seemed from the beginning to be the embarassment of the Dominion Government, and not th6 genuine pursuit of equal laws and equal privileges as between race and race, religion and religion. Later on in Ontario, as Mr. McCarthy has so bitterly complained, this was indicated by the partisan conduct of Mr. Charlton and Principal Caven in the Local elections of 1890. Sir John Thompson summed up his advice to the Govemot-General in the following words : " The Acts refei^red to in the petition relate only to the Province of Quebec. They do not conflict in any degree with the powere of the Parliament of Canada, or with the rights and powers of Your Excellency. They do not concern in any way Your Excellency's oflicers, and they do not affect the revenue or property of Canada or any interest of the Dominion. They should, therefore, in the opinion of the undersigned, be left to the responsit)ility of those whom the Constitution has entrusted with the power to pass such ennctmcnta" Previous to the publication of this Report, though some time after its submission to the Governor-Qeneral-in Council, His Excellency had received, on August 2nd, a deputation at Quebec, which presented An Ontario petition 160 yards long, and containing 156,000 signatures ; another signed by the members of the recent Equal Rights Conven- tion to the number of 8(50 ; and one Icrom Montreal and the Province of Quebec bearing some 9,000 names. The peti- tioners asked for the disallowance of the Jesuits' Estates ' Act Principal Caven was the chief speaker for the deputa- a,and tho reply of Lord Stanley of Preston was listened to with deep interest and attention. As the Libersd jour- nals throughout the country claimed in the discussion ^ / fi^ m Sm JOHN TfeoMPSOK. ' "" 143 •sailed the Q„W, authX hI"^^ T^ ""''"'«' <"• claim IS recognised when no iLfL ' ■ . '"t'' " »"«»1 " « matter which h«J been S?^ !f' "^ ^^ <'«'"«d to nineteenth cental teSe^'^'»/««««'«'. «»» in I>»P"- h! poin J IrtrnftTrf "'" "" ""^o"'^ »' would be- for the Governor O.^^ "ncomtitntional it '-e of hi, Minirter-s ^wli^Z ^k •'""»'' » ^»' » Parliamentary majority Zih ^''* **"* "' » '»■«<> -ted bythe';3ovC?Oen:;^ Z° '5" '"'""""''■" P"^ "umed by l.i«: Mioi.te7rjl"l'°'^rf f' r"'"" loUung to say at the moment i„7^' . „ ''«'»S»i»> Iiad refuaal to interfere, butTaS "n7 '' ^'' E^ceUeoc/e •S"tation and onranizatnn » T "'*' """ore vigorous Bighte should nof^lZdf the premotion of &,„»! Some time ^te^ £ '^^""■""^ '» » '""^''nl i^ne M'- (now Sir) ««kL^Xreirrr-jr. *'"'""^-'«9'. «■«« at M«liK, Ontario, and 7^^ 1^"''^^ "" ""««■ "a decision "LoM sZi! i . P"" 'o ""^'ing *>»« whether the kct w« t^ttt "T "«'»" »' "» •^'■n* of Quebec to pa^"t ^^V T""" "' ""> answer ^nmn thai ii. — i *'"'" ^y* '"»^r the ■*^l^-8latare of QueC I^'t^JT'""- "■« P"'i«'' of ^ »««»ity to refer it « ^e nl? "'' *" """ "" »» •«. as the petition which had been a i» s;,<-.jv<,< 144 UFE AND WORK OP received suggested, to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council." This particul . ■ step was therefore not advised by Sir John Thompson, but it is very probable that Lord Stanley was more or less influenced in his general conclusions by the clear and forceful reasoning of his Minister. There is absolutely no ground, however, for believing that the latter actually prepared the reply which was given to the Equal Rights depvitation. Shortly after this, the Protestant Committee of the Quebec Council of Public Instruction — 26th September- passed a resolution accepting in the name of the Protes- tants of the Province the public trust imposed upon them to distribute the $00,000 given under the terms of the Jesuits' Estates Act. Certain conditions were made to which, however, Mr. Mercier, as Premier, agreed without hesitation, and on the 5th oi November, the closing scene in a memorable drama took place in the City of Quebec. Here, amid a large gathering of the Provincial Ministers, the Roman Catholic clergy and sundry Protestant repre-, sentatives, the $400,000 was paid over in the manner decided upon. A check for $160,000 was handed to the Jesuits ; $40,000 went to Laval University ; An J the rest was distributed in sums of ten and tweiity thousand amongst the different dioceses. In accepting the check on behalf of the Jesuit Order, the Rev. Father Turgeon, S, J., , made a rather interesting remark: "I Also thank Mr. Mercier aa,A Canadian. Thanks to God first, then to him and the legislature, we are now recognized as citizens. In bedbibing a Jesuit I still renu^ined a Canadian. Ancient Rome, I must say, conferred the title of citizenship for less than haa been done by our fathers. Our Order has glorious pa^yes-m-fee^istgry^of fel^is counti^. Oar fathers ha»e-j shdl their blood for the country, and they surely deserve the i^ame of Oanadiana" "* / ee of the i jrefore not J probable :ed in his masoning of >wever, for eply which btee of the jptembcr — bhe Protcs- upon thetn rms of the >e made to ed wiihout losing scene of Quebec. 1 Ministers,- itant repre-. ihe manner ided to the .nJ the rest y thousand he check on irgeon, S, J.,^ thank Mr. ;hen to him as citizens, n. Ancient ship for less has glorious atudi rely deserve tiHada. ^ ( ) ^i -^ju- A- ^'•' " ' h p/ m / - 7 / '',i!}i^{^: MB JOHN THOMPSON. j^^ Meantime the EauAl pj«k* t«» hrid i„ To„.t„, J^ ^^^' . «■•« --etiog h«. Lord StanW of Prufa,. _„ '^PO'" of (he deputolMo to Mr. MoCrthy we-TTh^L'T '«*, J""-"^!*' C«ver„d ooe occ«io„ pJU tfc, *^ ^ sL rr ",£!""' ""»" Mr- McCarthy dadared hinTi. ?" '»'» Thompion. Manitoba «,d the N»rth-\C ''7,''»8""«» «y»tem ia Apnl 80th, 1890, the Jeenita' ai, . '" """■"« >•»«■> on -ore befo« the Ho^ of ^^„ •" ""**" """o -P »ce Coortof OttxU SirJohnThl^^^ *" the Sap^mV Ite a«»"n,ne„tVcoaVeZi^;'"r'' '"*' '« <'«'«" »/ Qov,nio..Qe„e„j. '• "^ "' "»° g^und taken by the ">g the Act to have been «^^ ° '* '" '^"ohec claim- MinisterofJoaticeJ^" ""■""*"' "' «'«' rights toe ^e petitioners presented »1..:, . "»«> referred to mvself r ,1^ 'PP**' »»d '* iMinnir " quit, poesible that if the St""." .*• """^ ' ""i » M-iog lilce a ca«, f„, L tw ^ "^ e«t«bli8hed a,y. ,*"»oil, on the poUS tSr^r".:' '^ Oo'ernor-I Wnority in QnelTh^ b^ iSl^" °' "" P"""*"* J»««on a. to#kethritt^;^'^°f • * "''"»«> »' ">• (J f y ■^: 148 LIFE AND WORK OF Premier of Qu^beb that the redress they desired would be given without any appeal being made." * It will thus be seen that on the broad question of the constitutionality of the Act neither th^ Government nor the Governor-General, nor Sir Richard Webster; and Sir Edward Clarke, the Imperial law officers, would advise or permit an appeal ; but upon any direct claim of injury done to a minority, they were at least willing to consider the ' question in all seriousness. In speaking of the charges of religious bias made against himself, Sir John Thompson ^k the opportunity to say : " I am very far from finding fault with those w^o, rightly or wrongly, wer^ under the impression that I was swayed by my own private opinions in tendering the advice which His Excellency had acted \iis* upon. While 1 feel that that impression was unjust to me, I was only too glad when His Excellency was disposed to receive the deputation and to givd them his answer upon the question." The course of asking the Colonial Office to ^tain the opinion of the Crown Law Officers was declaimed to have been His Excellency's own action " not by our advice and not by our request," though " we accept to the fullest ex- tent the constitutional responsibility for such action." This debate terminated the question sq far as Parliament was concerned. The E^al Rights A»^ciation flourished until the disputes connected with the Local elections of 1 890 in 1 "Ontaiio practically destroyed its influence. Speaking in Toronto on June 2nd of that yel^, Mr. McCarthy vigor- ously denounced Mr. Charlton, M.P., fOr not supporting the Equal Rights candidates against the Mowat Government, and declared that he and others simply uded the move- ment for religious equality^ so far as itjiight jnjure the Dominion Government And the absence of Principal Caven from the gathering, spoke for itself. A little later, T f^rtlCts ( SIB JOHN THOMPSON. Minister of Jusrce.biid^t?™^^^ . Estates question. One TtZTZtt^rf '''''' '''''''^' ifontreal District Ma^'straW Z *«*"owance of the cial J^egislatureunderTr M^^^^^^ '^ **^« P-^^"" abolished the Cin^uit branch oft T^^- '^^^^rire and vested ife powe« in two T ^ ^?'^'*' S«PremeCourt jurisdiction "^hrrinVrd decSTnf '^^ exercised by the said Ci^^t (£,;? f^J^l^^^^ treal" A^ the British Norl^ * °^ ***' ^^*"<^<> of Mon- "fj|P0inl,Superi:^^^^^^^^ «/:%t.#^ohn Thompson reSj^Kl^r'°'°° ^^■ atte,9pt to take from thrDcfJ* ' 1 ^" ''^" ^ * ^««nct Wt^onsStutional pre^Z^ylu """^ ^^'^'^^^^t one of its ' 0^ tHe a>„H, SZtst^ialf'-t' J?^ "^"^^ recommended its disallowance ^^ ^'^^'^ ^« Jncidentally this action wm *ho speech in Montreal. It M^^in s^ . ^^^J*'^ °^ ^^ ««* elation in which Mr. uZ and Mr P' '""^ **^^ '^- ;^dates for the vacancy Ced by Mr r""''rf ^^« ««»- diarge was freely made thrth«M^'?°"'^''^'^'**^- ^^^ ^ nection with this dis^w'tet!^^^^^^ '^^^- 'i^y to the Fn^nch-CanXarpeot C^^^ ^" '""' when he was suffering unmeasunS.K " ** * *^"»« quarter for alleged sub^rwZlT^.. ""? ''^ "^"^^ ^^^^^ gious sentimenta 1 ''**^'^'''»*^ ^ ^^^^' interest^ and reli- ^v^mmt^d himse7^E^d r!^^°^ "^^efend^^— was filled to the doow hv / • 5 ^"«^ouw' market halJ MimaterofjJir^^ktin r"^"""'"*"^^ T^ tioe spoke ,n a low. measuwd voice aad waa f-ii '"••-Mil ^ V-' ',' ■-'^1'#&! 150 LIFE AND WORK OF 1 listened to witjki marked attention. He explained the nature of the bill, and the reasons for disallowing it, con- cluding with a vigorous appeal for unity of race^and creed. "We ask you," he said, "to stand by the old principles that Montreal has stood by so long— the National Policy. We ask you, above all, workingmen, English, Scotch, Irish and French-Canadian, to stand by your country which is threatened by the appeals made on behalf of sectarianism and race. When any man tells you that injustice can or will be attempted in this country against a French-speak- ing Roman Catholic Pijovince, you can laugh in his face and tell him you ar* not a fool." The Conservative candi- date was afterwards elected by a large majority. On the 26th of February, 1889, the Fisheries' question again came up in Parliament. Mr. Laurier moved a reso- lution expressing regret at the present differences with the United States and urging that steps should be taken for their adjustment; and for the securing of unrestricted freedom in trade relations between the two countries; direct representation at Washington ; and the renewal of the modus vivendi. The debate proceeded for some days and on March li.t Sir John Thompson rose to speak. As illustrating the fairness of the Government and its desire for the maintenance of friendly relations, he pointed out that on the abrogation of the Washington Treaty by the United States, the Canadian Government had offered to extend the operation of the Fisheries' clause until the close of the season. When the Opposition press urged that the United States would not accept this offei'for fear of claims to future indemnity, the Government had asked Great Britain to inform the United States that it would give the "oseofTh? ItehirieB -without ^mt or pricer " Now the cry itf that we folded our hands and did nothing." The Minister of Justice then went on to say that " the \ m-^- t: «R JOHN THOMPSON. j- one anpreme difliculty which f K^ with in WashingtonCt :L ir^*^"*^" ^^ *« °»««* i»« gained gro^d iT^^u^ ^ ^'^^^^'^^^^ which . P-isi^in^ fo^iim,^^^^ ^^ *^-* we were question inonler^^obtaS^^^^f^^^t": f ^'^"^«' proposal made to the AmS O ^" ' '***^^ *^** ^^^ «der the whole questi^of Te 17:™"'"'. "" *^ ^-- get a broad and libend «rffi x f^' *°^ '° «^der to tW open the &hi^ ^2 J t ^"^^'«°' "- f^-ilegestotheAmeSL^^ , X I*™, on the assnranca nf «,. » .? ren^mder of jii States, that he wo«I?^l^'*/"»-^«"' °' «>» United ■* miesion be appointed TZ^ °°"8*« ""«' « Com- «»»<«» fisheries, tocher witTt^ °77r ' »' ">» applies, transhipment etethlp ^ "^^ °' "'"''"»« to Congress and the t^te tlyT^""^ """ •"= "«»«««« ".emtes voted against the mS ""'^ '"»°'*» tected'?Jlte':^'°,„t;t"J;'^''''■■«'' «»»<^ p- waseventnallynegotiaWrJin T^ '^"'^•'' treaty "Mived the conrteon. r? '^P'^' The Senate thawing the T^:t.tdThrorr™i-*^^'.^- twenty yean. ha. been wi^^'-nf™ °' "" '"' -oree^ent-oran^Xte-^rreiZ^T^t' '-•f^j;'-,,-^ iilCOiJii/iliiV . A'.. I !i ^ ♦ mm^ ;\.v .'W- 152 DIPE AND WORK OP coat) tries more strongly than I would, or apprehend more seriously the consequences than I would; if any such danger and difficulty should come, the Canadian Qoyeroment, would be able to leave its record to the judgment of any - 'man of fairness, honesty and probity." And since then, owing to the wise, yet strong, administration of the Cana- dian fisheries, there has been no serious trouble with the American Government, and matters have adjusted them- selves satisfactorily to the general terms of the Treaty "of 1818. Such difficulties as have arisen were upon the Pacific Ocean and not on the coasts of the Atlantic. In the followiiig Session of 1890, a- question which had been intermittently discussed for some months past was brought before Parliament. The dual language system in the North- West Provinces was one of those issues Which must always have a rare charm for the agitator. It involved a stirring up of race sentiment and the revival of many of those old prejudices, and even animosities, which help so greatly in the agitation of any specific question amongst the people of a mixed community. And whatever else may* be said regarding the debd,tes in the House of Commons during the period in whi^ Sir John Thompson's influence was felt within its Watls, no charge qui be made that they lacked interest. Th6 Kiel debate produced a score of eloquent speeches covering the whole ground of international law, and of experience in the punishment of rebels and the treatment and trial of political prisoners. The Jesuits' Estates agitation in ttie same way had been the cause of much oratory of a h^gh rank and was. conspicuous for research into the oUer history of Canada and into the constitutional powers once -vested in' the Frencb King, tben transferred to ttieTnon^ archy of Britain, and now held in the main by the Qovemment-of Canada or the Executive of its Provinces. ,i** i,i»i»* . • W3J *• > were once PuuHi Ju.,t,e Su^rc,„^„„rt o/ Canada ^ if 1 ^i ■ ' .". • • r 1 « / • » •■, ^ • 1 1 1 ^;^ ^■■^&'t \.-''k:Mi^: .. . # ' «..M L- * mL i Ij ■llH III! I '■" •'■^ - /•J. 'v • ™saiS>^i.ljf»s, Ai6i'3vr^'i&J^;\4||^vls&%l-tE''«t.-, I \ SIB JOHN THOMPSON. 165 would be more oorrect t„ 1„ ? ' °"'- P<""''»P» " »(*» We coi^^^^S *T!r """ «" «vil which part of men who 1^^^ I ^ °""^ ««<»■ on the into the Dna. La^^'l^'te*'':,''^^"™ ""^"'=«' interestinif and val^bu ,„ «"• T '*""■ "" Pot lees we.««'?ehe™w\irh:dCde;:;^;-r^ST ^ in Itself WM an inevitable product of fh ^''''l"'«'*'<>n <^ which had been commS t Ih^^' '^'^"^ Kiel, promoted bv th.T! u ^ "dmirera of Louis >egisl.«on,coMintd ttrtetr" ""' •'-*' ^ta<« wi.i^itma,^h::frtt'zrs^ Kisme..uref„rratnl^ '-^^rfc-^^^^^^ tones Act. aboUshing the official AJllir' ^*"^- Ihat portion of the ^minion nr^?"'^ 'y'*"" '" *e subject ^ ve^ ^r::^.nZT^ZZT'"^. Ro.ngmto the .^.is iorthe d;n™cia ,W t T"™' »»y ve^r fairly be described a, unw^ th^ I ,"' ^"^' foreible in anniment Th« „ v^ ' "*'' ''•<^«' ""d «.y c.s.«,TSlitv ..T""*''^.*" *"■" "^o " » of the natioJS^ytfthe Do™"'*t'"' '" "" '■"•"" community of iS.™ ! T""" """ *«* ''«'"'<• l* TmHa~!L~r-°rr'K/°° Poggo of CMada> and •IWingthT^^eL .^''''^"'^'■^'""^ *«t theref,^ ^ "' "" ^"'""' ''"8-«« should be expunged .,4iriafe-:!« 'jA,»:St iit '.... w.. „ki^ ■HPff % 1 HI 'It A) IPP ■P^ 156 UKB AND WOKK OF It had th^ effect of mixing up the question of an official French language in the FaHiament of Canada and in the Province of Quebec with its use in the distant terri- tories of the North- West, where comparatively few French Canadians were to be found, and where very little real importanc^could be attached to the question as ai purely local matter. But, under existing circumstances, to urgaits ' abolition there as a precedent for the future at Ottawa itself j was to arouse all the inflammable French sentiment in Parliament and to make the case absolutely hopeless from the first Mr. McCarthy, in his address, gave u shistory of the Act Which permitted the English or Frencli language to be used in the debates of the Council or Legis- lative Assembly of the North- West Territories or in the Courts, and which rertdered compulsory the printing of its records, journals and ordinances in both languages. He quoted many writers upon the necessity of one language in the building up of a common and united nationality; denounced the racial and religious difficulties of Canada as primarily due to the differences in language ; pointed Germany, Russia and France as countries whose greatness and unity depended upon their peoples speaking the same tongue in private and public life; and concluded by announcing that " My desire is to^ further and promote the welfare of this great Dominion, advance its national life and have a language common to alL" Whatever his bare proposal might have done if submitted without a preamble or speech of this nature, it is hardly surprit^ing that such remarks— made by a member whom the French Canadians were beginning to look at in a way not unlike that with which Ontario Orangemen regarded Mr. \lercier — should imvenH^aied^sll their 8usceptibte~BwdKentimen*BhTeg for the language of their ancestors. The speeches at once became fierce in denunciation of the proposal and of its author. ■a.. .*-. ^. - ^•Tl5^ , • . -« , -/' "■T- , SIR JOHN THOMPSON. -.^ M.eyo.a.ehe« with 1^11, '7 "".'" ""' "■>'"• "•d 'peak they ,j„ke the F^h .tit J^" ^^ '""^ """" from th^ other Provinces UnnJ .t^T T ®^ "^^P* ^^^ere l«w» of the empire to speak th^ i "'^1'^'" <"^<" the JM »ot ape./ tre«„r'x^l^f„^P«>"ded the, "ipeiwe with Mr. McCarthy Dul^L^ ' '°*"*"" "' cost of public printings ho Ton,"^;? k"**° ^^^ *« •He Wante to tyrannize over he F^n.l^T^ '^ »*'«»• i..ted them f™m the time he .Tmefelp,. '"'■""«' "" tfectoHook the line which waTZ !^ ^"'"^^t." Sir r^ '"»» ail paT of Z W '■' """'y "^ "" aTp^poeal a, an attack nMath^r'""' ""* ''«»" '^"' ftench CanadiMM- SH* „ ^"^ ""' "P°° «•« declared, .'the Fronch m1X» oS „ "'"" *""'"''• one man against Mr. MccX ft f^ "'"'"*"'' " politics, but the question of fhl °' * "atter of and ".iionality. C p1 . P"'7™«»» of their «c C~wn,b„tatL Ime toeLr ^ *» '"» B*'" Bin,:'?trsp^S^„t-^'o''.».P™a«b,etothe ' &r mo,» important thMtirr'™""°'^"''«"P™'=ipl« W ia fact Vdow^th 'priS:;^"; "'• "''^j'^ ,be.Can.^i.n nationality bvhX S^t'" ~"''' -^-'i. 1^ 'P"kea as tfaoigh ii „,^^"°^°^ ^aga'" 'ri?— "".iestye subjects tofpe^L The pl f ^ ''"" ""^ "' =« «^MUls...lUnevC«''J*::; ''T^-^ ^•"•»'-' an oatn of allegiance which ■•'J- ^ -T-J^ 168 LITE AND WORK OV required the fubject to speak only English. The British subject may talk Italian in MaltA. French in Quebec, Hindu at Calcutta, and Chinese at Hong-Kong, and so long as he does not speak treasoit will not Sacrifice any of his rights as a British subject." ^ He pointed opt that the dual lan- guage systbm was in operation in Cape Colony, and Mauri- tius, as well as in other places within the Empire. He con- cluded by referring to a very similar attempt made early in the century by the King of thq Netherlands, which resulted in the disruption of his kingdom and the estab- lishment of the separate states t>f Holland and Belgium. ., Mr. Laurier, who in 1877 had beocme leadcir of the Opposition in succession to Mr. Blake; illustrated in his speech the mistake which had been made in confusing the issue : •' If it (the North-West Bill) were not to be followed by any other ; if it were to remain, ap it is here, simply the abolition of the French language in the North-West Terri- tories'; I would be tempted to say, let the measure pass." And then he quoted from 'a speech by Mr. McCarthy in which he dwslared that " we must buckle on our armour and make the French-Canadians British." He went on to speak of the high attributes and qualities of the people of Quebec in characteristically beautiful language; "There is not under the sun to-day a more honest, moral and intellec- tual race. If the honorable gentleman would come to Lower Canada it would be my pride to take him through one of those ancienl parisheis and show him a population to which, prejudiced as he is, he could not but apply the wx>rd8 of the pcfet : — V ''Men whose Uvea glide cm like riven ] Watering the woodland. Darkened by shadowip of earth, Bd^fffleoKi^i lh« tajsgeof hwven.* ' — Let, therefore, the two races stand together, each with its own characteristics, and yet united in a common object." /. SI» JOHN THOMPSOif. . ,,„ 18 no conquered race in f h,o «^ ^ / '^^ ^^^^ British on thatlc^nt'^F^ i English are none the le«s bavin, tried to. ar^Hti^^:^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ «»d suggested that Mr. McCarthv h«li ^ ^^nre, w^ngend. " If the buteh^^^to ^^.^^^^^ htto on the head • he dnA« ««* x ,. *" °*' '^^ strikes f McCari^hy should T. ""* * "*"' P'^ ^^ *he tail." merely a source of irritation " Sir Tnl! ^^ °^ * «"*<> ' self in favour of leaving the mat tert .17'""'^ ^^'^- Territorial Assembly ^ ^''^ decision of irfie He «^^t°^ittt'1j/o°'r'^''«"<'°''P-<*- English Goveroor o QtbTw^rTi *S"™^' "" «"' i» all hi8 dealing with thT'^^J^ ** *^"'"* '•"g"'** iJforg^te' °"l>o «f India So in the TZTZ^^T " "'•«'"«'' different langa«re, wt«Tr„l.f "'^.?' "'""' » ■""»•»' «f Jh.to4^^J^^^*i^he»hoo|,.^^i^ "^ -"^ «-! - t^e natioL C^Ara^XS ■V 160 L?PE AND work: op inviolability of its nationality and its langua^ shall Ik- secured." He quotea Montesquieu to tha eflect that nion are governetl less by terror than by love and confidenee. " If absolute perfection in matter of Government is a mytlj, it is a fact that the best is the Government which adapts itself most closely to the climate, to the character, the usages, the habits, the prejudices even, of the country." Late in the debate, Sir John Thompson rose to speak, and to put into shape the policy of the Government. Amendments to Mr. McCarthy's motion had been proposed hy Mr. Bechard and Mr. Davin, but neither were considered .satisfactory. Whiit the Minister of Justice had to say was very little, but what he suggested in the form of an amendment was very effective. He pointed out how little real importance there was in the mere enactment coverinji; an optional right to the use of either French or English. " I have seett that right conceded frequently in the Legi Ma- ture of my own Province where there is no legislative guarantee on the subject, and the man who would object to the Apadian of Nova-Scotia speaking his own tongue in the Legislature of his own Province would be laughed to ijcorn, as unworthy to sit in that Assembly." But he strongly urged the importance of the laws being published in both languages, where it might be desired in the interest of a minority ; and the necessity of permissive legislation concerning the use of either language in the local Law Courts. He announced Jus intention to propose, therefore, that the regulations as to publishing the ordinances in both languages and permitting the use of English or French in the courts, should be left intact, but that the records, the journals and the debates of the Assembly should be referred to the control of the next duly elected Territorial Assembly. His amendment read as follows, and waJs carried by a vote of 117 to 63 : — i* shall 1)6 that 11)011 onfidenee. is u mytlj, ch adapts acter, the mtry." to speak, vemment. proposed ionsidered kd to say )rm of an how little b covering;; r English, le Legi-la- legislative aid object tongue in aughed to the laws might be jcossity of • languae th^Houril T"' ""^ "*■"»■ That .nd not inconsistent SThaT T*"'"' ""^ P^P*--. tive Assembly of the CnktZt:^^- •""I"'? '^'"^■ from the Parliament Jp . '""'°™"'«>»W receive proceedings of trAtl^''i1'',r''" *" '^'''''' '"e -d publist-ng 3„eh pCeeS^n^.. "" ""°" '' ^-"^'"^ insign'itTbnVri;"'^ " ''"""™ "'"«" « '»«='' was "npLanta;ddU'i.^„^3.:Th:':rf' r r^'''-^'^ to exist amongst all races L . ^ ^«' '''"='' ""S" of Canada. ™'' """'^ '^'">-'' the Dominbn ;H ti \ - r «. r ^,■ ■" < It aBBMW ■,;'ii^*i .v'*Jtj,t,d'F's.fr;,"i.' . 4^. r ». t l9-f the times. Leaving to one side all partisan <5ries and strictly partisan statements ; accepting as a fact the loyalty of the great mtuwqf fc^^ P^O' pie in both parties jwaivin^^^ dtterancos of men like Wiman and FarroJ*t it yet seems perfectly plain ibat ibe country had to consider during .^ - ' "" ■ k '■■^':^' SIB JOHN THOMPSON. 1^5 llr^n^ B LhtZ'- :' «''«'"■ -Hy, British The™ w^.e Sid. i.„e», of'^hi: th^ " .rR^'l-Jl- was by no means tlie IcMt h„t ♦>,• ,.' ^ ''' British Empire vemus • th.^ . • ' ''"°'''°'' »' ">« »>nsiaen.ti„„ and decis.^'r;''^ ;::":' ™''-««<< ^ "'« Sir John A. Ma^„„aTd tfenT^^^ith TT*""' ""■""'• fatally Hml-^ine w, heal h li^ Siro/r"; ""° came from Knjftnd (^ h.v ■ . ^''"''™ ^"PP*"- Apart, therefore, from Hnp«»;fln »** , e^a^e., t.,e ^.t i..„e ,^^1° h t^d'eir oT heT' Hices. Everyone knows that a naw c^n'trl it young man, should have some hi^h inltT ^' ^* * «on, some future hop» whT^ tt^lT^' "-.•>'• principle of conduct and a 8ubst»n.,-ll l. • . '""'"S «>«on. luring the doeon ;t.rit7it[rn] ■ power, the Conservative partfwith ^1 ».* .^. '"'''' •nd eommission-and no n„Ki'- '" °' omission «.em-had .vdved ^;:£t>3r''™ /' "'""" °* manship. Without fh. T "* ««prenie states- p. Without the sentuuent which surrounds the LI S ■ ^'^i^'i^LiSiihii I • M • 166 LIFE AND WORK OF * ideal of Canada for Canadians within the British Empire, the National Policy would have been a more fiscal experi- -^ ment, lasting as long as the good times continued, but^ '* blown away like chaff ^before the first storip of depression:^ ' or financial difficulty. But when the people clearly recognized that the whole tenddfecy df this new policy waa^to build up the resources of Canada, by the development of trade, inter-communica- tion, ar>d investment within the Empire: when they heard and accepted the claim that it was none the less British for being Canadian: that it was safe from the charge of dependence on either Great Britain or the United States : and that it combined' national sentiment and progress with a distinct tendency towards closer Imperial connection in the future ; the natural eflfect "was a' strengthening of the protective system by the support of a large element of the people who considered loyalty of the firsL'ipiportance in conducting the affairs of oiir rising nationality. ' On the other side of the political fence there had been, however, for several years, as Sir John Thompson pointed out in several of his more important speeches, a tendency to' deprecate sentiment in the conduct of public affairs: to denounce loyalty as unimportant, or, at the best, of second- ary importance: to place alleged material interests first, and national ideals^ and aspirations second. And as the campaign developed, this distinction bel#veen the parties came out even more plainly. The Commercial Union advocacy of the Torontc Olobe and Mail in previous yeara ; the unfortunate speeches of Mr. Laurier and Sir Richard - ,Carfcwright in Boston ; the mixing up of the party papers and leaders with the annexationist ideas of Messrs. Wiman, FftWOT, gpd HtttT thfr vasnxiy disguiaed aupport |flv«a to the principle of discrimination against British goods, if necessary, in order to obtain American reciprocity; all •'. %|IR JOHN THOMPSON. the ColonUl Secretary, „rDec^sIrr''"?'''""' *" desired to enter wi^h fK^ tt -^ , !! '^ ^nmisfcers similar to Lt of 187. and °?rrr'"" """"" ""^ '°™«' I- Eenewal of the Reciprocity Treatv „f ihsx • . necessary modiflcationa. '- ^ ' '*'*• "'"> II. Re-consideratioA of tliA T.„ * respect to the Atlantic flsherL with ' "' "'^- "'*'' .....„di„thepri.,e,r:^:--:-^-^ lakes. / "OKiu^ ^i^pi^ on the gfreat ''viS^rJerr'^:;f°-^r-e,^ Canada and AlasM? ^ boundary between It was stated thdHfio r.iv.a^^* ^- . ^ "* '-arose th.„«h T:^^^^,''^ T"^^ time been eoino- nn >^*™ xt , ^ir^^" "*d for soiffiSL « upon which the Dominion Govemtnenfc „ i^^iiL ^\ f ,w I LIFE ired td^ap|/^ -s;,^j?'^' 4^^|ts puHifeti|)n at1%i8 mS^ei?t had the eff ek of jnaking !^lf a^dl of taking thfe ifeeciprpcity ^ ik, and many stroke. It ie^^ which could And the terms of the it i!J^^^mpaprip^ocumg: j^is^'to a c^&f^ e^nt ogt^lif*lhe ■ ' *■" Nj|tuTally'|p|nter upon ■aced in it, the 4th of J expires." e personal r disagree, ,| elieve th|^' said up(fil^ iipbs being ppearance 4' , ■- ••\ J^O^T REV. -jAM^s V.,te«,, c^EARV/D D IrT ^ jT-. ^'1 j.. %>-c;^ f ^ t M "Ail ...-, f-'Via.; .*/ * :r.,^ wTi* [^■o ' /^.. Hon. ARTHiok H. R. Turcotte, Q.C, c Ex-XtUnuy-Ctnttinf QuS^. TT^ *l>4, 't' fei^ V fT'Sf * M^ ■V M» JOHN THOMPSON. jyj «.e Liberia b^C^l^tr' "^ ^""S^""". "here • to meet the bitSta.^ .' l"'"*''* '"^ »■«=• ■»<>" we« hie fate te encounter L r"""*' "'^'''^' «" « " h» politicil career. The „X S^ wh'?"^ '"'"°'' "' success of the ereatm.fl,. ■ • '' "''"''' """"^ the was the rude iS^^Ttl'""* ■" «>« Ton>nto Auditoriun, -ahouted out the,7ori »J T-" T '" "''««"<«y "ho Justice was t&.„^XjTt "'"" ■"■» 'fe'"^' <>' "olleeted speaker Td t^t "^ ' apparently cool^l these points th„ h^" t^^^^uT^"^ "'»'^«' ^- •"d his calm extnV^v 1 Td ^'™ '?""'«''* •^'''«- outset that I am no orator anH ^^f ' . ^^ '^y>* ^^^^ f eloquence it would^^r^fol L'" 'V '"^ ^'^^ ^^* ^k that iB before me, beTusTwe a^ Tot f .' " *'' »y your feeJimffl or f^ ; / * **®'* *° earn- 'F^--S^«^' a Plajn s<»tement7iS l^foj* ihisi count^ " H« H *?^«^*««* consequence _ _ i ""7- «« d««cnbed the attitude^ Z ^ ji «• 4 vj'v ^^* i£#-iroJ 1 i ^- r,-^ ^t .••«♦ h UFE AND WORK OF ^' I 1^^ :4. Wis^ Opposition ; reviewed the history of Canadian relatfdns witli the United States ; and defended the Government in !i^3ll|ffi5^mSfw;tei'jbint>he said : "If you and the people of Canadfn, accept the policy that we put before you now, we will go to Washington with a Parliamenf^^^ehind us, and we will be al^le to treat With Mr. Pluine with the assurance that the Premier of this country has the renewed confidence of thi- people of Canada," He pointed out that the Tiiberals were everywhere criticising jbhe Goveimment's Reciprocity proposal as impossible of success. " Well, Sir, if it should fail, I will tell you why. It will fail because the fotlf^wers of Sir Richard'Cartwright h»*e put on record whole volumes against CanadiAjth regard to ^|m necessi- ties of this country, and with^^^^^^ard to her banlfaiptcv if she cannot get better trade relations with the XJnici^l^ttttas. If it fails, it will be because of the cloud of witneabe he has produced against his country. The records of |MPl%es ottisBeciprocity in the House of ' ;|Jommons, the record ol ''IfviJ^nce given ^fore Committee after Committee of Con- ess |kt Wasljington, have the names of these men appended\ as indicating that tbis country can be starved into sub- mission. ^-^ :. , Sir John Thotngson concluded his speecb with a very clear-cu^efiUition m what the Government would do and would^ not"^ i^^'.We, appitti not to (She sentiment of the fruited ^jii^.1^* We do not, iilftne words of the gentleman ridsidcd ^t- the 'banquet in Boston, and which Sir partwright addressed, look to them for the sign by we conquer, but we appeal to our Canadian felluw- citizens, and if they sustain us' in the policy I have stated -to you to nighMhe DegotiivtioasL will jMroceedin Marckior^ a fair extension of the trade of this country — not for Unrestricted Reciprocity, not lor any surrender of our tariff t Sia JOHN THOMPSON. jy, control, not for anv disnrJmir,-*' " but tor a fair IbT^t "S '''^.T'"' °"^ ^"^'''~ both ooantrie,." ""*"'"»8« «"" will be ibenefioial to ,r'*"^ Sir Ci.arL'' Xp^^^Lr 'rn'" '•■» eloquence to bear upon the tJn\tLr^^t'>'"' '"""'f"' Haqpiton. ^ng^to^ W, rHS« '^To'^!"'''''"'' •ledge-hamAer blo*9 arain^t Ifcl r ^ "*"**« ^e"" The P?b«eati„n% SirThn'M^a^Sj ° t °*"^'"™- denee between Edward Farrer Onnl """-espon- Enatus Wiman, (ollo-ved h^ k' ,^'^'>"^ Hitt and ■ appeal to the British rtt.e^tt?,!'^''™' ^0 !»".=«" effect In his manifesto h»T . """"P'*- '>■«' » S^at - J-iberalaaebeingv^St^ttH'r'' ">« P^'^V of the jng discriminatiL a^lXM^Ttte;:: n"^ ." - '»'■'"- tating direct taxation to the eit«,it!?f .f??.„ ^ ' "^ "'"^sm- ™d as inevitably resuHinl i„ ' »'*'«««.<>»0 annually; living «3igned^h tSr?™"""- »'. ftafce, aftTr' hand, of Mr Laurt noTL^'T'" I" '*'' '■"" ">« gother. and thus weakenThirXbv«. ^T";"'"""" *"- when, all ^spected, whether ^wfr If "" "' °-' hH views or the reverae. harmony with , The Conservatives however, did Mm^, ,.- their o„„ ^.y. A manifesto ;a3i,^W'''"°f«Il Kighta AsSociatiOT vi """'f?.'.. dealing :^ith8irJ»h^M«,don^,av^t^^^f"'^r^^^^ poeitton r^ng Unrestricted S^r^'i'T'"^ "" *e Nat™^ PoUcyaatheone l^ue'^ tw!'^-^"^ ?Jj2:*(it™^ - ■; 1 . ) 174 LIFE AND WORK Or Conservatives, and declared the plafform of the Liberals to be " absolute reciprocal freedom of trade between Canada and the United Statea " He denounced the premature dis- solution of Parliament, proclaimed the loyalty of himself and his party, and arraigned the protective tariff as a public curse. A strong point in the Liberal speeches was the effect which the McKinley bill might be expected to have upon the farmers, and the claims that these anticipated evils could be averted by giving the party a free hand for the negotiation of a wide reciprocity treaty with the American Republia Another sourcfe of aid was the influence of Mr. Mercier in Quebec. He had made every preparation to leave for Europe in order to float a loan of $10,000,000, but deferred his trip, because, as he declared at a mass meeting in Mon- treal on February 9th, " his place was beside bis esteemed chief, Mr. Wilfred Laurier." It is not unlikely that he hoped to make a portion of the proposed loan unqecessary by thus helping into office a leader who was pledged to carry out the increased subsidies to the Provinces proposed by the Inter-Provincial Conference of a few years before. " Mr. Laurier accepted the resolutions," declared the speaker, " and promised to carry them into eftect if he came into * power. He (Mr. Mercier) had telegraphed asking him if he would ratify this declaration and Mr. Laurier had re- plied ' I accept the declaration as the expression of my policy.' " The Rykert scandal in the scarifying hands of Sir Richard Cartwright was also an element of substtintial help to the Liberals, Vhile the severe criticisms of tne T&\' Mail and a speech or two made by the Hon. Oliver Mowat were of additional service. Aff mm'h oATi hardly-be said of the ^WHistancft whicL Mr. Goldwin Smith tried to render. His letter to the New York Times of Febi;xiary 8th, stating that the Tories "seek ^ /■f i 1% V f// /' « ..^ SIR JOHN tHOMPSON. jy^, to miJtd Canada the engine of th«r. of Oreat Britain for avfrfclL ^h *^"'''"^*''^^ aristocwcy the New World," wasTe^tt^^P^ ^^ ^—7 in P«»judice American pttbWc^JiS' *".* '"""^^^ ««'«^ ^ attempt to obtain a Lrand^ZT"'^''"^ Conservative And his subsequent Tt^r to »T^''f^ the Nation*.! Policy. oXmllT''^ ^^^' denouncing P^rty. His aid was indred iT' r''"" ^ ^^« ^^^^ this campaign as it m^ht have r'^^^^ ""P^^"*^^" '" P^HyJ^ehedistinguitdXlis^^^^^^^ •8»8 4 supporter of Prote-.™ 7 /, """ned sfter A.^0^. ""*'"^»'"'«f°«oworo(SirJoha 'Meanwhile Sir John ml . I««ible to hi, own Ttet!!"';^,' r'*'"?'"S - f- « w« opponent, the Hoa AntTMcOnit "*^"""'' "''»" <"» o" -i-S -gainst him. Jul,"^-'',"^: ''"""«»»" "In- *e campaign oMssT.; -"""'^ '"'^ ""'y •><»■> W in -J«i.lly if vietlnhermeTha?""'^ ^ "■'" J""""^ ft« contest on the part oftTe o^l T""''"'""' '"'*"«' °' «y. Mr. Mcaillivray L. """T"'"' '" '"» ™°»fi">- »»or- , tance, as show ing^the very substantial and efBecb^Kwanner in whicfe Bishop.tJamoron stood by Sir John : '^^J^ " To the Electors of ifl^ij/ontoA County: "Obnjlemkh,— I did not expect that designing politiciane vfOuld dis- » turb you by organizing a factious opposition to thereturn of the Hon. ^I^. Thompson at theensuiiig election, much less didfCVpprehrtid that|iitlief the factionists or their dupes would take su^diberty with my oWn name ' as to oblige me in honor publicly to repuditfW their misrepreiHintat'oiw of ' my views and sentiments regarding the present Unseeml;^ contest. In this and soriiS' of the neigfiboucing dounties it is asserted, urged and-con-, fidefitly reitetated that my csflmjktiqp of the Minister of J^ticd; fiis' *-■ undergone such a change that I have decidfed not to support hiip «y moroj I twit far from disapproving of his b«ng jgnomini6usly discharged by you, fl have furnished Mr. A. Mc(iilUvray with an assurance of my ^ntire unconcern v nay, that he h^ in his ^ket a letter pledging,.me to strict neutrality. (It is scarcely Sceesary to remark that such » sjAtement wii never made aithW by Mt. M«Qii^y or any real friend of hifc) \ ■■■^^•■- ■■^■■- ■■'■ *•!. I jpect, for 7, 8e,y.eral ixpress a Bralocca- al Hoiise o bigotry has now mier and jjie latter anythintr In his a greatly ray, how- )road ith6 )ort MffjeK^;, *^\ \ letter to "■' ought out - ^If^rdsiiii^j;^ pport hisi nd impor- annep IB would dis- ' he Hon. ^l^. i thatlitlle^ y oWn name ►entat'oiw of contest. In ged and-cQD-., JuaticA;fiiw' in ifey moroj rg?d by you, if my entire •,me to strict batementwili it.) ' 5^- ^^£= f^ 14 >jm MR JOHN THOMPSON. ' Oantlemen, no anoh l«ff b« one of the niost gifted. moXtlT" f '' ^"^ P™^*'^ ''i™^^ to proachable statesmen of the D^S'' '"*^' '''^"«°«''l and n>oat ^ uneqnaUed success is a source of leStlaV/'" have foJt thatZ ^va Scotians. You have seen, a^ tTawT. .*" ^"""^^^^ ''"^ *<> ^J by !.«, eloquence in debate, and hU^^^^a'j^'^' ^"°"""« ^ou so highly has never neglected your more immed 1 ^,"°"'"''' '^^ "o^mittee! h! has promoted them with a ^ucce^rCl^;"^^^ -t^Brests-nay. tZ he Seyenteen months aso v„. r^*'™ "°Precedented. faciUties in various localitiel slillTJl^ ^T' '^•"'""-cation and new Po-t-ffices.opjjned.'^Wdrm^rr w"^"?""* °° '«^«r than ^f ^. You need? improvemenTl 0^"" ""''* ^ •«^«~' ot'L Thomp«,n'sstrenuofiii efforts you hav^ obL i^ **"^' '"^'-^e^ l^r to impair most useful public worksTllf • '""* '*' ^°» needed mo" v ^ Plete other, and to originate m^« .L'° '"**' °««K°t and decay to Z »-«n placed at our dis^ for 2^"^ ^ ^"^^ ^" ^'" *^'"' «^ »^^" doubt^butaninstaCto t^aSrih*'*''-*^^^^^ the ariipices of this most efficienlWal .^ ** "ay expect undej ^h^ntoge. Lastly, he has been 1&> *« "^ «Pended for o„T Cabmettouodertaketo build a rX^^ et^"?.**' *" ^'^"'^ing I ermnent measure. «,d alreiuly for3 S;^^^*P« B«"«n. as a Gov! and in course of construction. Beijl ^ °' '* *••« "«der contr^ on ajstem Nova Scotia as well « oS^fi °°"/T'"' '^" '»««ti-abrC we all feel the liveliest interest *' ^"^"*"^ ^ ^bo«, proepe^" y "Togivehimhisdftoh'arge, in existing • * of sensele^ ingratitude, a Jub^XftrT^^r^' ^^"^ b^an act wh^hltrustyou will never be Inlrr^.r'* » lasting disgW fe! In a word, to do yourselves fuU cr«^ f "*''•"« Wunielve. J^^^ ^ l^om^n^t to' «tu;t:\;t^Cw;r'"''**'"'^*^' -^-tr Th« above « my reply t» those wW M jy name into the contest, and noT^ntle^'' T"'°'^'»"'^«?*<«««red ' i«eu. your haad.. and remaih. ' *'''"r"'-' ''°^<'«-"j*l«iK . ^-•-tWwaH-.i.hera.^.^rvantinChri., t' "John C^jiKsoK, " ; f "4»ttgonWi, FebL H, i|^.» ^ . "^irtflp ^ AntigonUL ' ° »t/ ' lit It r 1 ■>M*, V t\ . 180 LIP? AND WORK OF During tjie canvass of tjie constituency which took place in the elections of 1391, Mr. McGillivray caii»e out* i^ith a vigourous attack iipon the Bishop, and in reply the Rev. Fathef Macdonald of Steilarton accused the former of" having person^ly made the very statements which Bishop Catfflsron in the abovd circular charitably disbelieved. "Archbishop O'Brien also came tb the support of His Lordship, and indirectly of Sir John Thompson. In an itddress delivered *t Halifax, he .eloquently defended clerical intervention under certain iQDndjtiona and in certain circumstances:- - , ,. " The interest of the country Snd the fond, proud love of his co^ntry find a pla«e in tile hearty and engage the attention of the true priest. Hence, sljould a candidate fof Pariiament. advocate, say Unrestricted Recipr6c%, And should a prelate conscientiously believe that to_ be th-e first step'towaHs' ahnbxatron— ShSGtd W httve ^ l-eason _to believe that its promoters had that result in view, namely, to destroy our fair Canadian nationality and make of Jhis^ country the battling ground of cfirpet-bagg«rs and traitors •— shoflld he tiot advise, exliort, entreat, aye, and command, hia people to vote againet such a candidate ?" ;*• Needless tp toy. in a Catholic; constituencj^e Anti- ^g^i* it was aot surprising thai the influence of such '^p^lB and the personal popularityof a prelal* so respected and esteemed^as Bishop ^fJwheron.-.should Jiave h%d great- weight, aftd have prepared the way for^the majority of 227 with which the Minister of Justice swept away^ his ^tago- nist on March 5th. Before th^it final result of the cam- ^{gn, occurred, however. Sir Joliti Thompson delivered ' two important addresses in the ProvJnoe— one atJBalifai m oenjntiction with Sir Ct^arW tapper and the Hon. C. H. Tupper, on Febrtia»y 14th, and, the other at ^yUle.fotfr day8lftj»r. The fi^ilifs* meeting Wf«*grtollfcmcm6tra^^^^ ,..,i« ; ■■«>^' 4.^ '}'i^'^M.tX =^ *-t >.■ li SIR JOm THOMPSON. J 181 tioa. Sb Charles Tupper in one of mI^.m *• ^ . speeches, stirred up the lova^' a^ ?1 *'"*^ ""«'°^ ■a sign by whiK4^ "i?jir;ri fr- '-■ to the people of Canada? wd 4" ^To ,1 iT ^ f'"^' once signalled to retire h,L' iu ' ™ ''°'*"' '"'^ si^ for closer uS ByZ^ TTff ' ' ^''^ ""^ .•M.cL*„rier had: said at U^^Xlt •■'°, l'" """'■ feted telpr^itycoioursrtlotLtbrh "°Tr ■ .Iready been shot away, and his Cail teti""".'.''" P*y- earnest appeal; ttirse^^ J' r.,^'" :«.oe;, fe*e denunciatioi, of the a L^dl? *""* *"'«'■ tW«. policy aoj .nvi™„„ent X LTb™rr^7"- ITpoo the other wer» vi™,™. / "^"^ 'e»lem .harg.„f„jj;:"^::^~-^^^^j;»s^ IncidZITher,Ve«oT"'°'' ^" ^'"'^•''■' P""*-^ ' M 1. .», i ; • i H 1Q2 LIFE AND WORK OF The result, however, was the sust^ing pf thel Ck>n- servative party, policy and Ministry by a majority ol between twenty and thirty. Two members of the Gtov- emment, Mr. C. 0. Colby, and Mr. John Carling, were defeated, while the Opposition lost. Mr. A. 0- Jones, Mr. , Peter Mitchell and Mr. Weldon. And thus ended the most desperate fight in the history "of i^e Doniin^on, and one which was destined to indirectly cause^ftijr^r loss to the Conservative party and to th^ -eountry than any which had yet taken place. Sir JohA Macdonald, against the advice of his physipiaps, had taken a wonderfully active part in the campaigx^;^ The "Grand Old Man," with an enefgy perfectly phenomenal in one of his years and physical weakness, seemed to be everywhere urging on the battle; putting life and soul into his supporters; arousing the enthusiasm of vast audiences as only his magnetic person- ality could do ; and giving to 'the struggle that swing of '' victory which was necessary to overcome the many adverse circumstances. Without him, indeed, it is not unlikely, that the party would have been defeated, and of this he was quite well aware. Taking, therefore, his life in his hand, Sir John Macdonald had gone into the conflict determined t«F"win one moi'e success for what he believed to be the fundamental principles of Canadian nationality and progress— British connection and loyalty to the close and honourable union of the Dominion and the Empire. But hia eflforts in managing the campaign and addressing immens6 audiences almost daily for weeks— upon one day he spoke five times —were too milch for his feeble frame, and after success had been achieved the inevitable reaction set in, anl the laurels of victory instead of contributing to af new lease of power and influence, could only be used to crow i the tomb of departed greatness. ,f> 7 i%^ ^' SIR JOHN THOMPSON. - ^ CHAPTER X Death of Sib John ifACDoNALD. 183 senous. He himself did not .„ . '' "" «»»ewliat • light, Wever. and dX.llTl','' «'«»«' " » that co.siderably. On the 29th when Ih! fT," '''° '"'P""«J , h.m,heh«lbeen dicUting l!w t'*^''''™ke fe,i„po„ M'lon with Sir John ThL™!! ''°'*"ff » 'ong conver- 'Nicy «.d party tIi«'t^;^P°M-'i*of pnhiie Oovemor.Qene«l. But rfiortlJ^JT^ * ™'' fr"" the «e™« came and etii.ed tlf bL S""'^ 'Jj" l^'^«e vel ons facnitiea, and aiienci '"1^7^ ""f^' ""^ '"- ?»'l''ng been the voi„e of dlm2 n °''^-*'"'='' h«Sti^ which f«lI«Sl """"^ i"* ""ek of sympatSetic Empire, and a QjeX?*"""""^ I^P''' • M she isaeoveteign. witched ^H^^ ^ «"*' » """""n "■">> minds seemeS the ..V„T ?/"'"' ''wdsnald 4o Conservatism. T<.1hl h'tlTh^'T* °"^'»«'i«' l>.m the party wa, „„ni ™ '"'« P^-^y, and without *-'y the oond,tion oT.ff^^^j'"':;-"^'"'^ mo« "--.wer.tr»t:"K^:-nr's "•;^ 'ij li" •A -*..• i 1^4, LIFE AND WORK OF ■ - , -» ■;-•..' "' ■ Sir .^ohn Mocdonald was at that time the pnly one which could be said to bear an international oir imperial reputa- tion. He had grown up with Canada. His policy had made itself felt abroad, and his^ame, in many places, was synonymous with that of the Dominion. His death, there- fore, might involve political chaos, it might result in, the disintegration of the party he had formed and led sa long, it did undoubtedly fmply serious political difficulties. Parliainent promptly adjourned upon the news of the Premier's fatal illnesq, and from that time till the end came, up0n the memorable 6th of June, 1891, the pulse of the Canadian people was stirred as it had never been before. Publicly, of cou«s% there could be no serious dis- cussion as to the future leader, as to the future of the party or of the country. B^M>. privately there was a great deal. Ottawa was disturbed aa it had not been since the days of 1873, when 4e fate of Sir John Macdonald's first ministry hung in, the balance of a "great parliamentary trial. Letters from all over the Dominion poured jnto the capital, rumours of A hundred kinds were current, consid- erations oiy\l sorts were discussed. It was recognized then,'and in^he week which followed the Premier's deaths that' Sir John. Thompson, by forc^ <5l ability and political service, was the inevitable leader— if ndb at once, then in the near future. (^ Had there been an impression that Sir Charles Tupper would have cared to take up political life again, the opinion of the party would hav,e probably united upon him, but the circumstancorf^being otherwise tUere seemed a large majority of senrfmentin favour of the Minister of iTustice. Here, however, the sectarian element intervened. His reli- gion it was claimed, in connect^ with the Jesuits' Estates and other questions, would fatally prejudice the changes of ^e party in certain portions of the country and it would be t 1 e which ^ reputa- icy had ces. was h, there - t in, the sa long, es. rs of the the end pulse of /er been iou8 dis- e of the 3 a great since the lid's first imentary . jjito the t, consid- jcognizeJ r's death;; I political , ll ! , I lifi» m *tf *\ i. ' ,-j:j^i..»p ^. )--\ ■■■: !■ ft' SIR JOHN THOMPSOH. 18T T' v»ti« fore™. iC oil^o, H « "^ x""' "' """ ">■"»■ ' well .. that of Sir Jo^nlfcr'^ ''f.r *' ">« «■»»• " wo wnicn in this connectioo chAnu>fj^»-«»j ii. . men, In » letter written to an inti^jT^^ "" ""> of June, and „n|y two da™ Zt T" ."'"^ °° "« ** pn-posa, tnat the ,eade„hip .l^oJ^'Z""^; XSl «- If t'j'tXT ;z!!r r- -^y »■■"•"- opinions I should olaa, ™f i^ """ "°"° "hose , Hie.-cs.andwhafa^rnsTd^d'^f'™'* ■"• «"' ' '""» . I hate notoriety nXir!. . "^ *PP"P™»» "'««'ods, -d e.e.7 ^!^Z7^^X^'IT'-^'-' mucuses, n^essaiy .ineldfnt o, M'^^^lent /• ""^^"^ «" k. the: best of my ability. Why XI r^ "l! " ""* honest, work will onwl.l, ^ ? "^o where doing "«lit by p,a„tising U wWchtdi"? ."'"'"°" "«' «y ' Besides braking C Lvt^\'° '^"^*» W- n whioh 1 have settled C! ^d ho^T ^ """gement, I may hope to have left ^^2^^ K "^^ ^^ "™ .allotted span No do„bt =„ ^ "^^ "^""ed *e 'mention would 1« the L 'f Tl ""t "^"g'™'" ■« you working out the Doliti^ST^i ' ""^ '*"»'" ^P*"* of *« .nan ,„ be sent fo^^^dTsSr ft' '""^^ " the work throuffh tho, .T-f . "'' '" """W "any the feeling i^SSo.^ """"^ ' "" -<" '"^''i*-, «^ " Vonrs sincerely, ■ J. J. c. Abboit." ci : l^jIMJiiW # / \ » b y ■"Sj. V IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) 1.0 2.8 2 la 145 1 2.5 2.0 lUI IM I1III.6 "^ . Sciences Corpcpilion 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 ^^»■, 4' 188 LIFE iND WORK OF Such a letter, written by an old man who in shortFy afterwards assuming the heavy duties of the Premiership, accepted a burden too great for his years and strength, has a pathetic ring in its every Une. Little wonder that he hesitated to surrender his quiet home life, and in his de- clining days take up such a task. But none the less it was an honour which many would have liked to receive and a duty which few ambitious men would shrink from accept- ino-, even in succession to such an unequalled leader as Sir John A. Macdonald. Writing to the same gentleman on the memorable Gth of June, Sir John Thompson breathed very similar sentiments : " I am much obliged-^for your letter. At this crisis any member of the Government must feel grateful for the frank sidvice of sincere f rijniifi as 1 well knpw you to be. 1 fear, however, that yo\i have conceived the idea that I aspire to lead the party, now or in the f uture. No greater , mistake could be made. I am not willing to take that position now, or to enter on a period of probat^pn with a view to that end. I hope that the party can be much bet- ter led, and I am willing to serve or to retire as may seem best to the man who shall take up the reins which have fallen from the hands of Sir John Macdonald. " Yours sincerely, " Jno. S. D. Thompson." The death of the great Conservative leader on the very day this letter was written compelled action while for the moment interdicting discussion. Sir John Thomp- son had moved the adjournment of the House after brief speeches from Sir Hector Langevin and othera Anc^ the eloquent tribute paid upon that occasion to thei, memory of the dead statesman by the Hon. Wilfred Lauribr is one of the bright spots in the record of Canadian political struggle. SIB/JOHN THOMPSON. *- 189 ^ « pub.. ^ ::zt£ri:z :^n?::: " Muffled pealB and drooping bannen,* ' iJated breath and measured tread, >* / Emblema of a nation's mourning For her great and noble dead " m.er. Lord SUnley of Proton. U postponed «ta^ of June ,t was annomioed that His feceUency was in com rb"^r M ''.'!' ^'^ JolS^Hompson L [hi Ho" C it SLfr Ti'^"'"^" "-' speculation onsLa^ m(^bmetcnses had been going on. Sir Hector Lan«vta ' a, the member of the late ministry who had se^IS of the French Canadian wing of the party, really had, . strong clamis to consideration, was being strcLJyCM- o ' ^ ^r "hip by le Sfll^Wi' 190 LIFE AND WORK OF that our Ontaria friends will regard it as a duty and a necessity to join and co-operate for the best interests of the Conservative party. Sir John Thompson is essentially , an Englishman and a Britisher, and as he himself has often pointed out in his speeches, is governed by political, not by religious principles." The Ottawa Citizen urged the dis- '' tinguished services and abilities of Sir Charles Tupper, and in other quarters there was some talk of Mr. W. R. Meredith. ' _ ■» - During a part of this period, Mr. D'Alton McCarthy was in Ottawa. And it was natural that the presence of the man who for years had been looked upon as Sir John '^- Macdonald's successor; whose legal .advice and ' political abilities had been so frequently flWlized by the Chieftain ^ prior to the coming of Sir John Thompson into office; whose place as an Ontario politician was now so peculiar and so antagonistic to the Province of Quebec; should have created much interest and discussjj^BpThe Equal Rights leader had one interview with ^ii^R|Ri Thqmpson dui'ing the crisis. Any political significance was denied at the time, but it is now understood that^ Mr. McCarthy took the opportunity to point out his claims to the Premiership, and to make suggestions, the details of which will probably never ^ known. Sir John was very non-committal in the matter, and a little later on, when the Governor-Qeneral discusse^ tjie formation of a Cabinet with him, and he felt obliged to decline the honour, it. was Senator Abbott whom he recommended to His Excellency. That Mr. McCarthy could not afterwards work with the Minister of Justice is therefore, not surprising, apart altogether from' their differences upon the Jesuits' Estates, the French language, or Uie Manitoba Schoola That he Was not consulted in the subsequent formation of the Thompson Qovernment is still less surprising. ' And that ^'« 'OHN THOMPSON. ' / j^j John Thompsonon th;™!! ^ r."*''^ ""»««'»«» Sir Afters hourCnvetl^ h^ f ^'""" '*'»»' f»- » oon,„lte«„„ „ith TlZv'^it r'r°' *""' """ ™»noaneedtnl: H^r'T'lVf"^ »''*""«'» " ' "« duty of fo™i^?o"Cel- F ^^^' ^ "^^^ new Pre™„"tXlh ° .tr "■ ''""'"'°™ '"- ">« ■ny colleagues, .„d Lu^L th. * "'"'""■-icated with ".eir present offloes/a "d wth tt- ""'°''' *" "■»"" » Hie Excellency my r^l^ . t "™'" ™bmitted to continued in thrir^^s^^'J^tt'''"'''' ""'^'""'"''^ >» and Mr. Abbott hiLriumL^. ■"' ■*»"*' "PP"'''^. «.« Council For tbi tr v,^ ° P~' '" *^*»» of entitled to have, waaiZi„"l,S"?™" ""•"«*' "-^W the dovemment ^"^ by«.other member of i-t^tl';l':^dthe''Z^'""''''™«'^»«'''''*Min. For month, th;,e h*d ^^^""^ """"•» ""W hera "rM.redith'.entry^toZ^e^hr^r^r'"°"""« «% a etronir feelhi» ,„ .!.""»«'• There waaundonbt- AW«. oloqueft,^;? J ^a tr, '^"«'""'' °'"«*- Justice of the P~vC h^flf ^' ,?* P-^t Chief the he«^ of ita ™~ ''^ «'««>« >•«" « •am, ptao, i„ thecle™r>litiJu^Cj[J'^'' "°»««ce«fal in oorting .tTo«,nto.re w« J:::^!;^:^^ "^d pow^f ilii ;!i;'l ^ .«.M-5:'^ ! 'HiJ>' 194 LIFE AND WORK OF and party foe! Bui the seirti-religious cry of one or two campaigns and the ainti Separate School plank in his plat- form, had for ♦good OY iU antagonized the Roman Catholic vote and made it as (difficult apparently for the Conserva- tive Opposition leadeis in Ontario to enter the Dominion Government as it was for him to win success in the Local- a foi elections. ^ • ^y None tht less a Cabinet position wm (offered him by Mr. Abbott m^ng the re-construction. WhV it was refused . is not known.? but that.the offer was made\and with Sir John Thompson's full knowledge and approyal. is beyond doubt. Th/Ministef of Justice as leader of Ihe Commons would hav/much to say in connection with siiph an impor- tant mattS. and it is interesting to note how far removed from bigbtry his views must have been. But this particular arrang^ent fell through, and by the end of January, 1892; all th^ other changes had been effected. Lieut. -Colonel J. A. 6uimet entered the Government in practical, though not immediate, succession to Sir Hector:Langevin and took the portfolio of Public Works. Mr. John Q. Ha^art was promoted froi the Postmaster-Generalship to th^^nistry of Railways aiyJ Caiwils, and was succeeded by Sir Adolphe Ciiron, who handed Oyer tne Department of Militia and Defence to the Hon. maWjkenzie Bowell. Mr. Chapleau was given the Ministry of Customs— a decided promotion— ' and his old position of Secretary of State was filled by the elevation of Mr. James 0. Patterson, a strong party organizer and popular politician, of clean and honourable record. Such was Mr. Abbott's completed Cabinet. A word might be said in this connection about one of tfie most interesting personalities in Canadian politics— Mr. Nicholas Flood Davin. There is no doubt that the brilliant writer, orator and North- West representative had at this time •. Skii^§0M SIR JOHN THOMPSON. jg- waa finally offer«l the "e»^^"P'~""'"'™^ "-Davin West Territoriee. bTro^^tZT'tf''^ °' "•" N"">- Mr. C. H. M^skmtoslI 1 1*?? u"" P«^<»""nt to Governor. ° ""'"''' •«""> n>«» French Canadian ci«lJtha"srjohnTor ^'""""' " put tooneeid^onaccountof hi, „HXI':."r T^'"' . of June 15th declared that •• the oJi,T ''*' ■'^^*«" b.the victims of exclulist St:^7r°' T« '" l«lief. Sir John -Thompson is th! » '"■ "''«'»»» inourFede^l politic. S t rtiThr^'L'" Tl from . political standpoint » Mr CI»dW .■'"''«°' satMed : « I am still !t opinion that l^o,rTh " ""■ .s the best available man at th;4' i. . Thompson apparent that the obst^ ali„l t-''""°'""- " "«■»» The 0«a«„ a(i^ on andriat's- ";!:;'"'? ""="™-" did not cam to be put forward Lh! ®"..?''"'^ Supper «.me out strongly' for L Min^to;orJ::t- ""i"^' claimed on Jane 13th that "No „„« f hi. ? """^ P"' industrious, courteous and painstokT-T ' ^'^"""'^o. befo,,ndin the rank, o, ZTJ^Z^JT^^': '^ by all who know him.and the more J^oZle the ^ V*^ ho I, placed in the greater inteil,^t,.Vr '^''""' display." mtellectual power will he But these atte«n«, were witUoot «»ult Sir John |. fc^J-i''^*' 196 \ LIFE AND WORK OF Thompson knew somettiing of the difficulties which threat- ened the new Ministry! and he had no desire to add any sectarian compUcatipni to them if an act of personal self-sacrifice would avail to avert the evil. Am it was, he at once assumed the leadership of the House of Commons in fact, if not in name. For a brief period courtesy gave Sii^ Hector Langevin a certain precedence, but it was not long before the aggressive and merciless Opposition placed the veteran Conservative leader in a position where self-defence was the only consideration. The Toronto Globe, and the Liberals generally, did not altogether like the new leadership. The organ declared that Sir John was too cold and grave; and pointed out that the blood and fire that leaps and flames in the men who seem burn to lead their fellows, did not charge through the veins of this studious and deliberate politician. This was hardly sufficient ground, however, for denoun- cing to the electorate the coming wearer of the mantle of Sir John Macdonald. The Globe cbuld not charge personal or political corruption against him, so it alleged that he was returned for his county, not by the fripe vote* of, the people, but through " the strenuous intimida^on of a Bishop." It could not criticise his administration of the Department of Justice, sp it gravely alleged that he had been "a failure in the Local politics of Nova-Scotia." It was difficult to mininlise the respect in which he was generally held out- side of the ranks of extreme bigots and partisans, so the . public were ipformed that " he came from a remote Province." However, these were not -^ery severe or damaging charges. Far more injurious wereVthe comments of the T(yronto Mail, and it is not unlikely that the remarks of that paper on June 9th had influenced him considerably iri his feelings as to the Premiership. After a reference to his admitted ability, unblemished character and high sense ^ ^x, " It Hon. Joh,,! WELLiNctoN Gwynne. P>'i^nc Judge Supr,„,e Court ,/ Canada. \ ■■ y K ^ ,y_ 4 \* 1 • " ••* ■'OBN THOMPSON, ]g| H^<.bv,«™ objection t6 M,„ i, that l,e i. aTwn ' ^™r ..a. he oh.e„ as., s„Xl a^ ^^^ «^.th h,m w,ll move in the »,rae line, will be IveUd ^h^»«.e pnneiplea, and will be s-upporled b^ S.^' ' resa2lM"12t'"i°' ""' "«"'"»• P-""™™* of.Canad, reeomed ,te work with a most satisfactory Budeet Soeeoh di^Tr^ " "r^"-"'"' ■"^jori'y of only i:"!^ The .>a.lable surplus was placed at »2. 1 00 000 and H^' removal of the sugar duties to the exlent of Xoi "o wal on May 20th. the mtermmable Franchise Act came un lr«. d»c«as.on. on a Liberal motion for its repeaT al VZ ■ meonve«.ent cumber«,m. , and inefflcienr S^ John were. Jn 1886 we had a most elaborate discusaiir™, - «v«y prmcipletovolved in the measure; fa 18^^™ h«l «»»K>ato mtroducesome ameudmiilu,. weL?v^ .' f \r' m 1 m i'i wm 200 LIFE AND "WORK OJ long discuwion, not only of the principles, but as to the expediency of repeal ; in 1887, 1 think in 1888, and cer- tainly la8£ year, we had every argument exhausted and every argument reviewed." He then pointiad out that the motion would make it necessary to fall back upon the franchises of the various Provinces, which change con- stantly and are never alike. As it is, the 1i.ct " aids in securing Uniformity. In some of the Provinces there are revisions by municipal authorities; in others by municipal officers; in others by. sheriffs who are officers at pleasure of the Provincial €k)vemments. . . . There is no pretence at uniformity ; there is tio attempt to secure any kind of legal qualifica- tion in the officers appointed to do the work of revision ; whereas the Act now under consideration establishes a qualification for the office of revising barrister second to none required for any public office connected with the administration of any law ; second only to that required for filling the highest judicial offices." ' On_May_29(ih, Mr. Laurier moved on behalf of the now aggressive and hopieful Opposition, a vote of censure upon Sir Charles Tupper for having taken part in the recent general elections whilst holding the post of High Commissioner in England; for having imputed treason against his opponents ; and for having assailed the Grand TiTink Railway. SJTjEdffiJTlwmpsonJn ^1^^ a vigorous defence of his old'-time colleague and friend : — " Sir Charles Tupper in one place after another has shown that while certain persons had put themselves forward to promote the welfare and the designs Qf the Liberal party in this country, but really to subvert the institutions of r«JUDtry=*-before ^he Liberal pwty^^oidd^veBt to,the polls, they were compell^ to dissavow all connec- tion sad ftU sympathy with 4ny such designs or with .. r.'i ittJOHir THOMPgOK. j^j The Minislar of t„„*- "® '^^^'^o* e^ectiona ' wMi.ih.op^Soo ^'rii*,:" "" "»"" ™' ">»» ■"oeiaary thrt l» AonM ^ ,^ t°"°°- • • • It i« Po% ; A«Ud .t^"to :^1^ ». ^P-'Oy 'rith it. h. c^n^t h Jp h.vi„g°i;:^J:;;;^"'P:^» »d eflW^t genenU iwu ,t the ele^o„ ^ ' • "'"' "^'""^ »» the ' the Le«l.rof the lS» h *°T "'''^"^ """k •hoie. of hi. e.pS''rh"TT'"l""''*""""«»- Tapper -t^opei^T^,^ i^'^t"^'"^ "»' Sir G h<>«i«di«m«ed«d feughtotw^dtK . .u""^""*^ »"• iii pi 202 MFB AND WORK OF said to have 'stooped' in order to take part in that con- test." The motion was, of course, voted down, as had been the previous one in reference to the Franchise Act. But the majorities all through this difficult session were small — averaginj; about twenty— and requiring almost watchful care in debate and division on the part of the Leader of the House. \ In September the adjournment came after a prolonged surfeit of scandals. It was the longest session but one in the history of the Dominion, and the worry and work whidi it entailed upon Sir John Thompson no douU laid the foundation of the physical troubles which were to eventually carry him off. But he came through it all with flying ooloura as a Parliamentary leader, a debater and a minister. He proved himself capable of holding together a weakened, almost shattered party, in the face of a tem- Ue personal loss; in the teeth of serious and mjunous charges from a strong and united Opposition ; in spite of a smaU and shifting majority. It was indeed a severe trial. but as on previous occasions, he had risen to the emergency. ^*„ '%.,. ! 0 i 1 *r ~ 1 f ■■• -.■■ - i - — ■ - Ij ,. ^^ i ij s - * • ■*■■ ;. -; . .. . < ,fc, ../ikit^i. . t,\.4u3t»!«*«3i!Y._ ^im^^. k^&'mm^^^j^i^ ■..\JmM >.--v» hat con- lad been ct. But tre small seatchful leader of rolonged lit one in ad work Dubt laid were to ball with ter and a together E a terri- injurious spite of a vere trial, uergency. Hon, T. Mavnb Daly, M.P., 'UMtttr of the Interior. ,v -;:AU^- ii^-.k,,*.»i-:,J5B , ^... ■'iK.€.l-i, t.'iS* ■ s ^ff gH|i*i!i?.i?«^,r=5S5W SIB JOHN THOMPSON. 206 CHAPTER XL . The Scandal Session. ^ « high in the J?„ cIX Ser"""* T oijr oeen given to inefficient concerns unon vAnr ;« sufficient grounds. Yet no one will call^E ^ n' corrupt country. In the nnif J q/I f^g^^nd » "ally can be'no dou7t allut the °„^^^^^ BI7 b«rfluig to be found ,n ..greater or leseer deg«; «d™K!rfi. ^' "*""■'« "•» P«"«' "O" under oon- am wl»-«nJ..r.i, I ^".?'M'g»°g°f» small eliqia, of W.«h.p of Count U^„. had pUl.g«i the ftS^« f-iill^i^fiiil; 206 UFK AND WORK OF •^ over a millioQ dollara annually ; had incrcAsed the debt by some $15,000,000; had rioted in luxury, in costly houses, in expensive horses, in journeys and fetes. The Baie de Cha- leurs' case brought much of this home to the Provincial Premier and his Ministry ; the Royal Commission did more in developing the investigation; the Lieut.-Gorernor finally gave the people their opportunity by dismissing his advisers and calling in new men and a new partj^. The elections which followed closed the drama and restored the Province^ to its former honorable position, while forever burying under the all-powerful ballot-box, the men who had dis- graced its name and temporarily blackened its repute. The Dominion case was difierent. The charges made against members of the Government were claimed by Sir John Thompson to be bitterly partisan ; were proved, so far as personal corruption was concerned, to be without foundation ; and dealt in the main with a system rather than with individual actions. Where cWges were specified ^d proved against qffic^ls. punishment was swift and sure, though never merciless. Where they were vague, as in the case of Sir Adolphe Caron. every effort was made by Sir John to bring them to a point suited for inVestigatioa Where they were, however, mere fishing expeditions, intended only for the purpose of throwing partisan mud in the hope that some would stick, he very properly refused to aid them or allow of their being carried beyond a certain limit. But none the less the session which followed upon the death of Sir John Mapdonald was a severe strain upon the heart and mind of a man such as the Minister of Justice. U may as well be frankly admitted that the great Premier ^homO^nadft had just lost forever, was nptaf raid to use methods and means in building up the Dominion which would have been absolutely impossible to Sir John Thomp- i^ii^^i^^-. SB JOH* THOHISOH. > son. They were necMw^r io the Rovernmenl-ot , „ew counhy, iavmg crude »d ill-defiaed iostitati'h; .^d troug mte^al oppMition; permeated in manV pa^ Zh lack of confidence in ito own powe« .„d rioC^tS opportum ,«; and p«ee«ed of «. immenw ^JZt^t In England party goyemment is reduced to a Mienc/ and the vast sum, of money required to nJ^ZZ^ ^JZ °T ""^ " '^'^P' """> «'■ by "H. heads rf the oi^izahons, except in the most vague «,d «nft2 way. But in Cau«ia the barest expensTcruSiT^ met. and money for the most legitimate Mid n«»sK.ry IZ poses .s difficult to obtain. Ministers her. are mo« or taL the party m.a«e»_though the fi«=t is tK, he regretted^ and .t ,, therefore easy for some of the money SbSrf by strong supporter to com^ withouti corrupt iZ° „ consequences, from men who have KceiVed. or Jght r^v^ lUttm^r " '"''^'l'- ~-' -'^T" „ , "!^u"" ^*'*' '■'t"" "^•*«"» "hol^i and 1 ? T^jJf^ had been 4;rfe a, to ^e " boodliag ' T valent at Ottawa It was ajleged that the Dep^m^ta were permeatod with corruptibn ; that vast sum. hS C obtamed by members of thel Oovernment duriuTnu^ years past from contractors an^ oth«, in order to purehai fteconstitaencee; that the CVuservtltive ministi^mr- fer, and the government offl^iab Je« all aUke c;^pt. Mr. J.Israel Tarte was electedlfor Z Quebec seat in oX to ventUate his chaiges against tjTe McOreevl andllj Hector Uugevin, and the Ryk«t/s«mdal w«,Ld « » tUwittatlonot what was allwMf'tfi h. «.. ■ .^ " "* of aflSLi.. «,._ n ~''°8~ *> " the pn^alent stato iTT' .^T '■'^'y °° *°'l *» **• *»0B« cur- wot when the House met in April, and po«dhiy the w^ <9 ] 11 n 1 n I'r^ ''It 1': I =::.• i if 208 UFE AND WORK OF connected with this situation had a natural effect upon the already enfeebled frame of the Premier. Be that as it may however, his death postponed for a time the action which had been commenced regarding the Tarte enquiry. There is no doubt that Sir Jolyi Thompson's treatment of the Rykert case during the previous session was approved by the country. Mr. J. O. Rykert had long been a popular and respected member of the Conservative party and it was hard indeed for the Minister of Justice to admit the unfor- tunate position in which the member for Lincoln had placed himself.* But he did his duty in this aa in subsequent cases. Sir Richard Cartwright had moved on March 11th, 1890, that Mr. Rykert's conduct had been " discreditable, corrupt and scandaloua" It was claimed by him that the member for Lincoln had applied for and obtained certain North- West timber limits-in the ^ame of one John Adams. The latter in consideration of this service was alleged*to have agreed to assign to Mrs. Rykert, one-hidf interest in the limits, and to pay one-half of all the proceeds from the sale of timber thereon. And it was further stated that on January 16th, 1883, the sum of $74,200 was paid over in accordance with this agreement Receipts, letters and other documents were produced in proof of the charges. This in brief was Sir Richard's case, and he presented it in what the Minister of Justice termed a most " inflammatory speech." f* Sir John Thompson defended the Government from the charge that this was a part of any general system and showed that so far as they wero concerned there could have been no more corruption in granting Mr. Rykert a tract of 100 miles for a friend, than there had been upon one occa- under the Mackenzie administration when 200 miles ,had been similarly granted on the recommendation of Sir Richard Cartwright hunself. A few days later when the wiiA^% '!i&iiJ!.AXI,t ' upon the 08 it ina}^ on which lireatment approved a popular joid it was he unfor- ad placed ibsequent urch 11th, creditable, n that the )d certain in Adams. gJleged^to Qterest in I from the )d that on d over in itters and 8 charges, mted it in ammatory t from the irstem and M>uld have a tract of one occa- 200 miles Aon of Sir when the iS«*.«!ia,K.r-\,jti E> f 11 i |li I 1 PSi^^^^S||H I^^V"^! L -3 ^^m- « RinHT Rev. Macrice Baldwin, « 1 1 BUkoP ■ l^- M ^ JOHN THOlfPSdN. ... 211 th. .uthenticity of thoT lT« ^/ """'"*'■ ' "8«"i *ocki.g «orr»poodenrl^;r;r:'"^ ^ " ""«' House as strongly Manvo^ T 'PI^' "^ «■« «on for jus«4 JZr^fc'^ '", "^ "»""'•»- of this House. r' «f^*f%*ppe«l to the merey by the member for Eiu J„T. i^ c"-,'^' statements made -elf of the eeuau™ wi°,t tke i::^ 'r''°^ t" '""»"'« '•™- He concluded by moving thaf fh« xx , to . eoipmittee. and i stroX t^ y or!^^^ *" "'""^ convinced the House of hi. Z-T J P™*^'"S'*'»"ks . case, that Mr. Uu7e:?u'±^ IT^ -":;?.'" "" ' U- string de4«tion^rh,cl' JvfT "^''"''''^ Minister of Justice, I am som^h.r ?.°<'°, "^» ''^ ">• conclusions at which^ T^ • '""'''"'^ to modify the Oom»«ttoe Zon^jl T"™''- "-'cntually the He was re-eleeted. bui did not 1„! "^'»r "P-^on. general election. / '* ■*"" "' "'eeneuing hoA ™Tmti tr only asshowing that no matter prepared to do h^is dufcv in h,o k • • ^*»<>™P8on was unpoesible thit he should ki ' I- °' """^ " "« ^W• f r ~>a prosecution of most of the UMnet Uinia. ■i- 1- ■^ ,4. lit tin AND WORK Of ten., wonld have 8ati««ed enthusiastic Lj^^'f J«°^ *" Tarte. Lister. M^MulIen. Edgar. Cartwngh «id Charity But moderate men were pretty well satisBed that the abuses which had undoubtedly grown up diinng a dozen ye^rs of power would be m^tified if the .Minister of Jus ice Lid have his way. And after Sir John liacdonalds death there was no one .in the Government who was VT pared to dispute his practical, if not nominal, supremacy. ^ that the appeal made by Mr. Abbott > the Senate a couple of months after his accession to the Premierahip ' was looked upon irt the country as a fair indication of the .-^ew Government's pplicy: "I would ask the hon. gentleujen opposite to jdin with us in trying to find out what the fLteare-about.this alleged rascality. We ask them to give us the benefit of t^eir experience in this^enqiury to List us iu ascertainlphe facts and placing ^^^^^^ ' the public, iii order ttat they may be dealt with properly, and if found guilty, that summary vengeance may be exercised upon those who are found guilty of appropriating . public money-stealiug-be they bigb or low. The charges against Mr. Thomas McGreevy, M.P., were of « very serious nature. They were important because they affected the reputation of a prominent Con- servative member of the House who h^ been the party s treasurer for many years in Quebec. anj|j^^as^known to be a brother-in-la^tid intimate ^^WmBM^''''^^^^. of Public Works. They were importe^HBpW'Pp^f' Sk Hector Langevin had been either careTess or criminal m a portion of his long, administration of that Department -ana as showing much looseness of principle to be prevalent ^^■"'- St certain Quebec politicians. Sit John Thompson ready Jfcclared at Halifax thit ^^^^^^^^^^^^^'^J^^.^ ■'IF.' 1^' BIB JOHN THOMPSOR ||j Mr. Tarte in thia matter was a mun — ;*i. . ^rjhe ban of the Liberal party as' an anJ^'r^ «^pt.oni8t" The public inter4, howevBtTliJ^, Pai^a^ph from his spWch : "* **** '**^'^''^"« , " Since 1882 or^883. the secrets nf fK« rt Public Wnrlra h„ u ^^'^ow Of the Department of rublic Wor^ hajre been penetrated and divulired %Z .,«oney considerations to public contractor k! ^k u member for Queb^ W^st Mr Mp«^!! ^ ^ *^* ''°"- * the evidence! ha^ goHn mv Si ^^' *°1'^'^'°« to w^«- ^tf* ^ *^ ^ hands, money has been naiVl year after year on contract after contract 1«1„1„, qrairel botween the brothen., Thom« and R H MooTv, »f were certainly™^ damaging i„ thefr L^"S olMm was m«le that Sir Hector WviB -»iSi„ i5i and ttat large eunu, received f«„ 6^11^^^^' ^had goo. into ehe campaign.f.nd^iitSL'^:.'^ party. Mr. McOreevy, of coaSe dfln.A'" ««pon8ibilityofbeb„S^^'"'"^ of judges, and the insult that imd Shl«H '^""?° "««' "d man. every rung out amidst the XtT '° '""r'^ ""'""«' ™ When they were deHberlHr ?« "' *''» Opposition. » n.« should be founl^rr " "T "'"' "' ""«""" incident of hi, political t'^/'T"'""" °7<"-"-»y ««ociated with him w.» fl^?, •' T- ^ ""^^ "' *» «"« of the Hou,e was Wed " f. '^' ""^ «" '"'"'".1 went on and pnblicfetwT '""'" "" *•''<'"■ ^ «"« "ports of thL:L^^:«i:^i~"<'o-Wbyth, •/ pn by the Government for ^ideL°T''r'"*^ "" h«»nie bolder in their -I..,.™ j '""estigation, they the Seseion it ^fl ZZ^VT:!:^ ''"' "'«« "' for Mme time past that 1 j' " '*™ "■ *''i» «t«le -u^dino^.r^tXdXi.tr'"'^''"'* e*id«»t that . ..I ■!"'■''* """""tteeH - -,'., — ----- wuMunteea. it noon bnn«n^ "-i.^^ B»the^:;'?J"°-.''.»°«he, of the p/blic 'WW jwally nothing pereonaUy cormpt i/vf)^^tt;-^'^v^;iteiii;';^ije'i*'U'-. i;.'-.%^..._^. -1/ m M 216 LIPB AND WORK OP proved against the Ministers, though in one or two cases, carelessness in looking after their subordinates was very clearly indicated^ The light that was shed upon the whole system of Departmental Government was so keen and searching, that the session, disgraceful as its results were in a certain sense, unpleasant as they were to the Govern- ment and the country, could not but do a great deal of good in purifying the service and lopping otf the excre- sences of corruption which had developed during a long term of office. Sir John Thompson'; as leader of the House, gave every possible aid to the investigations, and it ig^: probable that had, the desire of the Opposition to obtain ' political capital not been so keenly exhibited, even greater good would have resulted. As it was, many officials were dismissed or suspended, and others prosecutejl and punished upon conviction. But the fierce party feeling which was aroused by the Liberal method of pushing charges in all kinds of directions, often with very little proof, and chiefly with a view to picking up something damaging to the Government, was so ejcasperating that the Minister of Justice often found it difficult to keep his followers in line. As an illustration of this, the charges against the Hon. Mr. Haggart, then Postmaster-General, may be mentioned. Mr. Lister, of Lambton, whose fighting characteristics were fully exhibited during this stormy session, rose from his place in the House on the 23rd of September, and stated that to the best of his knowledge and belief, Mr. Haggart had been interested in the profits of a contract obtained by Alexander Manning, Alexander Shields, and others in the year 1879, for the construction of a branch of the Canadian Pacific Railway from Port Arthur to Rat Portage ; that — -while w member of ParHftmea^^tftliad received large suma of money from these conti-actors which he had used for political purposes or had permitted the company to pay to 'o cases, as very e whole ten and Its were Gk)vern- deal of e excre- y a long 9 House, nd it w . 0 obtaiti "" * 1 greater lals were punished hich was ;es in all d chiefly 5 to the nister of ■s in line, the Hon. entioned. tics were from his nd stated Haggart bained by 9rs in the Canadian age; that urge sums, used for to pay to "ON. Arthur R. Dickey .M p II '■ i I /, -rm ,v- .'t^isMi^ ' ■«ri ••.-^ '^•iW j!^,V*\j*i^WJ^' ■ ■:'m^:: -■« we-uy paid to h™, orTt le K^^T """> •»■»» ""O "er beeo ;n «;y contract witt;^ S^t tt M^ "' ".ey were both ^JyTt^^Irr ?''^ "*"'•»<' pointed oat that Mr. Lilr hri ^ "^ ^ " """"'«»' ™,».8ti»g.«.„„Ht;Ti„^tiltir^.^^ "^ '" Wlity would fie .p„„ hi, sZXZ ^uZ rr.""- »n.bl. to prove the statement, mji hIZ/J, V' ^"^ Independence of ParHanient !„► ,^ '^'*°^ *•' "» "infringed by^n^ZlTZ "'" '»«'™ider«l Hfetimeof a PariiaZ^ wtinl .r"T'.'^""'« "» on to daim that the whole "hi^T^." t ""' "»' "P a little mad from the hl« "^ * ">«" ""heme to fish mveetigation «e to thing, „hich o^rZ , i " '"^ " .gainrt a Oovernmenianly ^ TnT^ »7'".y«» ago. the House, and aoainstth.f?'*'' "' "'"''* ««« in «t inainaati"a Ttht ^°"^!!' 'T " ■"" "" '««"*- ieUsconaiderwhe he" T™ m^tnofr ''""T^ Mtg the extent to whi.,::^^:^^^ ■«""»• The motinn waa n<>:^»i..j v.. ® ^'^ deration by M, P.*;^ Mo w! "intb!:^!' l^f 2 r il '.»iii ■'4«Si*SiS0.- 220 liIPE AND WORK- OF the truthfulness of the Postmaster-General's statements, and explicitly denied the charge of corrupt payments to the Govemment. A little before this the Cochrane scandal, in which-the member for East Northumberland was accused of having trafficed in Government offices in his con- stituency, had been investigated, and the loajority report had 64mitted improper transactions, Wt cleared Mr. Cochrane personally. The inquiry into th& Printing Bureau management resulted in the bitterest and most disgraceful wrangles of the whole session. It is almost impossible to discern the rights of this matter amid the partisan storms by which Mn Chapleau's connection with it was sur- rounded, and in any caise it would be useless to attempt it here. - The brilliant French-Canadian orator has done his country 'splendid service in his day, despite any looseness of business management which can be charged against him in this connection, and he may do it still more. But all these complicated questions, violent discus- sions, prolonged committee investigations, and the per- sistent abuse in Parliament, and in a portion of the press, made this session t^elnost arduous since Confederation for the Leader of the House. The air became somewhat purified after the adjourn- ment, and much good was expected from a bill introduced by the Premier in the Senate, and earned through both* Houses early in September, providing for the suppression of frauds against the Government. So also from the Royal Com- mission appointed to enquire into the working of the Civil Service. It must, however, have been an immense relief to Sir John Thompson when the murky cloud which had " for so many hot and weary months rested like a pall over "^^arliament Hillr was at last romovedrMd he wiw able give to his department and to public businefis, time which had 80 long been given to debate upon most disagreeable subjects, and to party tactics which he never Hked. uJAaAS.. SIR jraN THOMPSON. 221 chapterVxii. ' \ Redistribution and the V e- Elections. an in? ^^r ^^""^^^ °^ * ^°"°^ countA the census is alwavs decade, should the movement of ^X."^ ^'"^ '""^ expected ,t to 8how a stoady drain of populiil f^^ t of p™^rT„r„7 r"™'' ■""* '" "" 'V o''"-™" 01 praperrty. But optimwts, on the other hanl honed it " would ahow a population of si. „i,H„^ ., lit ^d a tremendous industrial development • T An army of 4,300 enumerators and oommissioLre h^ been employed under the command of Mr oZe!E Dominion SUtistioian, and it was announce^Zt afc' ^d^at 40.000 enumeraUrd inl^lTju^t one m^on men. were employed in the same work X Mculfes encountered in taking a Canadian cenrts ar«T no m«n, smaH.^ The immense area of the Ction had A .t!"""™^''y """'y «>nc.i,.bU method of l«K,mot3 Hfr-R-^nT " V auujnaents of the Pttcifio sfrrpack-horaes m the Rocky Mountain vaUevs-Hn^ ^nsontheplainsof theSasJchewan; can::l'rd ^I" •««B m the great lake and river district to the norfch^ m V LIFK AND WORK or Lake Superior ; buck-boards and boats on the prairies and in the rivers of Manito)^)!),; a schooner in the Gulf of St. Lawrence ; slow and toilsome pedestrian ism in Algoma and other districte. Three months, however, sufficed to give to the public the full returns. _^' A summary of the results showed tliat the population of Canada had increased from 3.686,000 in 1871, to 4,324.,000 in 1881, and thence to 4,829,000 in 1891. The increasti, therefore, during the preceding decade had only amounted to 504,000, and there was naturally a good deal of disap- pointment and dissatisfaction expressed. A section of the piess was, if such a phrase maylbe used,, almost jubilant in its sorrow, l^e census seemed to reveal a complete fail- ure in the vigorous efforts which .hod been made to promote immigratic^ and to keep the people in the country, while by implicatioh it waa made to prove the absolute failure of the National Policy of protection. But second thoughts are proVcrbi-dly best, and it was not long before people saw that there were two sides to the question. Upon reflection, it seemed clear that population, follow- ing the universal trend of modern society, had during the past decade drifted into the cities. In protectionist Canada as in free trade Britain, people had flocked to the centres of population and industry. The larger cities of the United States had attracted many in spite of the inferiority wiiich most Canadians believe to exist in American institutions, customs and modes of life. The introduction of agricul- tural machinery had further helped to deplete rural popu- lations by doing away with much of the hi)*ed help for- merly required, whilst the decrease in the price of cerealf hft^ in all countries enhanced the tendency to prefer city work to farm life. Just aa in many portions of the United States population had decreasedf though the movement to othcv parts of the country^ so in Canada many seetions had .M:iiis.iMi<^JiiS;^:Si3^ »•£■ ■:y-.- OB JOHN THOMFSQir. j^g which h^c^'stjiTc:' ""'^'"■« *■»""'=«»• 80 often heart from th. «,^ JJ"""?**- "">" ">»» one *Jd, John Th„n.^i '^"'•"'■°" »'-««'». "d "PO" Sir during the Cy Se^i^rf ,892 feU STh"!'^'""'""' work in «,n„ec«on with this difflc^t !^! ^"^ »' "" matter. He was compelled t^Ste, L '^ P"?"'" «>o» placea b, cutting' ^^^^^C^Z^tZ '" table and he ^ toTar fhX: :?t ' '^ ^'^ -"" |.y.?Mirt::'^r,tsrn7;rSrtrH'" '^' ="- hi»q«ech in .jocular veirC whfch ™ ™,k ' «>""nenced him, ^ chaffed the Op^^^^T^^'^'"'^ ««■ of a pronounced Mrr™;^^ ^ °" eipectation. of departure is very re^o^ tZ UTZtT "'%""'^ ample opportunity to consid«r »n Ik . **""* *"" ^ -d therare nott^rt me^ firf "^ "' "* ""^ Iwa frienda oppod^' si, tT " 't- ^ ««> assure mv necessity, under^trms^f the Bnt'^h ??""*^ «'" "■" AcV for the redistribnrn'Lta^^ ^rtht^Z Of the census returns as foUows : ^^'^^ Ontario '^*- laoi Quebeo. •••• 1.926.922 , « ioaIIL NewB.ua,wiok,... :: <40,872 ''SS'SS - Ifottitofaa^ 77::^?^ "^""' «».8>t Igi*^ BritUiOolmnbia.V' 62.2W jJJ'JfS K«rtk-wrtT«ritori;;r.::::..:::: gjg ^tktS 19*854 t 'i ii*^.**'^u-.fit4'^t. -^ o^t/u;;- , .A., >t. Ei I! 124 Lira AND WORK Of *• Under the provisions of the/ Act, therefore, the repre- ■entation would have to be changed in several Provinces ■a regarded numbers, and ^n all of them, so far as the arrangement of constituencies was concerned. Ontario was entitled to retain its 92 members, and Quebec its 65 repre- sentative ^ova-Scotia, with 21 members, was now only entitled to 20i Kew Brunswick, with 16 representatives, had to be cut down to 14; Prince Edward Ipla^d, which had six, could only retain five ; Manitoba havi^)five, was entitled to seven ; the Territories would retai^r Ipair four members, as would British Columbia, its old nuHrtwr of six representatives. But all over the Dominion population had fluctuated; many^ities had increased enormously in size; and some run^ districts had become entitled to increased representation, whilst others had . decreased greatly in population. iJrJ Begipnmg with Prince Edwaixi island. Sir John Thompson described the various changes, in a detail which it would be wearisome to repeat. Following the township lines in the Island, five conptituencies had been formed averaging 22,0(K) of a population each. The only change in New Brunswick was the taking away of one member from the combined City and County of Si John's, which had formerly possessed two; and the- joining of the Coun- ties of Sunbury and Queen's, which together, only boasted a population of 17,000 soula In Nova-Scotia, the two Counties of Queen's and Shelbume— one with 10,610 people, the other with 14,96*— were united, leavmg the Provincial unit of population to a constituenpy, about "22,000. A nuniber of changes were made necessary in Quebeo, by the growth of Montreal. The Government's proposal was that Montraal and ita suburb, Hochelaga, with a united popula- "Hot of 263,000, should have sevia instead of four members; that a portion of the old constituencies of Montreal and ; ihe repre- Provinces ar as the itario was 65 repre- now only lentatives, ^d, which ^ve, was llfeir four flber of six lation had ly in size ; I increased jreatly in Sir John tail which > township m formed ly change le member in's, which the Coun- ly boasted k, the two 310 people, Provincial 2,000. A l)eCi by the J was that led popula- ■ members; aireal and I . •' ,.HoN. N. Clarke Wallace, M p Co.„^ro^Ur ofCusto.., and GranH Master 'If t\c Orange Order, ^.!jiM 'Lt. ^ »%M r »i ■ - n -ifj- * 'I X, 9^-^' i■ . SIR JOHN THOMPSON. jgy -houW have a,, t JL,ZL^' «•« 0.«nty of Ottaw. i. order to „.k,°J™^"'»wIuoh it w« ^a^- "^e in th, thirC^;S™°:^' »«<' ?*» «hang«, were WW. only entitled to nTn. ^"""^ "' "icojet They united. ^ """ St, John's and Iberville were i»teT*«d one olXZ?nZr^ ^ ^"'"^in here weUI^ownin tU.CLX^^T''^ '""* "« "-o Sir John faced hie opponent S^' •/ .^ *" "otneeded." »rn«d:. " I think d^^L"" '"'"""«» Whter »>.tte «P««entation* 12;^ ° ""^^ '"*^"^' ""««« "» lave decided to CyT^T^V "^ ^"^ ^^^ "ko are doing it » ^J^y". ''"' "^^ »' «■« dectore "ere just then eweepin.. the Z,i .- " Co°«"»tive8 .It wae abeolntely nL^ it.- t""^ ""» J""' "' told, aentative-in the ei^S 1» °"""° "">""" ">P«- "jore than ««e-»d to ^ '^^^"'f'-f -^'-"-d for tte rapidly grewingpop^iSrf?,'^**"""' '"""'«>• to ty giving West ToSClf^i^'^ "^wwdone rtitaency of Nipiesing tLZ """ ""^'^ the con- Potions of OntSrwere^tlXa""" "■" «^^« ^ ae ^tnende. fa. the Ni^Tp^X'"'^'*"- "' ^tsi"ti^zron'^:!Sr r ■•■'■■ '^ ^- ^^ - 1 P; * Monok h«J to^„ri "' "I"««tation_Zut / °« m round numben l«,ooo p«^,,: 'tt ''Tff rf^ a«f8&K3 1 • » ™..I* N ■Tl ;t '! ' ijji Ij ¥ :., l'^|.;;i>' •/J ':^;I'« jgg as to make fair discussion almost an impossibiUfv n , combined action by the leadfir« «f ""Possibility. Only mvolvean abro^atmn nf «,• . /.'»,®"'^' *"<^ *tat would P«ta U out ^fXZi- -Po-bmt^ which i «rimti™s ° J'Sr tL'' ?""'' ?""«' » » '»»« and 1.re» lauded fc^„f^! ^TT™ /"""'=''"■'' »-' stifling the voice of the p opTe" whlV"^'''"!^"'''^ published Pertaps the sevens ri;ctL„,:her"^ Justice, which had yet appeared in^^' a ^ ° .ng to the conclusions of the same paTrlh^ P """"'" • V^rty under the redistribution Su'eto^j^r™ eleven eeaita. and to lose only four at Tl,. . ^"' election. In the House Ih. L' ° "*''' K^""™' speech, and minute He ^t'e'rvrrrourhr"""^.'. » tosay and usually ft.. enti.,y ^ZZ st^nZ^""^ The address of Sir Jnhn tk^ -"^pointa ««ling of the bill, wt'a'tely'Z^ rd'f "VT"'- . the Oovernmenfs position 'lur^^tis"'^'''''"'"' Rising from his place m June 2nd .« '"'^'""■ speech from Mr. L H DaviJ hf « -. ' "» '"eWtic bill had been introdn«d by the r^' '"""'^ °"' ">"' ">e ob.p of a con.pu.sor.r'ttou^hXtrtX'" ^t Z not mtrod„ced, nor was it proposed with^v d J T »«ure party advantage, and that I affi™ i T *° *" «nct n»nner. If the^Qovemmept h" IT» d ^'if" even the principle of re-adiustfaenn ^^'^f ^' '»"<>w would have made, with ^f r^th'i', ^'^^'T' '"'^ «««»n«.4n whfeh the ^nnl .Iv- °^..°' *''.° P"'^""". « kave been far wider thJit w^ i" thr "^ ?'? '°"'<' ^.uid have secured to them'eZe:: X^t^i"' I ' ,1 '!ami,,i.iV S80 UFS AKD WORK OF He then sppke of Mr. Laurier's amendment proposing a reference of the whole matter to a conference or com- mittee composed of both political parties, and denounced it as unprecedented and impracticable : " I have never heard in all the history of Parliamentary proceedure, of a resolu- tion bein^^ brought forward, the object of whicl^ was to subject legislation to the two political parties." The e:ii:ample which was alleged to have been set by the Eng- lish Parliament a few years before was one of many cases in British history arising out of a deadlock between the Lords and the Gommona And the arrangement finally made in that case was not concerning the details of the bill, but upon the point whether it should form part of the general franchise measure or not. The Minister of Justice went on to say that the principle which it was claimed should guide such a conference, was that the equilibrium existing between the two political parties iij the country at the^ present time must be maintained : " No more false principle could be allied with a measure of redistribution. What political party in this country has a vested right in the equilibrium of parties ? " He stated that not ojpe of the papers criticising the measure had shown a careful study of the bill, and then placed his views upon the general question very clearly before the House : " He should say that whenever a redistribution bill was brought forward and discussed, the first object members should set before them should be to interfere m little as possible with existing lines, and not to interfere with them^ excepting some serious occasion called for it; but that when the serious occasion occurred the measure should be carried out without regard to the fate of _either political party^oy to the^uilibrium of part-iW" Later on in the Session, the Redistribution Bill with a few slight alterations, passed the Honse^and became ^J^Tffft- .'^.-if: SIR JOHN THOMPSON. £31 i» brief, that th, Minirter b^ atdL ^""' """^ ''"*''• member of the Comno™ ^d of tK J:''.''""'"^ "« obtainin/f subsides of fnl]!: °,r ' '^ Oovnunent, in •nd Lake St J„rnlail^av ""t'"" ^f"" '"' "'<' «°^''^ Sir Adolphe d«"lr„eJl'7,^3 "f- fj^ 't<" member of the Railw.T/ t'SSa-lSM) had been a received laJsum^ „7^ r^ '" ''"^""■'- »" ''"d he oorruptl?^ rlr '^.l*^" *'"'™ ™'^''J'™. which upporters in different Quebec constituencies eon U, his renlv ^n!?? ™? E'«<='«>°* Sir John Thomp. during Lp^rsT '"»'.«'«-■■«' had p^ve'd that Parhament wss nnt T •. ,^?^ '' "^""^ P^'H to nature. HeZrH ^ "^ "'"'* •» '"-y '="«'« of •nations in the 4 ty wrTt f *" "T^ "" Edgar, suting very ciLlyThe TJt^lCmtv ff f^' UduH:gt™;;;r.rttrEvr'"° '"■'"""- would beeiven to» w.i .!? "^""y opportunity i« » «.rt«n 8^Z of »T u '^° ""^ '■'»"<« P"»™w fonal. a, n« il^r^T^"""" ^ " """"""it"- »-»:rt^^LtS'etyX^rr ' )'l fi fc i I •■ ic&S-iUrfJ.. m 292 LIFE ANt> WORK OF \>y Mr. Edgar, excepting the paragraphs involving an investigation into past elections, and asked for their refer- ence to a Royal Commission of two Judges. This was, of course, granted, and, eventually, the Hon. A. B. Routhier and the Hon. M; M. Tait, uf the Quebec Bench, were appointed with full powers to try the charges referred to them by Parliament. Then came the surprising refusal of Mr. Edgar to make his statements good, or to appear before ^ the Commission on the ground that a portion of the original allegations had been eliminated. When the affair came before the House again, Sir John Thompson dealt at length with this question, and pointed out that the Tarte charges did not form a precedent,- aft they referred to matters con- nected with the improper expen^liture of public moneys by the oflScers of a department On the other hand, Clause 10 of Mr. Edgar's charges which had been eliminated was " an attempt to try some sixty or seventy elections," 'some of them already tried or closed in the Courts. "During all the practice of more than two hundred years, no such statement as that which has been eliminated from these charges has ever been preferred to the British House ^of Commons or any attempt made in that House to appoint a Commission on such a charge." And then the speaker gave Mr. Mills a neat little bit of a lecture: "If you go Mck to the. ages to which the member for Bothwell has gone, you can find precedents for anything." But they were " ages to which no man ^ilaim- ing the name of Liberal should be otherwise than ashamed to go back, either for Parliamentary precedents or for the maxims of a political creed." He concluded with a Renun- ciation of Mr. Edgar's attitude, which will probably be long remembered for its vigour and strength; "Did anyone < hear of a man occupying so contemptible a position in public life as to make nme or ten of the gravest aocuaationi ' •» ^ *y.«Aj 1 / olving an heir refer- bis was, of . Routhier ach, were eferred to refusal of tear before le original ffair came » at length te charges •ttera con- noneys by Clause 10 1 was " an I," 'some of )uring all , no such rem these House of appoint a » little bit v^rhich the edents for lan claim- ■J "ON. J.c. Patterson. M.P I' «i' SI il M m ■tWoBi ■ ■ 1 u / / 7?""' • «• ■ fi ■■ i' /" > « > V f - ■* •\ f • - V ' A - J i 1 » - ^ - ^ ■w '. * !UkM 4,j^, ^'< .«ifeii;v SIB JOHN THOMPSON. ^ ... 285 should go before a judoB and Tit i.- P"''™*'' '^ h' we had no right ^eall htaThe; If 'thf """ ""'' '»^'« manhood jn his cbmnosiM^^ tlj ° " "" "'""' of -an he has ^^ua^T^:!^^; " 7'' k'" '^" "«" *>■« ' will be «l„.iniater«l S^r^^^, "''»" Wtieh law - Eventually the a™.i7. ^^ """ P"*""'" deneeastheyl^tth^Sl^So °" '^'^^ ""^ «'*- four months afterwatda-I^l M k "' comment, and about ■ "Wed to-the ^^^'itJ""^''''~'"-^ll» evidence taken had Stl^Hsh!, 7^°° ^"""'"e "«" ^ prevented Sir AdoJe T' n /'"'' "'"='' "'"-W have , .aviserof theCroJ^td'th'hrderis'^""'''? '- London election d'^^e ,K J'«^'»"«ent, was thf Judge Elliott. thHevfaL. t"*-."" "*"'' ""^ ">«' P^itiontofavUlheHrMr^'"' "T" "'«' ■■" l" the teeth of an adv^ „"r„ ^"^"^ '» *"«* him the strict honour and h^tvT«r^' ^r"""""* k«ew . ^ould ^ver'^believe htaX o'f wft'-'t"^ ^'""« which he underatood to have teln f '*°'?"''e •>/ «■> act «ame tin^ the wholequ J«o^:^rt^V *""* '"e entirely « matier of law Z^ T °?.^'*^'"»ai and so I' 286 UPE AND WORK OF aspersions which were cast upon Judge Elliott from a partisan standppint, and to object — in reply to a speech made by Mr. Mulock when presenting some petitions from London — to the House of Commons entering into any enquiry of the kind in reference to County Court Judges. He pointed out that assaults upon personal character ; political attacks such as that of Mr. Mulock ; or the read- ing of anonymous newspaper articles, were not the way in which to try a judge or to claim the right to do so. " The progress of this debate illustrates the wisdom of the statute passed ten years ago, to provide another way of trying County Court Judges." The Minister of Justice deprecated the whole discussion, and especially in view of Mr. Lister's statement that there was no intention of impeachijaent or of making a formal request for the Judge's removal. Eventually, the matter was allowed to rest.and amidst strong protests from the Liberals Mr. Carling retained his seat. While these matters had been interesting Parliament and a section of the public, the people at large had been stirred up by a series of bye-elections which constituted a Cgmplete sweep for the Conservatives. There were many reasons for this success. During the elections of 1891, Mr. Blake had announced his retirement from political life, and the day after the election a lengthy document addressed by him to the electors of West Durham, but really to the people of Canada, was published. In it he vigorously denounced the Oovemment's policy of protection, as might have been expected, and also — as was not expected — repudiated the Opposition policy of Unrestricted Reciprocity. He de- scribed the latter as involvipg direct taxation ; a uniform tariff with the ,United States ; discrimination against Great Rritain ; and every probability of ultimate annexation. every Such a manifesto, proving as it practically did, the asser- tions made by Sir John Macdonald and the Conservative V aop..*' .1^ SIR JOHN THOMPSON. pftrtyasto the meaning «« xi. ^ ' ^ But evenThr? ,/ f """'"dag Session. tie Metier Uinu^HTL'^"'^ The corrap«„o „, Ksoo,. became . cZ rffi Kf- ^''''""^''PPortM'ty- / ver, violence o'^^be^^ "^ """ ""'''«"' «>« wae claimed th^ the ve^ m^ 't ?"'''«'»?*»»«. "hen it <»1 purists at tfie natS T-* ?u ?" I^'-S " ?«««- d>"»g the late eC2 , P'^. ""^ "»i^«d and^Bed fund provided brgtZ Si— .^"'°''^^'"'"' "" that whether people betv^j^t t^elb ' " "'^ '^ "^" I«uner had benegted in .!^l I- , "'""■8* ""»' »■•• ' ^tures. they did ve^ ^^17^ ^ «"- «P»^ repudiate Mr. Mercier to ST^ • .'° ""^ '*'"«»' *» ensued, as well «s the nrCi T""""'"' «'«tions which - to the culprit, in « l.Te t.T'ir'' "*"* '"' 8«™ Conservative eandidS^" t?-?!'- . ?'' '«''™' «>« An«e«,» because of thTiat^t, .T'"" ,"™'-^''™"'<»' ministiy. ° '*""", "^-suussal of his recreant -i"^ ::: az::i:;:rt^-'!{ 'o «« — -on. ■waited from the uS^wT^ '° "" °''*'™"^- "'"''h Courts. And«lden,h^'''""'°""""««'dW»tesinthe «-t,d by thellth of S r jZ f M™? "' ""««■»■»' ' •oeompanyinff ".anifestot"" ^ "r'^'"' ""• ""« zrz-j^' ""* °' "■' "relicts Tz "" ' spe«ih delivered a" H.|if„tht!^? "»' liberal. «.d i„ .' 0' Janu«y, Si, jJrT^ '^"^y afterwards, on the I6th -«y. «r Joto^Ihympson „plaiaed the result „ ■'*-^ S . ■ / ■ li lif il 288 UFE AND WORK OF due to the McQreevy iDfluence, which in connection with the Richelieu and Ontario Navigation Company controlled some 300 votes in the constituency. " We found," said he, " as the result of that election, what we might have told you before, that you cannot prosecute a man in the Courts of Justice, and at the same time ask him to walk arm in arm to the polls with you. . . . My friends of the Opposi- tion, we can afford to make you a present of Richelieu." On February 2nd, however, the victories commenced with Soulanges — which came back into the Conservative column — and was followed rapidly by the gain of Prince Edward County, the capture of Lennox, the carrying of East Elgin by 494 of a majority, the winning of South Ontario and East Hastings, the really remarkable victory of the Hon. J. C. Patterson^ in West Huron, the gain of East Simcoe, the election pi Mr. Carling in London, and the capture of Two Mountains in Quebea Such was the partial record of a month, followed by the unexpected capture of South Perth, which for eighteen years had been Liberal without a break ; the change in Monck from a minority of 260 to a majority of 323 ; the victory in West Northumberland after a keen and bitter contest ; and the winning of East York after its vacation by the lamented ' deiath of the old-time and much respected Liberal leader, the Hon. Alexander Mackenzie. Many other seats were won in different parts of the country, and the Government of the Hon. Mr. Abbott found that instead of a fluctuating Parliamentary majority of about twenty, it possessed one of between sixty and seventy. And on the Queen's Birth- day of this year, the Premier who had sacrificed so much of ease and comfort and health to the cause of his party and the country, was created a K. C. M. (i., at th^ aiunf time that Mr. Mowat, the distinguished Liberal Premier of Ontario, received a similar and deserved honour. J:^ »U JOHN TaOMPSOJI, sa» CHAPTER xm S'B JoBN Thompson become, Pb™^ ke^J of the Ooverame-t ™r!!„^l~ """ ■^'' «* *» of Justice WM 4„rine this J„", !^ ''°^'"- "^^ Mi°fal*r Adminis^io^*^^^^^-^ be P'««o»' chief of Z «rvativ?p.rty since the^tl „f^ T'f °' '^ «>- And this can be said ^L^ ®" •^°'" M«don«ld fe great services u'cC^"";^ ™\"««=«^ «J«. Abbott in a time of trial andl„r^''°^ ^^ ^ir J. J*^ Sir John Thompson w« 1^™^^ T"" '^'^^ «•' ■"■d his forcefoUhamcterZ^^ • °T <"' O»™on« country while he hTh^IiZ^ "*""•»" «» clearly combined to makehir^K ^ "^ *"""» >»<» » politics of the hom^^hr't "L*^*^ "«"" " *» Ium«cepted by the pubKc^Z J^ ^-mpridng to find the Oovemor-Gene Jhad ZTLTu^ ^'^' '""« Mow ,^ ^Oogicofoircnmln"^^^'"™""'''^- the rise of a strong m«^nSLT-J™"'*'"^ «"f is occaaionaUy «i^ bv ^^^Z ' t "> "oet other mattera te many p4le ^ h»™ '^""^ <'"»M««'tions whiS ^ongh rSwitht^;U?^j»^'°'ely e«ential »«»d one defect which seemed Zest fatJ^""^'?"'' P"" «s a rarty leader. In ordimuy cm^„, ^ '^ "««»» control a demo.r.t,V nlnrfnyTi^ cases a man who aspires >/. -ffiner must'poI^CtS^'^f" PoBi^ m^T" -n^ his party foUowers r;^ ^^^'^^ ,«5-^ / ■ jJ; (-?• jt&i££iV'^ ■^ 240 LIFE AND WORK OF •^ of warm persoual allegiance. Tlus the inooming Premier did not even pretend to or attempt Yet it ia probable that hiis dignified and reserved manner, combined with his repu- tation for honesty, kept at a distance the corrupt elements which instinctively seek the political centre here as in other countries, and helped his party through the critical scandal sessicm and other unpleasant occasions, as no qualities of genifility, and mere personal graces of manner could have possibly done. Up to his time it is also very questionable whether a Roman Catholic could have maintained himself in the Pre- miership of Canada. Before Confederation it had been pos- sible, but under i^lry different circumstances as regards population and balance of religious power. And the pecu- Uar fortune which had compelled him to deal with such important issues in connection with race and creed, had apparently augmented this difficulty. But in reality it all tended to bring into prominence a question which the nation — if it were to be a nation — could only answer in one way. And'that answer was greatly facilitated by the very strength of Sir John's convictions and the pronounced nature of his stand upon the subjects with which he had had to deal For Parliament, tiie party, or the press, to refuse under such c'rcumstances to recognize him freely, fully, and honi.estly, as the heir to a position so well earned by ability and service, was to put out of court one-third of the Canadian people ; shake the Very bafflus of Canadian national life; and place the country finally under the fatal influence of bitter sectarian strife. It is therefore probable that the absence of the very qualifications which might have seemed most easen^ to Sir John Thompson's rise in power and position, contributed rather than otherwise to his success in public lif& But, of eouiBB, unl^rifao" cei'taiuty ^ his^reat^ abimy^ould-iiave " i ■ ^ enabled him to make these hostile drcumstaooet suhMrv- jl ^_ . ^ • ' ' ■ ■sste -■!■ ■ JL ■' V -■■.-■"■ V" <^ # H^ .»>; ■-^r-* \ Premier lable that his repu- elements 9 in other iJ scandal alities of uld have whether a I the Pre- beenpos- 3 regards the pecu- vith such reed, had lity it all he nation one way. r strength ire of his 1 to deal Qder such •mostly, as d service, n people ; place the sectarian : the very ^ to Sir aiributed Bat, of I subserv- es'; . ^ 1 •^ ' f, . - ■r 11^ ..V-' - * -«* ■n- • 1 « i lent j have] fluenc hopele tion ' beenii thefac by Hia Cabinel forthwi of thee He desc the uai: delights that Sir mo8tt>rd Dnr the air V partisan kept busj new Oabi Minister ( Q-aofT. with Mr. S. White. : ^ Ives, M. ropresental •ninority o MP., Was c ?ofc Final SthofDeofl mmaSiiiiJMMi.ti, M •nJ^siyf&i^&l^ L'ti'Aitit'dt.i * » ^ i ■IB ^OHK THOMPSOJr. ^ ient to peraonal usa (Uh^,^ i. h.v. i„vd,,4 pXm«3™l'^ f^ -»«-« would tx" £aie people. "»« with , strong eec- pn, November 25tli. ia««>? held, with k-pt busy teleg«.phing J^^t„T"P°'^'"'*- we« »w CSabinet In onf Z T "■• P*^""** of the fta of Toronto ; in anoth., ! ^.hnstopher. Bobinson with Mr. D:AIto; mSX' 0„' """^ «»o«.o..nt S White. M.P., w„ g„^7; °"' P«P« a»aght Mr. R tt Ives. M.P., w», to take Sirlh ".v*?"*^ "^ «'•• W. "preventative of theC^mTolK"''P'"' - "•» -ority of Quebec ;tX J S^5^'''^~««'«'t ^ gi»ally. the n.w Qovo^ZSjS^'^ »«f.gMt___ /Si^^iv^aj'tv; a 144 * hunt AND WORK o» "^ Pmiltr and Hitiitter of Jnatice Sir John S. D. Thompson. Minittar of Trade and Commeroe. . . . Hon. Mackenzie Bowell. Poatinaater-General Sir Adolphe Garon, R. C. M.Q[. Saoretary of State Hon. John Costigan. "^ Bliaistar of Finanoe Hon. George B. Foster. " '* Marine and Fisheries. . .Sir G. H. Tapper, K..O.M.(}. ** " Railways and Canals. . . . Hon. John O. Haggart. <• •• Pablio Works. Hon. J. Alderic Ooimek ** " Militia and Defence Hon. J. C. Patterson. ** " tie Interior...... Hon. T. Mayne Daly. " " Agriooltora Hon. A. R. Angers. Withoot Portfolio.. Sir Frank Smith. K.G.M.a " " Sir John Oarling, K.G.M.a Presidentof theConnoil Hon. W. B. Ives. ^ (In t&e Ministry bat not in the Cabinet.) Solicitor-General., Hon. J. J. Carran, Q.G. Comptroller of Costoms Hon. N. Clarke Wallace. Oomptroller of Inland Revenae Hon. J. F. Wood, Q.G. There were a number of important changes in oonnec- iioB with the new Qovemmeni The proposed re-conatruc- tion of the Department of Customs, the establishment of a Ministry of Trade and Commerce, and the appointment of a Solicitor-Qeneral to relieve the Minister of Justice of some of his too onerous duties, now came into effect No better selection for head of a department dealing with the trade of the country could have been made than that of Mr. Mackenae BowelL His long control of the Customs and his interest in trade questions pointed him out as specially adapted for the post. The elevation of Mr. Curran and Mr. Wood was the reward of long party service which no one could dispute, and gave them positions which they were eminently fitted to fill The appointment of Mr. Clarke Wallace was a stroke of political wisdom on the part of the new Premier. li noi oaly taoughi to his stde^ in the Gtovwnment the recognized head of the Orange order in the ]>oiiiiiiioii, bat it placed in om^trol of the Costpms • . iMi::kiiii:*i!tM "> deal- Department of Marine rdKlT^ "dmmwtration of the »« in that position wMe lie « ?"."'!*' *» ■"» «"•">>- wa. retained in thi D l^l*?""?' *" "' «-■ Foster principle, „t mana^em^rhrhld T "^ ""»"« "« genuine eloquence. QrelsL*^ '"''T^ "^'h ™el« ef Mr. 0.rli2g f„„ a p^t t^'^^^^^X'.'" """"■»' time and patient labour but ifT. ^ '^°™'«' «"■»'• of Agriculture, he h J^to°^v !«"" ^ '»■■«•' Minister ■reiving KnighthooTf *° H..r T"'?'' f " '""■''" "^ with Sir Fm'nk Smith whf^h!'-""'' *« «">«»■ So. Mperience made hie i)^!^ , "?" "'"'"lne» and SirAdoipheCa,4h^^Mt T"*""' *" •'J' OaW"'- of Mflitia aud Defend" SHT'f'''«»«P«'">ent •««PM the PostSoteSf • "" "^ """^^ t I , ' *i" UFB AND fro&K. or '\' Sir John Thompson was now to lead atnid ihe shoals* and rocks which are always strewn so plentifully before the ship of state. His acceasio|i to nominal, as well as real, power was well received throughout the <|ountry. The 'Frenish-Canadian Conservative' press was a {unit in praise of the man and his record, his ability ana his services. The Ottawa Citizen spoke of him as " a statesman of the weightiest dialibre, deep in his knowledge of human nature and human afiUirs, tfi^^xtensiVe reading i^hd accurate and varied information, an orator and a tactician above all." It described him as one in whopithe country had full faith. The Toronto Umpire declared that "in every duty to which the necessity of the hour has sumpioned him, Sir John Thompson has been a coueipicuous siiccesa He\has been a brillia;it Minister. He i^ the absolute master of the House of Commona" The Toronto Olobi announced that the min who by " pre-eminence •of abiHty commands the Premiership," had at last got it, while the Montreal Herald with all its strong Liberal prejudices declared that " He has rendered the Conservative party more valuable service since Sir John Macdonald's death than perhaps any other living man could have done.' The Maritime Provinces were enthusiastic in express- ing pride at the success of the leader from Nova-Scotia, and the press was almost united in praise of his personal quali- ties and admitted abilities. B^t the unpleasant religious issue refused to be entirely suppressed, and the (pinion of militant Protestantism was voiced by the Torontq Mail of a short time before his accession to ,power, and by the*^ Montreal Witness of the day after. The former declared it." difficult to believe that the political managers of the Ottmge order will be able to induce the order for the sake of spoils to irail the effigy of William III. behind a politioGd eoiifed«r»t* of the order of Father Petra" Th« latter "I / ..tl.l / t« so JOHH THOUnoH. •nnooqced thai "Sir T^i, m. ■ *"» the scale, of justice very riSdir- '' "* *P' *» hold of hie own «ligi„„ eo W™f. h~T"'°° ''**■ t""" •Cabinet, however etroIS/t^?" ""^ " » <^»«»'"' these times of so^piZ. l^r „ ?«"«"". "o-M to «»od or b«J, which TerTnof.r"' P°«« ""y q-litie. tartioation of wh^;™X™! »h, brighteet „d beet »»t «poc the hew pS . Wi M.'^'* '"««'V Thompson is i Koman Q^r';,-, ^"? ""> '"t 'hat Sir jX woold be a poo, StetlL.?,^? ■""^'^ '»<>0' » of the Ctaadi^ Z^I i,*". ^» ''f«»'% »<1 intelligeoei Catholic a^y „/~C ; '^^^ 'j;^^™ »hrt a iC^ k-ghest office Ain their rift L'^''*'P'" t" «» ««t«»i. preludioe over Us a™^ . ^ '"""P* *° •«"« coojtiy;- P°""«« or this welfare rf^the j -Xr:::T.at r in »' '"•>"<^. how>' -wiahavetoeitr-toLrthf^-^ ' « 248 LIFE AND WORK OF interest, aii#the most embarassing import. And in speak- ing some time ^fter this with reference to the arduous work which had been done by Sir John A. Macdpnald, the •few Premier gave a striking description of the labours re- quired in the position which he was then himself filling. Day after day, he declared, was occupied by increasing toil, unwearying watchfulness and painful devotion to details. Night after night wlien men in all other occupations were enjoying rest in their homes, he would be at his work in the House of Commons, seldom leaving until early morning, and often beginning a long and arduous effort after midnight. This was the work which Sir John Thompson had now taken up in all its fulAess, and that he never shrank from any portion of it, is writ large in the history of the' next two years. Meantime the four new Ministers had gone to their constituents, and been re-elected by acclamation; ^r. Wallace, in West York, Mr. Wood in 'Brockville, Mr. Ives in Sherbrooke, and Mr: Curran in Montreal Centre. The speech delivered by Mr. tllarke Wallace in the village )f Weston upon the occasion of his re-election, on Decem- ber 21st, contained an interesting explanation of his rea- sons for accepting office, and concerning certain Orange objections to the new Premier. "Sir John Thompson," said the speaker, " is the Premier of Canada to-day, and some people have objected to him, not on account of his lack of ability, for he is one of the ablest men in Canada ; not because of his want of integrity, for no man's reputa- tion is more unblemished ; not because of his want of devotion to the interests of his country, but, and I will put it plainly, because he is a Roman Catholic. I do not view it in that light. I do not consider that an objection to a jnajik beconiing Premier of Canada." He fchert vyent on to say that he was an Orangeman, and was proud of it ; that he had been one for almost a quarter of a century ; and I > 1 in speak- le arduous Jpnald, the labours re- self filling, easing toil, I to details, tions were v^ork in the Dming, and midnight, now taken from any li two years, le to their ition ; ^r. kville, Mr. jal Centre, the village on Decem- of his rea- lin Oranjje I'hompson," K)-day, and unt of his in Canada; d's reputa- s want of I I will put o not view iction to a went on to of it ; that itury; and Hon. f. G. Marchand, M P p fT 1 Sandford Fleming, C.M.G.rc.E., LL.D., Canadi«.H Ccmmitsioiur at the Ottawa Intertahnial Confirtnct. *'^>3^'>'Sr-iiJ\' -.'i ^V ,V, • -Vj&*«'fe» « f SIB JOHN TBOMPSOW. j^j world. ""Wemen, not only of Quiiida. but of tlie from the f«e exeret, tfli P^''»' " »»"■«' Catholic John Th„m[«o„ H wi r' T°™' P""'"«<»= "»' right „an/™a»rnlhrD„t™?'"'"- ^e ha, th. s.me every a,a„ i„ th, exS o^J ""' >""' '» '"PP""* Therefor.. I »Und here Tdt ""^"""io""! righte. . 0»ngem.n, oonsfatentr .^ ^' °° ""'' °''"8««<»>e « an new Prenuer in a betL»d W ,i!ht ^7' *" ""^ ""« the oommnnity which hadl»!n • r^. ^°™ ' P'"*'""' »' / -Ref^BTL a^^/b 't^ ■"! r^'' '»■■■'» "corded. ."S^tothcEZ^fe^-.^ttf r' ^l"'""-'-. \ his motion reg>mlin^ th^ ° p '^" '^f!^ I- S " «salt ot t^Se A?„n ° P'<««""tione, instituted a, 1 speech whfchtJ:^nS ir^M- n'''*"- »<' '» «" . vindicated hi, own S ^ 'd t^Xfa'"^ """'^ His resolution as present..^ ,7*^ rr "«' ^lovemnieut. , w« to the effect tTrS ,^ » "<>«»»• »» April 12th. evidence p™d„c^ Wore the 0^™^ '^'''^•"^' "d during the Se»i„„ of m afco^r t °' """ "°»^«- «.e in the Courts ; that a 1 lerk, atn°" ^ ""'''•'* '" officials in the service .^ttTu """?»?'«". md other witue.^; and4" ^^^":"i^-''-^f,■«-'■^>ible a, ■ which Sd been prertou^n;;^'^^' 'u*?"" '^'«»'°»t, ^-ir^tf.rw«..L':^^^-~- ^^-. ^ ■Vj ...■5-M-. 1 iM • .^.l ff' ll«j N mm |:ij i^Pf V 1 IHI fjU'ii I^^^N «'^.v.L'<.<^ r .s ■ t t^ • . '. . . 288 UFB AND WORK OF iuted. \^#oa8es namea were those against Connolly ^nd MoQreevy^ror oonspiraoy ; against John ' R: Arnoldi tot malfeasance in office; against Talbot and LarOse for con- spiracy ; and against eleven other persons or firms for the recovery, of money. Some opposition was made upon constitutional grounds, but the motion was, of c6urse, parried, and enabled the Qovemment to have everything that was possible done towards the conviction and punish- ment of those who had defrauded the country. On the 28th of June an incident happened which delighted the Convervative mc.mbers of the House beyond measure, astonished the country and the Opposition, and perhaps surprised the Minister of Justice himself. Some days previous to that date, Sir RichaM Cartwright had announced that he was going to say something which he wished the Leader of the House to hear, and intimated that he intended to address him personally and particularly. When the time came he made a characteristically strong speech ; denouncing the judiciary in connection with the recent election trials ; the people for their action in return- ii^ so many " corruptionists " to the House in the bye- elections the Qovemment for renewed evidences of boodling ; the Minister of Justice for having, as ho alleged, purchased a seat in Parliament, by obtaining in 1886 the appointment of Mr. Mclsaac, to a .County Court Judgeship in Nova-Scotia. ^ It the speaker had liitepded to "draw" Sir John Thompson, he was for once sucti^ful. To the amazement of its member^, the House listedied to a speech which was absolutely stormy in its character, bitter in its invective, and personal in its application. It. was a perfect whirl- wind of denunciation from a man upon whom the Commons -waa aeeustomed to look as the embodiment of ^igaii i«0«rv«, of suppression in language, and of moderation in f"* . . 'vs^r " "W -'■■F'* wf^^i^ 1'* V am JOHN THOMPSON. j„ tone But the delight of th^ n Pondingly areata fh, ^ve XnTr"™ "" ~"^ oWwterof their leader ^^7!^, *"? ""^ "''« »» «>. to «. opponent whom LanTi^ ^^"""IT ''PP«»'»» politically. , " ""*"* Pereonafly as well „, find ^t^^t'fo/sr^cnzf .'''r°'™''5« *» of theSeesion. "Perha^^l^f '!,"' "'«<'>;"«Sye speeches of the past he h^ t A^ ™»»acking his *ai«ti». which Cw "°?^ """ "" "O".* before the House." iSen hT^e^ )" T"""^ '" «" " delivered, a, •■ one of those wa7^ ^ ^° '^'^'^ J« speeches whi* have so .^^1""^ "'^P««'»oc Govemmen/ He denonn,^ th^l. ■ ^^''^ ^^ "» tamed .nd/p„int«,.t himt W.t :!i'"^*' "'^^ - biowledge of criminal law and „ I *• *"'"' "V "«"»»»« Vfa. defenderof d::^tsl':rjr°4tt'TS.' Minister of Justice, • I deelinA f k^ '"*"»^s. bir, said the U-th i. AoSnaJa^dVpts^^r -"^ have never shrubk in mv fiiilH«„ P^^o^ecutnig them ; I f«.m taking ^iZ^L^'^ZfT'^f "" »«• lawfuHy say for himS* L^^"? '" """^ "''«" h. might the fee of a blat«.t Z^J^ L'T? ""'*"'"«' "P"""^ elee in the world, ^^wi't^^^'r"""^ -embody «v.«e of them alL»T " "" ""*» -tracnlent This last fierce sentence w«« ln~~ . who heald it. aid is .ikZ^^JT:'"'^ by the* that.th.hon. <^ti«^t.ite:; zz :sr^ 'A tSi-., ^^■I'r ^} LITE AND WORK OW od^ntiy and defame it than eat his breakfaai " I, ai a mei^r of the Liberal-Conservative^&arty, owe him such a debt df latitude that if it shall be necessary to retain his services in the party which he does not lead, and which would noihave ^im for a leadet.and which barely tolerates him as a supporter— if it be necessary in order to retain him in that capacity, I, for one, will propose a subsidy to Parliament to^eep him there." ^e defended the Judges of the Dominio^^ referred to the pride which Sir John Mcdonald had always taken in keepmg the Judiciary free from the stain of partisan appointments ; explained clearly but briefly the reasons for the transfer of Mr. Mclsaao from .Parliament to the Bench, and his- own recommendation of the selection, aside altogether from his personal elevation to a position whidl' he had twice refused before finally accepting it; and Ingourously denied the fitness of Sir RichaM Cartwright to sit in judgment upon the Judiciary ■^" He above all others made in the same mould, which, thaqk God, nature broke when she cast him.'* Such, in a nutshell, was the famous speech which Mr. Laurier characterized in reply as a descent from * the language of Parliament to the invective of Billingsgate." No defence of Sir Richard Cartwright is required in tftis connection. He can always take care of himself. Nor is it necessary to criticise Sir John Thompson for the unique character of this utterance. That it was unusual is suffi- cient evidence of the tremendous provocation under which it was delivered, and that it was instinct with all the vigourous invective of a strong and generally suppressed nature, simply proves that the Minister of Justice was a man and not a saint, and that while his passions were as a rule thoroughly controlled, yet they could at times burst out and show ^ opponents that he was well able to answer fire with fire. j«bkparate wshooi qoeefem?^ ^ *""" "■• Dominion «"»•«. o£ oo»«, l!^i^'" o^" «Iigio«. «lne.. "» OM which si Jbto^ ^T™ » C^'^J*. »nd >»«> -tither betted nTw^T""^^ *• deal witi; h.^ «oa«A».,hj.t ^^-J^^^^ Afficnltie, in the ««e '«^ in « agitation .gaiSt^Ca^^i?"- •'"^ **»™ «™»«n. of a»rf»dZtion tol-^^^ """* «» «» "hx* • ftot«tanrminJ?„ • *■?* ""npromise by pving them in eaoh^ .^^. .. '" «MeTed by , ^"y wewinwesSy^Sf*.?*.'™' "^ »he Union. •*«*» «iA cftta^3lW • ?'"*^ °'"'i»«rity -y-ii *:f.a 266 LifB AND WORK OT schools, therefore, have had nothing to complain of in either Ontario or Quebec. But in Manitoba it has-been Very different. The sys- tem was not the same as elsewhere ; the Province did not enter the Dominion under similar conditions ; and the fate oLthe schools has since become involved in the general and complex question of Provincial rights. Manitoba entered the Union in 1870, The population was about equally divided, between Catholics and Protestants, and as a large influx of French Canadians was expected in the future, it was at that time very generally believed that the balance would be more evenly preserved than has been the case. Under these drdumstances the Dominion Parliament had to consider the power which it might be desirable to invest the future majority with, and, following the precedent of the Confederation Act, authority was given to the Legis .lature over education, subject to the preservation of* rights existing at the time of the Union. And it was afterwards claimed that the privilege of an appeal to the Govemor- Qeneral-in-Council was also allowed in the event of any of those rights being infringed. It has been smce admitted that no law, ordinance or regulation existed at the time of union with respect to edu- cation. The point of the future dispute tlimed, therefore, upon how far the " practice " then prevalent was a privi- lege and rightb> under the laws. Archbishop Tache, whose evidence in the subsequent Barrett case was accepted as accurate and complete, states that there were a number of effiactive schools for children, some of them \mng regulated and eontroUed by the Roman Catho^c Church, and others by various Protestant denominationa The means required for the support of the Catholic schools were supplied partly iij^fees and pwtlj ooi of ftmds contrUmted toU^e X^ur^ d Sut • • bj its membera During this period n»ither Catholics nor « / I. 0. •lain of in The sys- ace did not nd the fate general and •ba entered at equally as a large e future, it he balance a the case, lent had to e to invest ecedent of the Legis a of rights ifterwards Govemor- I of any of dinance or act to edu- therefore, as a privi- jhe, whose scepted aa Dumber of regulated md others B required ied partly leXSurcli iholics nor ^tm. rATKtisoNTivrp;; iitant/ord. . rf .. Sup*HnUnd,nt of E4Mc^iPn.l D.fartm,nt, M,iMUt CAurcH ./CW-. ^^^ U 1 '*rf*4j.l^ " Iv !„. SIR JOHN THOMPSON. 259 Protestants had interest in or control over any schools bat those pertaining to their respective beliefs. f . In 1871, shortly after joining the Dominion^ a law WM passed by the Mani*oban Legislature which established a system of denominational education in what were then called the common schools. By this act twelve electoral divisions, comprising in the main a". Protestant population, were to be considered as constituting imelve Protestant school districts, under the management of the^Protestant section of the Board of Education. Similarly, twelve dis- tricts, made up chiefly'of a Roman Catholic population, were constituted an equal number of CathoUc school dis-' tricts, and were placed ander the control of the Catholic section of the Provincial E^^tion Board. Each school division raised the contribution required m addition to the amount given from the public funds, as might be decided at its annual meeting. And without the special sanction of its section of the Board of Education, only one school could be established in each district. Changes suited to the differing* proportions of the popu- lation were made in 1875; but the general principle was Still maintained. And the system cannot be s^d to have worked badly, or to have caused any very s^ous trouble be- tween the religious divisions of the Province. In 1890, however, a portion of the sectarian wave w^ch had failed to engulf Ontario, overcame the Pwtestants of the Prairie Province— now m a large majority— and the Premier, Mr. Thomas Greenway, with his able lieutenan^Attomey-Oon- eral Martin, seized the favourable and popular moment to establish a common school system. By the Act then passed, all school taxes, whether derived from Protestants or Catho-' lies, were j|ppropriate(Ltoj.tba. japportof the, no» pqMJo— schools, and the old arrangements constituting two Boards of Education, were of course repealed- Needless to say the m^^ i* i I 4 i r h»u.- tv ■ ZiIFK AND WORK OF \'' .Mnaa Cathdlics all over the Doniiiiion were Beriously aroused by this action. It seemed to threfiten their rights everywhwe as well as those they claimed in Manitoba - Strenuous pressure was brought toi bear upon the Dominion CJovemment to disallow iH^oia^ infringing the .rights of the nnnority. A petition dated 6th March, 1891, and signed by the Roman CathoUc Archbishops and Bishops of the Dominion, was presented, stating that both the Schools* Act and the one abolishing the dual language sys- tem in Manitoba were " contrary to the dea(rests interests " jjfi a laige portion of the loyal subjects of Her Majesty ; con- trary tb "the assArances given during the n^^iatioM" whidMletermined the entry of the Provinces ufe) Confed- ^t^^n; contrary to the terms of the Driiish^ Nortii America Act, and of the Manitoba Act; contrary tb the nrinciples of public good faitL A little later, on April 4thj. -^e FrenA press of Quebec, published a pastoral letter, issued by Cardinal Taschereau and the hiwarchy of the Province, which was read in all the Catholic Churches, and claimed that the legislation in question would " destroy the faith of the Catholic children "of Manitoba, and would "despoil the Church of ite sacred righta" It urged once more "the control of the Church over the education of Catholic children in the schools," and called upon all Catho- lics "to pray and to work for justice." ^ Following, however, the precedent set in the Jesuits' Estates Case, the Public Schools' bill was allowed by the Government to 'go into operation, as well as the one abolishing the official use of the French language in the Pro- vincial Legislature. But in the case of the Sohools' Act the Government intimated its willingness to pay the expenses "navolved"iir^eBtfaig tiie constitutionality of tha measure.^ ' Meantime, appeal had been entered by Mr. J. K. Barrett, of Winnipeg, in tha interest of the looal GathoUo xatepayera^ *:>(&,f,rt ;- -m . i^- -i ■'iiVii •^'■^nt .^i m • if .7 'Y SIE JOriN THolhBON. [on>soii •: \ SI 261 •gainst two city by-laws which imnosed a m*-«'«#*l ' «« prior to the I.«,i„c en^.Te^S''v ""*; te«to»«i „ constitationolly .KniiT.t °i?'t'»"- J«tic.-, famoo. Report in IMp '^ "" """*" <^ FoUojring upon the OoTemmenfs .gmmiit.™ ^ • j- «ons, «d prior toTtL^™ rfV^^ *? "" '»*'- q»«tion to the l4Z^ t^ "^T "f '^ debate took phce in U»iom» rf (SZ^' »*««»«»K upon my other quertion which might i^'ZZ ment of the d.y. «, n„ti„„ e«^l7^J^ ?"" th.«tionof theOovennneBtin^^.fc^^fr'^ "* declared that in December S yS fu ^*^ ^« tions were coming on, ]|fr. ChaDlean ha^ u ^ ^®°" ddfiimi» fi«T« *i.^ n ^Wi^n had been sent aa a. ^ ii^Sa&t ^°^®'«»n»4 to see Archbishoii T-!tx ^^?^^f»«»^Montr«al. and that during the S<^** ^ m« ™p»to™ IV««hn,«, thenUnted wl^C^*^ t i ^- ..y ' tt^e c«p6rfc of the Minister of Justice in the month ol MarcL fbUbwing, as beii^ the public pledge resulting from the private promises. ^^ §^Miii||||f ^^^™^"^ aroused con- ^^aiderable discussion, alwfflgh Mr. Tarte^'tendency to make irash fifid irresponsible charges at a moment's notice, ha^ly rt^ade it a matter of importance. In a subsequent (wi^cism of the member for L'Islet, Mr. Larifie?«, a Consultative ^member from Manitoba, was decidedly witty.- He declared > that Mr. Tarte '*had belonged to all jparties, past jmd present (and he was going to. say, future) in Canada. ,He had said that he came to the House, as a Conservative to mali^ the party pure, and v/liat was the result I Mr. Tarte wai||the first man to be ot^ of the party." ^ Sir John Thompson in his reply made a leiqphy and elal)Qrate defence of the Government It cannot be said that%e had a sympathetic audience. However wise might b(^ the fii^ion of the Ministi-y in exercising cdre; in giving every sid? a fair and full h^rhig; in having every legal security for its ooli% in tH|p premises; the delay&ould hardly be jjopular w^^ the gr#t body of ministerial supportejjiyronii'rti^e West'or from pntorio. They wanted the quesM^out^f the way, as d^d the Opposition mem- W» froni the latter province, and dipallo^ance was so affainst tbflililflNnt of thos^ht ^d jHmtiment in Ontario that the 'prtfcfciple of fuH^justnc* td a mmontj^ hardly obtained fair play^stt far^g^qpividual feinnff #as con- cerned, thouglk rwjeivMJg. wW^fra^ through the votes and passive supportMy^he menlbiarB. Upon questions of ^this nature;; %. Mc(^Ky *ould hsive 43een naturally the leader of his Proviftee, had he not in so many ways estranged' Conservative sympathy. Aiid perhaps, in the interest of Canadian unity, it is as well that such was the Ths Premier claimed that Mr. Tarte and Mr. McCarthy, ■"¥v/f '''"^Vf •ItfM'ili^ 16 votes itioDB of »Uy the y ways , in the was the iCarthy, V _ Marck '^ >ni the 1 id con- 0 make - ha^ly f ii^cism 1 J^Yative 1 eclared st Mid ' a.. He \ 1 tive to 1 *. Tarte ' hy and Na^ be said - i might giving ry legal - .,h.'\ -"V (T^uld listerial wanted 1 n mem- 1 was so Ontario ' ■ hardly 1 1 •• as oon- H«N. JOSEPH Martin, Q.c,; M.p.^ ^ate Attomey-Genen,! of Afanitoba. f.,'.- jij:^. though fchis in« He ref e of Prin cases tl ground meotiLs ought n hiid bee Jesoito' Protesia regardiD^ "defied MmisteTi was sent Gaaad^t " ki«»#, a disaUowa '^ Kepi New Bn applieatio obvioQs I watedott sequence ( Gbvemme casetiie \t enced \tyA whieh we Ooundl wi of the sla rights the, of appeal t and the liti •^IW^miff- , /, though H oppoaite u tha tOtm in n..i.» • . Uri. motion Wrktag to^Z^itr.?^^' "^ '^ of Prinze Baw«3 blf^^"^' "*" *»* *» "»» 2^B.t.^ ,u«rtio. ..tho^h'^rt^rts Sth"": ••^^ ?!.!♦! T^ ["omiw to ArehWrtqp Tach< he s^'to"^°£^ " 'f ^' vCoo^^^t:" WBted on different statutes. Then he oonttnued -^^T j«qnenoe of the phr«^lo«y. of the Snpwr CW ilT case tae w»y it did, bat they were far from beim. mfl« 0.™ea waaftom fiySrfc'ht:t:^th?v.^-7 of th. !*rtate8 oomplamer^-^™ w- I^'^ riKhtoth.jnu.ority^ht h.V. iTlTr ." tL'*"* of »pp«i to th. (w»f "(tr j,!^3 'rt^ \"y •nd the hbg.tIoi.>rfi„rthing to do with ii^ ^'^ 'W 270 LIFE And wouk of '*M\ i , Hft spoke of t^e ground' takeb by Mr. Blake in 1890, , when calling the attention of the House to these -very . matters, and claimed that his arguments at that timo "applied with powerful force to this particular question ; that Sir John Macdonald accepted the resolution subtnitted by Mr, Blake in the sense in which it was put forward ; and that in the followiiig year it was assented to by the whole of Parliament in being embodied in the Supreme Court Act. The exact machinery which %he Government had followed in the Manitoba schools' case was that which I4^- Blake had suggested and Parliament had adopted." . A vigourous defence of the right of th^ GiOv^l■nment pnder the constitution to receive petitions in a judicial, and not a political sense, was made, and the Premier instanced as a case in point the duties assigned Iby Act of Parliament to the Railway Committee of the Canadian Prll^y Council. He concluded a strong speech with j^e ' expression of a belief that Manitoba as a constitutional province would "obey the dictates of the highest Court of the Empire as to what its con.«ttitution was." * Mr. McCarthy on th(ji^ succeed Ihg d%y replied to this defence, and soundly denounced Ihe Government for its .d^ltiy in fettling this much vexed ^estion. The decision^ • o!^o way or the^ other, was vital. "It was whether the "'Province of Manitoba, with 'a population of 150,000, 6p whom not more than 20,000 were Roman Catholici^Vas ' to have imposed upon it against its will, a Separate ^ SchodJ system.'* He declared that threerquorters of the people in Ontario were altogether opposed to. thj^t metl\od of, education, aud thought "nothing more dangerous, Uothing more subyeraive of the principles of our constitu- *ti6n, coul4^ be tolerated than that the Cabinet of the Dominion .should assume to act in this w ainr other qqes- tion, aa a judicial body. . , .;, -^^j ,,-i\ MB JOHN THOMPSON. jyj effect tbU th, 1 maedln ° """""JT """rity »» the public Mhool, oJ thJ r * "" '*^'"« '""""^ » «'s . CathoIio^M«ntnerf ^r""""^ '"'* 9°""«' tent schools I «v^^^^ 'T°»^ !» ""»»<' «•««. j«,t«. though «.y lif. „ a pubiict^ d:;^o?i:^^rr; "^^ undertake to a&v nn .»„^»» i ^Z"""*" "Pon «, 1 would put torn .cee Itr. wt»r "bu^ST 'f ■"'"* this ut^„„ee is somewhat .t^'Z by tt. to ^?/ 5^ ur were not. After three days' debatfl ihn ,i;. • • Ltaken and Mr Tarf «'« ~a«i *• aeoate, the division I ua Mr. lartes resolution was defejited by 120 • ^-Veligionists L th! rj^^u^ ^'^^ °^ sympathy with his. " out to:theni. ana which h«^ ka • ® *^®° ^^^^ hi> ♦!.•»" i-i ; ""•^" u»u oeen so vigou b^.^^e hi^raro^y of his own ChuiSh. - v-«xui.u. religious schools appear to ba m ,r,-*-i J important as is free speech to the iSI^ton SL^ ^ ^ •V 'II .1 •« > 1^, » / ^ i;fc;,.v4if!-' '*^'i'« ^■ ■si 27S UFB AND WORK Of verdict of th« Courts might eveotually go, but it also pointed very distinctly to the expectation, if not hope, that some measure of remedial legislation would be ultimately found necessary, and thus harmonize duty and inclination. A.nd who can blame an honest Canadian, be he Protestant or Roman Catholic,, for desiring such an end to any vexed question 7 So long as a public man and a statesman puts duty first and personal wishea second, he cannot be fairly criticised for hoping that the two may be eventually com- bined. Nor can Sir John Thompson be blamed by any honourable man for giving a Canadian religious minority every possible oppqrtunity for obtaining consideration of alleged wrongs and the use of every available judicial priv- ilege. Looking at the question, therefore, from his stand- point as a public man, it was essentially a legal and consti- tutional issue ; one which ought to be kept from the heated arena of party politics; and one which might well be decicCed upon a nqn-partisaa basis of toleration and liber- ality. .* 4Fj." x.j^J ^* -.. .^■' sij{ JOHN raoMPsoii. 273 CHAPTER XV. OiKADA AKD THU! UNniD StATO. popular, thaa his nositi™ » j- ""^ '"'"onrable and • with the United sCh^*"*^ *""■ "'»"«'" opinions as to An.^:;! t^,™ t^Te Do""" ''-^"^ concermng the policy for.Cnada to Jil i^T'""-^ despMwi any attitude of ;eakne« or «'!',f return. He all bluster or atiempts a^nw/!- ""^"^i ">« disliked -W to he upon thtttenS rt™:^* 7 ''°'"'"' public which n,ight be compatibletS^^*^;^'."^ endanger naS^i^dtS r^TcT"? T""* °"^' treatments British inte^fe *^ ' ""* ""Wbtest hostile •nangeinent with Canada whiT^it """* «»»&e„!ial ture™ rf the United S^ XT^tf " ^f -^?'«- Dominion, and at the JTti^e wi.f *^^'^* »? '"« ^ by the congenial nrocesa of T*!^ '^ oonnection under BritStr«l^':7di^™*SrT"''«""°''H ' in both Canada and En^lS^ * '"J"*^ "«*^»T^ discrimination aBaiSb ^¥ ' """"ereial igfStem of To to. end I^^^"^;^'' ^ '^^ "o«.«!-oZi; -:r---3r^S:^h^ -on^tiona./^. o..^ tl^^o^ri ■J t 1 i' 'I iff Mil W ■ . f 4 RP^p^ \y f «.■ 274 LIFE AND yrORK OF I' ii. !li J !7^ - tectiin were joyfully welcomed by the enthusiastic support- ers of American protection. With Chis in view, re? olutions favQurable to commercial relations of the closest kind were ' passed by Confess, while> limited reciprocity was abso- lutely refused by the Governments^ Now and -then, when the success of other methods, waS recognised for the moment as impossible, threats Aycreireely used against the Canadian Pacific Railway, attfl«ks .were made upon the . Bonding system, or fiscal. coercion wad tried such as that embodied in the agricultui^l schedule of the McKiriley^U. - Yet it can be safely said that Canada has n^pre than done its duty towards the United Stales. It ^as nev^r abrogated a treaty, never broken an arrangement^ ne^W obtained American territory by playing upon the natural weakness of friendly negotiators. It has given much and received little. Many unavailing attempts have.bedn made' |» obtain a fair measure of reciprocity. Friendly manifes- tations have been constant from the days whe?i 40,T)00 Canadians served in the armies of the North, to the time » when all Canada joined the Bepublic in mourning for the murdered Garfeld. The partial abrogation of the Wash- ington Treaty, the Behring Sea seizures, the Atlantic Fish- eries' dispute, and the Washington negotiations of- 1892, • occupy the other eide of the shield. And not the least of the service^JjEliich . Sir John Thompson rendered the Dominion waf>h|| shafe in the attempt made in 1892 to obtain a reciprocal irade arrange- ment with the United States. That last prolonged effort indicated in its results as clearly as language could Mpress, the impossibility of obtaijiing a treaty such as C«madianB could honourably accept It proved to a denipnstration that the American Government .wpuld consider no arrangement Nj^hich did not disci4minate against British goods, place p " umfona i^riff arputxd the >coQtinent, uiid eetablish some - *, A- -V- / SIR ^OfiN THOMPSON. " ->■■ 276 Joinl Commisaion Thfe^t x ?""*' """'rolled by . to a Eep„bne.n>„„erX*^5;2 ;""''"' "P"'- "^^ oOMciprocity t^»tii „;«, „ °"™'"= P'rty will- n.ake ■^^te upon the bl oGe^t^" "' """**. " ^°"" On the 3lBt of March tscii j "*<»• the general electi«r^S,v rt f''^*"'"' three »eoks Vr^ngL in oX tlLSr r ^P^Mpeeded to Sir Jnlian^aUnoef^^^Tel^rn'^h'^^"''*'^^ negotiation,. OaApriSr:?,^^^!^ -fP««ity . refary of State, and extolain^ tT^ ■ '*""' f>e Sec- , Mr. Blaine appareutly received tl,. „ ""^f/or dMcussion". «»rt Mr. BlaiCiktif f ?. ""^ ""^ ■»'»««) th^meetinfon the.g«,ZC ^e P ">' P^'Po-ement of" then did ootlarmi' S^r:^;^ ''■».?"««^»-ents jnat- A^ba««ddr, Sey waL wJTo '^""^*'5' the-British ■ «« coriiajy 4^v«r S '^'f^^^'V oT State and : '-y brief and rvWtoJ^ ftTT°' "''• "^ «"•"«. Mieir ret«m W.8 " neither d^iST^^ announced that- ../■-■ •t*-^' . »<-, '» »' 0mt i .it :f' i'rih fttwfp -t ■^^J it if 1 HlPiLi i iHlil •Mil s ii i^^^Hl ' I'- ,1 In tHMlii* Hfl li'^Hfiii III «^M[' «M BHmn ' vi H 11 [bBi n 1 i 11. H 276 LIFE AND WORK OF Qzoellent grounds for believing that the Senate would not ratify any reciprocity made with (vanada/ln On April 9tl» following it was stated that the negotiations would he renewed on October 12th. At that date another postp»one- ment took place on accoui;it of Mr. Blaiije's ill-health, but finally the conference wa«^ held early in 1892, cDma^encing on the 10th of February. ^ The discussion which then took place IJ^ween Sir John Thompson, the Hon. Mackenzie Bowell and the Hon. G.K Foster, representing Canada; ^it Julian Pauncefote representing Great Britain; and the lion. James G. Blaine and General J, W. 'Foster representing Ihe United States ; was exceedingly important! ., An understanding was come • to regarding the Alaskan boundary, the adoption of joint regulations for the protection of the tj^lieries, for recipro- city in wrecking, salvage, and towing in conterminous waters, and for the marking of the boundary-line on Paasa- maquaddy Bay. But it was upon the question of trade relations that the hitch occurred and it was in the same connection that the results were so vital. The official min- utes of the meetings, from which a few extracts must be given, are signed, by the three Canadian Ministers,^n(l then in addition there is each day app€*ided the stat^meiit " r concur in the above minute of proceedings," signed by Sir Julian Pauncefote. Strong partisans migh t possibly dispute a statement supported only by the signatures of members of the Canadian Government, but no one with any knowledge of the honourable traditions and practices of British diplomacy, and of tlie high rank and reputation held in it by the British Ambassador at Washington, can for a momeni; doubt the accuracy of minutes endorsed by Jiim as correct. During the conferfence which took place on the first day, Mr. Blaine pointed out that no treaty or arrangemeat -4'^ - ,■''■ '.■", ■'.'1 .' ■ I MB JOHN THOliraoil coold te made which tn^e reasons all intervenSXBt"" ""^'"""^ "^^ - hi. reply and declared that ^he ,^ Id "" ■"■"■^'^ ''«"' why Canada' was reluctant tn „ . °^''^ understand h-mited reciprocity, buT ha i^„ ;■ '"'" * ««»*y of „n- - no other arrangement wouMur.h'TT'".'^" '"'■«' "»t ^tha* it must be accompanied bvd'- ^^ ®'"'"' '"d the United States. esStXaS'o"^ '" '""<>' 3-^d States Ld\tr;:iirtro.tt:^ ta'de reUtion, betw^n Can^a !^ ,7,'^'°8«i<*«>c.l But It wa, verp far fr.mM^«>V''t^^Y States. . Parhament during the fSdTn^ «! ^P'^te in e<»dence„f the fa^ that th7S!l5.-^'°***" *(»ile ' ' m thi, connection, „d m 1 fr'""" """""^ *° -^^t • "No«,rrender." After a ntn W "'^'"«- ""."^rSi • »^W explaining and denyin^X Irrtr '''*^' ■ > \ > .1 .ipl I 7 IV'Jl*!' • • ■\/ h it , U^ ' i-i rf w m 280 '/ .UF* JlNl) WOBK C» of the orij^n, procedure, amd results of ihe^tsegotiawona Their coi|iraencement had bein very simplle. In conneotioo with Newfoundland's attempt to make a separate treaty in 189a v" We requested Her Majesty's Government to ask thaiTwe fthou-ld be included in any negotiatio|i,jiiat took, place between the United States and Her Majesty's Gov- ernment in regard to tjie relations of Newfoundland with the Upiled states, wid^the answer of Mr. Blaine was that, while he was not willing that Canada should be included -in negotiations in regard to the Treaty with Newfoundland, he expressed a stfODg desire to conclude a wide reciprocity treaty with Canada"' followed the basis fOr negotiations- cabled to lich also furnished the reason for the dissolution lent in February, 1891. Meantime Lord Knuts- ^ial Secretary, had wired the Governor-General llowing effect on Jar^uary 2nd of that year : " Mr. Blaine replied that to endeavour to obtain the appointment of the formal commission to a^3Sfi-at--the^ reciprocity treaty would be useless, bufthat the United States Government was willing to discuss the question in private with Sir Julian Pauncefote, and one or more delegates from Canada, and to consider every subject as to which there was hope of agreement, on' the ground of mutual interests ; if not, cund to i-un so grave a step until by private discussion he has satisfied himself that good ground existed for expecting an agreement by means of a commission. ' He added that he would be prepared to enter into private negotiations at any time after 4th March." In this despatch, Sir John Thompson pointed out, there' was no request, as there had been none in any of the pre- vious or following correspondence, for secrecy as to the fact of the negotiations taking place. The discussions were to be private, as ti matter of course in all diplomatic iplthe ■V,;VA' „:&';'!■.':;%>?;■■" '.5 ;>«:'' ■■"=;- mn JOHN iiroMMoN. 281 the matter. Heri^l ^w 11^"^^^ ^^'^f.^^^^'^^^ ^ the niati^r CT ' ^ """'"6 * F4»»"c announcement in A ^ , ^^"""^ ^'^ ^^^ surprise wheii^lr. Blaine 6n Apnl let. and aftAr *.»,« oi^„*: _: Jh **°^' *?** mUW V""™/^ Uu.t . breach of faiStT^ from Loodon to Ottawa .„d thJi. the pule wte^ft r»^ivA/? «rUk _"7, *^o»«®a- IhiB explanation was ^^1^.^ »Waoho„, and if proof were «,„i„d Ih^ m^toke .thad been offered in the «ttingof the Conference forint^^f- '"y^",""' Canal T ,- , _ ; ;. If i iS • ' ■'•' • ■ ';. :^ . " • » *. ■ ■ '^'' • ■» 1* .y '■■.'■' \ ?' ^^^ ■ ' ■ • 1 ^^^^^^hl '..'.:':' , i . '/■ , ,^, .■■ ~r . ■ -v K_. :----^- «' I ^^^^^^^H 1^^^ ^ { . HH IIH P ■■ , ■ ■ --4 -•' ^^^^^^^^^B ".- . ' ■ '' ,K ► » ■ • " ^^^^1 » - t,f v- " ' *.' ^^^^^^^r , .-■■ - \ 1 •' ■ / " , ■ J -' ' > " • ^^ *' ''-■■■ ' ' .• ' ■ «' . ,/ *- > ■t ".-'■' ' " .i ' ' ■ ' * '/ . ' > * ,' , 0 ,.^ !> <'v ■ ' ■ ' " ■ , V ' ,/ ■' - « ; ■,.-■;,-, ..^.i ' , ■■-. fc * 4r f ' / ',■••■ "*,. . , •' % . ■ *■ ' ea « > ; t f ' r- V h ■ ' ^ ■ ." ■ ■' ■'•■■.'' \ , t ' * \ fr '' " / ' ' ■ .' ' ik" , ■ * .- "" ■ , . ^ / ' ^^ '■' ' ■ ■ 4. ' ^ • '■ v.. / t \\ » ■''\ ^ • -^' : ■ ■ ■:. ■ •* > A-'- 4 , ' . ■ 1 1 - "'^ ^ "#^^.* 1 r ■ ■■■ .. ■ t >CA 'A h :■•«„ tain a fair ily relaxed >ns imposed >n," and he } the Bondr rto united Mr. B(md :ri ml nation 9d out that lission into ted similar ion of an veil in an the inevit- 8, and as' a loontineni Ir m f I ! ' - Hr *' ii BIB JOHW THOMPSOW. ^89 Sir John Tho,„paofu,o„rt T. u.""' ^" """• «"««i the French ShoJ!^ ." ' '"'° "■■• Chapleau di,- Sir Joha Tho:^::ir:^j^ ■:°^. «i>«*i.K though B»nd Blaine tC; Tr„. . . ^ P"""' "gainet th. y i-l .S P If I S| li'l r« ^■i-A<-;EiiA*i"-«-T''li^ -ttb. V^ -^^i* ''^'wh'% £i. > >.4..,i ^^-.i-^i^-Iv^^j * M m M 290 LIFE AND WORK qW CHAPTER XVr. Connection with the Roman CATnoi.ic'C^ujtcH. Sir Johh Thompson wius not a man who wbrp his reli- gion .upon his coat aleevo. In that leHpcct, as in all other matters of daily life, daily routine, and daily iictiort. he was Unobtrusivei and undemonstrative; But none the less was he.firm and eaniest in his belief, and strong in a life which practically/embodied 'his' deep sincerity. To him, as it is to many Others, religion was a matter of the inOst vital personal i/nportance, but it was one with which the public, or even Jtiis own friends, so far as he was concerned, had nothing to do. It was in his estimation and as far as can be judg^, the guide to<:onduct in his private life ; an aid to right/ living and to right dying. "^ Bdt no man's religion ooght to be a subject of political discussion or consideration. Ihere can be little doubt that he eveii thought the topic one too sacred for ordinary con- versation, and that the denunciations which rang from more than one Protestant pulpit and permeated the utter- ances of sundry fervent and hot-headed divines during recent years, were exceedingly painful to him. The miserable insinuations which were current in certain circles ever since the line of action which he considered it a duty and necessity to take in French -Canadian and Separate School matters were shafts which pierced far deeper than could have been thought possible by those who vieyed the states- man only by his generally impassive demeanour, and his stoical composure under attack. This particular mode of hoatUe action waa inde*jd one 8IH JOHN THOMraoN. j^j the unfortunate atUcfaof^^lTl^. ""''""'' "'•"<» ■ «nt«ni,hed. that it i, dTfflouT'to uT^""? " '"'s'' »"'' men could have p.™,^"*!^ °°de«tand how hon..t "epeotinghiaoha^oySt^ °'""'''"''° °' "'?»<'•" pe™oMtl''iit,r.^'>:::„^«--^ ^^-ii^pon a.'.- that ho never intruded it Z,„,t. "'""'^'^'^ «« »'«'" ".« Utter ground Z^^ ZT::J'-^'-''^ "•>»» He might have .:o:^r„rr-'-^^^.^^^^^^ ■n a^fflinietering the affai™^!?^^ ^' ^ """"fo" •"d no public place S^"" """""""y they .. -«d.,SirJ„hn';XdIt hi^.Sf'"!^ '"» -Viu standpoint „.de th. « Wed^^^ oTtTe r' 'f" ^Td-r "'^^^^•^t mo3to"l"' And be waa absolutely riirht in iht7 . °°" '" ^t ■ ".e great in.porta„ce of wUthlXire ' ™''-'**- ' -.the only e«nae fo^ its ^n,ide,^«r^ B^tt" n"™""' tnee, religious conflict and struggle has W^l """"- cur., rn soae few case, it kJtiT-^IZLVr " don. b™«,„ y.v and ha, indilly't^ti:^'^-. ■x 11 i X *®2 UWK AND WORK O*' through the propoWon of liberty in diacuiwionknd govern- rtent On the other hand, however, nearly all the hiatoric iMittle fleldn of Chrifltendora hJ^ow the principles of bigotry to have ailed a far larger place, than did eyer the true spirit of Chriatianity. Liberty would have conie to the nations" in time had the feuda of sectp and creeda never diagracod the name of religion. When therefore th«j old-time aenti- ■ mentof intolerance was revived in a'now country of mixcl racea and creeds, it waa as much to be<<6qdemn^aa waa ever the Inquisition of Spain or the exefcutibn of Romai. Catholics at the dictation of Titus Oatea. And when' thia feeling waa promoted in Order to further personal prejodice, pahder to individual ignorance 6r aid poUtical tends, it became atill more deplorabre and dangerous, .liooking back over the period. now passed away forever, it is harti indeed to understand why audi fierce personal attacks were made upon Sir John Thompson, or how some, of the men who led in the campaign could have be^n so blind. It was perfectly legitimate to criticise ' the policy of the Minister and of his party, as well as that- of the Opposition, in connection with thft Jesuits' Estates Act It was within the right of every publijo man, Mid ot every individual, to denounce tljat policy from a political or national standpoint" '.But why should the Minister of Justi^ have been picked out to be the victim of so many "chiM^ of undue religious influence ? Mr.Laurier never en- countered them, though a sincere Roman Catholic in fa^ith and practice. The real reason seems to have been his leaving one Church to join anol^r. Yet under the circumstances of the time the change involved serious danger to hia prospects in life. His friends were in the main Protestants, and Strict Methodists; he 'had then never seen Biahop Cameron aiid could have had no idea of the services he waa aj^erwards^to render; he had no desire for public/life ..^ vx «? wUinly knew v.rv li.,i l '. »» lu" o'-we/UOf oven h«,l he iL. . P">«»axi liim an, . f«,hM ataUKl in , coZn *"=^'"»'"'(' O'Brien, of H»li ."bouMion to the Catholic^ JT* « u"'" "*"« »' h" not at aU uncommotf h.« iT^- ^"* P<>P««ion. .Hi ^'j' l-y «.a change , X t^Tj" ""T "^" '«''=^^ Vet, «. convinced wei^ .11 P,X,2nf u ^"'"'^ '»«• not^ of hi, fonner friend, dZXj h'J'lf "T "'r- 'hat en.a Writ« in a similar st^ZTl \ ^'"^ <'«■" '"omen: "NeitK-erthen,refl™'elZ « **""»? "'e -or before, nor ainoe. till he hou 1T^"" T ^"««<>»i«l';. ' •"bject of hi, „|i^„„ •« the .W.th «, habitual rSizatioft ^e »i ""^""^ '"'"'«'>' >« ,S--»'Canad.rothiLr^---£ What the exact nrooem n» J. . K~l"»lly. tut mirelyfS^^ T^"'"^ "" hy which he iT^f ^ oarly day, of a~"'f ' -?<«'% th. . /!?^!!!?rj^!lic«t^ l^^;:;-'/^ Catholic 'J'. l^ . u N ^ :: 294 LIFE AND WORK OF Fol.y-m.y tove first tamed his thongl.te m that direc- tion; undoubtedly the eloquent sermons, some years later TAn^hbishop (fonnolly, h«l sometlung to d, w.th the anal consummation,' Trobably also h.s own lack of .m- Snaaon.hisdislik»«t the merely emotional m rehgion and - We, hU preference for precedence and power over appeals to ™Lion or prejudice, had an influence upon the result An, d much & temperament John Wesley, warm and mMTve by nature ; Uking publicity and excitement, could ZZL. L cold religion of the Chu«=h of England, and Z dull formalism, which in his time, obscured .ts worth andhampereditswdrk. He sought »mebnghfer^dmo| Dopular form of religion and found it m Methodism. Sir E^ompson, on !he other ha.d with h s coW jl.^-; tion his didike of familiarity iu the individual or on the p. „ the public his fondness for --toment. and rewr- n for auttiority, must have natu«tUy found the Metho^ S^urch uncJgenial. One can hardly conceive ^ch^^ ^.s he in the post of class-leader, or mixing m the nlMWures of a congregational tea-meeting. H»c^ there ta no great difficulty in perceiving the tendency of the man. Li in his search after something ^n which to rest his mind, and in which to oblam com- ?rJd release from perplexity, he seems to have been ^.ly impressed by the spectacle of the Churd. of Eome^ bJd upon centuries of tradition, and bu. ding itse f up in powerand prestige W the mists of antiquity. It bad alrLy impressed and won over the great "if' °' f " man Li Manning, and no strong "T" ""^ T'^.X same influences should not haj^e modified. Mid finally . controlled, the faith of Sir John Tho-P-ru The^^oJ ™ritusl exaltation as experienced by """"yJ^lT^ K not appear to have had great force with him. »d ^Z wX belief in a Divine Being, and m the P™=- ihat direc- ears later, with the ck of im- sligion and appeals to jsult And warm and ment, could igland, and I its worth jrandnrorfe odism. Sir old disposi- il or on the , and rever- the Metho- ceive such a xinig in the rceiving the jr something obtain com- 0 have been •ch of Rome, ing itself up aity. It had inds of New- ists why the and finally The sense of }f Protestants ith him, and 1 u» the prac- SiK JOHN THOMPSON. one 'cal support derivable from praver U. greatly helped in the earlierTtaiTof h" ,™ ^"^^"^'^ ience by the external aid of IXritv " ^^^'^'^T ^^P^"' Church, with all its impre^ 1^ ^ ^ '^''''''^ ^^ *^« moniea "npressive forms and its many cere- and 'gL^arrXl^^^^^^ Yet during the fo7Zl k . " ^ ^^"^"^ ^^^'^o^^- doubt, he ^nsn^J^'^^:^^^ '\ P-°^ ^' CHu-h of England at th. ^en^efet^.^^/f *^! To N ewman eventuall v /ill f L i j '^^"^ch of Rome." appeared drlftoS;^!^' "^M "''"° °' ""' "^"^^ couree of centuiL iJ^? ' 'f ''«''"= ""in-ry had in the great minSt^T^Z^r^*^"^^'' ^^ !""'« "' Chu^ to th, world had^^'^ed:^t^. r'""^ "^ *"" tainty of infallibility. ItZThttL .T ""* •='■- •loubt, and enabled hL w tZt th! ^-^^ ''" "^'"^ "' fro. a sincere ^■^U.U.ltZtTC^tZZ"'-'''^, I^me.andtoaaysometin.eafterhiscZgeoJ&it-.'^r"' had no ansiety of heart whatov.- , "»°°''aith. I have P««eea«ic„ntent,nent? ^tmlvh. T '""' '° P^''^'" in his gradual change from Me^- ^" "'*'' ®' ^"'"^ inloikte frieid, Ito Z vTd L" t" '"""""'^ "' « ■ Hon. that the Minister^f W °'?"''™ "■ » '"«'' P«i- any important caae"i j,v A '^'T/"*"^ ''«'*''8 • =:-L-----arrier^^^^^^^^ ^ay^w^rhirmX^thr^-^-'"'-... "!.» in Arohhishop^^lJXr^^'r . -I ^-fieft^^i-a^kiSis ,t '% 296 LITE AND WOBK Of Premier^ who had tpen just died: "In his search after truth, he but fallowed the Protestant principle of private judgment, and yet for daring to do that which Manning and Newman, and other brilliant, learned, and good men had done before him, he was abused, vilified, and de- nounced." There is equally a sad degree of truth in the assertion of the Hon. Q. W. Ross upon an important political occasion at a later date, in the City of Toronto* that the late Premier of Canada, the greatest and ablest man in the Conservative party of the last few years, could not have personally carried in an election some of the wards in that Conservative centre It is at least suffici- ently near the truth td point a serious moral in support of civil and religious liberty. Sir John Thdinpson could not for a long time under- stand the motives or reasons behind the, attacks of the Rev. Dr. Douglas. They were so fierce and unreasonable and grossly untrue, and yet emanated from a man so highly respected, so eloquent and admittedly sincere, that it is littl» wonder he was, puzzled. The Methodist orator declared the Premier to be " a clerical creation " ; pictured him as " enthroned in order to manipulate with Jesuit art the affairs of this country" ; described him as "a lay Jesuit in the Qovernment " ; spoke of " the contrast between the great Chieftain of the past and the man who now sits in his seat and wears the brand of pervert on his brow " ; grprely accused him of having " transformed Merder into a political brigand," and seemingly endeavoured to make his hearers and readers and followers believe that Sir John Thompson accepted Roman Catholicism in order to promote his political chances, and used his political power in order to advance the interests of his Church. Such allegations concerning a man who notoriously lacked political ambition in the ordinary sense, and who possessed a ainoerity and ■3^ SIR JOHN THOMPSON. ^ £97 '"Wived inspiration from .T^ f' "^'"^ "»"' k*"* «.«e attaoka Sir j^"„ T '""'"' f """o" '" "'king i«-'tiRated byoatsidetfl"e„^ :;T """r' ""^ ""^ intellect, or judgment of J^ ^. " "'""' *"■* ''"■'«»■>' thought that the den„„cuil!rll^ w .'^'L*^' " ""^ "»«■• tiaUMhip. It ie u^dZZ^"" <'"*"«' l-y personal par- ultimately J" ^^^^^^^T "»' Sir John L ".i-infor^atioZs^fed to^w- ™ ""' ""> »fo™ation. or . Methodist miniswllftlsr™''^ ''"■'■' ""' '"»» »««i pn.fession a ve^rtZfl t "^"^r"*^ ""' ""^ party and its leaders. Z uCt^ .t ^° <^»"«'™'ive «li»ous attacks, it mayb^ ^j .t'^f *° '■'"°" »' <>">«' ot bitter letters andn,ii«^r • '" ' "*'*»'" «"" the M^,^ r?^ Sirr""''-"'"' ""^ appeared in g^i'h saying thlTTf one ^^r^"" """* '""» *»«- would come out fem h« °' ""• '»<'»y»o«s detract,™ would ,,0™ hi, suCents T^T^ "' ?° ^"""P) H» Loidship-s challenge wm of nT °' ""'f""""- Yet this was the iSLT 7 ""'■ ■"""■ ""^Pted. to the n.an ZtJlt 1^!^^' ???"'"' » "''Wn ci«le. behalf of the law thl Ih ^ , "^ '''' " ''» '»»<'■ "d on defied in I^ thlp^ udfl* ^ "" T*'"^ ""' '"« ■o-" •»d saved the Snt.^ t^ "^"''f '*"'"'' Q»«hec the truct doctrines7Zd ri IT^ "'"'='' "»'»•««» -titutionof thecoX aI^^^ forall under the con- Sept leth of that e«ntW Z .^'/,^"''''V0»''» "Mde, >8 yon know to /^- ,i *"""P» ^ been ^^pSii^Klii^Sasi "■,'.: wWsP 298 LIFE AND WORK Ol of Ontario. That statement we do not he^r so much of in the Province of Ontario, but the slander that I was desert- ing ray principles and evading my faith was made because I denied then, and solemnly deny now, th^t there was a particle of truth in that statement. The people of this country, whether they are Orange or Catholic, French or English, have the right to entertain or to express atiy opinions they feel regarding the administration of public ''affairs." And the man who could thus defend true liberty of speech and the right of Orangemen as well as of Catholics to be heard upon important questions ; the man who, as a result of his stand upon the Riel issue, almost lost that alleged pocket borough of clericalism — Antigonish — in the elections of 1887 ; was the object of these unjust denuncia- tions by Dr. Douglas and Dr. Carman, and of private insinu- ations which afterwards formed the basis of many a P.P.A organization. This Association sprang into sudden promin- ence during Sir John Thompson's Premiership. It was the product of religious prejudice united with ignorant sincerity. It was formed out of the more violent and uncontrollable spirits of the Equal Rights movement, and'^had been easily moulded into shape by American agitators upoh the lines of the American Protestant Association. The organization ot)tained a marked success in the municipal elections of 1894, and carried two or three seats in the subsequent Ontario ele^e''«-. do not last long. , o»lty toan horu^ullT,! '"^'- " «"'^'"S -"ffi thathehaspassTtoth^^ '""""'"'''"'y.^duow " note how often'tTwori '"JlT'^r «™ " i« mte«sting to . Thompson. ThZhTnll/r'u ™ hurled at Sir John able whether tt^;, .^ "^ °*'^™' '' « 9«=»tion- the obvious «o il IsT / ""! V" ""■• ^^O" f-m naturally disbelievem«,f„f,t T" ^''h"""' ho would Sodet>^fJesi°™:fj;f^^«f«g»«onsmade against the histo^ was never ve^^Ll'f"'™^°°.'".«">'«'ve«ial upon one occaaon andin ~lw ^f^'^S in the House 1890). he^^rf 1 f^.^ "™ »">™'-y (25th April, ment: "I do&Cow fi"!^ ""'"^ '^ ^"''hy of c^n,-' of this country, of wUch I ^ . """^ '"'^ " 'he history statements of^^Ll^^a^^^r/ ^'"""^ » often, that I am nnt^ . . ^' ' *"^ oontitverted "gard to tkJ:- ' """^ •" "'»'« » P<«i«ve opinion in of sX. A:S:'^t:,t'«'^hat^na.Mo™. Mon of the Jesuits' CtWZ dif'^S.'Tf *° "J"* order with an eamestnZf r\'l«''°'>ed the Canadian Sir John noiZT^r/" '" '^«»«' "f that shown by mpson. during the famous debate in Parli*. A^'4.i*Jiif^^ m^i I cirf I 1^ ij! '? k' m 800 UFE AND WORK OF ment And they both agreed in expressing admiration for the services of the Jesuits in the early history of Canada. The Cardinal, in the course of his address, also made a most interesting defence of his Church as a friend of liberty, of science and o£ true process. If, therefore, the 'political and judicial career of Sir John Thompson has been a great service to the State, as everyone believes, hi^ change of faith in early days, before the future of power or success was dreamed\of. has turned out an equal benefit. It has proved that despite limited but always noisy sectarianism, an honourable man can win his way to position and popularity in Canada. It has proved to the ignorant (Or indifferent or prejudiced that a Roman Catholic can do his duty in governing this mixed community as well as a Protestant. It) has, through one man bearing successfully the brunt of vigorous and sus- tained attacks, done much to bring both divisions of the people together in the bonds of true brotherhood and real Christianity/" And if a message of \faming is still required for the future, it can he found in the absolutely accurate statement made by the Minister of Justice, as J^e stp^id'at the threshold of the Premiership, on Sept. 7th, ^ii{92 : " The one calamity above all othiars which stands before this country is that political divisions should follow the division of race or the division of religion! The one danger which menaces the future of this country and the union of this country, now so happily being accomplished, is that men should stand arrayed against each other on the question of government, because they differ with regard to religion, because they differ with regard to race." H- SIR JOHN lUuilPsoN. 301 CHAPTER KVII. now under the leademhip of ^„th /"''" Abbott, Sad nouneed aa bebj.„„e and^he Ze V-. '" *"^ "- imuabon of p^t««„„ ^''« «^"«- They mvolved a con- aod-dustrio. The-NatTonS;^ Tr '■""•««« and strengthened, and free tM, T *? ** P«8erved '" »™-ge„ont, and injurion "f o^^^ " '-P-tioabie But none the te» «„ the air LT , ^ part by the euccese of Z nl ° «°""«°"- """od States and in part by the sltT^ '" 'V ^niM P^ion. It was assu^e^ by ^t^ '^ ""'» "^ "e- »«t,„nso,theoonntrythataLtJ"^^" ^"'^ » »" over the Continent and that tiT '"'° ""^ '"oopi-g ■» -long thoJe" dian reciprocity An.il "PPortunity for Cana W «. gWat/helM the^oln.?""^ ""'""^»"1 «-s »«ec^„se mustai^ hefp'the uSf ifcf 1,"'"'™- ""> Tlie indications indeed "J™'^ »» Canada. Protectioniste generally and 72 ?^^'' ""f^VoumbJe to .everywhere co^par^d fhe tttn^P TK*"^ ^^P- [-riti; and p^^phesied a free fc^l '^ ^ *»»« ^^^^^ ''-'"'t.-.&Vi 302 LIFK AND WORK. <)F ti Mr 'A while the farmers began to organize in somewhat more serious fashion than ha-^l hitherto been the case. The Far- ^ mers' Institutes which ha«l for a long time been undei' the friendly patronage of the Ontario Government, were formed into Patrons of Industry lodges and an order was estab- lished which its friends and members expected to see sweep the Province at the first ensuing Dominion elec^ona And its success in the Provincial elections of 1894/greatly en- , couraged this hope. / Mr. McCarthy constituted another disturbing element in the political outlook of the new Ministry. To his other differences wit'i them he had now added a taHff issue, and had come out sijuarely for lower duties upon English goods, and reciprocal terms wfth the' United States as soon as that country might be willing to consider au arrangement which would include manufactures as Well as £^icultural pro- ducts and raw materials. But upoxi the question of discri- mination against the Moth'gr- Country he was ^ firmly opposed to the Liberal policy diS he was qpon other issueft to the Conservative platform; At Stayner W January 25th, 1893, he emphasized two points, of opposition to the existing tariff. The first was the alleged existence of numerous combinations which enhanced the prices of necessaries to the public, and the second was the sugges- tion that as the Americans were about to adjust and lower their duties, Canada should do the same. Accompanying this reduction however, was a proposal for the establish- ment of a maximum and minimum tfkriff by which the -Dominion should discriminate to the extent of ten^r cent in favor of Great Britain. Tariff reform of some kind was therefore in the air, and wh^n it was announced iiiai Sir John Thompson would deliver an address at the important annual banquet of tht. T(ux>nto Board of Trade on the 5th of January, much «B JOHN THOMPSON. „.. curiosity and interest was felt i„ 4h ■• • of the new Premier. It Jl^^^ '" ^^- coming deliverance Buccessful m these efforts th! R ^'J^ i^"'"" ^'^^^ys have this Xe excelledTJnn th^ '' ''l'^'^ «^«-«^ ^ ffuished speakers and ^ueste Th n P"""'^'"*^ °^ ^'««n- of.i^nada; the Lieut.:Governor o^n?*^"' *^^ ^'•«'»'«'- Mowat,ihe veteran PremtrofTh/ r^"°' ^'' ^^'^«' . ° ^'' ™e double health K 18 needless to refer «t lenrth t^ ,k were good, but that of the netT P • t °'*°°''"- All ■»«t important and .ertl'nnt,?'""' "l"*''' '"" «» most looked for^arf ....'^^."^^^f; »; -hich had been hB speech by a jest which ^Ta ^"'P*"' «>mmenced referred to [he'ract tM Wsol""""' """'»'»»■"• H" sixteen gentlemen, thirteen of „bn """"" '»"»'»*«» «' r 'Their yo^th aTd theTr "b"*"^ *^ ^"^ •" .".agination of a Toronto poet who" ^'.T """*'» «» "■e and put into my Z^il^ t'*^ '""" ™"« to C«.arWhen hesa"d"It 1°^ "'l''"' "»™ P"' -W "W-headed men .ko .I^XTJZ' 1T ''^' ""■• .and gentlemen, make you L^ht . .ZT v ' °°"'''' '"<«« Prth and weight of ly^l^J^^ f'' >»»' "bout the n.y friend Cassius here-theS. «■ ■ """ """ *■»* -H and utterly destro^ th^re::^?-'*"-''"..^- ««' -o„."p!i:-x'"rit'"a:dTrtr''-'^^ '-op.-.onw.atheManitob.J^r^J^Ii.r^e'^rtjJ \^^^^t^h>A<. '*■ « . # •, .^A... .itf* Im i' i. ii 304 UFE AND WOBK Of out that moral and religioua problems which oome home to the^couvictions of the people afe dangerous to th© welfare of the State if approached in any partisan or political spirit. The only safe guide to any safe result which he could see in suclt a connection, was the exercise of iolera tion and of concession, so far as it did not infringe upon principle. The Gbverument proposed to be guided by the couutitutional .law of the country, and to obey its dictates. As to his personal position, he said in words which have the ring of .true and manly sincerity : '.^I have no plea for toleration to make for myself. I want no sympathy through toleration in that regard. I am not occupying the responsible position which it is my honour to hold to-night through any effort of my own or any struggle of mine for political distinction.* I occupy that position simply bejbause those who were qualified to decide, and who were bound to decide„thought that I could serve, the state occupying that position. I am nothing more than a public servait, and if I should succeed in -serving the state well I shall have achieved the only ambi- tion which I have in public life." Amid the loud and constant cheering which inter- rupted and closed these sentences, Sir John Thompson turned to consider the trade question, and first referred to the desire of Canada to be on the most amicable terms with the United States. In order to aid this object, the Dominion had practically given way upon the Canal Tolls' question, and had arranged the sugar duties, which had been a cause of ui||^iness and complaint to th^ Republic : " We think that we have shown to them what ^he policy of thisf country is, and shall be for the futuria, in so far as I have the right to speak for it— a policy that will make us to the United States the beat of neighbors, although, please Qod, we shall never be anything but neighbors." some home to o ti\te welfare or political lit which he ise of iolera afrin^ upon uided by the Y its dictates. 3 which have > )r myself. I it regard. I hich it is my f my own or n.« I occupy qualified to that I could am nothing i succeed in e only ambi- xrhich inter- i Thompson t referred to icable terms s object, the Canal Tolls' I, which had ti^ Republic: ftt ^he policy , in so far as t will make rs, although, neighbors." R'GHT Kev. John Cameron, D.D A'.C. S/,A„^ o/AntigoHhh, N.S. ••^^iMtiUbalhiil ^^ Bat h # ''Jfe" ^ ondin, 'Tl Democr intentio experiei and to " found h Replyinj ., tbeNati that onh , in words "Id tion, and istration ' And thep whichthi away.'*' Thee its limitat '^ t the Tor to attract as affordin ment; the the first ac and thi^ ooi tion was in ' A featore < iastio recap 'it .!<..»,U\'t<'j'»,P^r>w > " .^t .•")•' *t 'F ■^ / "**% > SIB JOHM THOMPiDW 3*. Do™><«t« were likeW .r^ .^ l«g«l«tion whjoh th. 1 do not know of anv tariff whJ^K k i. tion. and I know of def^bo^in th« f ^? P"^^" wtmtion 6f the preserinfT \ t ™'"''^"*°^ '^°»''»- Andtherefore/sir.Tdoptf^^^^^ V^-^^' which this motto iri ves Z fn^^ *^ ^ ^''*"' ^^ *^^^ away/'' ^ ""' *''^ ^^P *^« ^ouldering branches *■»*; the utter wm of intoise SS ^ T^'"™' «w fint addnn rti,i;«,JT^ political interest, u beinif H«nw»i,«e^i!^„^''"'»»f°'»'"'edemonrtn; ' . /^ :!.■ t fc(.4s,'^a fl ' fl ^ I. at ' r,../^ , V,., :v.|?.,. 'f'l^' M" ''^, r^'^ ^ '''I-:-'-' J^\ ^"^^ MJ i^) ' r"^:^. '^■^ ^^.;(_ *■,;■"! * f '/;;■•, »X Xtfl*'?. 'r'"'^»' *« the new leader Draaent^l th . "' " ""^'^ " ■' and mauliueal ^^ 'tr^"""" »' •"»'«", vigour I'arJiament met on the 26fh «f t- * « topic of PoHtic^ oon^I"! t^n:^/"' «1«f ^-proposed changea ■ Several fv,„ .• '""'^ ""d the declared in favom of «^I^. Conservative membeft hart Centre TorontoMrDl ^'"i""""- «>•• Cockbum of tione. though their nrn^T ""^ "»"» »"«»' McCarthy. d.^^nrfllthL? T "^"^ «'• OBrien. were pronounced in tb.r 5 "°^»' ^'"""l the new Maritime oraW m' «^ ''"'"""" "I««h '«»» Address and wold tT'h ""''■»"«'>'• "ho moved the eminently app^rlL;,'"'""'*'™ '^ I""-'* «°« particular aSt^^r I. ^ '? ' «"''"' '<"■»«■ ^t » a the head of ttLl^e*:: '""'"' """' ""'"'» <" Th. m„ i:^ Wtr,""'*"'"''- '""'•°- And, ao far as Sir John Ti,«^ he did build well. Incidl^^^^^ "^ ^"^'^ ^'^^ «"»«. the House four days W^f 'J^I' ^""^^ ^^^ addressing the successful cai^Tof the 'nTw ^^ ^" ^'''^'""« ^"»« <^ no public man in Unadlt J"T'' '"^^^'^ ^ been advancement h^ bit ^apT '^2^ '1*"^' "-^- at a comparatively recent d!^' , .T '°*° ***'« ^«"«e - tion for ability. JZt^:^'ZZ^ H^ '^ "'^^ "'P"^' which led everybody, friend^lT ' °^ ^^^^'^c*. J^^oay, mends and opponents alike^ to expect .^•^*?^-i?y'-,. ■-•f^-w^^^'a|s**ttat-E3v-'T"v "-^ (i }. 310 UFB AND WORK OF a gr6at deal from him, and that expectation has been realized since he entered this House." On the 14th of February following, Mr. Foster delivered his Budget Speech and announced the proposed alterations in the taiiff. They were not numerous, and consisted merely in a reduc- tion of the duty on binder *wirie from 25 to 12^ per cent, and the abolition of certain restrictions on coal oiL But it was stated that ut the close of the Session a thorough inquiry into the tariff would be carried out by- himself, the Minister of Trade and Commerce and the C^omptrollens of Customs and Inland Revenue. Personal interviews would 'o& had with the merchants, manufacturers and fanners,* and a measure of Taritf (Reform was promised for 1894 as the result of this investigation. As Sir John Thompson was required in Paris within a couple of months to fill the distinguished position of a British arbitrator on the Behring Sea Commission, an effort was made to have a brief session. Mr. McCarthy, however, came forward in March with a long tariff amend- ment and a long -speech, eeueh of which embodied very fully his views on the ever burning fiscal issue. He con- tended that the protective tariff had answered its purpose, and was now merely useful for the development of trusts and combines ;, that it was becoming burdensome to the consuming classes and the farmers; that it ought to be amended by the substantial reduction of cutoms duties in favour of the United Kingdom ; and that a light reduction might well be made in favour of the United States and of different portions of the Empire, where they were willing to reciprocate. Upon one point he spoke with no uncer- tain sound. He was " absolutely and unequivocally op posed to any kind of so-called free trade, no matter whether it gave us a continental market or not, which discriminated against the Mother-Land.," Dr. Montague replied with <■ ■ W^'i mm MB JOHW THOMPSON. 311 ail mvolved took pUce d«ri J tht II '^'>'"' """^^ ye<«- certain iB^rtHntc^llint-^'""- ^'^ '» "" Unded over 6^4^^!^ T™ ■" Nova-Scotis had been ayndicate «„def teJl^itnrl,';^ ^r T advantageoiffl to the Provinm „ ,"**"»'» «'Mn.ely oppo«d the arraDeelnriT ^ . """^ Conservative. Parlia„.ent waSTZ tt Gov ""'"A'"' °' """"'«" »' him to dieallow the mln^^rr '«'"«»'• "^ «k«l fo^ignere in control „f Z"in ° IthT^""" ""'"^ "«" in time of war, th^ outtinToff ttf 1^^ " ^ "^ navy, and proving .f i^'^^^' '^» ^ "PP'r of the mjary. Constitutional question. J " Provincial raised as to the proprietvoMnT-^ ^"" "*"' "*" usurp the powe'cf'thfaln^t a r"^ "7^'' '^'^ »» of the Government as »^Z^ill '^''""'« body. «,d Mr. Mills brought thTZ^ T^ «d executive body. .tter«,medig^tdisc>:Z'srjrh:Tl! "^ ""'•"«' the whole afiair was a " .'''"""''^'"'■"PMn stated that infonna. ; that theTerToer: w" TJ T*"^'^ . the matter put into such a shapVtlTL Jf ^ *" *"" his constitutional advisers ; ™d ttf t ■ '"^ " ^'"^ expressed as yet beca,Me X ., t ? °'"°""' ~"''' ^ not ,««hed the De^n of t r '" ''""'"on had John took the groJTtUttll "^ ,^''»"»%. Sir Provincoand thlth^FedTrll authrr ^^""^ *" "'e to interfere with thenj m iT !"" "ot entitled w« for the ^pie of NovItotTdXitt'tr " ""' " «nd not the Dominion Government """"■' foster acted as leader of the Hou;^ 'l^^f ^IJI;- fi .J "T^L-tufT !r*' 'he exception tax luxuries; X'rlul T""' '^•'"'»«' «> " *» <.ere willing J^Se^h .V '"'^. '^""'"^ "''«>' a»d the preparatiof^nt'CtrL^P^l^^^T''^ l«te by municipal officer TheMcCarr„ ^^""T""^ ^"^''o been pretty well outlin^ '°7«^>-%Po'.oy has already aome very distinct plan^' ^tdiLTe S'f"" ""^ the provinees to conW eduoaOh. nVe^ltf ?" "' no interference with the Manitoba Ck"."?^^ . ^""8 si»bi.ity of any futu™ J^sMb^t-tTsiTCn 'ti," upon an equality of DonnUf,'«« j ^°S *^«<^ boundary Hnes. ^ ^ ^'"'^ *°^ "P"" *^""<^y «»d city ne Liberal Convention at Ottawa earlv in T„i :s:hT:a::ro? tr*- "ertaLT^^itrcor wither w,at™™c:j.:Lrr.7oSe-: p^im"" and speaking w«, very oonsideJwe Th. T T*""* evolved by a gatheri^ whil iZ J th '^ °^ "'""' nearly every prominent LibemI 1^, r Z'*"'"''" "'■ nity. and which was rep^uti™ it .K^"" ™"""»- number, may be summ'edT^^tJw '^ """•"" ' ■"n 3U LIFE AND WORK UF 1. Denancistion of the protective ieariff, 2. The necessity of low revenue- dutiea 3. Reciprocity with the United States in natural products and in a selected list of manufactured articles. . 4. Arraignment of the Government us corrupt. 5. The liecessity f^r great economy 6. Tji§. repeal of the Franchise Act. 7. A-Doojtinion plebiscite on Prohibition. * 8. Reform of the Senate. „, . About this time also the Protestant Protective Asso- ciation rose out of the ruins of the £qual Rights organiza- tion, and prepared to forward a mission of error and misunderstanding. So' far as can be authoritatively gathered, its platform declared l;>itter opposition to Roman Catholicism as an element of political power ; denounced all religio-political organizations (except itself) as enemies to civil and religious liberty favoured one general unsdc- tarian school organization and the taxing of all church property; repudiated the use of public funds for any sectariani purpose; and proclaimed it "unwise and unsafe to elect to civil, political or military office in this Dominion men who owe supreme allegiance to any foreign potentate or ecclesiastical power." Such, in brief, were the various political divisions and party policies which the Conservative Premicsr had to face upon his return from Paris late in August A tour oJP the Province of Ontario followed with very favourable results to Sir John TJiompson personally through an increased acquaintance with the people, and with useful results to the party through the promotion of public familiarity with Its policy and with the new leaders vi^o were so rapidly replacing those of a previous period. "•I »> ? I ■-.-.■ ,, J^-.l'-TtTf- SIB JOHN THOMPSON. 315 CHAPTER XVIIL The ^ehrinq Sea Question. continent While engaged in seal h^r x A°»encan land, and in what i«^ n ^®*^-^"°<>^n& out of sight of States revenuel; J'c;::^^^ ^^^ ^^ the UniL port. There the officers Zelit/ .k .^ ^" ^'^^'^ for the District of iZZlnT V^" '^'"'"^° ^^^^^ imprisonment, wW ethll!? ^"^^^^^^^ *<> fines and wde^pmd attention. ThrongLt^tl^rTh r , was one of indignation, though not ll^^ . '^'"'« « the people had some inoJSL" ttT °' *'^"*' to claim everythinff in «lh! f • *""«"<»» tendency .hip, were co^c^L But a^lT "''™""'-' "'»«»- Om^lian citi«n8 and BW«^ ■"".'"^ '"•'"J' "J""" *» which were continue^^frfraLt"^-'^ ''T- *'™'— yeab-opened op wideTd ^ " ''"'''« «■«"'»« lime rariSic«o„ K hi L ''°'*"' l"^""™ »' ""i- extent of one aSlTl^^m. "^"*' '«'"' *» "" In .pecific -e^hrcns':^:/:- " r^n'*' "T fo control a greater distance may h^^lZLJu, TT these we„ theexception, which arer„Xit^' "' ">e rula On the Atl«.tic coast of cJ^Zv^Z • ~ '9-- -— --»._ Xi^^ Sli^ LIFE AND WORK OF •\ States for years, both before and after setting up this claim on the Pacific, had tried to break down the; Canadian right to control even three mil,e3 from the shore. But whatwer the local circumstances might be, this claim to jurisdiction, sixty miles from the coast* was practically an arbitrary assertion of a complete right to the ownership of part of Behring Sea, and if sustained or allowed would have placed that great body of water, eleven hundred miles long by eight hundred miles broad, largely under the control of Russia and the United States. The charge laid against these vessels, fheir oflScers and owners, was that of being found " engaged in killing fur- seal within the limits of ^laaka territory and in the waters thereof, in violation of section 1956 of the Revised Statutes of the United Statea" Obviously, therefore, to make these and subsequedt seizures legal, a great paH of Behring Sea, or what was really a portion of the Noirth Pacific Ocean, had to be included within the limits of American jurisdic- tion. And as the claim to this authority was as extensive as might be the wandering instincts or fancies of the Alaskan* seal in the vast waters of the Pacific, it will be appreciated as a pretty large ona Several reasons were given by the United States for its action. One was nominal and reasonable in appearance. It was evidenced in an invitation extended to Great Britain, France, Germany, Sweden and Norway, Russia, and Japan, in 1887, asking them to "enter into such an arrangement with the Govern- ment of the United States as will prevent the citizens of either country from killing seal in Behring Sea at such times and places, and by such methods, as are at presenf pursued, and which threaten the speedj^ extermination of these animals and consequent serious loss to mankind." This philanthropic cloak was exceedingly pretty in appearance, but, as so often happens in diplomatic matters, T^ Slit JOHN THOMPSON. 317 the total amount re^rfv^f^'^ !""' f*' '^«- ^--i aame per^ wT^eX^ f™n» Kngland was, djjtag the from th» toT'risM hL "^^""^ "'' «•""■""»«■" ~iv»nta«c of a Zll • ^.°°' "^""^""^ »*«'.00O, the ia appa^r "°''"""«« ""» «t««ion of this monopoly Alaska wtL 1 .Itrj'*'""' ""'" "" '---■' "« State. The BSbh^Onv""""^ ?"'"""'^ '"""' ^■'"«'' expressed eve^"»LteTTr'- ?° "" """^ '"'■"1. the.apecies, CI^Z^ttX^Z'T " " *","■" ^"' wide Maritime jurif d ction "^ " ^T™'" '''''™' °' United St^t^ Jansaiction, and pointed out that the Salisbury iaToCil,.T ;"? '™"" P"*""- I""J Mlmcte^' " 7i' r, ff '»'«''«. apparently proved by ' veufc,on between the countries in 182^ hTiL ^°" i... 818 ura AND woBK or ; at ftrst claimed by Afr. Blaine on behalf of the Unit^ States. ' ' ^ Despite the most ooncili|itoiy correspondence on the part of Great Britain, and every effort 6n the side of Canada, to bring matters to some satisfactory concliision the elemej>t in^he United States which is always delighted ^hen some trouble arises between the Republic apd the Empire, continued to urge active aggressive me68ii|M, and to praise the seizures of Canadian vessels which ^^ still taking place. Canadian fishermen pursuing an hdn(iurable and legal occupation were stigmatised as " poache"l4;',,and every effort was made to hamper and injure them in theii* work. Finally, when it 'was announced in the American press early in 1890 that the same system would be con- tinued during the ensuing season, Lbrd Salisbury appar- ently concluded that the time had ^^^ for conciliation, and that bluster should be met by a flWh .announcement of the inevitable result of maintaining such a policy. Accord- ingly, on June 13th Sir Julian Pauncefote, British minister at Washington, was finally instructed to make the follow- ing declaration : " Her Britannic Ifajesty's Government are anable to pass over with out noticing, the public announcement of intention on the part of the Government of the United States to renew the acta of interference with British vessels navigating outside the territorial waters of the United States, of which they have previously had to complain. Ihe undersigned is in consequence instructed formally to protest against such interference and to declare that Her Britannic Majesty's Government must hold the Government of the United States responsible for the consequences that may ensue from acts which were contrary.to the established principle of international law." / This last sentence is practi<;lally the diplomatic way of stating that if a certain course is pursued, force will be employed, or in other words that war will follow. It not only supplied ample food for thought to those who asserted liliti *■■■■ •-•%"■■?■ •7.--'- /■ (' «B JOHN THOMPSOlii --7 ^-^t^z-tt^x-'-^^ "W when hon«t boldDess enZlf' T " ''""y «"> cloodaof controverev to. ». qoestioi down from the «»n. for .rbitr.ti,rr^ ^„ ^'-^l'" '»9'. -effoti- •tavironment of tl 3 S °7 "^^ Vi' "*' '""'"' "^d «» United Statea A^l JT" ""^ ^I~^'«' ^ oonmimmntod pendhur th. .«hJ^- *" .''™»K*'n«nt was ^ Arbitrtion, «d th^W^ ST°V' '^« l-'tiona to OB May 7th. ^^-^ ""' «■<• »" finally ratified ^ , 'tk. treaty. Ore.* MtS^Sl^, ''°'^"..""' *^ '^ United States two, BVaMTlwr^^T?'" orbittator,, the »« Meh. The BriaT^bf^f ' "^'^'^ "^ Sweden. H»n«n, and the ft^. «■ "f"" l"^^ ^ Hon. Lord «»tfcomfl„tV^kJJS° J*^"* -»id of hS »«onth.t C»n«la sho^d"^ •^*f'*^^»8«'''^»'«™in- q«ertion,.,JTto tt^ 11 w J™""* •»"> « <» legal n.«ie 6»m b^r^to'lndTr^'.t*"' '"^°'' ''« C«»dian inS» in^tTe ^ *'"• '^^ ^"'^ *«>". *-{^^t^^^-^ ^•■vf^' y I :';'^f- 8S0 Lm AND WOBK Of t *'' ends of jiuiioe \» mrved unlefls the Ameriban oonieniibn was maintained up to the hik. Mr. Justice Harlan had been a Republicaa in politics, and Senator MorgAn was a Southerner, an(Jl 4 somewhat fiery Democrat 9aron de Oourcel, who represented France, was> a distinguished jurist and diplomatist, and was ultimately selected to preside over the Tribiilial. which he did with a grace and dignity worthy of the highest commendation. Italy sent the Marquis Venosta, a jurist, an ex-Minister of State, and a Senator. Sir John at a later period described his written opinions at the private meetings of the arbitrators as having shown greatv$aming in legal precedents ; skill in the analysis of «videnc|;) and wide comprehension of Eng- lish law. Mr^Gregors'Qrani, the arbitrator appointed by Sweden aii4 Norwayj^wae Minister of Foreign Affairs in his own country and had obtained much varied experience from twelve years' spent on the Mixed 'ftibunal of JEgypt. Meantime^ Canada had been f urtl^r honoured by the seftction of th0 Hon. Charles H. Tupper, to act as British Agent, in thel preparation of the case. Sip Richard Webster, Q. C.,;Sii-£5harie^ RusseU, (^ G, Christopher Rob- inson. Q.C., of Toronto, and the Hon^ iW. H. Cross, MP., were the British Covfnsel. The Americ^ Agent was General J. ' W. Foster; and; ike Counsel werj^ the Hon. E. J. Phelps, formerly Minister to Great Brjiain, Judge Blodgett, and Mr. J. S. Carter. The points i?«ibmitted for decision were as follow^.: I. What exclusive jurisdiction in the sea known as the BehringSea, and what exclusive rights in the seal fish- eries therein did Russia aaa0rt and exercise prior and up to the time of the cession of , Alaska to the United States ? IL How far were |hese claims of jurisdiction as ti tfee seal fisheries recognij^ and conceded by Great Britain ? ^h. W** *^« bodjir oi water now known as the Behr- and a bounc Russii Unitei V right, ( the ish - seals a] Be event o elusive should i for the _ should' I in tlfif e' ^ against i Sir was hail( opponent and brea( It was fe ledge of ] diplomatii , nance of ( fidence w ability to founded u] the 'Thron practically ^i.f~-. .. \ \ «R JOHN THOMPSON g, •nd " to the seal flsheriee S^Sl ■ T " '» J"™iwU»ii »""«« of the 30th M.«h ,ir ^° '^'."«' State, and ^■"M States under tht"wyV '^ "'"■»'»'««' t" the ^ *t, of prTJ^L^^^^^^^y ^ht, .„d^ « „, „,,, tt. i.land, of the UnitK^ Jp k"' ^ ' '"^"•"'■-K . -""b «« found outside the orZf ^t""" ®»' '"'«° ™«h B«.ides these questioL » ^ three-mile limit event of the United St^t" t^f'^""'^ that in the f «ve rights oJa:TtH^Z>'"r^ *" ""^ "0 «- fouH be made ., to the ntes^^co": " """'' " ''-'"'■' for the preservation of the f^^7 """""tw* regulation, ^ •"o^a.^.y^hether da^, r:^,^ ?" '"^ "'"""»" m m event of th^ ^n«; • *** ^® awarded CanA/l* ,. •Sabst the Wi^ st:r "'"'' '"'""'--^ "«ht^ ^a^eJtth'^-.XStn" '■' >'«'«'<'' opponents eoncedS the f^tH,"-. ^"^ ''i»"»tronge8t ^i breadth „, mtell Jt t^ bet "■'"."'"'^ q«alifi«.tSL » w« felt thit his kno.n flTXlr^"" T'" *" -»'«'«• te>» know- diplomatic »«o„s.;^nten «Pe"ebee in minor "".ceof Canadian nS.TtW„ •''''' 'T ^" ""> """"te- ■ fidenc. was also enteZw ' '"POfta-t juncture. Co„. •Mity to discrimin^tetn ,, '! J"'"*" °' "»" -"d founded upon at leas7a mZ° "f^"" ?^^""" ""-J «««• «.e Th™„, ,„ pre.^gni"'";""''' "8^t. The Speech £„„ p-e-.emwiedatr:na:nii::;:-^. 0. /4tii5^ *.H!J^4f*^ -^ o f.ij> ■/) %>• ';:<>'i;*L-.^».. Thompson of Canada >at the in- lot undujy. > to closely he various dbama and m between c assertive teral inter- bpspitality is on April 9 placed at mber and ders, social 15 a period n the form iia present 16 counsel >nd besides special re- argument ^ the arbi- ^ictions in ipson was he was re- er decbion )onsible to tie a ques- itration or h tilSTlTtr-"^ ahring Sea III. ilQN.Ci.ii,,oH.>Siin-oNrQ:crNr.TT ^t'or»ej,.(;,„,ra/ of Manitoba f%H. «i 1^ ,'i f'lMI H iji Hll \r ^4' \ <9v> W ' ^ ■ • / SIR JOHN THOMPSON. ggg "»'ghfc be reconciled with fh« ^ ., contention of the United s,?; ^^ ""^ •» '«<=« ''■e ««» of th, whole t^^ieTht^^ f"' "^"^ "- ">» *e Imperial GovU'eUt't^i";"- "" »8-t '" of annoyance to the UnitrfC '"»''»■■' «">«» • r'"''''''y™'»Mon8betw«rl.? '"'*'"' *■» -»«» of ^*».ate.y for . »t.:Cto^'rnST'^^""""• ^«a°'egreatlyin,pres,edwit7tl,.^ ', ^"^ ^""^ ft>I»e» of character dS>W«l t 'S!'"""'^' »"'<' '»««- ported him strongly in tt^7^ ^..*'' •'"'"'• ^^ s»P- o^ A weak Can" 'tH"". .*""" ""^ "^-'he matter*owweU in^& "^j 1 '^ ,f "'"'' "Wtn^r. „„ A strong Canadian meant To Briti h ^ "«'" *"'« >»«■>• '"« for the intereetsof ^t^Cat^a an^fi"" i?°°'" ""''- »« who might have aimed ^L j ^^ ■■• ""'^"^ Treaty which wonId«eIieve En!? 7 . "" "^^^e of » aM.^r^rriLss:ra,''^T-'""«»<' mthe«nountof talkingd^j^,!^;^'7°*° '"V "^ead One nnfortnnate occn^n« w« t^. t"^" -' »•»«*"• "onnwl of certain docu^rtk^-^ "* ^^ •*" ^«ri«« Rn«ian claim to eX™irS:?Pr«J'» ?■»"«>, tat which, after ^bmiZ^to'Sr 7 ^"^ ««^ ' U.6 artonishment of aU concZ^ t^l'^T^ '°™"J «• ^»S«rie8, peq»traterRri?Sf^'^''^'^''^°'y°'»'»«i' Department^S^XTwTro 1 ,^ ?'"'<«' «'»'»- with them went. part 7th^^r^'"''''""'*»'™''«t *«^ i Chrfat„pl,„fi„y »"d Ct,ef J„rt,ee of Engird. Mr. hood, but for I«™o»a re^:/rr • """^'"^ ^^kt- . abi, young Minister „f^' ^'^t "•» konour. Th, devoW so ™„oh «„; :^d",tur tT^/**'""'- """.had ««. was made 'a K CM O ,.^ ^' P"!"™"™ *? the Premier of C«.«,a ^^'^^ »^, t' '»" "»' '««t. the , d-and became entitled to th^ ° ^^^"^ ^"^7 Coun- "%ht Honourable.- Meib^^hr"^ ^'-'O P"«- «f Couneil is a rare distineW^ .^f "" ^'"" ""J*'/" Privy «■<• within its iJTuZZ^l'^' 'J-i'edingdom" he ample «„«,! for a MfoTm^t?^ T '~"?' P"*"'" »» to years Sir John A. MaodonsOd ji ?k T''^ *"»' ""y ?an who had attaineTthellH ".' ° "^J^ <^''»"'^ ^'a**'' . Dalley. the eloquent A^t J^"^v : ""'° ^"«™ ^eOo «>»tal in Sending the famor f^ 1 ""• *'"' '"" ''^"- joined the ^^.'^JCylZ^S^t*^' Soulan. the greatest of Australian jurir^d "^"^^ ^"P"""- character and most distS™,^ ^vf- T °' "■* *«''«" appointed. AU are nowT^ i P°j!'"*' "Potation, w4». «« himself : '''^- ""''•"'"W Sir John Thomp- K " '^^ °Joad« that »mW« ♦!.- Or waves th!I'°°""*»'°"°n"»it^ F»m.u~*^*'''^"°^«» brother From .uiahmf to the ,„»,.„ ^nd^ «-<» we. .e«^,«, ,. «-^ rh-^'^S^^ i-»H .¥^ . ^5 4 -^♦. 328 UFE AND #ORK OF i' praise or half-hearted approval. Polities for the moment were dropped, atad although there was some slight attempt *f*^^*^'^^ ^ make capital out of the apparent danger of the sealers from the new regulations, all agreed as to the commanding ability shown by Sir John Thompson at- Paris. Speaking at Belleville on September ''2$th fol- lowing their return, Sir Charles Hibbert Tupperlfeferred enthusiastically to the work done by his chief:' f " I desire to say, and history will tell you that what 1 Bfty is- true, that our own leader,, a true Canadian, a Canadian born, took first rank at that Tribunal While I don't say that your interests would have been unsafe in the hands and under the management of English statesmen, I know that the Britith Foreign Secretary will agree with me when I tell you, in reterence^ to this question ^d the regulati&is in reference to the settling of the imme'diate interests of the people on our Pacific coast, that we would have come out very small indeed had we not had Sir John Thompson forming one of the court which hbard that case." Senator Miller-, speaking to an interviewer after his return from a prolonged visit to Europe durmg the months - in which the Arbitration had been progressing, declared with equal emphasis that two things had been conclusively pit)ved in this connection : first, the ample justice of the British cas6. and second, the tranacendant ability of Sir John Thompson: "Although the deliberations of the tribunal were private, it is an open secret that the Cana- dian Premier was the master mind of the Arbitration, and I am told that his concise and able replies to the theories advanced by Senator Morgan and Judge Harlan, in their Idngthy addresses, created the most profound impression jojtt the minds of the neutral arbitratora." An^^ somewhat similar tributes have since been paid. h|^ Sir R. Webster and Sir a BusseU. SIR JOHN THOMPSON. ^ P«»?■" -l" Pelled tow damages ft the?^!,^^'''""''" be corn- many years' pi„t. The daL.T '^'''^ '''^ ''"ring been filed » London and ^f'^.r'".-?"'"' "^ »« «>i"'"''"'*' "<"«" " by 2JZ ItsXClt:^ OttawZa J-^t: ''' 'PI f **38Q LIFE AND WORK OF the Civic Council. But the compliment he most keenly appreciated in this connection was the banquet tendered by the St James' Club, Montreal, on November 21at.. The commercial metropolis had already on September 12th, done something in the form of public addresses and a public reception to we|pome the Prime Minister home, but it remained for the St. James' Club dinner to complete the pleas^t tribute. A large number of prominent political opponents shared in the demonstration, and it was this which so greatly enhanced the pleasure with which Sir John is known to have regarded this particular incident. Always disliking partisanship, it was to him like a green and beautiful oasis in a desert of political expediency and party considerations. An interesting feature of the occasion was a letter from Judge Davidson, of Montreal, regretting his inability to attend, and stating of the Premier that, " In a sense which is far away from and far above, the strife of parties, he deserves this tribute to his life and character as a public map., for to all of us Canadians he stands out as an eicample of the lesson taught by Pemosthenes that 'man is not bom to his parents only, but to his country.' " Sir John Thompson appreciated these kind! words so greatly that he wrote privately on November 27'th to Mr. Justice Davidson in a style which indicates how much he really felt political abuse and misrepresentation : ; *• My Deab Judob— *Our friend, Judge Wurtele, showed me yoljr very kind letter to him on the occasion of the dinner of last week at St. James' Club. I thank you most sincex«ly for this and all the' other indications of your kindness which I liairil had. The banquet was a splendid a&or, and the eordialily of everybody was very charming. I owe moi^ i V m 81B JOHM THOHPSOV. 33l Wurtele and youLlf an.! f T. "'"^- F"««^« «ke «.im yoursejt, and a few others -venr]!^ ««f *u- i of compensation in such a wal «x. , "^V <*"* ^^^^ Jaw ite car^ and odium. * ^"^ as to rehev^ public life of *• I remain, dear' Judge, youre sincerely. "Jno. S. D. Thompson." the valuable ^ Im^'Sr:"'™^'^ "°-"»"^'* h.v."^pt XJ^'fCZl'T ^'"' '"""^ '»«"«' *» without any of tte ^r Ti"' ""■ '"'* '''» 80t them . '-theataXo^o"; BTjr^HerTt'" '^'^ «a«aoity avoided war «n7 TT \ '"'"^ranoe and When we appear with H.^M 7° "^'S*" "'" •» Proud, l»nd,. no fori mill a 'T^ coma^iasion in onr ^^__. oreign diplomat dares to question our creden- A few months later, on March !««. i«ai j j . nom^ of WinVZ^S'TomranrsMefVer- f^'p---'Thn.reh5^^ question, and m a very short time debolished hi. ^.-ai* ij''"w;w Xk^ 332 LIFE AND WORK OF opponent's finerspun , theories, concluding with the states ment that : " I have professed great satisfaction at the upholding, in^the most solemn way and before all the nations, of the doctrine for which we in this House have contended, for which we have contended in our correspondence with the Imperial Government, and for which no people in this country have so zealously contended as my hoa friefid and those who sit beside him, namely, for the right of Canada to have a ruling voice in negotiations which affect her interests." Di of wha son hae Mr. Bla intelleci man in most C tice in tl Theyboi and conv perioda ready in used to b< and the o those whc in a few v Mr. La ciated his oratory m< spects the; leader waa at times m somewhat man, and i »""«•• «.d conveying it to the lisSnkH^^''.''^ infonnation periods. But Mr. Blake do^'^, "*'"'' '""* "o" sustained "•^y in his command of r„r '''''T *" '""'« •«» as ^ to bestow nptothe ItSf' ' r"" ^ '»" -Wok he .»«>». «U the greatelSut Z t^ ''^"*°* '"™'»^«. «' l«de« took in debfc ^Ll **." ""^^ "' ""« liberal tailed the qnalitiesX.^^' "P°° *^ """"P «'-«- which w Jneed^Xrr^"*""^".^"™ '^^ «»>"«ti«" power. T^ '^™*''*°<' to maintain him in ltis8afetosav4^■•'~^„_ »• . of Canada h« t«,J J^SITZ *'"' ""* ?»•"» '« » in oonviotiona «,d .ZXZZl'^''T"y'>^^ Mr. McCarthy, able tT!!!!!' T """ ^'' J"^" '"d of the eame ^^y : ::rS::t^, :«■- «:« -k, the same political leader Ti,. ' "''«''«»t8 of -arm «^^,^ ^^ ^^^ ht^'^hroH-' "".■"'"' *- mca Thouirh hia »«««• * "^^f'^^y or hw native Pror- !-a f«t that^hi. envtirm^'Crh " " Ti*' imperceptibly influenced «nvT.„ . " ''°"'''' ^'"o pru».pi.. *.d a .«„ :i'^:^°: dT^°' '^-^ OttawaentirelynewtohiemrJ!!!?- ."t" ^ereabhed 7<.omh.h.di."eerv,°an'^-r:.fe!°,"-°''^«»''>'> ^•^ .HUty and • jf^tT^^elr :f ->wy„ ^t>«^'<^-. 'A^u^iOt' » f^^' • r'X \ m-} A.V pi-! > •-• tKe ihen of Ontaiib are willing to submit fgr a proionged SIB JOHN THOMPSOH. . gj, ; period to a condition of subjection f not of Ontario alone but of.? ■*='~*°'^I»P«'k French nationality? Ck"^ """■ <""»"« of the •il»W witlx „, ; intermarry with n. J "lu "'*'' ""' '^■"'- tore ot learn our W N„ ' ""^ "^ "" "'er- conducted on^ French mcdd ™T^ ,^*' "'*'' ""»■ « ■nembera if that race a^ i^^ ^ , """"^ ''^ ""y ""Imire • My poUtic, I eayThen \; '''°' ^•' " '»<'■»'«" "' the f^eracy." ^ '^ *™ *'"« «^«" danger to our con- ■di»»«. evident and tie duty in a tin,e of 2Z d ^^^ *" ^"'"^''^ »» he He even went 8Ughtly^"f hi» *°'.""^ '""^ "«'«• My agai-^t whUn^ny Standi"' r"«*™' ««, hopelessly M,d sincerelf „~f ^ ^ '"™ "**-• "d McCarthy at^ked with m„.lf '''*''' *»<> "Wch Mr. • to throw a wet blanklt u„™ *? ^''"'- ^e endeavoured ■ *• earthy was stirrin7„p Ztt.'^'*!^r ^'"'='' «■•• "«=■ 'he one was counfeZr,»o^?T« ""<"'«»«'«■ While rights of P„vincestifa"^r:^"T.r' '^''"« °* ""e of governing a n,i.«, ^mZ"; l!::'"^'^. 'J" — ity «twn «,d kindliness tb all th» ofl. "^ ipnciples of toler- . of Stayner. ahd inoZmy^f'^L'""^'}'-'^ "■« P«opIe that ■•now is the time wh2 the i^,f f 7;'"'^ '^^h, 1889- «««t question beforelhe „!:,"'".'"=' ""' "'"ide this «"pply the remedy "'0^°' ""^ « "«" doe, not ' i' in the next." And „irt^''*^°'''''«"™pply '•"guageand Manitol KhL!? ".T"^ "' "" *''»°h hetween the two leader Z 1"'^""^. the diveigence W. it isdifflcIZTh ^„Tr '^■'i *»' » '<«''i"g alhance as long .. they dM " """""** '" '"'" "omini Jj^Pt.ii »^r^^ «W-' 338 >#•>- LIFE AND WORE OV and more weight with the Conservative party, in opposi- tion, at least, to those annunciated by Mr. McCarthy, a pnblic political separation of some kind became inevitable. And at the last moment the thread became so attenuated that the friends of both leaders were simply awaiting the movement which should make it snap. As it happened, the initiative was taken by the Government party through the medium of the Toronto Empire. On December 30th, 1892, that paper in a brief, and not particularly impressive editorial, announced that " for some time past the political course of the member for North Simcoe has been a pro- longed and entertaining series of ' wobbles '." It declared that Mr. McCarthy had been holding quiet meetings in his constituency and warning his friends confidentially that he was about to leave the Conservative party. The article was sarcastic in tone, and was eminently calculated to be offensive to the politician who was the object of the attack. A wide political discussion was the immediate result Mr. McCarthy seized the occasion to say that he had been " read out of the party," and really did not seem to mind the operation very much. The importance of the news- paper deliverance turned, however, upon whether it was mspijifid-hy, or known to, the leaders at Ottawa Amongst those who understood the close relations existing between the Empire and the Qovemment, there could only be one opinion, though ^ it might not have been a wise one to announce at the moment. And now that this particular page of journalistic history is closed forever, it can do no hann to say that the political policy of the paper was guided very largely by the opinions and wishes of Sir John A. Macdonald, and of Sir Jolirn Thompson after the Cliief- "foin*f <^aiiLth- Not that eithef"6f the leaders would oflcg" suggestions unmasked, but Mr. Creighton, as the Managing Director, was very frequently in Ottawa, and was always ..k.. .af -.vLi ■f~. Sm JOHK THOlCPSOlr. ' 839 iBdividu.1 heirof^tf^S""* "'^'y "<" bj the "P™ the aovm,„eat °"'"™'"» <»8«' "tonJIy lived «v,»„ce~lj^^J"^nal »d critic i. alCu^fL^rotST" v""* "^ »»«»■«■' deed.in.peechordZ.^2^"°- J^"''" by word or did he eS^y i^™\^"' I«*apa on. exception, «M.viIIe.d«4XZ^r '*! "^ "™~«™ a»hy,theft.^^»/«°'r^on .n hononr Aj,^ ' '■ *>od alone in the iZl ZJ^^ f" ■"'"»"• «»>* » "The men who wo^rivT^rr '^^ '"""»" '»" = —ho wonid divide r^i^^ri^P^.- 340 ... " V' LIFE AND WORK OP goes far enough to divide Canada as well as the party— thank God, have passed out .of our ranks, and must pur- sue-their nefarious work outside' of them." When Sir John did alloW himself %cope he usually spoke strongly. Mr. McCarthy's position in his own defence, and in reply to The Empire was at first strong and dignified. In a letter published on January 2nd, following the famous editorial, he claimed as much right to belong to the party " if ser-r vices and devotion Qount for anything, as any man now in public life." He then outlined the points upon which he diflfered from the Conservative leader : ^* . " 1. With reference to the Act respecting the Jesuits', Estates, which I thought, and stilh think, ought to have been dis^lowed under the veto power by llis Excellency the Gov#nor General, and I spoke af\d voted accordingly. "2. With reference to the provisions regarding the North- West Territories, whereby the French language had been made oflScial and put on the same basis as the English tongue, which, I 'jnde^vored, with a measure of success, to expunge from the statute book. jk " 3. The enactments as to the separate schools in the North- West,^ which I have sought, and at times aided by some of those who /are now Ministers of the Crown, to repeal. / , \ " 4. I did mosj/ strenuously obfect a^id protest against the scheme of redistribution of seats which the (Govern- ment introduced last Session and which, shorn it is true of some of its most objectionable features, parsed into law." But here came the statement which has made this matter historical, and which lends the personal element to what should have been merely a political incident. Mr. IcCarthy ]goes^on~ta~Bpea;k^^ the National Policy, Ie points out that " Not having had any part, and not having been consulted in either the formation of the Government • ■■{ :-r- the party — id must pur- When Sir' )ke strongly, md in reply t. In a letti^r ous editorial, arty " if ser-* ' man now in on which he r the Jesuits'^ ight to have s Excellency I accordingly, jgarding the language had s the English of success, to chools in the ties aided by le Crown, to 'otest against the Govem- 1 it is true of into law." \s made this al element to icident. Mr. tl Policy, M d not having Government .kH Ar-t-Mmt7;rr.M I. , D. i) ArchbUho/, o/St. lio„i/ace, Ma nitoha. ' U '' ^-■■■iy;--„.J.-Jii^''li"tC' «i:* ^ ,. .■i,»- vW- or tt aaaa sentei feeling sorprii tedthi himal only 01 death, necfcion that he of the I Th upon, ai foUbwin policy tl tkne sin ignored.] not be t party it tion was '•'©re resj the lattei formally which in well Ther* coming to is that an in snpposii line of Qov between th said that e ^m the 01 f'T" MB JOHN THOMPSOW. j^ » the ttaadne of ite ««r ., .^ "t^^ni^C"^-:^'^^^ .0 .^ . 1«^ wjud. under thrZ.!!^ •moant -rf pe«,„j W the caosee which hadlTZT . If ""'** *^' 1" «««*- fly one t«min.*L!?f **" "^ ■'«■«>■' for » breat Tad that on^rJtZTZ'Z^''^ ^ ^ - ^theone beh^.e^il^r^^^.^^^^ A' -4^' .- \^jM^^^v^mc«^ . %;ii.hi£. hV\^ 344 UFE AKD WORK OP having an envm>nraent of stern Protestantism. The fact is, that only Sir John Macdonald's leadership could have held such divergent sympathies in any kind Of union. When Sir John Thompson became the practical leader in 1891, there existed no earthly reason for his consulting and • working with Mr. D'Allon McCarthy. It might have been better had he tried to do so, but only along the liifes of party expediency, and even the wisdom of that was doubt- ful. The truth is, that Mr. McCarthy had so antagonized his own party friends, that it would have been almost impossible for a Prime Minister or leader to have asked his co-operation iij those » common aenttoenTrl«rilr ^ "".''"^•'^ '" to any touch o, Cbnfn^Srt tS ^ n"'^"'? ootino^efiL-tntTrtlnr^'e of'sHV'" '"'"'^ b, called •• thV^ainZ^^'ce ^f If T f r''"^ '» *•>*' ■«nd the separate aZnlT , ■ ■*"*' ''"'«"«8* '"iq^ty .eted « t^rteT?„:;^^:i''»tjt "^ am hotjj.^y. If u .. ^ p ^ aoctnne. If so, then, "1, explicit HeVinW^; UM kT™ ^an « I" ^"'' ■""" Sir John, older in iw.l!.!™i ' .""" ■» older man than meet of la stalS^ T hlTT""' "■" '"''"•'*»• «•«" P^^ierhadfor^rhL-ctbinr ™^e7t>"a,ir '*!?■ and perhaps thev liked it u ^ *" ^^^ »* «o„. . ni^ly hair ^J: - --d'^l^^iza^^ The equipoise was so excellent ihJ -1 ., ™° 8'*e"i- ward-itYad no volrtion^ ' xLt » irt""' ""^ '"- the tendency of the speaker A. r-^ ^ ''.tter, and shows .«» « to what the f„Va« mly have ta st™ ^'"^'^ »'*"'- »ot«oin,toal,owanymant:,ilerrr/r„:t^i^ 4 1*5, III lit > f'l II 814 UR ufo woBK or to bend the knee to Sir' John Thompson or Mr. Lanrier. or anyone ^•' Again, on Dea 19th. at Millbiwk, this feeling came out even more distinctly. Referring to the then recent Liberal victory in Winnipeg, he doclai^ that his friendf there j had done much tovtfurds Mr. Marian's success, and oonduded by denouncing Sir John Thompson^ for his somewhat rajoaoui phrase used about this timein describing the two Libepd champions of Roman Catholicism and Protestantism respectively, as "the Black Tarte and the Yellow Martm": "Mr. Martin is the man who framed the law which repealed Separate Schools in Manitoba. Is he entitled to such an epjthet for that act f Martin will be remembered lon^ after the Premier is fbrgoiten." !* It is, therefore^ evidently impossible, after a perusal of Mr. McCarthy's speeches before «nd since the eveiil to blame Sir John Tl^ompson for his action in Deoen^r, 1892, or to suppose that, so far as he was concerned/ per- sonal or religious feelings had anything to do with the matter. Nor is it incompatible with sincere respect for the kte .Premier's memory, and regard for his great ^e-work, to feel that the Equal Rights champicm was sincere and^ consistent both in wishing to remain v««rithin the party taid in finally leaving it. / And aside from the later developmlhtd in oonn^oh nth tradeandtariffmatters, upon which opinions will^differ, r Sir John Thompson and Mr. McC^hy seem'^ have honestly consistent, and honestly antagonkuo. The one fought that in a country of rn^ed nationalities and creeds, ihe only possible and pennanent union ^i^aa a system of workup by mutual sympathy, f orbearan0e and tolera- tion. Theother considered it absolutely n^eessary to build a nation as you would a house, upon a f ojondation of stone ^::unmixed^wiM> aay othw agtiele^i^i«~baaiit of wm^ljuy^y fir sentiment^ anif<»mity in^^language and appxoodmatiiin in beet f^r^iLt . .•/\!lz'%^ if .- ■/ ^^^fr' -. ■'f MB JOHN THOMPSOir. 34^ "■Mmg «o work and moidd axMUnT^? • °°' "■ ««*"« institatioiM orpoKci«»m, ITT^^ *° ""^■^ them with wmetting beC t„T,, ^TT* "^ "Pl*«ing b« rtiil the .TPortoziUy-tvg^rl "/?:."" "*" iHIMuiitiy and empire. / ^ ™^°' ^^" to - / / I /^ i *6- f 1 !ti: / i I u i 348 LIFE AND WORK OV CHAPTER XX. The New Qoveunor General and a Politioal Tour. Jmmec^ately following Sir John Thompson's return from Paris he had the privilege of joining in the welcome extended to the Earl and Countess of Aberdeen, who had come to take up the reins of vice -regal authority, and incidentally, to cement the warm friendship which had already growli up between themselves and the Prime Minister. Lady A^rdeen, in an article contributed to an English journal s||()^ly^fifter his death, vividly pourtrays } the occ^ion oi^their firsjf meeting Sir John. It was on the Parisian during a trip to Canada in 1891. "'I want to introduce to you the Minister of Justice,' said another Canadian friend, himself a former Minister ; and but few words were necessary to impress one with a sense of confi- dence and trust in this, quiet, strong, earnest-looking man, in whose eye, however^ there played a twinkle, and whose smile lighted up a countenance full of sympathy and kind- linesa It was not difficult to accept his friei^d's description of him as ' the ablest man in Canada.' " ' . " \ Her Excellency then speaks of the rare nature with which he was endowed ; of his power for deep, true friend- ship ; of his constant and beautiful thought for others ; of the strong friendship which had gone on deepening between them from that day until his sudden and mournful death. And there was much in this case to create that bond^ o^ ^ sympathy and mutual respect without which real friend- "ship^u impossible, ^ir John Thompson^ ideal in life was the performance of duty, his chief motive the rendering of % i.»'.;'ifKl. 4'J. W 'I -" Vt tion which contribttfces fplingot those enijaged TTu^'^H^e Canadian iftl prosDeritw o«^ ^-_yl. \ SIR JOHN THOMI'SOlf. 349 service to his country and emDir« tk ,1 . , Lady Aberdeen, as eklTbiteT in ;>, ^ ''''*' ^^'^ ""^ political and ptfilanthro^^^^^^^^^ -"u-er^ble pubjic. ment of the coh^tionTl^^'''^' ^'^ ^"^'mproie. surrounding hun!ad?UinijLr'!^^ ''^ elevation/of and in that spirit of nerJ^^^x ■''°' '** «/irht »o greatly to the nplifti^ inthe drudgery and routiS Premier had wsriflced , iu»fh ol hi» limS'-* V^r~- happineM. his chances of finaic J d,v1„ ^. '''•+"« of eaae and dignity upon tS '^T'^"'''- ""• "»**«»■« other hand, had for manv „• Aberdeen, on the which might have ^nZft^T..'"'™"''"^'* "" ti"" '- w»^. «.d :h^et:roThth''-'°T''*°"~'"'<^ themeelve, to energetic and^nl^to^ r^'T '" f^""* motion of the peo^e's wdtZTZfT ^^ "'» P"" wi". whict they'll beeo^etnL^ "*""' ~""""" »»«»'Kthened,nntil the cord „«aL^K^^Sa,"P ""^ Aberfeen's fi„t public ap^c^lP^,''^ iP- I-«l ^^ waa n,<«t ■ucceSTrlt^^^f^"'''" "' Upon amvuig at Quebec on September YrtK "V"? lencies. were welcomed bv . iLT ... ™ **""■ '^="»'- Miniate™ and otheraa^J JT. t^""^ °f °"»''«' Aberdeen was duly a^om in. at J^^^lt? '^ sion deserved and received th. Jjr ■ ^^ **"" °«»- -«« respect of tht^wt:*^^ "T^""™ "^ ' worthy was the definition of a (W™!! f'P*'*"? ""to-. " Aloof though he be from ^» Governor General's doties ! "^ " f '«"•«/ >-•' J*?'/ I 350 UFE AND WORK OF and elevate public life; to observe, study rfnd join in making known the resources and development of the cquntry ; to vindicate, if required, the rigfits of the people and the ordinances of the constitution ; and lastly, to pro- mote by all means in his power, without reference to class or creed, every movement and every institution adculated to forward the social, moral and religious welfare of the Dominion." There is a whole volume contained in this eloquent sentence, and despite the difficulties surrounding the posi- tion, and the occasional pritici^ms which are inevitable in any free community, the vast majority of the Canadian people feel with Sir John Thompson in some of his private correspondence, that Lord Aberdeen has earnestly and suc- cessfully lived up to the aspirations contained in that open- ing speech, and that he has been nobly aided by Her Excellency. And it is intenesting to note in this connec- tion that wherever the late Premier formed a personal friendship, the respect and admiration of those with whom he was thus intimate.. became almost unbounded. Close acquaintance with his character seems indeed to have inspired feelings which show how true he was to piinciple, how unassuming he appearedlto be, and yet how impressive he really was, in private as well as in public life. Famili- arity, instead of !!l*ee^ing contempt or indifference or modified respect, in his case aihanced every sentiment of trust and esteem. ^^-^ ^ During the six crowded years following 1887, Sir John Thompson could hardly be said to have /kept in personal tpuch with the important Province oi^ Ontario.* At that' time be had campaigned with Sir John A. ' Macdonald, bjtt it was as a new man. Jty^d inrf>Tppany^ oi^i whom many people almost worshipped. It is true that he then made a most favourable , impreB8ion,'and that his 4^ •'• BI» JOHN THOMPSON. 35 j 'og of . few yeaw practieally wioed thf, ' "* P™" off the ilate In th« m. »• f^ ' "mportant tonr i«to the centJaL ;rr^°'"™'''''» ""' ^^^ ' . PopulM qualitiesTand ^hol t "'' "' "-*"«' ^ththeallpowJ^tljT^J^' *"■"« " ^'^•^ '«'■'* d«i^badXtr;^L?^:,:rc°L,''^''» - »o fer as was possible ^h^ .t^^ ?"•' "^""P'«>'. tte t^e and ^^J^^-^^^l TJ^ 1^ °' States, and voiced in Unada Z, thJ *° ^"'^ and p«,p«ed policies ::^h H^iZZ^V'T"^ w.despre«l fiscal discussion He hJd !ff '^" "' ""''' the party policy dnrin» iL « . ' """"»• °»"'"«"" '" Which was in-m^^JaterXd^d'tT ^^^J" ' ">" ««n «.d reception in M:,n'.:S'„t th^ m?^ t'TI^ B was an occasion of «on.M vi • ' September. *Jd«ss p^sentedX t^tr^LZ'^!^r^'^' commercial metropolis w^TtM^ ,^ "''"'" "' "" ".bodied «, cJeaSy tl^p^ie' "f 1" T'""""^' '■"' ' i»rty. that it d«Jve« to^(L^i^„^fr-^^ '''l""" "d Iri. presented to Sir John lC„„ «'™° J""' J"' - it was han Wit. it. den^^^^^rcE^i; 'j::;r''"' «'"^ Lal.t'«..j' %kLi;iChii.:.:Sd ■ .; Jiif-';^ •.P' I 11' 362 LIFE AND WORK OF HOKOUHABLR SiB, — On this, youi* first public visit to Montreal since the representative of our Most Gracious Sovereign entrusted you, with the formation of tlie Government, we desire, on behalf of the sevCfal Conservative organiza tion»6f Montreal, to extend to you a most cordial and hearty welcome. *} We are proud to have the privilege of greeting you as a leader of the Conc^rvative party, and in that capacity as the exponent of the principles to which we are cordially attached, through whose application in the. administration of public affairs Canada has now, for many years, enjoyed a progressive prosperity in material concerns, contributing to the promo- tion of her status among the nations of the world; whQe strengthening and still more firmly cementing her attachfrtent to the great Empire to which we are proud to owe allegiance. We are especially gratified at the opportunity of congratulating. you upon the successful completion of the important duty which you have just discharged as a member of the Court of Arbitral i'«"' "—to the langaage of nearly two mini.: -!T "cquainted with he W devoted ^i'^PZl^^^^'-^ F«op<. «« the mnumenible demands n^ 2 ^ *^' "'' •"'<■ erate M,d judicial .tyfe . evil „ !. l' ?™*' "*■»• delib- . •»dev,^«,ntence w^U 'r:„X. ^^ „^"« wdl. weighed 'tnnip epecch, and from car»„f ' " °°'' '""'"''er, a .b.e whether the e^ ~ :^"'"'» '' " qneetion- '■°°e«ty ofthe effort de«,r^" " g^ «» the abUity ^ ^3 ,v ! if ft% «.!-J^l/i:. ,»'- >■;"'■' - .V— ■ ' «/,C' -- *_'*• , 354 UFE AND WORK OF predecessors had accomplished, and added : " I venture to express the hope, as the highest ambition I can have, that I should be worthy, at least in effort, at least in disinter- estedness, and at least in earnestness, and zeal and purpose, of those great men." He then referred to the late Liberal ' Convention'' in a: somewhat sarcastic way, and pointed out . that the Conservative party did not require one because its policy and principles were known to all men, and had been over and over again approved by the people of Canada. But it was different with the Opposition : " They had great Dlped of a convention because they were a party about to change their platform, ^They had done it very often- before. We^ had seen themgoing to the country with even greater confidence than they expressed in Ottawa in convention, on other platforms altogether. They had declared for conti- nisntal free trade., They then had a platform of commercials ;Union, atid' only nine or ten months ago their leader de- clared that on Unrestricted Reciprocity they would live or die." He went on to say that the protective policy was not a fixture in application, though regarding its general prin- ciples it was always the same. It wias a fiscal method which permitted modifications and in fact made changes absolutely essential, in accordance ^ with the constantly changing circumstances of the time. Hence the recent apt pointment of Ministers to investigate the condition of dif- ferent industries and interests ; hence also the promise of moderate tariff reform during the next session of Parlia-^ ment And then the Premier, anpiid great applause, eulo- (paod the National Policy as a whole : " We think, while we admit that our policy in the past has not done all we hoped for, that it has achieved very great resnlta for Can- ^ada. We think it h&s increased immensely the vohime of Canadian trade both as regards our exports and importa ^'» ^^ip^y^-r.:-..':-'.'' ifc i,s.,:i«,- ..iail^^^:-. ■f \ SIB JOHN THOMPSON. 355 . ^^'^^ink it has succeedA^ ;« -ty We think it has Zu1^° , T"*"* «•«"»•- . -'»W»hi„g. public wo.kXvrtliT'^'"''"*'"''"' • ""T country in the world Wht^ fu-try. ,of „Si„|, . . ""de Canad, envied by otZ 1^^ '^"^f"^ "Woh have^ know, that it haa been the IlT ^' ''"'"'■ "'' "'^ M thereby creating a sreatT.f,^"'' "•» '»»'"'y. >»tweenthedifferea!;rf^^^^"^?'""'''f-„„rof«niI' Sir John then anofce of T."!, ?^' »'»f«'«'^«oa" meowho were being Winll^!"": """'''■Wleaa working. g-«»t America, citfes„?th;fir'^''''"''"'''«'''a„f the in the United Sta^i of the'^IT '"'"""'""''"""■ka .«°»' P»"«fi«e oat that the Panadiana^S!^„.T''"f"^- "'* '»''"«<' going .long comparati^riH , V"^'"" '■"«'«"« were diaaet^r... 'E,^ oTl^LTtl":^ ^' ™-«'"«"ri»g •^m of »he^pL'r:„^^^'';j'>^W»d«,n..e4 abstention fn* crime and «Z~ «. • .""■ *"""«•• ""'e *nd to law, their .!&pe4t fol^' """■"'^dience to order bund^d.foldbetteriTtlfite^L"'' ""f """■""'y. "^ .- to the American depr«Lron in th^ """" "' *^»«'"d; lands ; to the conditiS the pn ? 1"°^ "" P"^"""* "d He declared the ^1^;. theS.™ '^T """ '»'"•»«•■ •nnonnoed it to* be their intention t>i"f"" ^'^'' ""' ' ■n^«»ddi.«nctte^.^,,J-J^-«pon^^^^^ »a^ .%■■'-* ■"■ ■ ^ ijLhii't'?vA^ f , liiiiy -H-*-- ■:^:^ •w 356 ^ • 'li 'LIFK AND llORK ^__ _,^. ..™. .^. should ••* never b^^t the djij^ipn offlli fbrf^jfb- couritr]^." He ^aimed th^t ui^r Mr^:||||^enzi^^^iberjEil admhiis- tration the natioiiiF"tlebt liad-'iiK^eased |8,t)^0( annuj^ with little tb;«^ow for i^^i^^j^iiii^x^^^naei^y raj^ it |ii(|||rowft only*|6,250,oS)'a iBa^^thj jat public works e» a respl^l^ iTe.i kad fallen off sioio(X]!,^'^nnually ^Hff, but had increased $28,000,000 a ction. P*'Ji H r then turned to' thfe Manitoba Schools' and oti^icussed^ :it freely, fully, aij^ honestly. He to the charges made by Mr. TJll^, regarding a prom^e of remedial legislation said to hatp been given to Archbishop Taeh6, and mentioned "the.solfinn' denial in ting by the venerable Archbishop hiipsellf /He added is belief that the people of Canada would accept the WQrd of that "venerable and saintly man in prefeVejtice to that of ten thousand /Cartes.** In referenc^ to his own position he pointed out that "time and agsAja/I have teen accused, with respect to tlji^ questibn, of pai^dering to* Catholic in- terests. Time And again in another province I have been. accused of entering into a league with^ the Roman Catholic hierarchy for the purpose, of subverting the constitutional rights of a province of this Dominion." He went on to deal with the problemf historically and constitutionally; handled Mr. Laurier without gloves for his chargies of cowardice ; and then made a somewhat sig- er's claim ^ nificaht declaration regarding the Libe: that if tli'i^ public schools of &j^anitoba we: tantsc tipn is,i' then Federal interfere 'ool,, the Fedlraa^!^"'"r '*"'« """"'"Protestant interfere if a^^t^:^Z , Tf """^ '^ P°*- to to the mrJLZtZ^^l!"' '"- *'^-. -- n."io [ vene V 1: ctX' '^:m°"; "r^ *» P°- to i„.. itself ^.d not W^^n^K,''" " "P"" "" legislation have developed ired^r .? '°^ '^''°' ""'='' ""igk* . the law npon'l'rtlCllt ^:^'' '^ -'<-^-eht'„,. a vigoaroB, dennneiattnof fl-n '"^'^ """='"'"«» »»!' idea and. reaHinge^t^irn^^.r^'" independence tion. ®"I"**""'°f%altyto3riti8lt1»nnec- Onta^f At'TlGe":'' "'"T'^/T^^ ?--g to„ of the occaeion being a demoSiZ?^ ..^"^ "" •'^W-. '«=al member, ^/ll^^ctb''™ '"!'''''<""<>' 'he Popular ■oeeting and over eieW rt™ ' j """ "" ""t-of-doon neigh.^»ngeo„„L tw^ZTl^'''' ^'"'^f^'" '"■» ing oolleaguea ir KwtlTp n * ^""""""^ "'«»- West HaZ™ C^^^^Z, T' ^"^^'"^ "^ «>• and an add.^ tT^^ltL fZ-'t'T'"' "" ''""™'" nding, in the yi^Jri^j^ ^J"^''""' of - great reception and stated Lt^ Thompson was given a S-es a, well as himJlf ws,^ "*'' T^ "' •"» «>"««- audience peiBdafiffiET^*'^*''™ *"'' ™'"'own to the pies. Amidla^t^iin°'L^'S'!,'°^*"<''dprinci- tate has Ait been .T!""*.** ''"la'ed that " the ship of *P wh.fhT^ff^'^l-th^^rm.Butitl^ - which carries I^sX^'"f« T"^ * "^P ■ ™biti„nt,.da7Th:« H eCl^&P?^. ^'l" of foi-ffied." ~ "t °^" *"»ce the Union was .„„„„.„,,, ., . , . , "t-^ .•*<^^- I \*i'- &< ^ 358 LIFE AND WORK OV -<=, Attention waa drawn to the wonderful stability of Canada dui^ing a time of international distress : " We have se^n the Australian Colonies swept by a whirlwind of disaster. We have seen the markets of Great Britain para- lyzed by financial depression,— and later still we have seen the Western States swept by a cyclone of disaster, which the President of that country ofiicially declared was stopping every wheel of indnstiy and turning thousands of men into the streets." JEe spoke of the McKinley bill having checked exports\to the Republic b^ $5,000,Q0(), during ^ year which had see^ trade increase-, with the 41other Country to the extent of \$1 7,000,000. He stated^hat although reciprocity in any fair and practicable degree had been declared im- possible by Mr. Blaine as repr^enting the Republican party, yet Ihis Government had informed the new Demo- cratic admibistratidn— opposed as that party was on prii* ciple to reciprocity with any country^-that if it "was disposed^to ipake faiifiarifr concessions based (upon legisla- tion, such tkriff concessions would be met by tJ^Canadian Govemm6ilt in a proper spirit." More could not be done and even that touch turned out to be uselesa He denounced the Liberal party for its general pessimism and its constant changeftL In this respect his words might well have brought, to the minds of the audience those expressive lines : " I^rifting, dtifting, ever drifting, And never a harbour in sight, \ A patUess sea, a moonless night, \ And the clouds are never rifting,** Other addresses were delivered by Sjr Adolpfae Caron, Sir Charles Hibbert Tupper, Mr. Haggai^ and Sir. Augera In the evening a banquet was held at •which the rfemier again spoke, fa^ether with Mr. Costigan, Mr. Duly, TVlr aarke M^allace, Mr. Curran and Mr. Wood. On the morn- ing of September 26th, Sir John reached Berlin, accom- ^^.^iM^i^-i^;^)^ •'■ ■■'SB!" jility of Ve have [wind of in para- ive seen hich the topping len into checked r which 7 to the iprocity red im- mblican Denio- m prip^; it " waa legisla- Euiadian one and lounc^d ionstant 11 have '6 lines : ) Caron, Angera E^mier a mom- accom- 9m Hon. Henr, Euear Taschkrkau. t $(% ft- • ■Pli p* Sa JOH» TkOMPSOw: •"over the county, j,., Jj^ *T "^ '*™*'' '"« John concluded « brief b„^ZTT^ " "■" "ftoraoon. Sir ^;5'*"'"«'5"o theBritid. Z.iw'^n. "^ "■"'I'"*, «.d of Weareadetennined self ~r ? ^"^ oontinne ti emw • "-C for our coX-trS^T",!- '^«'<'™»«'t STe Exteneivepn.pa^i^^'^'^ofthfaContinS-! ^^ th*iMud people and 7h. "'"' P«''>«%nine * to Sir John „e^'j:^Vt, U^"^ ^'''«-« P^- »i;»'!^™th,epeeche,delive«din r" "'"'""^"^ At Palnn^n, a w»m welcoml^ ° "P'^' *" "» P«>pl. of tte 2Qh ink. and in reeJI*'.?'' T '^« 'f'*™"- demon,tr.tiou which is ^Td tT^ "" '"^es' Political . literally p«,ked with Deonl. . f t^"' ^^e town w&! ' • l^oquet wa, tende^t;"!:'^' '^' P"""" -"t^" %. flying vi,ite were paid i,Tr'"., °" """ 'oUowS t«»quet «„ ^i,«, at^„^,^«* "d Port EI«in, and T "MS meeKng i„ the Tara rink" ""' '"^"V- The "fjge: "Welook forZil't "'""-'•ofwom^' wh-oh are to be accomplisd„^u " " ""o of the «„, •f °« the Conservative ™1" 1*,° P""""" '»• of Qu.ad™ ltirn"^P°'»'«°f^-4t'r •*''■? ""' ■"«"»" °**faalt. therefore; Mat ti..~^ """'Vwalwayr fw^ooJ " «hi«. W-* "tended t^ thrwl' """""'"y '^ "", W 9"«li&.ao».„n..^r'- ''°"'™ '»' the «unep«,pe^y It! ^ .'if' I :i'© »?,«»••- ' • "/•? v.- 362 Lira AND WORK OF Lucan was next visited, and thfiBuDurhout At the latter place Sir John asked, amid loud cheers and in refer- ence to the situa^on in the States : " Where would Canada have been to-day if the people of this country had accepted the Liberal proposition for Unrestricted Reciprocity ? At Mount Forest, Kenilworth and Arthur, Sir John Thompson and his colleagues werQ greeted with veritable ovations. At the latter ])lace, and on behalf of the North Wellington Cohservative Association. Mr. Wm. Kingston presented an Address, p^art of which was unusually inter- eating : •' We watched your course during the lifetime of our late lamented leader with ever-increasing, interest and respect We learned to value the loyal support and energetic help you gave him while a member of his Minis- try We feel that you, better than any man living, under- stood his vifews and policy, and are fitted to become the depositary of his traditions. New circumstances require to be met and dealt with, and we believe that you will meet and deal with them in an independent and masterful way as in the past We belong to a party whose motto it is to live in the present-abreast of the times-not forget- ting our past, but connecting our policy smoothly with it " North and South Perth seemed to meet at Mitchell on October 3rd to do honour to the Premier. Owen Sound contributed a demonstration on the following day as great as that which had welcomed the new Minister of Justice and the old Chieftain in 1887. Markdale. Dunnville^and Glencoe followed suit, and on the evening of Saturday. ' Oct 7th, the tour closed at the last-named place. Sir John took the train for MontreiJ, wliere he was to meet I^dy —ThuMUKm <»4HMFr»fami^^F°^Ettrop^ft^'^ *fe^^^^^ Minist^ returned to the Capital The two w6eks thus .pent must have been most gratifying to the Premier. The ^'■^ii'kf£^f 11 I , ' ^- I I /"if/ ij 'mx^'^W^ T"' «» 'OHifiHbifpsoir. it. wew appreciated, .k! , •.*"'* ^" 'Connection with waiting crr:Mi;e sLrjr^'.K'^^ ***^^"«*«^ ^« -^^ -t fail to b^iSrl;^^*' JJ '"^ ^'^^^ cared m little for mere D^fcTZ' , ^ * P"^'* •»*» who Thompeon. ^ *^ *PP^"« m did Sir John A/.. %■/"/ ,4:; - -r- im.', Vl^ *• ^ r£ ,i 1 i*'» Ufiui^^ I I I ll- fl \f "- " . ■:;<>::.; 1 ■ /■ 864 ISSt AND WOBK Of CHAPTER XXI. As Minister OF Jitsticb. » . Sir John Thompson possessed in an en^jpent degree the mind, the training, and the aptitude of a jurist. And he waa therefore especially well qualified to administer successfully the Department which he controlled for some eight years. However disparagingly opponents might apeak of Kim as a poUtician, a diplomatist, a leader, or a Prime Minister of his country, they were compelled to respect the admirable judicial attainments, natural and acquired, which he was ablft>at aU times and under all circumstances to bring toe ^ the (ionsiderafcioh of great legal and judicial problem!^ ■* His career, in this sense, was curiously comJ)aci Each important success seemed to fit into some future development and aid in furthering^ hip iAterests, perhaps years afterwards. His ^t impcfftant Case at the Bar Ws tiie defence of a negro accuseljof some petty crime, . v4itfSe acquittal he secured. IJis first appearance in the* Bilpreme Court of Nova-Scotia was in 1874, nearly nhi^-s^ years after being c^ed to the Bar, whei^ he acted as junior counsel with Mr. R L. Weatherbe, now a Judge of that Courts He may be said to have made his reputation '' in pleadi^g in thi celebrated cjise of Woodwprtli va Troop «< oi., during the .same year. It wa« a case of Provincial and constitutional in<|)ortanc^. The plaintiflF wap a member 0^ the House of Aiteembly, and in a speech made dtiring the Session had" charged the Provincial Secreilp-y with having altered and falsified certain public recordsi aad documents of the Crown La^ds Department, after $h«4B|^^^u^ of the^ lieui-Qoyemor had been appended. JtMBmittee was* ^M app( was ' paesi term to n pulsi serge Wort] meml r J of th Legisi acted varioi appear! Gom^t« ' *t?in Provinc Counsel reme Cc NovaS< and re-( side aa >'■•*■' SIB JOHN THOMPSdw. ggg •iMJiised Im faend,. while the natural result w<« an i™ «ed«te. acoessipn of public favour, an* k IXllnt ' ^ ' p*'',?" "S^S MftTh^^pson became Attorney-General of hir " ■•^'." t- ■■••'. - ■■ ■"'ilk • >»■ ^^^ "<^ •■■»■ i ■"?.: -X «^'^.' . ^, 366 LIFE AND WORK OP Canadian law and constitutional practice. His career in this high oflSce appears to divide itself naturally into four distinct phases. The political control of great constitu- tional issues such as the Jesuits' Estates act, the Riel case, and the Manitoba schools forms one; his attitude upon moral and legal reforms and upon minor and technical * questions ih the House is another ; his policy regarding general Provincial legislation is a third ; and his efforts con- cerning important Parliamentary proposals and the initi- ation of legislation, such as the Criminal Code or the Copyright Law is a fdurth. The first ph^e hasi^jcen considered with more or less fulness. It is interesting to note in a general way how thorough the M.ipi8ter waa in everything connected with his work and the administration of his department. Not satisfied with the reports of subordinates, he himself visited most Xft the prisons and penitentiaries under his jurisdic- tion. In 1887 he travelled through Manitoba, the North- West, and British Columbia for this purpose alone ; making no speeches, and devoting himself entirely to business. In the House of Commons, the influence of the Minis- ter of Justice was all ^for good. It was a reforijiing. purifying, yet judicious power. He was incapable of legis- lating in a hurry, or of putting upon the statute book to- day reforms which would have to be modified or altered to-morrow. And he could be very sarcastic in dealin-««' -°" the su^Z of.'J^'^ «>™iliat<„y way V di«™ring objectionable; as MinistJ^f T 5^ t '. *" *™T "" Houae in it, ^Zl^Zn^^^^'^ ^- *"' down from the Senat. i^ dtVoree hlb whioh am, hemade.„aWe!;feuJL„":rtr^^° ""■''•*«'- ™<1 one which Mr. Lvi« "h? ,-!n TT "''«' '"' "a Wear and Inoid op,W ul '»' 7«"J- und of divorce which would be more stigmatised in those countries where laxity of principles as regards divorce is prevalent ; I cannot imagine an application for divorce, the granting of wfiich - would do more dishonour to this Farliailient |iban the passage of this Bill. I shall, therefoife, apart Jftpm riiy obj^tion to divorce on general principles,, oppose this BiU' from every point of view." Needless to say th^" relief" asked for was not granted. ^ Early in 1888, it was announced that the Government intended to take some steps to check gambling in stocka and merchanduze and to control or abdish the "bifcket shops," which were leading so many young men idong th^ slippery path of speculisitic^. to ultimate *uin. Speaking upon the measure which wjas finally carried through the House, the Minister of Jus^ce deplare(^ that, " Th^re is a4imit beyond which speculaticm become merely a vice and^rofligacy and a temptation to everybody to get riches quickly, even if they do not gettl^em ho- -estly. . . .1 know from experience that munbers of persona * belonging to respectably dosses in the c^munity ai^ in our different penitentiaries now, in consequence of bucket shop transactions w^hich led theni on to embezzTemw^f and fraud of diffwrent tinds." , * ^ ' V • V ^ About tho same time,'the Minister moved an amend- ment to the law- rdating to the fraudulent^marks on mephandize, which, aa he saiS, waa^« an adaptation. of th« : Ei^lish. Act to Canadian oonditiop*"" )iy this ineaaure ; pM^tion wits jgi ViBU throvigh crimiiiial process U> registered . / V, ■*.' .4 ft r_ ' .>' * ff* * r « ■ .. 1. ■> '■■m .^^■ll' K SIR JOHN THOMPSON. «L *»<»» marks; the burden of Drovii,' ' -J.^erenee,b„eW\rG:l"r«^/'^f?"'»'-^' • denta quoted had o«>m.red p«vio„ tZZ^ The preco. . b*« tranrferrod froi P^Z^t t^^^Tt"''^ «»^t Britain and Canada M ^Y?."*'' •*"''»• ■ wefenowreleeatedtn^i J* -—■''■ ''«-P»i"ted out • • c*»«f<)Don„™rL± ^" '™"«^.''°» ^ i^tance* the,' : «t..^r the cS^ l«fl""' !r*«1^ 'i'"«^<« wi. ■;«■ ;j;:'^''^-'j'^?^- .j^c ■I « ■i I .r m \> \ Wo LlPli AND WOBK OF p. Later on, the matter came up a<^ain, thongh in a very different form. Mr. Baird had voluntarily resigned his seat and been re-elected. Prior to this the case had been taken into the Courts and hai resulted in Mr J^. EUisi M.P., proprietor of the 8t. John Olobe, being impri§oned for abusive language contained in his paper> jpid directe3^ against one of the Judges. Meantime the retutning-oflBcer was brought before Parliament, but was eventually dis- charged. On June 6th, 1894, Ml? ,0avies introduced a. motion of serious censure upon th6 raturning-oflScer, who had been dealt with by th^ House seven years before, and»* upon the Judge who had ti^ed the more recent casa In- cidentally, he made a somewhat violent speech. Sijr John declared in the course of his reply that " Judges have been censured for having left their business of judgment and halving gone into politics. We are being asked to leave our business of politics and to go into the business of judgment," As usual, he urged the House to look after its own affairs, which were sufficiently onerous : "Our business is confined to the politics of the country — I use the word ' politics ' in its larger sense, as embracing legislation — and when we step out of our sphere and under- take to deliver judgment between subject and subject, much more when we undertak(i> to reverse or to sit in review on the judgment of one of the highest Courts of the country, we lay ourselves open to the very condemnation that this resolution would pronounce against the Court whose opfnions it criticises." The Premier concluded by declaring that all " the abominations of the Star Chamber" were indud^ in this one resolntibni Neediest to say it 'did not pass. / Another case «which came up — May 9th, 1888— and was widely discussed as involvii^ the rights of the preas, was the imprisonment of J[* 7.' Hawke, Bditor of th« J •''fi'^*®-— 5** .jiy .JM v'i. am TOHH TBomww. ,„ election trial. With^ri^flt r,* ^-'-""-'"..d ««y that Mr. Dftvie, „r»S^2 T ^'«' " " «"«e'ent to 'he dignity ,„d implSf',"'/'^"" "'""d fltoly by ' ;» PTticular, he decl^^S tt^^^TT^ "■'^" ^"^^ ^'«'" ■nKSwdtotheproprietvrf. f '^"""'"''ingtomynow • ; public men, b6t rtfaTn fhf T^ '^"^"^ *»"? -"ed t^ • ™k of being talcen, against h!» ^^T" ^ ""' "■" 'he o- M.,«h 18th, 1890, whe~ W n*^ P"""'?'" «e-'>^ ' »»dden an,endn,ent toTh, ctZ „ T' ^'°* ""»'«' »' '« which he „,,5ed 1 ezM^r '^ »' S„pply«„,„y^ E^ecntives to appoint oTlt^n'*''? ."' *"" ^""-'W ^^ «d to itablieh X td t "" '^"■"=»' "■enrin. The matter oime^f •"«''.'' »' P««edn« ^-''ic., hot h. wae tXZ^ ZZ"^ *° "" "'■■"'« «f «»ly«»g the -«of lilnlt. Rt!L'""r"^- ^' Iwgely depended upon tTlbTp^ '^' ,""'* ■*» >»« ---^.■...ci?«,-,r£!r:;:.g I J TT -^: '*•'!> "V 372 LIFE AKB work of man that he has established that the Crown is an integral part of the Letgislatures of the Provinces. . j( . . In Veference to all the Provinces of Canada/I think 1 am speaking within the lines of the decision^ — which have all run one way — proceeding from the Judicial Committee of the Priyj^ Council, when I say that all the Legislative powers aqd constitutional functions which existed down to that time (1867/ in the various Pijovinces of British America were for the infant taken back by the Imperial - Government and re -distributed under the terms of the British North America Act " ^— ^ An elaborate argument followed upon the degfee in Whicih Her Majesty could be bound by Provincial legisla- tion enacted in her name. The ispeaker claimed finally that the Queen did not really form ^ part of the Provinciiil Legislatures, and that as\a consequence of certain decisions the Provincial Govern m^t -did not appear to have tKe power to create a Q.C. or to bestowititles of honour. During this Session ^i« John had to deal with two very technical and difficult subjects in the amendment of the law relating to bills of exchange and promissory ^otex and in the discussions, negotiations, and Brrahgeraent op the " Bill respecting Banks and Banking." Several depu- tations, composed of Mr. B. E. Walker, Mr. D. R. Wilkie, and other leading banJfers of ]|^ Dominion, waited upon the Minister of Finance and the Minister df Justice at Ottawa, and the details of the pj^sent very datisfactory law were gradually .evolved. If is understood that Sir, Jcdm Thompson strongly impressed his visitors upon this occasion by his broad vi^s and intimate acquaintance with thcNse common sense ptinciplefl^ which after ^1, form tljp only true solution of such intricate questions .as those relating to finance and banking. , (. ▲ very oneroud portion of the duties whicli dir' John ^krt-'M^^^^^^ V ■-. ill SIB JOHN THOMPSON. 878 gSnerally took the ground in all m^ZF,- ^"^^ and political issues th»tTl,l • """"'""g n«Monal . best^dg^on^irXittfonrhr*^'?"^''? "■« ^advise the veto of an^suohX^'^fc": ""^ a constitutional doubt involved h^T,«»PT.^^ "^ *he p^per n.ediu^ ,„r deir^ng'tt: Z?'""" *"* "^^^ theo!^w3e'Snhe'",ttn™:^Oot"""^ *" the Canadian Pacific Mwa^ S^^ Msl I^^ '>""' .pdthatfortwent>yea«&,o™f^W. ™ of radway should U oonstructed souti Wii. S -^y™ M«,toba. so as to unite withthe America^C* anitt." mtoduce Am«i« c«ipe«tioa Subset? p~i^ rstn'otthXtvn;,^^^::,- "'^™« ^' theMiniste.ofJus.^rL^t^^^IS'^-":^ lowanee on the g„pnd that* Jlfc^^ '^: «.thority of the ^«mnion JS^SL^ «^ .' 'j.«^i St ' T" I f I 874 LIF|E AND WORK OF with others outside the Provinoe was in exr it as • a local work or undertaking,' fully justifies dealt with.by the Government of Canada, and in it of the whole Dominion" The sub-committee ' to the great sacrifices which Canada had made in t^er to construct th© C P. R. and was " unable to recom- mend that there should be an abandonment of thfi-policy of preventing the trade of Manitoba and-the^orth-West from being diverted for the benefit of foreign railway corporations." In this particular case Sir John Thompson seems to have considered the interests of Canada asa whdeto be the important consideration ; illegality being a secondary mat- ter. In a special report some two months later he declared that " it cannot be asserted that in pronouncing the veto upon Acts which were deemed to have an iryurious ten- dency as regards the country at large, Your Excellency has deprived the, people of Manitoba of any of theif rights." Eventually the matter was settled by a com- promise between the two Governments, and the measure was allowed to go into operation. But it is interesting iu being an exception to Sir John Thompi^n's general ■^^ «m Jomi THoMiww. ^ „, oocamnoM were ^e. ^ofT^ ^ *"' '"^'' «.e I"~vi„ea'A"X:'C^-'?.*>.«'«»n.e«witHi„ , B"l"P«»edb»theOu,beoT. •.! ''™' ""(firtrate'e West Territorial At^XT^Ie^-V' ^.t^*' .w respecting eduction i^dpla!^'thi' ™«nded the the control of a Council of P„wr. '"'»«* ™<1« toh», the Roman Cathdic J^ °. °''"""="°°- ^ » M»»i- ion .«tho,Jtiee.and w^° Z"?^ ''''^'°"' *« "" »»"^- veto w« reh^ la thekw ^J ?'"'"" '^^«'' "^^ '^gtky BI«ech upon the subTecT".,"'''"''''''^ ^ « Premier pointed C Zt Hi " ''"' ^*"'' '»»*• ">« redreesed^yTf 21 ^. '''^"''"■'"'=<' "o-Jd not have " petitionee hL n^t X XraTr'T^ "'' '^ ""e Of the regulations which hS^- *^ *^ "^^''^^ "I think." said he "Iw th«^ ^''^ P"^' ^ 1892. agree that after ^ w let ST'.^'" ^ ^«P^ *<> sion. although it ha^I^lT r . ."^^^^ ^<^ ^««r conclu- on the part of tZT7ko')^jfT'' 'T'^^^^'-^nUtion "^ore s^edy. deciZ InH I ™'^ expectations of a the petition^' ' '^ ^'^"^^ ^'"^^ ^i-g given to h i,l I ■» *) IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) A 7' A O ,v <. '^o % a.. \ ■p'.-?- 'i 1.0 I.I '1^ m 2.2 ui ui — ■UUk 1.8 IL25 i 1.4 — A"" 1.6 *' Sciences Goiporation \ iV •1>^ \\ rq> V 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716)872-4503 '^^ : ,-J>Jui^il-;^ 0 B76 LIFE AND WORK OP y With Sir Oliver Mowat the Minister of Justice was upon the moat friendly personal terins, and their political or legal differences were conducted upon an unusually-high plane. The former, in fact, has not .hesitated to express his high, appreciation of Sir John Thompson's husiness aptitude,, facility for settling up matter long in dispute, and general legal attainments. Sir John was determined to get all the old questions at issue between the Provinces and the Dominion out of the way, and had initiated several suits against Ontario in connection with Indian claims and titles to land. * ^ An important case along these lines was that aris- ing from the treaties made with the Indians a^ Sault Ste. Marie on 3rd September, 1850, under which the Qjibe- ways surrendered to the Crown all the land north of Lakes Huron and Superior to the Height of Land^^ considera- tion of certain fixed annuities. The treaty contained a provision that if the surrendered territory produced suffi- cient revenue to enable the Crown to do so, Without incur- ring loss, the annuities in favor of the Indians would be augmented. This had since proved to be the c^, and their claim had been pressed for consideration. Under Section HI of the British North America Act the Dominion engaged to assume all the liabilities of the^ late Provinces of Canada, so that primarily the Dominion was admitted to be liable to the Indians in this connection. Sir John Thompson, however, on behalf of the Government, claimed that Ontario having obtained the benefit of the land and the revenues received from it, should restore to the Dominion the moneys already expended and ?pay the whole of the annuities, past and future. Threes'^arbitrators were chosen to deal with the question : Hon. J. A. Boyd, Chancellor of Ontario on behalf of the Province of Ontario; Sir Napoleon Casa^^^^mf Justice of Quebec on behal/ / ■ m Hon. (;. w. Koss, LLrp., M.P.P,, Mimttcr ^EducatUm in OnUHo. X I m ■ I. SIR JOHN THOMPSON. ,yg ^'«-'AA„d „ ^« J^;^^^ »w.iM with „.„eh favour of the BominUm ■ ^wT„ , ™/»^ Wly in Wore Confederon ^d d^r^T"'^"'*'"'"*'^ west of Uk. SSperioHo^S.! '''^ j""*^ '"ri'orie. in o.:tertt, »!m*y dispute retSi!^"^? °f ^"^ -»"« • ^ed. 0™rt,,o.thu^^^,'«J"™4f«on had occur- »Uy decided by the Im! • , ^ " '"°^'»'' ''« eventu- .>«»ri„«lli,4'te« ^X'^uncil i„ the sl however, the DomiSTn OoviZ *! "'"^''- ««»'™«. ' !»»*« !>«» ««nguished tS STt tl*^iT' '^-^ *» mcu^mg heavy liabilities f™^,^°*° """^ ^^ by -"^d ^y other payments duri^ ^^ ^'^P»'"»' ""»!«« /lone h«I reached »800 000 ^i.T^^ I*™ P^' "W"* ^bmught the matter befT« the ^" ^"'^ ]^<>^P^ toaUy ,b»t with eve.y «tytto Ontl **■"''"" "^""^ find, itself interested^ the L!r, ° ""^ oventually and Quebec in a smaT sum ~™-"^Uona of dolIa«' k>. P«mier at the time Tf ^ d^t^"^' " "^"y »' "» "^inX^-d^:^---— ^^|^t.«lity 0' his great forwa.^^ "rT- ™"^ * ^^ "f^ the Con»rva«ves 7^lu """'^ "P"'"***- I thi^ ■'•".if they have hLltrt '^r« '-'* better Mi.. -ttled. was the c.ue.ti,:':, ".^'d^ ^^^^ ^U vJJ.'iV'SpSiiWSS I. 880 LIFE AND WORK OF long time it had been felt £hat the existing 8yi?t6m was in- efficient and reqnired reform. Finally the feeling amongst Canadian merchants grew so strong th?it a conference was held at Ottawa on January 16th. 1893, between delegates from the Montreal, Toronto and London J^rds of Trade , and the Premier, the Hon. Mr. Foster and the Hon. Mr. Angers ; with a view to tlie introduction of a measure at an early session of Parliament which, while extending reasonable liieane for relief to the debtor, would at the same time protect the creditor in realizing upon the assets of bankrupta In accordance with the decision afterwards arrived at, Mr. BoWell brought a Bill before the Senate on April 4th, lii9% dealing with the whole subject in great elaboration. Unfortunately, many causes com- bined to prevent it getting through the Commons beyond the first reading. Promises were made however, by Sir Johnihat it would conje up and be pushed at the ensuing session. It is interesting to note in connection with this parti- cular portion of his career, how strongly he felt regarding the powers of the Local Legislaturea As already pointed out he seldom used the right of disallowance. But he went even further than a tacit admission of thd wisdom of letting the Provinces govern thema^Jves as a rule, and dur ing the debate upon the Jesjuits' Estates bill, declared that " a Provincial Legislature, legidating upon subjects which are given to it by th§ British toi^h America Act has the power to repeal an Imperial Statute passed prior to tlie B.N.A Act affecting those subjecta" And upon this point he quoted several important precedenta In subsequent discussions upon the Copyright Law the power of the Dominion to repeal certain Imperial acts, so if ar as they affected Canada, was urged with equal distinctness a^ witii far (greater eamestnesa ^ j J' I ' V. 1 Justic office, well a the in party supers the o immec Qoverr Parliar Privy ( and pel paign 8] regardii foundla work w In and pas! the CriE tute a la ledge ol 1891, th< ter, chiel were con again int H^fSS&i^f'.'^iSiS^-v ■JiK T- SIB JOHN THOMPSON. .r ,381 ■ V eHAPTER XXII ' . * - ' '■■,,■■ The C«k,'n«, Cod. and th, OoP^OHr L.w office, he atill V^^^Z i" .t"^, "j^ «"«« '"•' "neroua -rell a, for the ordTaa„k o hi, / ^T "'"™" "» party leader. The review of Pr^?° ° i *"«■"'»" »' a s«p«™ioa of the „a S llfrd ^^In'Tr ^ ' '"» the cont™. of hia depart^tTit' f ":;:1 .^ '^f " '' immense niimber of renorfs- th. P'^eparation of an Government Wiews or dlnl ^'""^^^^^^ of the a^dpenitentiariee of the DomiaionTtKit o^fT™ tr-htircr:-----^^^^^ and ^trolt'the'l:!' "^ r""^«^ '« P»' »^ ""ape the^;o..a.SfoftTd:lSr^^^^^^^ "•? "".patent to deal with tl.e s^tuZs it w '*"■' """^""^ "^ ™ f-d to be'greatly i!^i:S ;:;:S - ■' V. -^ 1' (.?.; 4 1 ■> /■ '^« -I V- ;V. ...,.■:,-■ . , <<■ lillfiilfe il'''i amaii ^^^^•^■!iM3m:':d:ski ^ ■ ' iv,>f -i-. , ;.-;...;3:A, ■1 ■ n^^^ ■ ■ ■ ^ ' ■■''* - 882 TJ¥B AND ^ WORK OP improvea by the advice of Judges and of other Jeadlng authonti^n the legal world. The measure was probably the moat vb^minous ever presented to the House of Com mons wid coiitained more than a thousand clauses, covering fully 350 pagV It was referred early in the Session to a Joint Committed composed of the very ablest men in both partiev^ho wenUver it clause by clause and dealt with It m an honest, thdrough manner. Here it was tW Sir John Thompson showed his power. ^ Committ^ I,,e was always at his best, and in dealing with a non-pakisan, f^gal que8tio^of this kind he naturally held the veA highest place and most strongly impressed himself upon ^Ihe legislation under discussion So skilfully, ably and peiktently did he stamp his views rS! ti^oo? P"^' *^^*' V P^^* °* ^^*' *^« Canadian Code of 1892 deserves to be ^lled after its maker far mor^ th^n d,id ever the famous Cod\Nai»leon. Under its terms Can^s W6re enabled to boaifc that theyhad led the way amongst English-speaking peopW in the enactment of 1. comprehensive code of criminal %. In briefly introducing his measure to the House on Apkl 12th. the Minister of Justice announced that «' It wjll dekl with offences against \public order, internal and external ,\ offences affeiitii the ^ministration of the law and of juWce; offences ^inst wWion. morals and public convenieice; offences against theXperson and reputation; offences aWinst the rights of propf^y and rights arising out ^f coStracts. and offences conne);^d with trade ; it will deal with Wedure and pro- ceeding after conviction and actions; a^inst persons administering the criminal law." 1 The Wl report of the Joint Committee to which it had been ^ferred did not appear till nearljA the end of the Session, buUt w^ accepted without seriouslobjection, and the new Codfe became the law of the land. Its important MB JOHK THOHPSOK. ggg features wort nnmerous, and !n ».»» •Imct effected a le^al m!„l ?• " '^'^ ^ "^i to haw first effort w«-ttad?lrnl°,r;- ^^ ^ '««»• "hen a •fter that date W Enrich lat t'"^"'"^'""''^«' -fith that of CanWia » „f 7' ^^'^ """ '"eODsfatent provided againaHi the L!^° ?*"''*' """" "'^""^ "** . -wCode^vere^ a Ft^-'^^'r:' '""'"*»'''«'• The Dominion rJuu^^ r^^'*'''^ ""^"^ W 'aw to be nTkl"; "lirn!^ '^^ English crin-ina"^ therefore, conld in The l!!lTl^ '" ^^"^ ^^ V^""". infr«=tion of an/A^t'of^e tatr?:?^ "^ """ express terms euch an C ""P*™ '^"'"■"ent, unless by Domini^ "' '" '»»^« ««•««" within the No P^nM t::nlr r"' "-«■"« '-nity. -itted. or «. «t „,n^M f^ ^'T"'" <" ""offence com -tunU imbeoStT^seL''. 7 '• °^ "^^-^^ "■">- specified was one i whicS^ •. """f ""« «""J"'on i°« the natn« of ^7^^ '7^''' '"?""' '"' ''PP'«i«»- All pewons, however wh?™^ wt •"" "«'" ""I '«>'>g- »ot «cnse,^. Z7t It^^t '"^'"'^ »*°^- "«" thongh in other «8pe^J^.m " .T"" """"'"■^ the KTonnd- of insiSSy "^^L^"" r' ^ '^''^^ on inclnding murder. treZn s^Z """«.r" ''"fl-ed, theft The followi J;^!;,- • ■ ■ ""™Ption. libel and "C-lpable h„n!Se^^^r„;d Iw^ t'*"^""^^ •nay be reduced to mansIaLtT f ^ "^ "* ""^<"•• death does «> in the W oH.'. •"" •*""" "''» ««■«« provocation Any ™,n^n, i"^.'"" ^""^ J^ "dden •» to be sufficient n^lrlT.!^?" °' '"'^ ' •"""" power of «,If.controI mav^ „" """""y P««» of the «t. npon it «, th."„ddof ^„/^I'^'°'' " «» offender fa hi.W« to 1^7' ^ ^'"^ "■»■» ha. bee, tim. If- ,-' i 8M UFE AND WORK OF t Treason was^efined as an attempt to kill Her Majesty or the Heir Apparent, pr exhibiting a desire to do so ; as ,an eflfort to depose the Sovereign or levying war in order to compel a change in legislation ; as an endeavour to overaw^ the Parliament of Canada. Sedition was described as involving an attempt to bring the Sovereign into hatrerougHout the British whether pn„tedVe«„rnotX'"^."»'"KinWon., , free circulation to BritUh 'iLi ^^";'*"l<"^ '"P™ » ' , »orie3,;t w^«K>n four^trE^SisT'^r"''"'' ''"'- expensive for Colonial reo„i»„ .*'-™ 9'«Jifflcultyatt,a^r„dZ "'!■''■"' « otder to- niee-i : ""-ed.the'^clTanrvXnt-:^""''-" '''*'"''-'• author's royalty of 12i^ ! ""P«" » "ominal . Custom Hous* and to Th^l,'" "" <»"-'«» »' * Government Under tWs'^e—aZ ^^h *\""'''™' > roprjnts Soon flooded th« ^/f^, f'"'"' ^^^^^P American . ,CWdian ^e.. but ^\Ct^ ^*:J'l .'^-'•«e of local book and publishing trade > '"•''"^ °* ^h' Ben-Ja" v'ltlf'^rrrtJ" ---"o" "•"> '^«' Copyright Act, passed by the Britirrf- ■''"«"««''"■'" piuctically threw the Can«dia^„rK'""'°'' "'"''='>• American pablicatlM v^ih ' , '^ '^'^ '"British and' Government o-XS^l ^^^"^r^"^^ ^' *■■« »'™»ion ^ aloeaUnactment^a^'t^'plr'HlT^^^^^ '"'^^ ri?ht«k Can«Jian anblfah^t J! •.•°'"*""- '^ "" worta. But on the SOth fT' ? """""^on with local ^ ««nthe80thofAp„U889.SirJol,nThon^ ' •I ',,.v uf.i J^M « J 'i1 889 ui'e and work of I Hon introduced a measure by which he proposed to end this soEt of thing ; to test the power of the Dominion Govern^ ment to protect the Canadian publisher ; and to, take firm grouhd upon the rights derivable from the Confederation Act of 1867. The constitutional position he described very clearly: " I think we have the right to legislate in respect to this subject irrespective of any Statute of the Imperial Parliament passed before the British North America Act was passed. The Imperial Copyright Act was passed in 1842. The Act which declared that Colonial Statutes were invalid if they were repugnant to Imperial Statutes was passed in 1865. Two years after that, we received the , ample gift of powers which the British North America Act contaips. In the exercise of those powers, we have repealed, sometimes l^y implication, and sdmetimes directly, scores of Imperial enactments, in addition to volumes of the Common Law of the United Kingdom ; and, if the objection were sustained in regard to the exercise of our powers on the question of copyright, it would strike oflF at least one-half of the Revised Statutes." * In dealing with the difficulties under which Canadian publishers laboured, the Minister of Justice pointed out that by the local laws an author can obtain cop3npight in Canada only on condition of his printing and publishing, or reprinting and republishing, in tfife Dominion. No such condition, however, is attached to the copyright of English works in Canada, and practically there is no restriction upon the sale of American reprints. " Whil^ a Canadian publishing bouse is not at liberty to republish an JSnglish copyrighted work, a publishing house in the United States, having obtained a transfer of the rights to Canada possessed by an English author, can republish in the United States and hav6 complete dommand of the Canadian market, "^c. «^£9id!^''HfA£«V^(iu«Hj*M4/ li^^ l,£lrMiM,lfM^^M^it^' SIR JOHN THOMPSON. . ggg privileges in the2iW~°°"' *" '"""'■' -Paris'.' that, to 8um up, the Areri.!r ?! ■! *'"'•'«" '""»■ «> United States wm fb e to t '?," """f W"" «»d the The Mini ter p^^rtt^'*' ««' ^''■"««»» "arket. ....- author who h«l obZ^Brif K """"" **"" """^^ "-o «me tin.e obtain aXriiun O '"Pi"^'>» "hoald at the hook the« within a w^^af^, 'it'^ "«' "P-""'* hi, t»«. Should ^be at n^TtoJZ'XfT' °' ^""- to publish the work. He Zf^M ^u *" ""^ '^"««a» "• "tro-K step in th! i^tf^^^ tf 'T'"'''' '''°"^''' "ith the publishing indXT/' f *"° '^"^'^ s-pposed to be a ftrZ^ Z^T^'^ ^"'^ "• ""y »» But. on the other h^nd ^ ^T\ ""/ ^""■* «°thor.- there should ^-^n^^l^StL^JZ."^. "»' mder that license; and giw tL ! ^"^ P»'>«shed have made a study of aitXi^' "P^^"' "Those who '«<1« to be derived L' ^uH "'"™ "■» that the pro- Britid.auth" J":^^"' f 'y- -" give'the works in Cansda tk^hTZTZlT^ '*'' »' >■" »««>»." He concluded a ^ P»»>bly derive by other »P-h hyadeewt^'o hri:;^th':t''..'"n "''^^' th.i«*^::^^rre:t".^r:sthiit^-*-- \ P'eo up to the day of its a,T ■ ^ "^ "o* •»»■> ' «garfing the delay, fnd ui^nt 8^°" •''^- Potest, hy Sir John Thom^n havelen fot JTl ''"™ "P other effort. haveZn n-^t: 'irrtwlT^r ..«& 390 LlFt AND WORK OF \ tion. But the opposing influences have been too great. It is claimed by the Imperial Government that such an enactment involves the abandonment of the policy of inter- national and Imperial copyright which Was after difficulty, asserted in 1888 to the considerable benefit of the British author in various markets ; that it is inconsistent with the policy of making copyright independent of the place of printing — in other words, that it does not harmonize with the English free trad© idea— that it would probablv modify, if not destroy, advantages gained in the United States by the arrangemeiit of 1891 ; and that it would be injurious to the British authors by whom the Canadian market (via United States publishers) is chiefly supplied. In an elaborate memorandum addressed by the Minis- ter of Justice to Lord Knutsford, as Colonial Secretary, on July 14th, 1890, these and other contentions are thoroughly handled, and the position of tfie Canadian publisher is most viyi(;lly depicted. The results* of the present system were declared to be exceedingly disastrous: " The American publisher, unrestrained by any inter- national copyright law or treaty, is free to reprint any British work and to supplj^ it, not only to the reading pub- . lie of the United States, but to the reading public of Can- ada, while the Canadian publisher is not free to reprint any such w<|»k on any terms, unless he can obtain the per- mission of the holder of the copyright in Great Britain. In some noted instances, this has actually led to the transfer of printing establishments from Canada to the United States. In other cases English publishing houses have set up branches in New York or other American cities with the view of reprinting for the United States and Canada the copyright works which they have issued in London." He points out how impossible it is for a Canadian publisher to compete in making arrangements for the right to re whici 60,00 Cana« << reprin tion o: theBi to an has evi anyCa — the ( once." Si] was poi with cc logical ] view of this and felt in hi is none i of praise to the ]eA nounced ] these exp time, thei pleasure \ But « leader's fi^ tangible n greatly ab nents let si pleasant, tl SIB JOHN THOHrsoN. ji. to reprint any given English work with * • « wh.ch not only command <„,d7oW Thf "^ *'™' 60,000,000. bnt in addition h7„ ' ^ " '""' ""ftet of a»«aian market . ''»™ » P-^otical monopoly of the 'T^^^^X^ZIT:^^ Ags.forbid the tion of the American reprinrrn P'""'^* ™P<>rt.- Jhe British copyright holderhJpX^^f "j/r"^- to an American pnbliehcr mther'^k^'^t^ ' "«''.' h«8 even bonnd himself by the JL. . « t^« "«»' P- these oppressions of n™ 3 '^" °°"" *""* ™»''«J time, the'reTrdoLbt SruiTrl'""« "■'■ «'- P.«enre which he -Jr^^ZTZ^^l' '"^ tangible mann*n^„^ J?" """'' W«ci.tion if. ^tiyabusedrL^rr't^rttrrr--- nenta let slip many an opportunitv t^ Za/^ ?" "PP* Pieaaan, the ^.r^undm;':?';"::]; ^:^L:^t:^ !:iS Sj^-la! . ■"V,.. B-k 892 UlTK AND WOUK OP ■I- 11 i I ,.» VCHAPTER XXni An Imperial Statesman. Sir John Thompson never appeared before the public as an enthusiast The unwillingness to express his own strong feelings to others and intense dislike of those who used patriotic phrases ais a cloak for unpatriotic policies were dominant forces in his character. No Canadian was ever more earnest in beUevmg that the maintenance of Bntish connection and the development of Imperii mx^y were the greatest and wisest objects for Dominion policy But it was only by slow degrees that the people of Canada generally, came to appreciate the strength of this sentiment and then more by the practical results of his policy than by any special public beKef in his loyalty or ImperiaUsm Where Sir John A. Macdonald, by phrase or precept, would embody the national regard for Britain, in a way calculated to arouse all the enthusiasm of the people and thus aid him in the carrying out of an Imperial policy, Sir John Thompson would proceed first to plan and then to quietly put his schemes in practice before' > mvitmg that public approval of which he was always reasonably assured. Yet his utterances upon these lines were by no means few, and as time went on the strength of his views would have become more evident and more widely known. Speaking, for instance, at the Ministerial Banquet in the Mansion House, London, on Aug. 6th, 1890 and in r^pponse to the toast of the "Army and Navy and Reserve Forees," the Minister of Justice for Canada-as he then was— referred to his pride as aoolonist thaf'the day te'-'WtjB t * -■ MR JOHN THOMPSON. ggj m the future; and the best ^K. . "" P"*™"* "»<) opMon. one ^hich would 1^1 ^. P""™ "»»• " t'« »nd power of the Mothe^ Cou^, ; * ^*'"' "»*'*'' stantial factors in ♦!,. T .""""y '"to operation .se of ^S:a.t:^r.rrrt:s?« th'"^ •-" '-' ""to a reciprocity arraneement^*? "atroduce the pnnciple Atthesan.r^^S'„no» """"""^""^ « Canadian to nermit Zt.- ^""^P^ ^'a too thorough est. fl«t «.d ttoTof Itl,"'™ ""^"'""^ «*"'' i-""- • which he stooTrtlr ci"r° r"" ■ ""» ""y " Atlantic fisheries «,d th„T^ « ^^'^ '" '*«»«' •» «>e ae Copyright q?;^^ »d tretrTf '*^'"« "'«'«^; the bZc^ of C^i'a^ i"", ^"l^^ *«»«" ''U'A Un.it s«fflci«.tly mur.,"^re t"' tr,Ll"'i'^^ ''"■* ract He bolieved in Canada 4^ ( 'J > I k«J^^^ , ^ J ««^i: 394 Urt AND. WORK OP .having the very fullest power compatible with its position as a State of the Empire, and had its interests come in conflict with those of England, he would have stood for Canada first. But he considlred the whole matter in a very different spirit from that whch must have actuated those who were always looking forward to such a di v^nce of destiny, and speaking of it as something inevitableXhen in reality it was barely possible. National Existence he con8id«rted compatible with British connection, one, in fact, being dependent upon the other. Speaking in Tordnto on January 6th. 1893, the new Premier declared that "everyman who is a Cani^ian at heart feels that this country ought to be a nation, will be a nation, and. please God, we shall help to make it a nation ; but, sir, we do not desire that it shall be a separate nation, but that it will be a nation in itself, forming a bulwark to the British Empire; whose traditions we admire whose protection we enjoy, and who has given to this' country in the fullest degree the right and the power of self-government, and agreed to extend to the people of this ' country every facility which a self -governed and indepen- dent people coulcl desire to have." At the great meeting which followed ^jwekJafcar in the Auditoriu^. he proclaimed amid ringing cheere that "ther very comer-stone of the policy which we have ' endeavoured to carry forward, which we will build our future upon, is British connection." He went on to say , that it was the bounden duty of both Liberals and Conser- vatives to take care that the question of that future was *not trifled with ; to see that Canada was developed as " a firm, strong British nationality"; to base political action upon confidence and not pessimism ; to spurn the imnexa- tio^ist emissary from the door of every true Canadian ; to cease trifling with the idea of annexation "by paltering Si/siii ■sAiilsjsB'Kite l*A .p - • \/ p %« John Thompson ,ji;^'i5 -"^ •.'«}■. ' / ./ ■ with ■ anibij I pendc ■ naiioi I withii I not to I ^ I truest I of sell 1 parent I hampe I of the I United ^ ■ Empire ■ «^ to saf eg ■ who ad 1 this sta/ I tion froi ■ this cou ■ " which ai I bj Briti£ ■ and the] ■ the I7nit< ■ she pleas I in4i ■ return fr m 26th-lSii B cible: "T I direct and fl in the cou ■ Vantsto] H with any •1 British El ■ fiehringSe .£ n^^HHp' .-^^i.t-th.L . .■ ^- "* •">«» TBOMPaoN. j„ with indepondence." ft „„ „„," ,. .. "".bitioa \o look forwari to Th,- ,° ^"«'"' " """""hy nation, but "to talk of it ^^^ o^t'^r ' "'"' '"P"'™' 'vithin the present gene.L^ if f T i"""'' ^ "^"aWe not to talk treason."* f""- " *" '*"' absurdity, if it i, *™e,fltK:?j£^rtt''''" ""'"^■"^-' '» '"o^^ , of eelf-governn,ent, a^ltTen!^!' *."''"'. •^"''« '"^'-'y , parent that.no on^ co„l l^Ut"' T •"'"''"' » hamper its free operation An/j , ""'opendence or ; of the immense ^Te ^ndlnU '•"'^'* »"» '» "»" ii United States ■Mt™7„r^"thet":°Wessivenese of the Empire in order to keep U,e nd"l ^ "^ ""' *"'? "^ ">« . to^rfegnard the d«ht,'of clfX" "" °' *^"'«'» -O who«ivocated independence wMe thl I""""' ""*^^°™- this stage of national existent, „T ""•P<'""'»o« was in tion from Great Britain t^;^*'^^.-'* """^ »«P«~- 'hi. ^unfyinto the "un'^Xt ^^ ? V"""^'- »' • which animated the peoole of n,l n '■ . ""* sentiments by British connection W«v.r°T "»«> <'«'tr„yed and the prestige of oLtfifii?^'"'' ""o ■»<"»' holp * tbe Uni^ Stftes wo„Th! t X:^'T<^ '' she pleased." ^ *' O" disposal wWever> ' - In 4n elaborate interview mi,.» « ,'• ^ return from'the Arbitjiii„„ t -J . P*P»" "Pon hiS m^ir John ThompTn J""'""'' " P'^-Angust cible: .. The propaganXm for^ !? "'°" P'*'" "'d'or- *'«t andplTinSnin fL^ota"" '"^r''*"^ i- » in the country „„T|,t ^ bL SJ. ™ j annexatioa Nobody wants to knTw ^t^^Zlf "'""'"■.t. If .„yon^ with any international ouSro^.r;." """" " ^-»'»« British Empire, he had b^t " fiu"« 3* ''<' »' «>« fehringSea'diecassion G^tBil? »!L.*^ " ""• ureat Britain stood by us n„biy IS' '**■ 1. _ ':' •iiP^ »*^W^SSl^ki.V'< 8^® un AND WORK or from first to laat, and she yarded every interest, that sbe was qecessarily asked to guard, and she dealt with Canajda in all matters of arbitration as fairly and as zealously a^ if Canada had been a part of the United Kingdom. Stand- ing alone by herself Canada would not have received ne moment's consideration, and any discussion of rights woUld have been disposed of in short order." A few weeks later at the demonstration in Montreal^ on September 12th, he denounced "the wretched, feeble voices of the miserable creatures," who raised the cry of annexation, and declared that after c/osing their little office in Toronto, some of thetn had gone to the other half of the Continent "for which they have>uch a profound affection, but in which they will find the people have* profound c^tempt for renegade Canadians." It will not be surpris- ing in this connection to those who appreciated the strong though suppressed feelings which characterized Sir Jcj^n, to know that he entertained of late years sentiments of intense dislike to Mr. Goldwin Smith, as the'champioa of views for which he felt the keenest aversion. He found it difficult, indeed, to understand how a cultured English- man and brilliant writer could hold such dishonouring and ignoble opinions. Turning to the Behring Sea matter, he pointed but that it had been a*struggle of five millions of people against sixty milliog^ and that "it waa not by chattering annexation and independence that Canada had: her rights assured and maintained in the face of the nations." It was because Great Britain had thrown the majesty of her fiag around the humblest craft which , ploughed the waters of the North Pacific ; it was because ' the Mother Country gave Canada an equal yoice in the deliberations of the T^bunal ; it was because the Queen of England declared that at the bar of international justi9e r 8IH JOHN THOMPSON. -pnJ: "Th. people who r^.^ .^' P"""-""! th, •That i. a worthy «^„'i„^7j';! '^""« ""-"inu*) ^ -ho apeak '^m^^^^^^^^^^^^ : bu^ . hme of yoa or your child~„ ™ '''°'y *» "» "iUiin the with bI«k,t™«o„ in tTn«^T " ""' "» «P". "d ■«t««t to which w, .ho^d aSfilT'y '™ '^-^ .ve«i^- r4ht »ZXt "'■"^''''"^ '■"'- »entelta„. Sir John tS^^Z!* °' «'»e»ti6n or.conti- "<• feir in hi, ,iew, of i^T^° T "^""'y -»»«i«n^ •ctnate Canada in ite relatlr^ i '"'"^ """^ «ho3d A« an instance ottZ-^^J^'^ "" ''■^'«' Stat* .tande regarding r^^^^^l'^, ~«' »» "«« known «««.W to th. House iS^i' it ".^'"" K" P"- atorwards, n,ay be ^en^d p?^ "-y fr«,„,„V StatM h«l dealt in a hZh !?„ ! u ^'*" ""* '^"'ted Can^Jian worki„«„.en ^Z^ZL^^'^^''^ "'«" employmenl^ who h,d nwh.^ fw^ ,"" '"'^" *» ««k P»«iWy many y««, U^t *h f* '"'•' * I^«on for Xatour taw.L'dTth tW^ ^?L ™' °' "" '^•S" *««» ey«l rep^aontativM of «1 L^^' ""' *^« 'y»«- men would be di«»vered "V »'K«'i«ation, th<», ^ ^d less respect V i i^ MM Lift AMD WOHK or A. . . Nftturally. 8tron|f feeling was arouwd by these indict- fcionB of international friehdship and courtesy, and on January 27th. Mr. George' Taylor, a strong Conservative and prominent supporter of the Goveinment. introduced what was really a retaliatory jneasure-a Canadi^w Alieh Ubour Law. Sir John, in his speech during the debate urged moderation. He pointed out that the contract labour regulations of the United States applied as much to- Italy asto Canada in principle, although naturally their oper^tia^ was more iyunediately felt in the Dominion Canadians could not be exempted from the terms of the American l&w,eSfen by. special turangeraent. without the exemption of all British subjectsL Fpr the United Statbs to exempt the Dominion. woul?"" ■»«.t«l with poverty for wautT.." ""^"'^ '"'' P"- ""•rt't-whioh could oolv Zl 1 u 'f'"" '*""^"'»-> •««M the Mother (iuX^*^"""^ by di«rimi„at,o„ ••iK.^.tfCttrrLt-frtr^^'™^''- of thi. di.m.1 and wmbr. h^r ^^' "° •™°"»' -'fO ' .- . » . " ' t . ;n.< - 6s_v tij Jll'- « ,» • 'if- * I 'I . I * ^t!' '•>; f^-, 402 LIVB AND WOBk OF w© have to a certain extent to maintain our own defence, we have to keep up the British institutions which we got from you, and in bearing our own financial burdens, it is absolutely necessary that we should be masters of our own tariff, saving one thing only, and that is, that we shall not forget the duties we owe to the Empire by agreeing thtft any foreign country shall have a preference over you in., the tariffs which we make." '• This is the declaration of a man and a statesman. It defends Canadian rights) without infringing British inter- ests; it seeks to piake the two identical rather than to discover some material or sentimental flaw in the bond of union by which separation may be aided ; it proclaims that each section of the Empire owes a duty to the other por- tions, bat should at the same time cultivate a spirit of mutual independence in all matters of local import And it does not particularly appeal to sentiment. In all of Sir John Thompson's speeches, as in his general policy, duty seems to have been the first consideration. He sought to express and explain the obligations Canada was under to the Mother Couiitry ; the obligations which Qreat Britain bore to the Dominion. Each had a duty to perform — in ope case the bearing of true allegian^, in the other the givinj^of true protection. And the mutual' performance of 4l»ty would result in benefit to all concerned. From the standpoint of sentiment he said little in his earlier national speeches, although his fierce denunciations of annexation and the advocates of that idea, indicated clearly enough' that he felt deeply upon the subject The future was not a thing which his strong, practical mind, cared to deal with very much, except in the wty of warning. Imperial Federation he did not publicly discuss, although his whole policy was permeated with the principle upon which it must iihiliistdyW developed. Closer union with the lm|>ire in ►t5|^!%ilY-b««E" \ MB JOHN noKfBOS. ^j expressed more atmairh ^/^^%^^ Tetnonuu, conserving British Si„^? """T^^ *» •""^ty of Upon the Zs^^ S f 5™*.°" P<'«««1 ■ii'^-ons. - with th^Cobnil^tere »„St ^ ^"^ ""'^" -^ ceniing his views fV„ A " ^""'^ "*"'«''« oon- mnst eventnallH^" ^e^,l""- '''*^'' «' «» Empire the steamship i^n^«tio„^^ '^ m>portance » the tion that «„ith „ r4o»ri f^™"" *^ «»«'«■ -arketof Great Brita^X^r'^'r'"*- *« the products of this countrv » ^ ,?"'^*' *«''' '»' he no comparison be^Z^th. ?"° fH'* ^^ "« opinion, Auctions i/T^o^Xn^t^? ^"T" P"" - United Statea ^ ^ *'^ funnahed by the «>me form or otW wj^"!!^,'"'.'' '""""""^ '"""^ ta »dh.stenedbyb"M"'::^Xl^«»P7°"'»«nXed "Motion and resnect „fTj ^^^''""'''"'™»"'f»'ntual "tereoursc .f-X^I^dU-r'r "'. ■*"""- Appreciation of the gnZZZT *^"*' ''•'<'■'«• - Empire^ of the desimS T-. ^T" »' «■. British the weakness of S L!- T""^"''^ ""^"^-J. »» St.... of th,goo^ta:^„^-g^'-\^:^j!!-?.P-^t.d -ere .ppa^fy more potenTfoJa-L^rS 'of'l.t: J- 'I jutl^i^tA'^' '"'^! 104 LIFE AND WORK OF Premier in the bringing ahdrnt of complete Imperial union, than were any number of proposed constitutions, theoretical propositions, or appeals to abstract sentiment. Unlike Lord Roeebery and Sir John Macdonald, he, therefore, never identified himself directly with the Imperial Feder- ation movement, although his British policy and principles were, of course, in complete accordance with the work of its promoters. There can certainly be no doubt concerning Sir John Thompson's rank and place as an Imperial statesman. Apart from the Inter-Colonial Conference, which may be thought to constitute the central event of his adtninistra- tion, he had shown himself in diplomacy and in arbitration a man worthy to hold his own amongst the best and highest of the Mother Land. In complictitions of long standing with the United States he proved himself a careful Minister and ashrewd opponent; a protector of Canadian interests, but averse to anything which might unduly endanger British interests. In the Newfoundland matter he indicated his ability of looking ahead in a practical way, and his desire to stand up for future Imperial unity even against present Imperial Ministers. But he was none the less keen in his recognition of any sympathetic states- manship in the Mother Country. Upon one occasion, he asked Lord Aberdeen as Governor General, to convey to Lord Ripon the warm appreciation of his colleagues and himself, concerning the Colonial Secretary's general admin- istration of affairs with which Canada had been connected. In the Behring Sea arbitration, he showed the inheritance of those judicial qualities" of mind and intellect which make British diplomacy and legal administration the admiration of the world. His broad views thus gave. him an Imperial reputation and standing ; ' hia conduct of Trnpenal matters made him a British statesman in the fullest sense of the word. / -■ 81B JOHN THOMPSON. 406 CHAPTER XXiy. The IsTEu-CoMNiii, Confisbiwok. ' * «st» and unity hTh. f . P™""'™ »* I-nperial inter- even atpreaen"^: .nS in hLtv th Tf 'r '"8- «■-. ence of 1894 w 11 1« 1!^^' ^""''-Colonial Confer, the chain of cireajLn^KrA""""""'''' ■■""Ment in British ^^:XZ^^^''^y'?'^-^^---^ •o fo^ nJy of thcTtint of unST """""■ °' ""-" pe Jw«;^:'^rn °^"» '^'^'- » i^a? »» i„. of A-U3t™,ia aL sorhlfrici'Tr ""r °' ""^ p-p'" Canadian Pacific Railway h^„.% construction of the Bnti^ ™t"en.ent ^dXartrrrcl'""'^™ *» which are now reachino- „„. V ', , ^"^^^'^^'^saod towna -t; provided an^^m^rirhiXlT^^rlh't'"' *'^' •«ope and munitions of war • ^77 , . I"' '«™POrt of that unity of Canada whT^ in .nr^f"" """"""i^'y commenced at Confedolt^ Bvth f"""' '"*' ■»«" •hip line from VancouvTr Tsv?^ T''°° "' " »*««»• l«»e anbeidy whichTnd Its fh:^;'"''. "" ™""« "' ^e to line of eteamersttel A.„!r'"'rSP''"°" »' « ^zr"."^ '°™"^ -"^'«S'ir:.r,^-'t'i!:! commercial relation, whi^h s^i\-^^}^ the cIosm -nthe^^^i^r^roSI™^^ ^L«f^*Vjslfe M*i*3 i.u- 406 LIFE AND WOBK OW What the statesmanship of Sir John Maodonald initi- ated, the brief ministry of Sir John Thompson continued. The mantle of the great Imperialist had fallen u^on one who was well able to appreciate the importance of the in- heritance and to aid in developing the practical side of the far-reaching problem which is the noble birth-right of every British citizen. Early in September, 1893, Mr. Mac- kenzie Bowell, Minister of Trade and Commerce, had been sent on an official mission to the Australian Colonies for the pui^>ose of seeing what could be done in the direction of extending interchange and promoting a mutual know- ledge of requirements and resources. His intimate acquaint- ance with Canadian affiurs m^e him in this connection an ideal diplomatist, an advantage which was further en- hanced by a personal enthusiasm in the missioa - But fortunately as it turned out — ^he found it was impossible to n^otiate satisfactorily with so many distinct Colonies ii^the short time at his disposal, and arrangements were therefore made foir the Conference ^hich met at Ottawa \ on the 28th of June, and to which South Africa and ^the Imperial dovemment joined in sending representatives. During his Belleville speech on the 2l8t of September, Sir John Thompson had referred to this Imperial policy in words which seemed to arouse the strongest sympathies of his audience : " We have sent different lines of steamships to every part of the world. We have subsidised th^m on the Pacific to the Eastern countriea We have subsidised them to Australia, and we are holding out inducements to get upon the Atlantic th« finest line of steamships, or as fine a line, as crosses the ocean in any part of the world. To-day one of those steamships on the Pacific is carry- ing the Hon. Mackenzie Bowell to seek to exteusl the hand of fellowship wd frietldship and intercourse of trade with "ffie Austral^ Cblonles, InTthe most distant part of the Empirt." iW «B JOHN THOMPSOMk 'f^ 407 •mmento to l.T„r^ »~^ I6th--tM the Gov. -with th.^'hL's^tsft'r' ""''•' "'• »»-» «af««M, to be hdd in cl^r^?* '?° P~P°«* » • b* derided as nnworthv «» .k "*'.'^"™ ■« not one to oommen&J inte«,te Z^'i /'r"."" ■"* ""'y ""at the promotion of Se^L^ 1 "'^ ""* "^""l-J by bat th^ we shaU^ d„- T ""^ "°"*^« ""l 0"«4 mt«^7the^pt, He 5'"'"1J?.""' "'^" *» «■.' our fdlo,^.>olon&d oZtj-'*"'"' " ""^ "^ «.. i^mi»~n Lttf S^Lt -"'^ *» ">« «PiW of moat aotabie men fo,™ T?^ '"""""• '" » 8«">erinR of From Great Sritj^lrre C 1 T ^"*^ "•'"■• who h«J been for ««^l^l. , °' ''"fy- «0«0- New South W,J« ?!,^T ?kT' P°P"'" '='»V»"'<» •' ' Thomas Playtori f.!!!^ ^''"' .*""'™"» «"»« ««• Hon. ^ in tondol^^w ^^rV' "" -"* ^-'-a-- I»d the Hon. N K^d •.^™''*'*"'; T"-""" Mr. Alfred La«».Smi*K ^- ° . °®®* "»*»» »n t^e peraon of days gone by. Queen«l*n^ » 'raser, a Canadian of «.d b, the Boa Williap, F.^„«, oTpe^^^:::'^ ■:i 408 llFE AND WOBK OF centre of a new policy of Imperial expansion under the inspiring ioftuence ofMr. Cecil Rhodes— sent Chief Justice Sir Henry do Villier?, Sir Charles Mills, Agent-General in London ; and that most striking personality, the Hon. tTan Hendrick Hofmeyr^ the loyal leader of the Dutch element at the Cape. Canada yras represented by the Hon. Mackenzie Bowell, who was deservedly elected President of the CoQference; Sir Adolphe Caroh ; the Hon. G. E. Foster; and. by Mr. Sapdford Fleming, C.M.G., whose enthusiastic interest in ijhe question of cable communica- tion had made his name so familiar in what may be called the politics of the Empire. - - • . ^ the opening of, the Conference in the Dominion Senate Chamber was a function of unusual brilliance The Earl of Aberdeen, Governor General of Canada, pre- sided, and delivered one of his characteristic speeches in welcoming the delegates.. The Chamber, aside from the many Colonial delegates and visitors, was crowded with distinguished men from all parts, of the Dominion, and with hundreds of ladiea It really presented a most splendid spectacle, in appearance as well as in the wide interests which such an assemblage embodied to the reflective on-looker. Lord Aberdeen's address was ^ost effective, and patriotic jii the broadest sense of the word. Sir John Thompson followed, and welcomed the delegates in a speech of exceptiopal eloquence. Stirred up by the occasion, he for once allowed his loy^y and Imperial aspirations to find full vent in a brief but really delightful effort. Friends and spectators say that the late Premier never looked so well, so dignifieid, so impressive, as he did on this historic day. In appearance and in speech, he appeared more than worthy to represent Canada brfore the delegates from so many parts of the British world. ^^rmeing the seutimeuttt of welcome teiri&y all Cana "I CJ peopl oT th Empi] ambit then e the O connec of con distiirl war. *' we re patrioti pure bu — ^mattf telegrap divides people, s Anc own vie^ and will gatheriuj assemble countries thecoloni codsider Country, brethren, faith whi( concluded would be* not only i^^M"^^^ MB TOHKTHaMlweft ^. . people, filled with ZXX "1^ «^°>bled. that „„- Of their ow. oo„„^' ^ifTT ""!. ""''"P-^t Empire, are delighted' rte»hf I' r^'""'"* "' "-o "nbition in the ^ter cokntiH: '""'""'«» "f tl" »ame then e^preseed pt«^ "J t« /""t"^ *"" ""'<■' "e the Conference S b^ 1 ° '"t* "";' ">« "So-^ion, «' »• patriotism «id hr^r^riort''.^'" '-'"'-O-t pure business, needinHhT!^ f^ ^' "'°''* "» ""'"«" of -matte™ co^eewl tb tTwr.r"°"..'"'''°™«°y tel^pha- He went on t skZ tta frf ''"' ""' l"^ divides the Colonies should bZW tL '''.° ,°°^.'"'«'' peopje, »d f„ the p^„cts thaTtT: .1'^^ ^ ••"■^ .«. ri-th: iteit'-^re-o^i™? "^ MMmble Irfter long yea„ „f !!r °' """ <'<''<««tes • countries, yean, of e^^" «>lf-«ovemment in their thecobm„ ofZ C^\C*'^ """ ''''™'»P«'»t th«, colder the ZS „f I ".•''°""'' ""'P"'; »<"'<' County, hut ^Xht ot S^rVre.::' T'" brethren, and to plight anew withTll u *u ""'^^^ ** faith which has nevilTZJ^^\ *^°*^^' ^»<^ *»»»* concluded by exZs.C ^! k 7u °' ^^^'^^'^^ '' He would be;but'4L'3el^^o^:^Ll^^^^^ , not only m^ jp Caniidr^n!?^ > "^'^^^ ^^ ^h^" / 1! ].;- ^ ^ 111 ,.^. -^ is^S ^■■ 410 LIFE ANT) WORK OF greater facilities than we now possess, the people whom they represent." Ix)rd Jersey spoke earnestly, and to the point, concern- ing the opportunities and possibilities of the Conference. In the course of his speech he turned to the Premier and said : "i should like also to express thanks to Sir John Thompaoji for having had the boldness and the foresight to call Ithis Conference together in order to bring these subjects within the range of practical consideration.' He went, on to say that tl\e spirit which inspired him was one of "absolute sympathy with the far-seeing policy Which has called us together"; and continued: "It is with wonder that I think of what Canada has done, ^to bring \the northern and southern parts of the Empire together. She has linked the two great oceans after an exhibition \)f courage and constancy and skill which has never been suS passed in the history of the world. She has made hei country the half-way house of the Empire." Facing the^ Canadian Premier once more the speaker concluded : " Sir John Thompson, in the, name of the country which I repre- sent, the Mother Country, I take up the pledge of faith which you have so a^ly and eloquently tendered, in the full belief that the result of this Conference will be the strengthening of those bonds of affection and of interest which shoi^d always bind each part of the Empire together." / In the evening a great banquet was held/ Sir John Thompsoni was unusually witty and graceful, and in the course of his speech made a reference which deserves to be recorded aa being both effective and charming : "We have all been strivikg to express the heartiness of the welcome we desire to aL^ord the delegatea For my part, I cannot do better than! recall a greeting I observed was lately offered ^ the Coiiptess of Aberdeen, during her tour of bene- volence in Hjwland : ' You are as welcome as sunshine.' " A Conferi a lengt come uj basis to results: summai t . Union i Empire. n preferen andSoui ni. of certai ties, whi( theCoIoi IV. oommuni( foreign o V. A the snrve borne in Govemmc VI I assistance steamship to the Am But t creased ace tries, requh AS the me] Australians country, lei MR JOHN THOMPSOM. ^^j »™lt» in detail ^ZtST T^*^"" e"'"* ^^'^ *« .«mm.ri«d « foW "" «»"'«*« ""y b. briefly Union lt^'"^';::;°^-"'»'«'">>li.l.iog . custom? Empire. ""' ^^'"'"'I'b'otW portion. 0, the P^fot^ ^r„S^^,l:''^/von, of and South Africa. between Canada, Auafcralasia of <^^rrcoil:^j^^^^ ties, which hampered wl^l ^^ «»ten»atu>i»aUrea. the Coloniee ^"^ *^" agreemento between IV. Approval of immediate atemi tnr. «k* • • -teamships. by divendon of the^i"^ ^^^ '^ <" Bnt tlie resolta which foUow n«tBr.lL 2. on»«d ..^aaintanc, with each^vKta^ •"."• tnee, requirements and reeoureei'were "!f «d mdiis- « the mere resolutions p.Srir?^1"""I»'*»°»- -t.y.le«»«, -.thing of it.'^tSrS ^^l^k^iiu^ii^t^u > II 1 1 I 412 LIFE AND WORK OF developed wealth, its institutions and productions. They told the Canadian Ministers in conference, and the Gana-" dian people at the hjinquets tendered them in Ottawa and Toronto, Montreal and Quebec, something of the prosperiiy and possibilities, the loyalty and the aspirations hf^ federal unity, which characterized the Australasian «^ other Colonies. The representatives of the countries ''cop- cemed, found that the United States had gradually devel-' oped a trade with Australasia which was well worth being considered and divertted— a commerce which had increased from $4,200,000 in 1860, .to nearly $20,000,000 in 1892. And the great bulk of this trade waa' a^ten to be in products which Canada excels in^anuf0l^ring, or in articles of a kind which she now obtains largely^ fi-om the United States instead of Austy^a. The Republic was found to export to those Colonies considerable quantities of agricultural inaplements, qttrriages, chemicals, fish, manu- ^ factures of iron, steel, leather and paper, petroleum, and manufactured tobacco >nd wood. Yet, although the Dominion can compete in nearly all of these products, it only sent them froi?/ $300,000 to $500,000 worth a year. Hence the very evident opening for a substantial inter- change. Du ing an informal discussion at the Conference, Mr. Suttor enumerated as the articles which Australia could sell to Canada' : wool, which is produced in immense (juantities, frozen beef and mutton, which c{in be got in Sydney for tWo cents a pound and costs twelve cents in British Columbia, canned meats, raw hides and skins, hard woods for railway ties and street paving, fruits such as lemons, oranges and mandarins, and sugar. Amongst the things which could be taken fr«m Can- ada would be paper, which is not made in Australia, cotton goods and frozen and canned salmon. Mr. Lee-Smith stated that the Massey-Harria Co., of Toronto, had already IB. They the Gana-" tawa and trosperiiy dan tt|^ tries Iwjl- lly devel- rth being increased 1892. to be in ig, or in from the iblic was uantities ih, manu- lum, and agh the xlucts, it 1 a year, al inter- oference, Australia immense 3 got in cents in BS, hard such as '-: ' irte ijj Douglas Stewart, »m Can- k, cotton e-Smith ah%ady ^ \ %jk^ i&M^ t s t <\ A ■^ shippe could E skins, Other . matchc the Do could 0 lumber plemeni Th Qovemi toce, wi a hope . some syi the gre< "struck ii^,"an discuiSsec commerc poG»ible i in divert] leading b connectio lation LB 1 settle the sentiment tunity ma / quickly." At a Fraaer, M. the Premi The majoi they conldi hisrebk^k JS^ SIB JOHN THOMPSON. Shipped 4.000 culiivatorB to New Zealand Thi.f r i'" could send woolen goods, superior g«2 a^d flaf 1 I'h^ Bkins. and ^ould Durelia«« W«« ; i '™° "'"•*»»<* »bbit Other artides menCneTbyTewtT"' ''^ "^^ ^^'' could ofter wool, diamond^ wine aiSTT 5 *^^ ^^^ some aystem of ImperW CWoiM Unim H. T i^ the gwettag give- by the (SlU^ P„„°X r"- *" r^""" ''". » "»y be, geaerationa Suran OD^ |/ JSy^ ""' ■"" "»"•««»«"«'• •' time ^T' msOT, M.UC, of Viotorm, bat a native o( Nova SooJa fte Rem,,r m«le a ve^r pl«»„,t rfter^j^er apT^ He oommenoed by expreaeing gnat iul '^i-' &ilft^^taK^ . . . _. '.^ ,lA»^]^i.^. y tl^ j?i«at mass of M Imperial people. But it is safe to say that history will cto it justice: and that down through all "the ringing t^hwvesi of change" its resolutions and results will be carried As ^e first public political plank in the re-construction of the British Empire. *fr,' ^t .-A* B a.n r* WSl^rfw ■^■^fiiUiS. SIH JOHN THOMPSON. 417 CHAPTER XXV. Later Events in a Great Life. In the middle of March isoj. « nor the public had nn,r ». ^^ession. iiut neither he ^Ho„sed„..,!:ri.t:it:rdts frp"-*-'- facilitated the desp«.cn'u\N°V'' '«^«" '<»• having and perform the imnnrf^^t TV- ^"° *° ««' ""ay called at Pari, .•! v^„t°\^""* ^"'""' "•« had beej -- of Patriotisn. »7p„h,i?C na^H?'"'''^'' opportnnity, and they hav"^ ~nf'S •antw""!-""" *'"" e^n^ ""' .an that Z .. ^ndTX^r - tSt: :vi!;:n'7l'S"l'' ri ^"^' promised in the preceding ol- . "''"''' had been fir John Thompinfd IfStl/"''^.'*"" "^ »our of Westera Ontario " ""''»'«»^"raw the totumn changes made was the^°° T^ """ ^^ "^J^ct in the J-duatriee. and the t^endou, work of " »*'' !^ """-^ •ome 900 items had affi»ted i- »1™ V composed of Att^WVj i^si&Mifc liMA V <^ j^i^ i-^ji^SiAii&ifc'tv k&' 418 UFB AMD WORK OF the Finance Minister, and almost prevented him from taking part in the Inter-Colonial CJonference. The whole tariff was changed ; many of the specific duties were altered to ad-vahrem ones ; and a general lowering took place. . Mr. Foster estimated the total loss of revenue at one and a half millions. The Toronto Mail, which would hardly be considered as too friendly at that time, thought four millions nearer the mark, and declared that the marked reductions in the new tariff ** from the public and business point of view are to be commended." While the Bude^et discussion was still going on, an interesting event took place on the 9th of April, when a com- mittee from the Sir John Macdonald Club, of Montreal, pre- sented to the Conservative members at Ottawa, a very handsome portrait of Sir John Thompson, to be hung in the party caucus room of the House of Commons. Sir John's speech in acknowledgment was most felicitous. He began by saying that " the genial and loyal spirit of the Club, in making the presentation is admirable be- yond description, and the shortcomings of the picture are unhappily all my own." Then in a more serious vein and with a significance which could only be realized afterwards, he added : " That leads me to think that bye-and-bye my shortcomings may be forgotten, as more important questions arise on the political surface. Our hope for the future is not that I shall for all time, or for a very long time, continue in the leadership of the party, but that the party shall continue to be led by the lieutenants of Sir John Macdonald from time to time, the men who believe in his principles and are prepared to fight for them.' A few days later, on the 12th of the month, the Premier indicated his interest in all questions of moral ~^orm, by attendSig a meeting of the KatiOnftl Uoim" of Montreal, L«dy Ru2^T^''Jt''"'^- «"• Drun,n,ond, M- Grant M^iLaJ^*:- J^^^-J^. of Win^peg. .„d- left a crowded Houm L^ ''"'^'o- Sit John Thompson «cat. .nd aeconde^T^fron'"'^'*"' ""»'« 'o "« ^ the new o:ganization^°Sd " ^^""^"^ ""» ">««" "«' of the conntiy.by promrtil T *° "•" ''^»' "««■« sympathy «.d plCl^f r"*' ""'*^ »* 'hought, olaasesandsectiL^h:^.,--'^ ""''- "^ «" He commenced a bri^f K * • Canada, and then referring .^,ji . ""' ''"'"en of Parliament on the HUK ^iieh h 'n'*'''- *" " "■" ''™"'er he continued, "that itJnSuJ^ t^'^' ''"^ """P"." the resoit of this movel^^t tCZ. ""'' °' '''»'^'' '^ law-abiding people_the^lr«„r "'•'"" ™'y"" "«»» hnt that we have the b^t 0^^!, ™ "" °" «haritie»- the world" After a XTrfK'^"*"" °' °^««' » public men should fee] 2 L „^! »PP"ci.^ion which belief that it would "bfad to^h. *^' ^ "i"*»«J «« cifenahip, all those wto*^"" '^^P^'hy and closer work." HeapokeofhispleasZir^T^" "'^'^''k regarding the conaoUdati^TtTe c2?''^*'"'"~'"«»"» necessity of incufcatine i»tri„«l •^'" P°°P'» «»i%.>ly£Wtj4ia.'>>s/^V..' i,Mm -. •^:ili^ tions I^ono — con voice cite ifrt had sti makinj to a rj reply t "just i gaged i of violj Sp ber 4th, to his ^ far asi this coyi ance con can be a pathy w quent q\ subject, 1 given in tnind has power of and I W01 dieted if i G to ^t th whether h There iso MB JOHN •moiiP80N. ^gfi ■■ the time CLZtZ itZ. "^ '""1 """""■^ «"* «oM of the 6^ •' wLnt^ ""y ,•" °''« of tte great qnes- p-»oo.ced„;f„,7f;eirbe^'-„'^jrr"'^'^ -wnaideriiig the interest of ™T . Gbvemment *ve^b«^ wi<« ,:^^» Irbe^'S^S^V"':?'''^ *" voice of the DeoDle." i-* «> fflMted-to obey the oite was taken^C Sir O^f"" « *""* ''"* »' » ?'«>>■•»- »f vioIatiBg the w7 ^"^ """* ""k' the riak W .t?K wre^tpE"* r ?"' "■ °*'- to his views • •■ I Z L^ •^ir "^ "P'y *<> » q»«T " far ^.itH" Jve f»r?f^r "^^ P"""*"!™ taso-' , thisc„,ntry.a:Z JL^X^^afwI-t^r"" " ance 0.„„„„uy are endeavouCrll t''\**"r- an be adopted-and enforced iTLT . " P^^ibition pathy with that n,oC^» In 1 "'^- ^ "«' >" ^- q«ent qnestions concZZ i„i^.!^°~»'»" "i* "•b'e- s-bjeet^hi, opinio^rrc^S^-*":;*^^^^^^^^^ ? i:Mh:^''U 424 LIFE AND WORK OF As to the Prohibition Commission which the Govern- ment had appointed in 1891, he stated at Durham on Sep- tembet 29th that "the object was to get information for the pibople as to what was going on in Canada with regard to the liquor traflSic and the results of experience in other countries in the way of suppressing it" On March 29th following these speeches he received an important deputa- tion of temperance people at Ottawa, but positively refused to give them any official promise or pledge. He pointed out that the Boyal Comipission had not yet reported, and ■ \ that the matter involved a displacement of revenue to the extent of nine millions of dollars. Business considerations for the moment were more important than sentiment, and this he practically told the deputation ; refusing to play in Any way to the gallery of prohibition votes to which one delegate called his attention. The discussion of the French treaty in the House dur- ing the early part of July was interesting apart from the allegations regarding differences in the Cabinet over its ratification. The temperance people did not at all like it, and the vine-growers were afraid of it. Sir John Thomp- son handled this part of the subject in his speech on July 10th : '• I appreciate and endorse what has been said by several members of this House, with regard to the advan- tages which would accrue to this country from the increased consumption of the lighter wines instead of the whiskey and other spirits which are in general consumption to-day. . . . The wines of this country, I am informed, are sold more cheaply than 'the French wines of the same class, and tjifl.jiuty which will still remain, one would think would be a very considerable protection indeed to th6 wine growing interest of this country." He appealed strongly to the House to sanction the Treaty, because it had been negotiated with and thiongh Imper event should less tc policy. A certain House ( and inci had bee Israel T for proc allegatic time he statemen thesg paj July irti style. ,But during th tobs scho Public A( evidence i part in, h place, how writing of was as qui for a reply one else, if and practi where for ( fMjL ydi^'t'^,j^>«, r^i- ^^ -/• . t SIB JOHN THOMPSOW. 435 '« <» «y th/rvwll^ ''"'yr''^«*''y- Need- policy, ""vernment was fully supported in its and inco«8eque»ti»| bat ^n?^"', ' """^ « '<^ ''^ne l.~l been fl„V attL ^7^ *. "^ ""P^'"^^. -aS™ Israel Tarte. "^ j'Zt "^''^i^i'-'-^V »>y Mr. J. allegation, to a Con, Jtlb^tK '" ™''°'"«"g 'he time he obtained evMen» n.\ ''"* "'™^ «»»»- statements were bZlT ' ."""y- '' ""' ""»'. "f the the., particuT::: tt*^n,"r ^b^tt*^ T'l^""""' "'«' ^;^ntMna ICeal .peXdr^fn hlstna^tS .i"i."i:Tes:?ori^tt?nr -"^ ^-^-■'"^ tob, Mhool,. and hi. It^l t'T","* "PO" •*« «"»!- Public Acco;,nta S^lt ' "■* """«'' ■■" "■" evidence nader oath, w^ about ti.^,'"''Y "' '"""e part in, beeide. fh«e XJS„ 1 ^? ""i^ °"'"«?» •"« t«>k place, however, ev^dav £.1 "'';'^- "« "« ™ k" writing of letter, Sw™ w^S o^"!^' ""'"'^ » «» W.8 a. quick as ever to ^.^ 1°'.'^ f''°^^fP- he for a reply, and to dlr^n^tiri i^,.""*^'"^ one .fee, if he did not car. tL !ZTT .'. '*""■«'' «"»• "d practically hi.^no^;r*.r° .^" '""^ where for eight 'rnrTt.ZTa ""•House of Common.. ■'I'l fv^i IH If ' ^^%4i'^ v 426 LIFE AND WORK Olf Her Most Gracious Majesty tho^Que'en, tendering cordial congratulations upon the birth of a son to Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of York." His first speech in the House had been in defence of the execution of a rebel against Her Majesty's authority ; his last words ^ in the" House consisted in an offering of its congratulations 1^;. to the Queen ; his last act in life was the receiving of a high honour from Her Majesty's hands. On the 20th of August Sir John paid one of his some- what rare visits to Toroito, in order to inspect the Island construction works at the request of the City Council. He came down from Muskoka, where he had been having an all too brief holiday, and was, of /bourse, presented with a long address. Later in the day hfe was given a banquet at the Pavilion on the Island, amongst the guests being Sir John Gorst, Q.C., M.P., the distinguished English Con- servative statesman, who happened to be in the city ; Sir Frank Smith and Mr. Clarke Wallace. The Premier's speech was full of patriotic aspiration. He expressed the belief that sectionalism was disappearing ; that the time ll^ad comp for the young men — born in the days of Confed- , eration — to take their place in the field of Canadian public life, and to realize that " the first principle of national life, national obligation and national hope, is that they are ^ Canadians above and before everything else." He con- tinued with a reference to Sir John Gorst's presence ; to the statesmen of England, wha are " the statesmen of the Colonies as well " ; and to the recent Inter- Colonial Con- ference. He concluded with an utterance of unusual warmth: " We are not ashamed or afraid to speak of our loyalty. It is not at all a mere boast. It is not a mere sentiment — Tl John oi ceremoi ref aivei Preside reply 1 making oration. British I "Ai that it ii between may, in this Doi institutic true Can ftll the S8 floats ov( selvea j help to 81 the Dom which the gained an of which The J sehtimenti and was a that stronj to btincom conceal fix Hard! great a sentiment as it is — but it is the sense that under the rale of our present Sovereign, this vast Empire is the empire of the colonies as. well as of Great Britain herself^ ~^. I" \ 8IR JOHN THOMPSON. ^ ^g? T 1. '"'^3''*""*^ Industrial Exhibition wm opened bv Sir th./^^ ''°^*'^ *^ P''*^"^ ™«»»°* this country I BHserfc all the Monftces we cm, make to see that the C^h ^«f^y a week later the Pr«mi lift ftlrtn^.irfcW" ••* " tn _' ' • • -_- ^ '/ iAMl ■n^cjidix f f rft'''*fj^ ■■ 5^ 428 isnsASD WORK or others, he unveiled a monument at Springhill, N.8.,- erected to the memory of 125 men who had 'met dei^th by an awful explosion on February 2l8t, 1891. His woMs wore few but he took occasion to point out that the Canadian people' were aa fully prepared to face difficulties undaqntedly a^ were ever the brave miners of Springhill. In cpnclusion bir John read a poem in commemoration of the event composed by Mr. W. 1^ Heffei-man, as voicing his own feel-' ings and that of his audience, / ' - j>. - Following this came thi unveiling of the monument to Sir Jqhn A. Macdonald, in Queen's Park, Toroftto It is a notable fact, that wUhin little more than a year of h^s own death, Sir John Thompson performed the chief cere- monies at three memorial fuiictions. And tbe compara- tively few statue^^ Which are .raised in Canada to the memory of departed greatness or present worth, adds to thrforce of this coincidence. At Hamilton on the" 1st of November, 1893, he hhd unveiled the local monument to Sir John Macdonald and deUvered a speech worthy ,to rank with the best ever produced by such an occasion With him at this ivent were a number of the other Domin ion Ministers; Sir Oliver Mowat ; the Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, ^d laeutenant-aovemor Schultz, of Manitoba Senator Sanford. who had done so much as chairman of the committee, in obtaining the necessary funds, presided at the ceremonies and addresses wei« delivered hy Sir Adolphe Caron, Sir Oliver Mowat. Sir Charles- Hibbert Tupper and Mr. N. Clarke WaUace. But the Premier's speech was, of course, the pivotal part of the programme It had evidently been prepared with great care, and per- haps reads better than it sounded amid the disadvant*^ -imltured, pttnoETc and r^Ily beautiftil milogy of «ie chief founder of Canadian Confederation, and of Canadian Oon- Benratism as understood in kter daya - _^-^ * ' -Am'^S^k i^\; iS ->.' - ^., MB JOHN TH0MP8OW. ^j » «.e eari^ dayi „, the Do«I*„'C^^^° ^^"•'* ion was » fa* ; of his wurk for *!■« p ?«*<>« m^Domrn; to the -part;. Sir jThn Z ^ Tf " = °' '^ '»'»»'» l>e » popular delusm*, ■' o--^ xu ^"oweni It used to M^^sraivt:nx?°rr^^^»^^^^^^ wcioDer, 1894, and constituted the la«f n«Mi« *. x. / ~^Sir Job.:^„„p,on w«.'d:setdC'^rft«'i: ' sKm, the troops had turned oot in fonS,. .i. V^ ehild.«n in thousands ; .„d the peopll :rotd. I.-!^':^ M high m IMiiv and f„rf, ft£-.-5 .T*^ -^"'"^ < I ../' / ^lll^^^^^^Wthousand Many Cabinet •ifh ^;„*- . -^T*^* *»»a loronto were presenb, toeether with distmguiahed people from aU part, erf the iond^oT •izy f p , ' i'V 430 I4DFE AND WORK OF Mr. E. F. Clarke presided ; Mr. Mackenzie Bowell paid a fitting tribute to the leader he had served with for so many years ; Mr. G, W. Ro^s, the Ontario Minister of Education, ofiered a most eloquent and generous tribute to the great opponent of his party; Sr Adolphe Caron delivered one of his characteristic orations; Sir Charles Hibbert Tupper was brief and forcible; Mr. Hamilton McCarthy, the sculptoj:, was deservedly called upon for a few words. The Premier's speech was necessarily short in compari- son with the one delivered at Hamilton. But it was none the "less inspiring and interesting. He spoke of the day being the anniversary of that "^eld of glory," the battle of ' Queenston H«%bt8. Sir John Macdonald's waa " the kind of loyalty which believes that the true interesta of Canada lie in British connection and British institutiona" He referred to episodes in the C^eftian's career when he had stood up for the Dominion; when he had dared great thmgs for his country ; when " the flood of patriotism had streamed through hiq undaunted heart." And then, Sir John Thompson concluded, in words, which two ghort months afterwards might well have been applied to him- self. , " May the statue speak of one who was great because he loved Canada much, and loved and served his Empire well, and of whom it waa truly said, in reeoUection of what he had^ accomplished for his country, and the example he had set his countrylBen : • He nothing fean. The long to-morrow of the teming jean.'" ^--'-"""^^ I : } y ^TJ^J 5 f >■-" -.-♦'-HfrOv*..- t. mU..^j> ' ■■ * Jfc^lf»j&Ay-, ,'i*flin'i«r*.rf!! t'4->#6«SL», > l-" ''^iSE •> u<*^J-*i"jn,-.lSE.«s^'>felS8.W'3 J» ViEl 'Jf^^ fcV- » .1..^.^. t .}./■ i- ^,. .- ''-''*. ♦ . 'j0.,'^ • ?'( W* GatbwaV of Windsor Castlb. ■ '('"i /i SIR JOHM THOMPSOK. 488 ^;M., CHAPTER XXVI. Last Da|8 and Draiiaho Death. ^ Minil^c^(^j^S*'V *hafc the Prime 3 • "^^^JHI '"tended to take a trip to EuroDe P«tly m ordejlP,wom in a« a member o Ahe ImSi Pnvy Council ; partly, as his friends knew in oXT^ P^ -'Zl ' f '^'^^'r 7 •- educ^tionrinllit:^ ^ a^ i-ans partly for a rest after the Mduous labouM nf .. oi Moskoka in the conne of the >uinmer had been Ptaent Md benefloi.1, bnt it w« nnderetood that . rt^ *»» .complete rest and change of air was Z»blt li^VT' '"""'™''. supposed that Sir John was in i).. «I.Kh^ dinger, or that his ill-health was tytTJ^tl «han the^natiral «,d ten.pora.y re«,It of C^Z^ faends^did not Uv. the faintest conception that H»3 Wh.t. tb^r "d dirtinguishrf ca.^, ^ J'l^ ■ ArS^to2°3^ ''""'* *" ■» ff"™ THer Majesty r«.- 1^1 K- "f "d most «pre«mteti»e stated aan; while his personal friends were a*aitm» hi. ^T crowned witk ».~ii "» "•«• awaicmg Hit retoni,si ^^^ ""h^y*! approval and vigourom in the eniov- ment of renewed health and strengthT the an^Hrf a T w„ in reality hovering above hisS, ^Z^ht^fwrf ^^^■Ijgejjng slowly athwart «h. r " "* which o66Id ill be spared. ^jl^hat Sir John Thompson w«, to a limited extent •*«. of hi. own d«.gero«s condition is now i^ 484, .'r • I ' • ■ ■ ] V tiFE AND WORK OF ►^'•'^4^ ir ■p^ fchou^h in spite of premonitions, he cpnld hardly hare expected such a sudden and startling termination. Before going to, Mu'i^kolca he had found himself suffering some- what from ailment^ which seemed natural to his physical condition — the stoutness which had "been growing upon him so steadily during recent years — but he supposed that rest and change of air and scene would modify, if they did not entirely remove, the trouble. And with the reticence' which was such a marked feiiture in his ohartKster, he did not tMk of the matter, even to his friends. \ ■■■ Finally, however, he accidently mentioned it, and was at once urged to consult a physician. Later on this was done, first in Toro^ito, then in Montreal, ancf ultimately l)y a, consultation in Ottawa. As a result of this, he received tibe strong advice or three leading physicians— ^Dr. Roddick, .3ir James Grant, and Dr. Wright— to the effect that work should be given tip entirely, and the winter spent in soipe warm country. 1*116 symptoms of kidney and heart disease were declared to be marked, but serious danger might be averted by taking the course outlined. Otherwise his life was liable to be the forfeit But here was displayed. the personal patriotism of the man, and the devotion to duty which had always been such a prominent trait in his character. . He told the doctors plainly, and no. doubt with accuracy, that the bourse they urged would cause him so much anxiety and distress qa account of tiie pdlitical complications it would create, and the disturbance it might make in public affayiv, that the effect woqld probably be worse than if he remained at his work The medical men finally agreed with this view, and consented to a compromise by which he promised t]be, cutting down of his daily wwk, and undertook the mp to l&O]^ which was shortlyAfCerwanto anndunoed: li u dear tl.at he did not r^alice any special nak, aad ^- i i'SP Sm JOHN THOMPSON. . 43. .nch . wealth t afflZ Sttlf •? ""^ ^^"^ """ occasion.1 pre^onirrrthe e^' 1" ""''''". """ "» often come to othe™. Wri^ ^ fK n™"!" "" " '"" «> Weveotfu. journey „f%,^ 2-0 Jt,m:\" "f a most pathetic refflrA««.» ^ ^cji.«oer J7th--he made «»y nothing of its fu7rZh ,• '°"°»^«"« application, ta: and speatine ireaerall» ?*?* ">'"'"='' ^ '«>' sent to him, • .8 follows:^ ^ ' '*" "^t*"""^ l"* "ontinued the Maritime ProvinL^^andl.SwrThart^"'*"''-''' end to the burdens whinK *v, \ ' * *'*®" ^« *^^ •trong^tconSrn 1^^' Sf , r"?^.'""' '"•■ Mqnthsaco4irfft)i;,..i™.jt^; / did not thmic this a few befoK lS«2i! ^ be m latge lette™) I f„„nd it „„t war^ngt^ IrT"""*"'-""- Sometimeathe Cto N^v^th «• ^'u^Sr "^'"ddenly and et«,|y." waa «.^W ||!^ t:Jf=d""^°'^'''"'""^'' JiM Moota Qario, i>roeeeded to ^h^ and^ •EftblkMbytlMkiiid PwmiBsion of Her KxodI«noy to th* wtf^. I •^ ii 1 . ) 'X:i £0U. *t 2»iadi it^v. i'..e' .'« 486 LIFir AND WORK OF thence to Rome.. From there they journeyed to Milan, and afterwards vilited Florenee and Venice. During this trip it i$ understood, that Sir John did some not altogether beneficial sight-seeing, upon one occasion .climbing up ihe steep stairs of the lo% tower of St. Peter's at Rome. Alter three weeks spent in this way, he ireturned to London, reach- ing the metropolis on Nor. 29th. Here, again, he had done a rather unwise thing in hurrying from the Continent to keep an appointment with LOrd Ripon at the Colonial OflSce, travelling all nigh^t and in some discomfort, in order ,to reiach his destination on time. Upon several ocoiisions during this brief tour he h^d suffered from shor«(r6S& of breath and shown symptoms which appear, however, to have bcMi hardly noticed at the time. / From the day he reached London until the night" he left for Windsor Castle, Sir John seems to his»>ve become hopelessly involved in work. The Copyright question was in itself a most complex and difficult matter, ^nd frequent interviews with the Colonial Secretary and others seem to have brought it almost to th^ veige of settlement A little longer, and his clear head and great knowledge of the sub- ject would have achieved the result so long desired and aimed at by the Dominion Government Perhaps the appreciation of this fact drew him on imperceptibly into labpur» which he would have otherwise avoided. Finally, it was announced that on the 11th of December he would be present at the meeting of the Royal Colonial Institute, and would leave for Windsor Castle in the morning of the next day, where he was to be sworn a Privy Councillor by Her Majesty, and remain for dinner and the night . It was " understood also that he intended to sail for home cm the 19th instant, so as to spend Chrisfanas> or a jpart of the l!7hristmas season, witb his family. On the eve of the fateful day, and despite the advice ' ^j&i^4fti,«Si**-i> »*"■'. "•i^H' 'IT- I tr/^' ;■"* . ■ TBI 'OBN 'THOHPSOir. 487 1. w«t to the Royal Colonial Institute in order to hZ Colonial Conference by Sir Henry WriwD oni of Vl,. .X'ttt:^''* '"''"'''-^ wa, Sirir il' k alth' i ■ >■» 'fos-to have been unable to .tay away -though he had during preceding weeke refused the Zy 17 the »ud,ence, would not dispense with^T speech from modesty, he had at first taken a seat in th« background dtid^edt Wr- '"' " '-'' •"*'" "^ "" *^' ^''" That last speech has a pathetic, as well aa a practical ■ value. It showed Sir John Thompson's great ihtZ ta At the same time it pointed out the st^ps which Hw« necessa^ t» take befo« sentiment could'^bo cWstoli^ mto action, and it revealed the policy which hTt^d wo:H'en:He me' *':,"^L'':„7,f f?-' ^^^r"""^ ^heai„nia.I.titute:rV4pri2^^^^^^ we have just heard. The Ottawa Confe^nce had foT^^ ' pnmary and significant teaiu™ the appreeiattn ot Z whole people of the Dominion. B wa, impussibirto have exceedeJ the enthusiasm felt withthe objL of that cZ ' ^ deal bad been said about meetings of that kindLn^ ^»;^nzed^y_adjsp,ay^ ^ntimeiLulaaJZS TTormypari,! look upon it as one otlhe^^ «Me^ m«,t. of the Co»te™.ce. one of the p^jJm^Z tt^' ^'i lilJ'H'k' ^t ... t < -J 4J38 LIFE AND' WORK OF the Conference, that the sentiment of the people of Canada responded instinctively at the first raentidn of the prepara- tions for the assembly." He th^n mentioned the tenders^ which had been received for the Pacific cable, and Wliich indicated a cost of one million pounds less than had been anticipated, and went on to speak of the fast Atlantic service— in which he took so ajreat a personal interest, and to which the Cana- dian Government had offered $750,000— as having sue-/ cess practically ensured. - / Sir John concluded' an earnest and greatly chee^^ speech, which he |iad "evidently made longer than he intended at first, wilth the statemtnt that "the possibpities with regard to tra(^ With all these colonies, at th^ Cape of Good Hope and ii$ Australia and New Zealand are very gre^t. I have not the opportunity or strength to deal fully with them this evening, but in common with Lord Brassey, I venture to hope that the influence of this meet- ing and the, influence of all who sympathize with our projects, will be liberally extended to us, afld that the feeling may be increased here as it exists in the most distant portions of the Empire, that the day liiay come not only when the colonies will be united more closely together, but when they will have a more pnicti cally useful connection with the heart of the Empire itself" It was indeed- sadly appropriate that the last public utterance of Sir John Thompson should have been words of loyalty andthe voicing of aspi rations for closer Imperial unity. After the meeting he seems to have recovered himself somewhat, and Sir Charles Tupper states, appeared in good spirits wjien he left him at his hotel, about 11 o'clock. The t-mominghe started fog Windsor Gastlerwliefi>,i \|»8t one, he was sworn in by Her Majesty as a member of i'l^i- /::■' \ «H JOHN THOMPSON, ' 439 wnew Fnvy OoonoiUore had been made before Ai^ was di^overed, or the Bri&h Emp^d«S oH^ velo^ «^ce her own acoeaeion to the Th^ne w^ep the hand of de^tervened, and closed a caZ^f' Setts r^^'w ^'^ ^^ ^-^^ o"^ night states^j^ttTthe usual formal brevity, that were prewnt the M«que« of BraadalCr^ TU^l^' *' ''''"^ queas of Rlpon/ K.Q SeoMUrvTfsI T* I?"' "* Stewant, the Mar- Arnold Morley.M.P..Po.tma.Ur.Ce^TtM' *'»!«'«»'' Ho»- for th. Earl of Robbery a. Pr-ii^t'te ll^P^'Z l^T T^ ThomiMon, K.C.M.O. QO PiH>n.4.. -j »« . "« Hon. Sir John to-Writiiig." ' ""'"'•'•**'«'*™»"l«d«d(}TO» 'n.en fonow«i the eqnaUy brief etatement that to Her Majeetys great regret^ Sir John Thompson had d^ed eT deiJy of^^cope a few minutea after iWvJIie S" !?:f^^\r.^i"'"^^^" J"*" hadfrLwiii^rg iM«Ufytoit«nidd«i andetarUiagaatu* 4^ , ^ /F. 440 LIFE AND WORK or liord Breadalb^ne at the time gave a full account of the memorable occurrence. "After Sir John had been sworn, we retired to^ the luncheon room. While we were sitting there he suddenly fainted. One of the servants and I each took his arm, got him into the next room^ and placed him beside the window. I got some water and sent a servant for some brandy. In a short time he recovered somewhat, and seemed much distressed at having made what he regarded as a scene, remarking, " It seems so weak and foolish to faint like thia" I replied, " One does not faint on purpose ; pray do not distress jrourself about the matter." He begged me to return to luncheon. Of course I would not hear of thia I remained with him till he seemed completely recovered. He rose to accompany me back -to the luncheon room. I oflfered him my arm, but he walked Unaided. He cheerfully remarked, " I am all right, thmk you." Meantime Dr. Reid, the Queen's physician, whom I had sent for. arrived. Within two or three minutes after Sir Johns's return to the luncheon room, and I believe before he t&sted the cutlet or whatever was placed before him, I saw him suddenly lurch over, and fall almost into Dr. Raid's arms." The room was partially cleared and everything possible was done, but without avail. "*ihe end had coma ^ ' At a moment when Canadians were reading with plea- sure the strong utterance of their Pfemier the night before ; when his family and friends were looking forward to his announced return; when Miss Helena Thompson had just arrived in Paris again after her visit to London ; there came the tidings of that dramatic death almost at the feet of his Sovereign and within the historic walls of Windsor. To quote from the elegy written by Mr. Lewis Morris : And blooaom of hu fortiules. thu sfcrong Of oar great realm tank down Beneath the load of hononn loiiMelj won.** SIR JOHN THOMPSON. 441 Which 80 typified the development, of British power and at to the M„b.« H.U. wh^lua, illt"" ™ "''" '^™ the ^f.rnf .r™"? """ •*"«" «»™ ™tn.ctio™ that the remo«J of the remains to the station should be „^ ■ iil.es upon the coffin, bearing the words: "A mark of sincere respect from Victoria R I- i.\u T^' ■ fanctioa At the last moment -Her Majesty hW^I^ another large wr4th of laurel npon the ooffin-T. wTt was to Uo on it th^ughout the Wa^ to"^'';^" while. Sir Charles Tupper had 'been instructXo ^T. m^^^symyhy to the noMm^Su^ -ffinaBwing cable to the Govetuor GenenuT' J*-" *:. •■..:\ \ar. «itt LIFE AND WORK OF " Th« Queen has personally comman.lo 1 mo to express to Your Excel- Imoy her deep sympathy with the people of Canada in the sad blow which the country has susUined by the sudden and untimoly death of the I^mier." * , As soon as Miss Thompson could be, re called from / iris, she reached Windsor by the Queen's request,* together nth Senator and Mrs. Sanford, in whose. charge she now rm. She wa« received in the Council Chamber, where ler father had so recently been sworn into the Privy Cbun- 5il, and was treated by Her Majesty in a manner not only jympathetio but affectionate. Drawing the orphaned girl to her, the Queen kissed her on either cheek and proffered -, the most deep and sincere condolence. On December 14th, the body of the late Premier waa placed in state in the Chape; of Our Lady, in Spanish Place. The coffin, of which the outer* shell waa mahogany, bore the Queen's wreath and a heavy shield with the inscription : Thk Riqht Hon. Sib John S. D. Thompsok, P.C, K.C.MG., M.P., Q.C. Premier and Minister of Justice of Canada. Died at Windsor Castle, December 12th, 1894 Aged .50 years. R. 1. P. It was placed on a catafalque, which stood upon a carpet of purple and gold velvet, and was draped with a pall of rich black velvet surmounted by a large golden cross. Many prominent people were present at the memorial service, including the Marquess of Ripon, the Earl of Jersey, Lord ^Tennyson, Lord Mount-Stephen, Sir Charles Tupper and Mr. (7ecil Rhodes. Miss Thompson was. also present. The mass was celebrated, at the command of the Queen, by the Rev. Father Longinoto of the Town of Windsor.' Here the remains lay in state for some days. Meantime it was an- ^o^gced that the Imperial Government had offered the almost unprecedented honour of having the body conveyed ^ '■■ A' ^he^ Hon. Sir Charles Tupper. Bart., G.r m "TrrgVCommUswner/or Canada in England. <;.. C.R, ,/ .■ ^ high in draped, wreaths p^atfom dressed guards a body, to as would royalty. All people w As soon i ships in i -the twea ashore w naval and ;^ Mi...^: S-ilk Yy SIR JOHN THOMPSON. ^g tributes of CecTXlTtL n °°'"^""^ "'« '«»' of the had dio Jrl ;^^ ^."°°'' ""^ ">• "•"'«■■ Land Premier ^ ""* """^^ "^ Ga-»<'»'» lamented ;-a,r;?xrtittF"'"'^^^^^ car built of mVhoJnf ^ . ,' """ ' '?'«"<"'» '°°"«1 The ceiling „„ draped'^U SniranTl""rj'''''n'- were hung with black -un. j„.i j .7, ^' "" "»"» caught up^by sLer" In l^** "'"• '""'' »'»"■ ""d cent eataVue, drl^^. bC'rhl?'*': "■«■"«■ M^::' fir^e''^ ^^-^P^^- ^^i: Aed:Jri„it^sr^rd'';rrtrL:rft dressed m mourninff ffarmentM Tn o^r*- . " P.p.t: •^in't:;:^,reeltaS-urb;' As soon as ,fc was sighted outside of Portsmouth Ik^ ^' "lo MToiwy iu.iitite-gmis boomed a m ute and »!.« (i.~. •.bore were dipped. It was received 5 W Kni^ -.1 and military „«,,„ „p^,„„„^ a uCCom,' S^i»«ilib^.'il„».'* .&:Aliw,-^^. B'a ^ J ' •'Tj 446 LIFE AND WORK OP t; two services.and drawn up in front of large detachments of marine^ and blue-jackets detailed as guards of honour. The coffin was at once removed from the train, and carried to the ship by blue-jackets. On either side were the paHibe^rers; in front walked the Roman Catholic Bishop of Portsmouth in full purple robes ; together with a number of dergymeri and priests. Behind the coflBn came Lord Pelham Clinton and Major-General Sir John McNeill representing the Queen ; then followed the mourn- ers ; thfe naval and military oflScers in full uniform ; the Mayor and CorporatioA of Portsmouth in their ^bes of office ; and a mass of people. Senator Sanf ord had ac- companied the remains ifrom London by request of Sir Charl«8 Tupper, who waa prevented through illness from giving the personal attention which was necessary. '"He also crossed in the Blenheim. As the procession commenced to move, the gejieral sileiice was broken by h crashing discharge of guns from the Victory, Nelson's, i^med war-ship. The massed bands played the dead march, and all the sailors and marines reversed their arms. When the coflSn was carried upon the Blenheim there was another crash of artillery and more funeral music, while the officers on board salpted: , A most imprdwive appearance jras ^presented by the great .war-ship. Her sides were paitited black ; her wide gangway was dmped with black Cloth ; as was also, the way to the morti^jary chamber. Everything, even to the minutest detail,. hadl)eeh arranged in the most perfect anJ mournful harmony. A short and solemn service wfi^ held in the captain's room, which had been fitted up for the reception of the coffin. Here upon a handsome ""/'r- ^"'»* •»'' ">» «nd th» ZTf "'''"' °' ""> Canadian Premier whli'rtrt^ricsroar-'^-^"^"'''^ f tried toaid in J.f ™°°"'«™«'e of tte ocean which hehad shown by tLeOu^l^'^J"*'*''*- Theeentiment deed be .ppre^S L fh 7 '^ '^entatiw, could in- aJso with r^u^L » "^^ TP'* "f ':'»»»^»- A»«««ion throagh Packed wiq> pJeplf X,:!,'^' «««■ aUif" Kife., Z pouring ,«2 *1^, d«v S f° **" ""'""g for «« . ^ the,.j«^to™, whii: *f ^ISufTie'Ljt! '*''"«' »' ■ ?: the surroundings of sorrow l««inonized with , ""y.cMried'thrgixiirr '^^'"r "^ «■■' ^'hp^ «a room, where it W In i!f T ° ""* I«gM»tive CW Here, for a few bri^J minu^ fe"^ 1^ «»««Kug day. , ^nelt»^entp™yerb:Set;^St,'S?^ ^'"''"" , faend and His ExeeUenor's loval^- ^^ departed . '^"■tiful .chamber was J^^li ^.- i™"""- ^« '»% "d Pui-fe silk and iire^S,^ y "^l^ •" '"«^'»<' *« -"b h»"g 1.1S^.^ts^f"B*f°'"^"«"' "P°- ■ffld of Nova Scotia's h;„ J ^"'*"» monarchs"^ upon the remain, of Xcrji p""™' '"""^ -^o™ >««> 30 linked his na«™ I^:^""-,!r'"- "'"' " -J"* SoveroignV sympath/ T^J wXw '^T'""^" °* "" ™»h»ere; the .,S^dows w«e Z„ Tj'''*^ » ""k drape of puq,le, trimiZ wSlk^ ??^ "'"• «■ o™'" were fi»med ilil^&S^ "*• ' "" P<*™> ':="o^f'r^,r|'|?i^-"r I-dT Aberdeen wS wCS^^K^ snread ctcSm n.i««; .a_ ,^^ with «,tin, ^ttTCe ",dTL*'''''>P«»-> . «% *■■ m i''^. •v.- •, 4^. ■■■i^ ^ -;?.. 'p ~ 450 ipiFK AND WORK QF .-s^. and cord Behind the catafalque was a raised dais on which rested the almost innumerable wi-eaths from all parts of Brttain and Canada. Just below the Queen's memorial were the maple leaves and shamrocks from Lord and Lady Aberdeen, while near by were flowers in every conceivable form of beauty and abundance from Sir John Thompson's late coUea^es; from the Governors of the various Provinces; from Conservative organizatiops throughout Canada ; from the Marquess of Ei'pon; from Ihe Royal Military Colle|?e at Kingston; from the British Colonial Officft During* the 2nd of January, thousands and thousands of people passed through the Chamber where lay the remains of the honored Canadian statesman. AixHind the catafalque stood a guard of honour composed of members of Parliament, who replaced each other ib turn during the day and the succeeding night. Inside, the throng passed slojvly, steadily and respectfully through the Chamber. Outside of the heavily draped buildi^jg, other thousands i^tiently and soleipnly waited their t^M All the arrangements of this memorable state funeral were splendidly carried out. At six o'clock on the follow- ing morning the c(^n was quietly removed to St. Mary's Cathedi^l where it was placed upon the lofty catafalque prepared for the purpose., At an early hour the noble cathedral was filled with suph a gathering of representative men" and women as had never been seen in Canada — not even at the famed burial of Sir John Macdonald. The in^ terior of the sacred building was in itself unique. It wa^ magnificently draped in all the possible emblems of a ruif tion's mourning. The walls were hung in black to within four feet of the floor, where the base was of purple cash- mere. Qver the windows were silver crosses. Between -th«a were hand6■:*!> jtit'^ii.* i' m 4i BIB JO^N THOMPSON. , '461 »ilv.r. Th. ceiling for3 a„ "^ *"* ^'"^''- 8»'a ■»<) .while the ««ho'^,r:f;;':rr"'f "'".''" ""'p^' altar cloths were d.the ^.^Zr.T.S^'C"''', '"■"■""'«» ' and the pewa were H~n^ .""""reel with purple cwhmere ; th. Epi^pal ^ne ^ ". ?"P'' '"'' "»!«• Behind the Govemo.Gener.1 anrilSy Ah,M« ^^i ^^' ""'' emore of Ontario Oneh.. w .T ^°' 'he Xient-Qov- «oo« ; Sir j1* S^^^n^T':^^ ""-"Bo-e^ representative, f^„ ve^3°°J *^,<'°;.<«'"»': and ■ jndicial, political, religZ, "L „ \'^»ff'?gi»l«Mve,,. nation., bodies of the iZ& ^a^"' "'"'"^ »>J «end"X?srei -%irc;:rtrth"'^ '•''"-' Hisi.^h?^„eXrbTht^„"f j^7;'^- .^'"^ bishop B&in of Onebeo • 1,«,m,- u ^ Halifax ; Aich- ofSt.lhn,Ki ilet,i?l'„'''*'T'''"'*; «" Bishop^ *<«ether with a «»t r«m,^ "'r'""' "^ ^'""•■"''etowS^ tariea. IT,."' dSIL!" ' """""■ "ee'esiastical digni- choir. «ia Ud b^ ~- n" «9»"itely rendered by the i.i*p&.todoii«tl^Lt' r°^,«»"«^«o»- It effective faneral Wl^^it f ?'P»">««'^ S««>eful and Th^cawer of S^^„ tI' *"' Archbishop O'Brien. •-« ^' ^"« *°d the conscientitiB fulfilment ^-^--^r:^ % 4S2 -. .V4-V LIFE AND WORK Or of onerous duties," which had made that career bo impor- tant, and so fitted to " adorn thj^|jli$mP8nE^nati^ and be an exaflbiple and^instruction to future generations," The late Pir^ji^ier had not succeeded by eitemal influences ; by paudti^g to passion or prejudice; by cuni|ing arts or coii'ulP^evices. It was rather by "a faithful observance of JheTlSw of labour imposed by the Creator on the human ra^f^together with intellectual gifts of a high order, strengthened and made perfect by a deep religious spirit" , The ArQh|bishop referred at some length to t^ie Chris- tain life and character of Sir Johiii. HLs religion had! b^n of a kind td> develop and expandnijiis intellectual attai mentd ; give consistency to his actions ; strength km • v^pur to his i^asoning ; " The way he sought the Lord in goodness and liiWicity of heart is known to his frienda ife recognised it to be the first' duty of a Christian to follow the dictated of consci^ce and to make his life an ' outward eicpression >of hisp^in^ird convicUoua" At the conclusion of the masi a^d His 'iGrace's mdinorial ad Now the' battle cU^yPpaafU '*j|St^"€ NowlipoAthefar^ireho* -^ Landa the voyager let last. Fathw, in Thy gracious keeping ■j*| .V" % Leave we not»r Thy Servant deeping." ^^ ^. ■ J. ■ , ' , Then, as the vast .audience stood in reverential silence, 4 the solemn tousic of the Dead Maifch peaTed from the or^ui and the coffin was carried to the funeral car. Troops lined j*^ /t *' a^' ^';^?^W!^'r SIB JOHN THOHtlSair, AM. mo atreeta from the C«tli«1«l »« n. immeose procession sL^f J ^ "^'*"7 ^ "» badges, .nd manv in^ '^'''' *"'"' ■»<>""!•« -larinei, ; two hundred oT?h„ 1 f^ .Ww-J-^keto and f«*fiAn«Koni.hr?^^At^t td'^;*-^^^^^^^^^ le «Ms,on serv^l to illastmte that religions moders, Methodist Chn,^ toiC^ tl ®"'?™'»"<'«" of the ft«;VtenJn G.ne.^'t.^:;,,^"^:- TT' f t'''t shades wei-e4hera Th« n«,«;«- /^ political .«»<• th. Province S^s:^.^r'«"™ '?"" joined in hon^n^ng the iL P,^^^. "' ** ^^^ Trunlc. .ia«. of the L«;X s^rii^„Iea"1-:r r", "«!« *" *'**°^"P^"»c»*a«a'q«ie.8umouatedbyacaiiopy I 1 CI -.1 t ^i^" )!.« ^=J8r ■'I* ,'?■'" 466 uni Aim woBK or which irasted upon four Corinthian columns festooned with flowera. It was adorned with handsome plilmes and a silver cross and crown. The car was drawn by six horses, with coverings of black and silver, each guided by a m^' in uniform. The paH-bearers. who walked upon either side of the car. were the Hon. Oeoi^ B. Foster, Sir Charles H. Tupper, Sir Frank Smith, Hoa John Costigan. Hon. John Haggari^ Hon. J. A. Ouimet, Hon. J. 0. Patterson, tod Hoa W. R IvesL The route to the Holy Cross Cemetery, which stood in the centra of the city, had been arranged, so as to pass cehrtain points of historic interest, and after an hour's march through lines of soldiers and throngs of people, and accompanied by strains of music and funeral airs from aU the great composers, the cemetery was finally reached. At the draped entrance stood a guard of honour. Within was a quaint, old-fashioned church surrounded by a not very large burial ground, crowded with the graves of those who had found a last resting place in the plot given fifty years before by the Imperial authorities to the Roman Catholics of HaUfax. Hawthomea, and maples, and elms had grown up thickly in this sequestered spot in the heart of an important city. Another site for a, cemetery had been obtained and was now largely used, but here it had been decided to lay the remains of Sir John Thompson, and here, after a few final prayers by Archbishop O'Brien, all that remained of the distinguished Canadian was hidden from sight in the soijhof his native province- in the heart of his native cityv \ Sir John Thompson was ntfw at resi The active brain, the patriotic mind, the sturdy chanicter, which had carved out so high a career, had gone from the country he ierved so well But his character mijj remuned, wHttwi oxk the scroll of Cbnadian history. Ae f 7,', - / ■ /' «*"* JOHJf TUOiipaOM. •:^^ 407 • DoUe qamiay; ^ ^ ^^T" "•**''•«"»• Mm« with -till -ar^Z^p^t^, ^ :■* *««• wiU «d t«t th. «»„t JWaTol ^^?*"'fi'»™'y " TC oTto ^.^"""J^.1^^ " -"-^ Whether the lo«i«-Z!n /t* ''*^^^* ^m uncertain "-"-the h^^ffuZ^^'"'^ ""■ '•'"" ooowge of his conviotiona." TtT^" *^ *^® In Canada ttie tm^BpsJim^ with «. «^ . oommente. Blade boMeZS^ii^lIi^ T""^"' of ainoere reg«t foUowed his sudd^efT^d fi^ST''' eolun^ during that p«,,onged and Im^ri^^^^ remarks of the Liberal press were espeSy wT^d ^' TSSS^^to the stetesmiin, when alive. T^o^^/l referred to him aa havimr mven nn «i- V^ ^^^ r "»^"« given up "his plans and hia I 'if il- 458 LIFE AND WORK OF I ' preferences, and laid His remstWcable talents at the sferyice of his country. For the dignity of the Bench and the^ quiet' of his study he> exchanged the turmoil, the cares, the ' misrepresentations'' and the ingratitude of public life, and finally he gave his life." * The Toronto Mail, which had in other days so strongly opposed him, declared that " He will pate into history as a ' *^eat Premier," and added that " no suspicion ever atra«hed to Sir John as a politician. Sir Richard Cartwright one© said of him ttiat his hands were clean, and clean they cer- tainly were.' . . . The conduct of the late Premier with jreference to offenders was unquestionably unprecedented. No other leader, Liberal or Conservative, has, in this coon-rv . try at least, been ready to act as Sir John Thompson did." ' The Woodstock Sentinel- Review, whose record is one of virile Liberalism, said that " as a statesman Sir John Thc^mpson's name is likely to hold a high place among the men of Canada." *^ '. Thfe Hamilton Herald declared that his career was an I object lesson for young Cana^iam^,*^ " His <^aracter all through was above reproach. He waS a tlinker and a' student, an^ '■e* .*;|i"' -'* SIR JOHN THOMPSON. 461 ■■'** ' CHAPTER XXVIII ' • CHiEAOTERlSTlCS ANl^'HoME LiFB. * ■ - league "in fF ^ ^'^ celebrated friend and col- With th, British SnstitutS: a^athie:S'n't«t"^" bene8m. hamgny with p.«per Wbori,n.^„j^u"^] tliesuprefiiMybf tlje4aw8.'' "™oj»9lcand . " But unlike his «on,iir. Thouipsrfn'iever eute»d £. .t<™y«,u^ofpo.iti<^„e,„^^ .^^^^ .1,1 I ! ■ ii . «; .1 'W /: ..':i^.f: '^ - -^^ •— ■ --. '5^^ j nt 462 LIFB AND WORK OF jretirement, and remained to the last cultivating and instil- ling literary tastes in the quiet of his own fireside. The same desire for home life and quiet pleasures permeated the character of Sir John. Without a knowledge of that fact it is impossible to appreciate fully the sacrifice he made for his country in entering public life. The Hon. David Mills, a strong political opponent, but a man pos- sessed of qualities which naturally inspired respect and esteem in a speech delivered some weeks after the Premier's death, quoted words which fully express this feeling, and which were spoken to hini upon one occasion by Sir John Thompson : "Do you like this life ? I confess it has no charms for me ; and I cannot help feeling that any man of ability ' is a fool to come here. In private life yibu can be pecuni- arily better off; you have peace of mindrdomestic enjoy- ment and reputation about such as you merit ; but here, what have you got ' A bla<;kened reputation, which bad as it may be, some think- is better than you deserve. My advice to every man of ability and sense would be to keep . out of parliamenl." If, however, love of retiremenji dould h&- considered a leading characteristic of the late statesman, love of country was a still more marked one. .For this he was willing to give up the ease and luxury, the dignity and emoluments, the comfort and domesticity, which came from a, high posi- tion on the Bench. For this he toiled at Ottawa; for this he laboured at Washington ; for this he devoted many a weary hour to the Cririainal Code or the Copyright La#; for this he went through thrf prolonged, sittings of the • Commission at ^aris, and listened to the mqaotonous argu- ments of opposing counsel; for this he made political speeches which he detested and endured partisan Abuse apd^seetariap attacks j for this he declined to take the Chief '-./: .^.:.-^K y. 1 f 8Itt JOHN THOMPSON. 493 Wed W hi. :X oott ht^llT "rt" '"''°"^'' ** > ».d of hi., u, the word, of L p^Zt^tiJ ""^ '""'^ A»d,M<»djMtliith.tpM, ■*??"■ "»'»'• of omuiHyJoMd 'oU iolaoo for hli hqart." thistionS;«zrr*'™ "' "' 4.^n«i„ istioin sir JotoTholrr Her'' P'-''""-^ "^-'A'' and thorough worker^Ln^ TrT'''W«»^'<«'«o'« .fter hia dlth " •• n ' „„ T^ '^' ^"'^^ ^<* "Portly lawyer. nt^'heTL^t ''""{.'K"""!, hi«.i: p«>w. wheth^rs^t hT^'^fB^^nr '"' thought, deep md Ibug, that produc«i th. p r' ' ?" apeechee which n,«le him fam^a r^ Parhamentiry labour that conferred nnnnt-T '" "" ^remitting and wou for Um^e ^L ''^'" ''^ ''•"='»« *> '«l«t •a leader" "*"*'*""» "'"^''"y <» W" positioo Hou^"ir^rr.itv^i2Vo:,fc.i."^ «>«* half ..leep. but >mXy ^^Tl^'^'^ a . / "t'-^i'-im ".fl i 464 LUTfc AND W'ORK.OF" he was so wr^ped up yraa known io be4yu|f in a itoioiu flondition ai home. ° ^ A 8tem*aense of juafcjce wa» one dfthe deeiM^tnnts /\in his ch'^pcter. It was mis known seiiiiiiment wli|<^ gate the House such confidence inlheMinistot-, such re^peoti. for the man, Jnstice must be done, whether it a^ected wealthy contractors and Conservatives, such as Connolly, , Murphy, and McGreevy, or the humblest dert in a minor department of the Government. Many stories are'tdld in this connection. In Nova-Scotia he had -the reputation of . being a Very severe Jud^e, and especially when questions of fraud were involved. In such cases it was a common'^ saying—" God help him if he gets into Thompson's handa" Upon one o >^ ■/ SIR JOHN THOMPSON. 455 f Even the resarrection of the bodv^" «.- ;*r' •ff/l fk ^ °o« ««other, he repir^ with ffentle eravit* • J^*heq he spoke about the difficulties of feith -ST K ^' •»Wtl4 Fentoalii th« IwT^J^ -S«' • ■:« ■ ^1 .*" "3» r 5, * 466 LIFE AND WORK OF. Understanding that aright, we shall know all else, he said: " Christ did not come into the world merely to teach .^orality, that can be taught in otlier ways:" i? • The home life of a public man in British countries ^M sacred. But in the> case ofi Sir John Thompson the per- lojial interest of the people^was so greatly aroused by his tragic death ; the sympathy of the Queen was so kindl^^ and graciously tendered to the orphaned daughter ; ihe^ ^1^ Sentiment of the country, ivas so sincerely stiiyrefi by the lack of provision left for hfa family; that it is p%missible '' to say that no more affectibnata husband and father ever lived than the late Premier showed liimself to be. His family consisted of two grown up sons and three dauirhters. The youngest of these was a beautiful and merry child, who was tsrippled a few years since by some sadly pain- ful accident, fier father poured out money like water in (he eflTort to nave the trouble cured, but in vain, and •friends of the family describe his devotion to the child as something touching. Some faint idea of the nature of the late Premier's home life crept into the papers during his summer stay in the charming Muskoka cottagi^ lent him by Senator Sanford. And a writer already referred to may be q^uoted once more in this connection : " Few are aware of the almost idyllic relations that exist in the home life of Canada's Premier. It is rarely given to see affection so strong, tenderness so great, sincer- ity and reverence so evident as that which is woven into tile close bond tliat girds the family life of Sir John .Thompson. Between parents and children exist the closest possible ties, and one feels instinctively that all that the world could give of honours would weigh as nothing against this strong family affection:*' .And in spite of the stern justice which he endeavoured lo metdout to criminals, and the apparent cql^ess of his else, he to teach qitries is ihe per- \^^ ■ I by his ^- _y kindl^. ;er; the' by the tnissible > ler ever )e. His at^hters. ■y child, y pain- vater in lin, and child as 9 of th« ring hid mt him \ rrad to ns that ■ i< 9 rarely 1 sincer- 1., ren into 1 ir John 1 i clcsest 1 bat the 1 nothing I kvonred I of hm W John S. Tiiomi-son, Sr % V ' i ^ ■ * ,' ■t\ i . Y V. i > /■ \ \ / L- ^' ^> t,. \ ^ \- X" A •n TOHK TBoimoH. ; 4^7 «.p«!ta lu, nght hMd k»w not wh»t h!s-left »„ doinir U^b.rd«,„, to . .eriki,.g arM. contributed to th^" «k«^ better than many p.g« „, a^fegy ,,.„;, „„j7 rt«rf tlKt npon on. occasion a,wom«,. whose eavin™ I ttat iriie had lost her money, and he contrived, with irreat ^^yemenoe to himself, to give her baelc'L Ln y,C Sir John ThoJnpson was often urged to tales mn™ «»rc,se,>„t alleged that he h«l not the time onl ^^1" ""^r^- ■» walked.as a rule, from his ho™t to hB office m the Parliament buildings and b-i aZ! The story b told in connection witha ^oU.knoS)^^ character, that upon on. occasion the ProJl^^^Z *» m th« matter, aud refilLd. "Exercisel whytbTdr JJ »ot l«.j- .nough for .11 the work I have to do. Atout ^ the exercise I can mt is the w»lt f^,™ i. ■"■■!!'«« au Rii( .„j 1. 1 ,'> " '"• "*'» 'n»n my house up to th« x mi and back I go up Elgin Street one mi™h»" h^ ^ ZT^ »'«' •*-!■.". iu his eye. .'and the n^^'o,^ Iook«l forward in hi. l.« trip to K^and Jiiut^^ ■»' Man deepite hw k!W.wii de8i|s '.4i,- s /" •.-f v <". <^ O^ %^^J Photogra{^c _,Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 •^ fV iV \\ <^ Pf- ^^' ''lA.^^ A ^^ ■-. it 470 LIFB AND WORK OF /«i»» APPENDIX. CANADA'S LATE PREMIER An Artidt contributed by Her Bxedltney the Ooumteu ^ Aberdeen, to the " Ovtlook " of New York, and reprinted by p^muasion. What manner of man waa thia whom death has stirred the heart of an Empire, whose memory was orowQed with laurels by his Sovereign's own hand, and #hose remains ^ere borne across the ocean by one of Bri- tain's proudest war ships, and followed to the grave by tiie representotives of army and navy, church and state, and of evefy party, class and creed, amidst the mouring of a people ? Some will attribute the feeling which has been evoked to the dramatic character of his death— and truly all the circumstances surrounding It were such as to leave an indelible impression. Here was a man, still ia the prime of life, who had risen by steady and successive steps, to the highest post of honour in his own country, at the head^ a powerful party, and enjoying the respect of both friend and foe, called by his Queen to her palace to receive from herself a signaL.mark of rMognition of services whioh he had rendered to the Empire. And scarcely had he left her pres- ence when the startling news came that a highec^ummons had called him to the presence of the King of kings, and his smtowing famUy and country were left to realize all the greatness of their Ums. , All that queenly thoughtfulness and wbmanly sympaihy could do to soothe the grief of those who loved hiiQ and the country which trusted him, was done by Queen Victoria, wh|t, in her respect for the raligions persuasion of the dead, in her motherly tenderness toward the young daughter left fatherless far from her own home, and in her beautiful act of royal recognition of faithful servio^, in herself laying the victor's wreath of laurels on the oo£Sn of the de|iarted stat^man, showed onoe more the secret of the power by which i^e ha^ strengthened her thra% and the British Constitution for well nigh sixty years. Her government and her people caught up the note an^ himour after honour was offered to the remains of the late premier, aiid not only his own country, bnt every British colony throbbed tesponsiv^y to this de- monstration of the oneness of the British Empire and of the reality of th* tiM whioh iuai|».fU its component parts. . *»;. / ■IB JOHN THOMPSOK. mi Brt when all fchto b «id. »nd mon thu faUy g«,t«l. «« ft b. •rted th»t It was merely th. «5oid.nt of Sir John Thomi»on'. death at Windsor CMtl. and th. con«q„enoe. re-nlting therefrorwhich ooo^ t^l r^^t^ ^perceptible amongst the crowd, who attend^ hfa fanenU. and which ha. left .nch a keen .en* of be^^tvement from Eart to ^t IJ^tf * ''• ^^°"' "^"^ T" "^^ ^"^ ""**"" °' "'™'' »- not Z^l f* ?K "^ ""^"^ ^ "^ *••• "'"8^ »' •U>nomlnation. not only voice the «,rrdw of their people Init hold np Sir John'. life .. , mewge to thoMi who are left ; and thi.. although in early manhood h. had Wt the church of hi. father, to join the Romi. Cath^Jc^tfon tain Ja ;:L;;XT'" ''' ^"""^ 'oe. .peak M if th.> too have ^ What i« it that makes all patriotic citizen, feel that they have been ««idenly deprived of a national bulwark on which they depended ^rvZ year, to come T ' i< J^^^ **° ***°" "'"' '"" pririleged to oaU him friend feel that a brifffafe light ha. gohe out and that a great darknew ha. ov.r.pread their Uve. t nl. J?*"' r K^'u"™ "^" *° *^*"* questionings The heart of the peo- pie 1. tme to higher instinct, when it get. a chance, and never hM a man^ career more exemplified the pmo^ of eharaeter, .trong. elevated, trained eha,-acter, than Sir John Thompson's. V°' "~°*^ ti.«„^\^f? ^* " t ^^ *' ^'^^"' ''"'' »"»' f^^ advantages, •TiBK thow which he u. a public school education and in the influent of a oul* nred home, where all the proud tradition, of mingled Iridi and SootS descent were cherished and made a means of inducing lov»«d lo^ to the new country a. well «i to the old. Hi. father: li«prly nTS^ mean capacity, and a co-editor with Jowph Howe, M thm nr^ZZ wealthy, and the youth had to work hi. way upward, by hU owr^ZL^l exertions Prom the outset a distinguishig Lture of^i. ZL^^ a marvelous power of concentration and habit of industry, and it w^ the cultivation of the«, qualities which enabled him by degrSs to givT^rl^f of his more bnl.«nt inteUectual qi^lities and which inured hi. Z frl l^'cSru^?":?/'^'^'"'"*^**- "«* *^*'«' *« ^ Alderman Tf hu, city. Member of the Provincial LegisUture. Premier of his Province Judge Minister of Justice for the Pominion, Premier of Canada. rep«! .entative of Great Britain during the International ArbitralZci.^^ oee, and at last. Pnvy Councillor of Great Britain. «"«»"« In each ts were givmi with extraordinary precision and lucidity, and his ar^ments were •0 forcible as to carry all before them. His public speaking Was eloquent, because of the matter which it contained and the strength of his reason- ing, mini^ed with a quiet by-play of ^lumour and kindliness. There was nevM any of th|^t straining after effect, or the saying of words for tUft^sake of saying them, which mark the ntteraaoes of wraJg^en. And in this his speaking was after all, only typical of the ma^Vahowed his great-' ness in his simpUoity, humility, and entire atJ^P^f egotism or self- consciousness. f " The success which he won in aU that he uncJertooJc never spoUt him- to the end he was as a obild-wUling to leamVrom all and never so fuU of Ws own opinions as not to be able to listen to what others had to say But when his turn bame to speak, ther* Vas no hesitation, and hewuld hold his own with the beat of them. The leading men who were engaged with him in the Behring Sea arbitration, and on other public occasions, whether in Canada, London Pajris or Washington, such as Lord Kipon. Lord Hannen, Lord Russell^ Sir Richard Webster, Baron de Couroel, and Mr. Bayard, have aU given their witness oonoeming the great influence exercised by Sir John's ability and str«igth, and calm judicyil powers, and it was impossible for anyone *to oome mto close contact with him without being impressed with his exceptional qualities. ^ But not aU knew that beneath the calm, almost impassive exterior there raged a volcano, and that it was only by stem stolf-govemment that ha had obtamed the mastery which stood him in such good stead. Mapy who knew him only as the inflexible judge, whose.severity in w where there wa^ the slightest deviation from honertyand opright- b:^:- fH r ' SIR JOHN THOMPSON. 473 new WM proverbial, oonid soarcelv nr-^jf *!. . , he had to deal with the etST (hT^' ''•%**°^«"«- <^' »••• h«»rt wh« <*pacity. or khow what haV^ L aTu,.!. *'\'"'''*^' ^ * P^vU «nid.t of hi. ow« hom. oircl. "^'*' '•*'"' "<» «•»<» » th. I^or in*a.*€ough he had been iTa^iV u ^* "** *»• «««* » ^'T •t wmath. and tLt norhi. bStZr^ °" '''"'" *»• «">^'» '••^« »«-p2 hi. memor,. But even toleLt^JT hrST "1^ -«>^ -^^ •!■• could be expected from on. of lu ,. "" ^ '°'"'* '»1™- What whose «vin«.Te had reete" t htl " '''^ *'*'' "''•" * -<»-- .conddered . good inyentu^T^^^t ^ni^'T '^' *" ^''« ^- money. he actuaUy contrived wit^L? . " *^" "''• *»«» »«» her her back the mon'ly. c<^^fvirrhiCu S"""""" *° '^"' *««*- ><«. * *'*'""'' "• • >"««««» ««pon.ible for the pro.r..rac^tS^r„f anir ^T 1 ^""^^ -'<^'^ for hin.«.lf and hia family rather tbrnlllf ! J^ ^^^^^^ "«» to" once again, only a fdl JeeJ^Z^^Ca^^l^ '" "°"""'*'"-- ^'^ tmu^ice in the pubUc eervice mfght-nay^V! J" r»™«<» *««* «»-. him. whereaa re»t,and chance of cl.m^f ,? P«>bably mean death to heiJth. Buttohi.m1ndhTduytrSj;°'^f.r'*';lfr'^"''-*« rewgn now," he said And «n h/ . " ''**"'** ^ cowardly to died, and t; few^'it ^n ^ 7^:;^*^"* \^^' *' "« P-' h^ by their death. • *^ '^^ *""'' ^ """J* 8°«i 'or thto country ™o«™.^u;^;jt^oira:rhu^^^ . «reat beyond with r«signa«o7when ^1 !5> "" ""'^ ^''^^ ^ *« ">• of hia life and characteCrb;Lve ttf ^^^^^^^^ lives m the future to devote themselvrthnT ""'!'''. ""•?•«> many young of their country and their God J ^ «^°"°"'y *« *h« ""ice ,/ I'' ^ft^ 474 LIFE AND WURK OW TTERS AND DESPA:rOHES OF IMPORTANCE. 3TY THE QUEEN TO LADY THOMPSON. Windwr CMtle, London^ JSngUnd, Deoember 12th. )894. It is impoMijbla for me to say hon: deeply grieved I am at the terribU oocurrenca whiol^ took place here to-day, and how very truly I eympathiM with yoiLin your deep affliotipn. ,' i . ViovottiA B.L .*! THE EARL OF R08EBERT TO LOltD XBEBDBBN. Pleaie ezpreas to your Government my deep regret at the grievow •alamity whioh baa deprived your Ctovemment of ita eminent Premier. (Signed), Boaonv. I T^ SfABQUBSS OF RIPON TO LORD ABERDEEN. Downing Street, 12th{ Deoember, 1894. iHf Lord,— It was with feelings of deep sorrW and regret that I telegraphwl to you yesterday, announcing the death, in eironmatanoas so tragic, of Sir John niompson. The grief which you and his collea^esand Mie whole d^ the Dominion of Canada most feel at the premature dose of Sir John Th6|^pson's career, whioh has been not only active and brilliant but marked bi^s solid and useful statesmanship, is shared by Her Majesty's Qovemmefit aii)i( the people of thia country, who feel that the loss is a national one. - TJ^ deceased statesman, while a strenuous suppiorter of the rights, and a firm l>^iever in the future of Canada, was at'the same time a loyal and eloquent »i6br^ib of everything that tended to the unity of the Empire to which, in thW recent arbitration at Paris and on other occasions, be had rendered valuable service. With his personal character your lord- ship is of course much moi^ familiar than myself ; but even the brief acquaintance which I enjoyed Vi^ ^>™ impressed me with his genial tem- per and kindness of heart, his usiassuming modesty, his candour and up- rightness, and unflinching courage b) maintaining his oonviotiont. With Lady Thompson and her family I feet^e deepest sympathy in t^ irrepar- able loss which has befallen them. \ I have, eto.t / (Signed), . RiroK. MB JOpk lioMPiOll. 476 tLL f ROM THB EARL 0> DERBY. 0.aR ^ Ut« Oov«sHom-aufB»AL or Cahada. Lady Thompwn, OtUwa : ^"^°*' ^°«- ^ ^''•>' »*»*• |. o«. fr..nd.. Derby. Con-tenc. «d M th« oth« m^nbw. of tk. fa^^ I FROM THE EARL OF JERSEY, G.aM.O. , \ j l^j n,omp«.n. OtUwa : "'**""*^' ^*'^^' ^ "*^' »«»^ f Ib^ to offer you my deepest .ymp.thy. The «>rrow b unirer^d. JutasT. FROM SIR OLIVER MOWlT. PREMIER OF ONTARIO. Lady Thompaota, Ottawa- Toronto, Deo«nb«r l«|h, iSM. 0. MowA» ^ THE MARQUESS OF LANSBOWNE TO 8l|l C. TUPPER. De.r«l,rK , *.. ^''•^^•^'^••WilUi.l)eo. 14th, 1891 wh,c?Thf!;S"orrjrit::rz."^^^^^^ Mjodoaald. Government while I wr^^r^otttX^^Jt^'S thrown into contact with him daring the latter ve^rn^L^t , T ^ It wa. impdeaible to know him without hS^gZZ^C^ °' '^'*- abiUty and statesmanlike power That h^hA ™P"™. •»' ^ immense bin. a mo-t ag^and £Ztin^uX„^ noT At "'''' ^ ' yourself. His lo«. is a very deep one to 2 5.ml^;; ^feT*^ . I cannot end these lines without saying somethC i^. f ^"•• which Lady Lansdowne and I feel^fh Sv^* l'*? '^P**^' which ha. so suddenly befallen h^ "^^ """"^ ** "* «^*7 BeUeve me, dear Sir Cha>l«, you™ dncerdy, (Signed), ' LaJUBowNa A] '1 4 \'A ♦^e • uyj AND WOBK OF FROM THE LIBUTBNANT-OOVBRNOR OF QUBBSa I qym find no words to desorib* the shook I ftlt whan the mmI amn «UB«. Poor Thompaoa I tb* onp of hla Uf • wm filM with • ndgbtj w«ck manfully don* ; with aniTeraal ftdmir»tion and rMpaot from friend and foe, with well-dMenred Royal recognition of hia Mrric^ when omel dee- tiny daahed it broken into an untimely graye Canada monma orer the loee of onei of her ;noat illuatriona eona. J. A. CHArLBAD. ' ^ THB AMBRIOAN AMBASSADOR IN LONDON TO SIR C. TUPPER. My dear Sir Charles,— I was not in London when I reoeired the most painful news of the death of Sit John Thompson. I well knew his worth, .ability and patriotism, and mourn his loos, not alone for Candida, bat for the oommunity ^d good government everywhere. I am glad to a—. Her Ifajesty's Government is paying fitting honour to him by conveying his remaina in a national ship to the oonntiy he loved so well and served so faithfully ; and had there been any way of testifying my penonfll,nspoot to his memory, I would promptly have availed myself of it. Will yftn not do me the kindness, when it can be done without intrusion, to make ex- pression of my sincere condolence and sympathy to the bereaved widow and family. A^ Believe me, sincerely yours, Thomas F. Batabd. FROM SIR CHARLES MILLS, AOENT-GBNE&AL FOR SOUTH AFRICA. '). , London, 8.W., 18th December, 1894. Sir, — On behaB of the Government ind people of the colony of the Cape of Good Hope, I ofier to you this expression of their sympathy in the loss which the Government and people of the Canadian Dominion are now called upon to suffer by the sudden and unlooked for death of the late Right Hon. Sir John Thompson, the dirtinguished statesman and legist, who was but yesterday Prime Minister of Canada. I am, sir, your obedient servant, (Signed), Chauis Milul ■ ■.J ' '•>* SIB JOHN THOMPSON. 477 SOME "ilESOLUTIONS OF REGRET. It U lmpo«bl. to bring together within r««,nable oompw.. th. .^. ,^ «'»*'/•»»» Thomp«,n. But a few are here given which may b^ ciii:f^oJ:r2:rrc°itfoi-""- ^ -• -- • -^ - UNIVERSITY SENATE, TORONTO. M P**L!r;!!i°l *•»• ""'^'"'ty °' Toronto, on motion of Mr. Mulock. ^^utir ' "^^ ^'*"°*^ ^^"'' '^^- P--* *»>« '<»»o-^'g of th?iSL*,°^^*r'u*" '•'" °"*^''"»' -°"°^ •^--^d by the death iTo^^r^ "» th« "Mnoval of tf.tate«nan bo eminent for hi. abilitie. and who*, devotion to the interesto of hi, country i. recognized h^^ Sir John Thompaon'B intellectual endowment, wen, oKerv hii^h He .^med earily and naturally to reach the higheaf podtioTwSethi to the p«>fe«on of Uw or in the^ province of statLanZ No ^^11 had he entered the pubUc aerviM of th« Tt^r^i^^tZr*^ "^'^^^^ «r»A *«-«- -.# J * 11 ^ T r "^ ®* "»• Dominion of Canada than his ^J^. <>'inteU«,t and character began to be felt. Hi. clear and com! oatiring ajphcation to onerou. duty may have ahorteni hi. valuable if" In hk high poeition he had Uttle mq« than time to .how that Z^Z hi. mort .min«»t predece»or.. when, in the in«,rutable provioln^ of Gcd n^t:t "^^'^"^ - "^ ^^-"^ "^ pwtheiaur:;"^::;^: Tto 8«af Umnkfully dir«,t. the att«.tion of the young men of 2^™tt ^ifl'^u*''* «>'*««'"•«» of ra« gift, to theLvioe 3 newjrith but th«.&ction of hi. countrymen. It unite, with the wlok ' V^pU in th^Alng Her Q»cio„. Majcty for «, fuUy reoogni^ 2 ' jMi^ 478 tjn AND WORK or Mbinwit Ulento aad Mrviow, wMah wiU bo* b* nor tha grMt empire to whioh oar oountryia proud tol The Senate pmye that heavenly ooneolation may be imparted to Ladj Thompeon and the membera of her Camily in this tlie day of gnsat aorrow, first and deepest of all. theirs, bat also that of the ooantry and the eapb*. ^: THE ALBANY eH7B, TORONTO. At a meeting of i£e direoton of the Albany Olnb, a letter ol coadol- enoe was drafted andforwarded to Lady Thompson. Ths following is tlM te^t of the letter : ,-' , To Lad^ nompmm, OtUmd, Ont. ' % We, the oflSoers and members of the Albany Clnb, Toraato, ol wUeh yoar deoeiased husband was honorary president, yentare to intrude npoo your privaay, in this, the hour of your U^rrible bereavement, witli heart- felt sympathy. To the members of this club, allied with hinTsooially and politioally, the decease of Canada's Prime Minister, in the ripeness of his manhood and the plenitude of power, is a matter for the prpfoundest regret Out- side and beyond us, the Conservative party at largo, and the entin people of the Dominion, froin his ocean home in the east to the shores of tha Pacific, are mooming the death of one, trusted alike ^ friends and opp»<- nents. But to you and his grief-stricken family, 'the loss oomes oloasr home and is irreparable. Fresh from the throne of our gradons SoVenign, where his life endeavours had just received recognition in the bestowal of one of the highest honours in Her Majesty's gift, death came to him in tks very moment of fruition. The life full of promise was cut short, but iima had be^n given him to show those qualities of head and heart, that win ever keep his name alive in the page of Canadian history, and In the ihemory of those who knew him. He had accomplished maoh. AaaUa oounsel, an at>right jadge, a wise represenUtive in Parliament and a pow- erful Minifiter, enjoying the full confidence of his country, ha ever bon ^himself bravely in the eyes of the public as a man without repnaek i^ In private life, with wife and family, a devoted husband and aflao- tionate father,, he has left to them and you tl|e glorioos haritag* of a great and untarnished name. An«^to them and yoo we respectfully tender tiiis all too inadequate OKpression of sincere c""-; -'»->-.w N > TW Aatlwr illt'