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Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbo.'e — •► signifie 'A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed b' . IN xl\(;aua, i)KLl Vl^l'Kh A1^ IMIK lirsnxcjs. .lAM'Al.'V 'I'!. 1871. I'h'ori}. X"!,fs hti \V . II. TJidi'Dt'in . St(Ui:>(;f/'p'i(r fr lh<- Court <,' Ai>]i('(il.s cj Acvr York. m. RESULT OF THE ELECTION, 336 PLUMB 306 CURRIK .^ " 30 MAJORITY FOR PLUMB RESULT OF ELECTION 1872. 300 MORRISON ' 298 CURRIE MAJORITY FOR MORRISON SPEECH OF ME. PLUMB, IN NIAGARA, DELIYEEED AT THE nUSTmOS, JANUARY 23, 1874. Froth NoUily W. H. Thornton, Stenograplier to the Court of Appeals of New York. ■ 4 TO THE ELECTOES or Tn ^0ton ani) ^0ton0hip of Niagara. GENTLEMEN,— Upon a Requisition signed by a large number of the Voters of this Riding, of both Political parties, I have been in- duced, not without much reluctance, to be brought forward a^ your Candidate. I learn that my opponent has been actively engaged in can- rassing among you for several months, and a public demonstra- tion vras made in his interest here last Autumn. His address is before you, pledging himself to give the present Government a hearty support. Should you honor me by giving me a majority, I cannot pro- mifie a blind and unconditional adherence to any set of men, whether in or out of power ; but I must claim the right of exercis- ing and acting upon my o wn judgment in supporting or opposing any measure that may come before the House. I desire however, to say that I shall support any such measure that I deem cal- culated to advance the public welfare, from whichever side of the House it may originate, and in the absence of any formal policy on the part of the Ministry now in office, I do not consider that any further pledge should be given by any Candidate who wishes to maintain innependence of thought and action. I am in favor of the encouragement and protc^ction of Agricul- ture, by Government aid if necessary, in endowing Agricultural Associations with permanent funds for premiums, and pro- viding in some safe and equitable way the means for a general system of under-drainage; of stimulating and increasing Emigration, including that of the farm laborers of Great Britain, and of providing, by stringent enactments^ for the protection of 8 i those who come among U8 as settlers or laborers; of kp«»ping our pledged faith with the outlying Provinces ; of estal)lishing with- out delay a safe and cheap system of communication with the fertile belt of our North-Westem Possessions and British Columbia, within our borders and under our control, and as soon as possible, of having such system of communication available as well in Winter as in Summer; of aiding the Vine and Fruit Grower by such additional duties on fruit as will increase th© planting of Orchards and Vineyards, especially in this fair Gar- den of Canada ; of an adjustment of our Tariff by enlarging the free list of raw material, and by reducing the inequality between the duty of fifteen per cent, which we levy on imported manu- factures, and tnat of sixty per cent, by which we are repulsed from the American frontier; and it would be just to those invest- ing in our manufactories, that the faith of Government should be pledged that such a Tariff should not be lowered for a speci- fied term of years. Free Trade is an attractive principle in theory, but to be prac- tically benelicial to us, it must be reciprocal. I desire the speedy enlargement of our Canals, and the im- provenient of our Inland Navigation Coastlines and Harbors, to meet the wants of oui rapidly growing Traffic and Commerce, and for such purposes I am willing to use our resources with a liberal hand, laying aside a restrictive policy, a false economy and narrow prejudices, but having a true regard to sound finances and guarding against an unwarrantable or unequal augmentation of the public burdens. The great aim of our Legislation at Ottawa should be to re- move sectional jealousies, and to cement the Union into a whole, In which Provincial boundaries should be obliterated in the carrying on of Parliamentary business. I am in favor of an Income Franchise, and of a law which shall effectually secure the purity of Elections, and put an end to the corruption and degradation of venal or needy voters, by stopping the shameless bribery that has been notoriously prac- tised by both parties. It would have been perhaps somewhat more consistent with the professions of the present Ministry, if they had passed, or attempted to pass such a law, prior to the dissolution of the House. I My opponent represents himself to be the Candidate of a party which styles itself the Party of Purity. It is well known that neither party has the right to lay exclusive claim to that title. I desire and ask only the free and unbought sull'rages of the Toters of this Constituency. I shall endeavor to make as thorough a personal oanvass as the short time given will permit. Matters personal to myself have been, and doubtless will be brought before you during the canvass, and I was in some measure influenced ia my acceptances of a Candidature by the expectation that I might have an opportunity of meeting and refuting any charge tha^ might be brought against me. Although I am not by birth a British subject, I have been interested in property in Ontario for nearly twenty-five years, and for nearly thirteen years I have resided among you. Upon mature deliberat- tion I have given in my adhesion to theCrown, and I apprehend it to be the true policy of Canadians to accept and encourage those who are willing to settle in the Dominion, and conform to its laws, no matter of what original nationality they may be. In some small way I trust I may have been instrumental as a private resident in increasing the prosperity of this Constituency, and if I should be elected, I shall make it my study iu my public capa- city to advance it, should opportunity be found. I desire to see the future Parliament lay aside dead issues ; refuse to recognize or become implicated with the stale and profitless quarrels of Party Leaders, and apply itself diligently and exclusively to the transaction of the business of the Country, and to the living and Tital issues of the present and future. Respectfully soliciting your suffrages, I am, Gentlemen, Your very obedient servant, J. B. PLUMB. Niagara, 16ih Januaay, 1874. )arty that I the 33 as MR. PLUMB'S SPEECH. Mb. Returnino Officbr, And Gkntlkmbn Elbotors of thi Town and Township of Niagara. Having been nominated to-day as a Candidate at the coming election tor a seat in tlie House of Commons as your representa- tive, it is of course my duty to address you. I am not at all ac- customed to speaking in public. It has nevei been my habit to do so, and until after my nomination was accepted I never ad- dressed a public meeting in my life. But on this occasion I in- tend to speak to you at considerable length, even at the risk of being thought prolix and tedious. And now to have it fully iiuderstood how I intend to divide the remarks which I shall make to you, and liaving in my previous speeches paid but little attention to the arrangement of my subjects, I think on this more important occasion it will be better to divide them into three parts ; in the tirst place I intend to talk about the politics of the past, although I do not recognize dead issues, but it is best, since I have been sneered at for not knowing anything ' about Canadian Politics, to assure you that I have a faint glim- mering of information regarding the questiojis of the day. Then I intend to give you a sketch of what I consider to be the true issues and vital questions of the present and future, for I have got some idea about those also ; and lastly, I intend, even i though I may incur the imputation of egotism, to talk a little • about matters personal to myself. The electors who are present if they do not want to sit out quietly a long harangue, can take their choice as to which di- vision of it tfcey prefer to hear. I might have taken up the per- sonal part of my subject at the outset, and I at first thought of doing so, but there are some people present anrl elsewhere who ' I shall hit very hard, and on the whole I have decided not to do so, and when I come to it, it may perhapr,, not be necessary long to detain your attention ; but I am sure that in regard to ■ my first proposition you will all want to hear something under that head, and also I trust to find willing listeners in regard to . the second, but I think there are many who will not relish the last. It is necessary at the outset that I should decline to accept a > position which I have been offered by my opponents. I am iifSi- I called by them the candidate of a certain political party to which has been given the name of the '^ Charter-sellers," and I Intend to go at that boldly. I shall come right up to the mark and tell you something about the matter which has caused the Opposition party to attempt to fasten that name upon the party of Union and Progress. (Applause.) The confederation of some of the Provinces of this great Dominion having htiv.n established through the far-seeing wisdom, stateeman-like ability, forecast ' and tact of the late First Minister and his associates, upon a wise basis, and upon broad principles, and through genrous cpncessiona from the stronger to the weaker provinces of the confederation, it became desirable, and, in fact, indispensable that every territory owing British allegiance in this quarter of the globe should be induced, even at some further sacrifices oft'" tie part of the older and stronger provinces which were already ' bound together, to come into the brotherhood. British Coluiil* bia, lying upon the Western slope of the great chain of mo\m* tains that divide the western part of this great continent froni' Korth to South, was included among those that did not at t^e outset come into the Union ; but having acquired pos-" session of the greater part of the territory of the Hudson's^^ B^y Company— having the fertile belt of the Saskatchewan on this side of that great valley, it became most desirable to com- plete the line of our Dominion in a westerly direction until w* reached the shores of the Pacific. As an inducement to that distant Province to join us, and in order to secure to her a means of communication with the capi- tal, and to provide a transit by which communication could be made across the continent within our ovm territory at all •easons of the year, a railway fleemed to be necessary, and not- withstanding the vast cost and great diflficulties of such an un- dertaking the Parliament of the Dominion, with the sanction of the mother country, pledged itself to the early construction of the work. We had, as yet, no other means of crossing the great and terrible wilderness of the North-West except by passess known only to the Assinoboine, the trapper, and the adventur- ous miner seeking gold on the Pacific slope, through perils by.' flood and field and mountain fastnesses which might appal the' the stoutest heart, and obstacles which might baffle the most herculean strength. Lord Milton and Dr. Cheadlc, with that adventurous spirit i^hich characterizes in a remarkable degree the nobly born,'* luxuriously nurtured and highly educated young men of Eng- land, were then among the few who had bra^ ed its perils. The ' eloquent history of their wanderings in the wi demess for nearly three months, of their final triumph over every danger, not the least of which was a famine that reduced them to skeletons, wai^ I to dl lark the rty me ed ast n a ous the [able r of a on ady urn* |oun* rom t at poa» son's n on com- il we the only authentic picture of that unknown land which had ^ betCi presented to the public. The Treaty of Washington was brought to a Buccessful tenni- naiJon, and I may say, in passing, that I have been informed by . American gentlemen that the Canadian Commissioner who wa«.f denounced as virulently theu for having sold his country as ht is now for having sold the Charter, was in reality tli« r)nly man upon the Commission of whom the Araericun Commissioneri'" were afraid. In consideration of the sacrifices — and 1 freely ad*. mh they were sacrifices, and great ones — made by Canada attho instance of tlie English Government in order to secure that peace upon her borders which sceuied necessary in her intoresta for the development of her resources, and for the advancement of the far greater interests of the mother country, it was agreed that in aid of a railway to the Pacitic the Home Government- ahould guarantee a loan to be made by this country to the e\- ' tent of $80,000,000. Of course in addition to this a large sub- sidy had necessarily toJI)e granted by the Dominion itself — but it • would relieve us very much if the British Government would* guarantee the $30,000,000, for whereas we would pay 6 per cent. tot money borrowed upon our own credit, and perhaps a con* fiderable commission and discount uporx our debentures — witk: the guarantee of England we could raise money at a far lesA: rate, for the loan would be as good as the Consols of England, ■ which bear but 3 per cent, interest, and sell at over 90 per cent, even in times of panic. Of course when this scheme was known it drew the attention not only of railway builders, great capi- taiists and projectors, both here and in the United States, but of that host of contractors and schemers that scent a job as vul-' tures scent their prey, and who may always be seen hovering over and ready to pounce upon the spoil. (Our friend G. W, ' McMuUen was there.) A compact was formed between a certain great ship owner in Montreal, and certain parties in the United States, many of them connected with the Northern Pacific Railway. Now I particularly wish you to distinguish, gentlemen, between that' private compact and secret bargain, the existence and purport of' which was known only to the parties in question, and the' Charter which was long subsequently granted, and which it waii. alleged was sold by Sir J n A. Macdonald. ^ I am in no way his apo.ogist. I am boun-l by no obligatiom, to be so. I have been entirely disconnected with any transaction- inYolving the Pacific Railway schemes, and I have no doubt Sif' ■. J6hn can take care of himself as he has always done before. Buif the parties now in power have attempted, to the exclusion of all- other issues, to force the Pacific scandal on this canvass, having' asserted that I am a candidate of the Charter-sellers. I think 1. ,^^,a.j-j^.. 8 Is t can make a statement of it to you in which 1 shall endeavor to be as little tedious as possible, although I know that a certain version of it, produced on all occasions by the ^reat organ of the IVIinisterial Party, has become "like a thrice told tale vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man." (Applause.) Sir Hugh Allan, the great ship owner referred to, came into communication with a man whose rn^me I just mentioned, and who is now, through his connection with the scandal, unenvi- ably notorious, and who, by the way, 's just now so often in the company of the Premier that one might suppose he had fastened on him like a leech and could not be shaken oflf. To the compact thus entered in^.o, it does not appear that any person connected v/ith the then government was a party, although Sir Francis Hincks gave an ordinary letter of introduction to McMullen for Sir Hugh Allan. Parties to this Compact distributed the capital among them- selves, and then agreed to seek from the Government a Charter conformable to their arrangements. '.. It was shown that Sir John A. Macdonald, and the late Sir George Cartier — the latter having special cognizance and charge of Pacific Rail way matters — wci e irrecoverably hostile to any Bsheme involving the placing of the building of the Railway in. the hands of foreigners. -About this time the Elections of 1872 were pending. Great efforts were put forth on both sides. The great battle field was to be Ontario, where the fight is always the fiercest, and where the whole power of the two rival Parties would be brought out.' It was possible that there was secret knowledge — I am not a politician, yon know, and, therefore can say nothing about it personally ; but I presume it was pretty well known to those actively engaged in the canvass, that a great deal of money was' to be spent on both sides. I say on both sides, because however much in regard to im- \ proper expenditure of money at Elections, ither party may ' pretend to be a party of Purity ; such a pretension cannot for a moment be allowed. It is the shallowest, and most absurd of*' all pretences. There is not a man I "ore me that does not know this. (Great applause.) Well ! as I said before, the Elections ' were pending, a greai pressure was made upon Sir George ' Cartier by his Constituents, to get him to commit himself to a policy in regard to the Pacific Railway, Sir George, a true Canadian, never permitted himself to serve local interests for the sake of gaining local popularity; but patriotically devoted , himself to the great interests of the Country at large. The great struggle was whether it should be so constructed as to send its • principal trade to Toronto or to Montreal. These were the rival i 1 9 prospective termini. Aiid Sir George Cartier with charac- teristic vigorous determination, and with characteristic vigorou* expression of his sentiments, refused to be dictated to, and consequently lost his election. Prior to the Elections, I think Sir George and Sir Hugh Allan had interviews in regard to the Hallway Charter ; what transpired in those interviews, and what negotiation vras made it is not my intention or purpose to enquire. Ml mortius nisi tonurti. I had the honor of being an intimate personal friend of the departed Statesman, and his great reputation, which is the common heritage of us all, shall always be upheld by me ; and DOW that his lips are sealed for ever, that he can not with that fiery eloquence of which he had so much command in the two great and universilly spoken languages of the world, refute any aspersions that may be uttered against him ! I trust that no man will be base enough to attempt to tarnish his foir fame. Sir George Cartier, as I say, had interviews with Sir Hugh Allan, and up to this time I wish you to notice, and notice particularly, that no Charter was in existence; none had beta granted. There was only a compact; a secret one miud you — between Sir Hugh Allan and his American friends. . . . And such was the nature of that compact, that I think it was coucealed from all except those immediately interested in it. No one had any inkling of it, except a little Cabal — a circle of* which Mc Mullen was the mouthpiece. Whatever secret arrange- ments there were during that period of the affair, I want it un- derstood that the Charter now under discussion did not then exist. That point I wish to make, and I wish to impress it ■ firmly in your minds. Charters were granted, one to the Inter- oceanic Company, of which Mr. Macpherson was the head, representing what I may call the Ontario interest; and the other • the Ciinada Pacific, being under the osteuaible control of the Quebec interest, under Sir Hugh Allan. I mean to say ti. .t Charters had been granted to these Com- panies, but that the Charter under which Sir Plugh Allan subsequently acted had no existence. If I have inadvertantly conveyed a different impression, I now wish to correct it, although that fact does not diminish the force of the ariruraent. An attempt was made to amalgaTiate these two Companies of Mr. Macpherson and Sir Hugh Allan — powerful men — represent- ing interests which were in some respects rival and discordant ones. Mr. Macpherson declined having anything to do with the Montreal Company, for he suspected, and had good reason to sus- pect that Sir Hugh Allan had made the secret Compact, which I have told ypu about, with parties In the United States ; and he 10^ ^i! «s a true Canadian, and a sound, clear-headed, sagacious bus- iness man, refused to consent that the control of that great thoroughfare, carrying with it the settlement of a large part of our most valuable territory ; should by any possibility fall into the hands of foreigners. Many persons thought that Mr. Mac- phers' n was too unyielding; but he acted with a wise foresight, and subsequent events have shown that he was right in declining to have anything to do with the compromises that were pro- posed. After it was found impossible to reconcile Sir Hugh Allan'i Charter to Mr. Macpherson ; or Mr. Macpherson's to Sir Hugh Allan, or to unite the two in any form, the Government resolved . to grant a third Charter, which the Ministry themselves were compelled to do under Acts of Parliament, passed the preceeding Session. That third Charter, gentlemen, was not in existence until th'-ee, four, or five months after the Elections of the prtjvious Summer. I want now to tell you that that Charter was tfie Charter of which we hear so much^ and which it is alleged waa the price of Sir Hugh Allan's contribution to the Election fund. Sir Hugh Allan was the wealthiest man in Canada, and had, the largest experience in the carrying trade, and the largest, interest in sea-going vessels, probably in America. No matter what his position was with these gentlemen, he ^mis the proper man io put at the head of the Company. There can be no doubt about that, gentlemen ; everybody must acknowledge that to be the case. When a Board of Directors was formed, did it look very much as if a secret un- derstanding existed between Sir Hugh Allan and Sir John A. Macdonald ? i have to tell you that the Board of Directors was independent oi Sir Hugh Allan, or at least a large majority of them; that Sir Hugh Allan strenuously objected to having many of them put upon the Board, and yet the Government obliged him to accept them. Now I am going to prove what I am asserting to any fair man of average intelligence. There was Mr. Cum- berland, who is the Managing Director of the Northern Railway^ and as such his interests were entirely antagonistic to those oi Sir Hugh Allan, who at that time had " Pacific Railway on the brain." He said to Mr. Cumberland in a lordly way, as I under- stand, "I am going to build the Pacific Railway," to which Mr. Cumberland replied, " and so am I." Mr. Walker, who was the Vice-President of the Company, represented an Ontario interest, and is now running for Parliament on the Pacific Scandal, in the Ministerial interest, and I hope he will not get in. Do you suppose that he was one of Sir Hugh Allan's creatures in that matter ? — not much. i^Loud applanse.) Then there was Mr, "Walter Shanly. I don't think he was Sir Hugh Allan's mail| It aifd i think he was very reluctant to have his name on the Board.' MK Sand ford Fleming, who had been at the head of the survey ^ of the route, a man who st&nds above suspicion of any collusion " "With anybody, one of the most eminent men in his profession on" this continent or any other. Mr, McDiermaid of Manitoba, about "whom I know very little. Mr. Donald A. Smith, who is the first i officer of the Hudson's Bay Company, and whose interests I , think, are antagonistic to those of Sir Hugh. My friend Mr. Mclnnes of Hamilton, than whom a more pure minded and moro^j pure hearted person does not exist ; he is a leading merchant s and manufacturer; no imputation can be cast upon him, and < the thorough and sterling independence and uprightness of his r fine character, renders it unnecessary f'^>r me to say that he could ■. be under the improper control of any person whatsoever. Now "what remained for Sir Hugh Allan. The empty honor of the PreKidency of the Pacific Railway, to which he would have been,', fully entitled after the failure to amalgamate with the Inter- oceanic Company. And after that failure what man in the Pro- vince will say that Sir Hugh Allan might not have received the ♦ presidency of that company without the least possibility of that lact leaving the slightest ground for the charge that there could', have been any prior understanding between him and Sir John' Macdonald. I wish to make this point plain to you, and I wish to say to} you that there was no man in Canada, apart from any charter- selling considerations, who if he had been disposed to take up the Pacific Railway scheme, the Interoceanic being out of the„ question, who would have been better entitled to become presiding , oflScer of a Board of Directors than Sir Hugh Allan ? Now, , gentlemen, Sir Huj^h Allan had the empty Presidency of the Pacific Railway Company. Nothing more ! (great applause.) A very unsubstantial return for that vast sum of money which- lie is reputed to have expended ! This charter, which it ii^ asserted he bovght, proved to be a mere empty honor, but it may Lave satisfied his ambition while it did not fill his pockets. Tf ' wc are to believe the statements made in regard to it by him — and I beg to say that I do not presume to doubt his word — the- presidency was all he received for his money ; and if we are to- believe that which is before our own eyes, his own sworn, statements, and those of witnesses before a Commission, th«^ thing which is not proven, and in fact the thing which i(i most absolutely disproven, is the sale of the Pacific Rail- way Charter. I enter protest against the Ministerial party using any part of the evidence before the Royal Com- mssion unless they accept the whole. I protest against their taking ex-parte evidence in this case not subjected' to cross-examination, extra-judicial and irresponsible, of men. who a*e beyond the jurisdiction of our laws — of hired in- 12 formers, of paid spies — based upon testimony feloniously obtained (and you remember, gentlemen, the old proverb that " the receiver is as Inid as the " you can supply the word^ and in this case I say worse). (Tremendous applause.) And now comes the conclusion of this distorted story, this hug-a-bon which has been used to frighten and startle the public mind in Canada, I almost hesitate to say, to cover up and con- ceal offences far greater which may or may not come to light. When Alcibiades felt himself liable to be charged with great crimes, he seized his favorite dog in the market place and cut oflf his tail. The act of the great Athenian has often been imi- tated in these days, and the so-called Reformers are adepts at it. Bear with me for one moment. I am now coming to the end and the climax of this bald and wretched humbug. Tiie Charter that was put in the hands of Sir Hugh Allan, which it is alleged that he purchased; this man of thrift ; this " Canny Scotchman," this man who l)elonged to no party; this self-seeker; this Dugald Dalgettie who fought on any side where he could make the most money. This is his por- trait, not painted by me, for I wish to extend every possible courtesy personally to the man whose iron will, rising superior to every obstacle, seeing wreck after wreck of the great steam- ers with which he hoped to open through the navigation of the St. Lawrence, a Trans- Atlantic trade, and through which also he has at last achieved a succestii unecLualled on the continent, — this man I say, having obtained possession of this Charter, which he is said to have purchased, proceeded to England, to obtain through the provisions of the Charter the aid of the great capitalists of England to enable him to build the Pacific Railway. Fancy Mr. Mackenzie, painting with that fine eloquence for which he is so justly celebrated, the magnificent advantages which a bribed, mercenary, and corrupt ministry, bound to Sir Hugh Allan, by ties which they dare not break, had surrendered to him the 'great franchise of one of the greatest undertakings in the world great subsidy endorsed, and guaranteed by the British Government ! a subsidy almost unparalleled in the history of such undertakings ! the stupenduous grant of 50.000.000 of acres of land in itself a territory larger than many of the Principalities of Europe put together ; much of it pregnant with mineral wealth, much of it lying in those grassy plains, those natural pastures, that have never known the plough, the scyilie, or the fertilizer, those unfenced wilds crying out for culture, which are sought year by year, by herds of Bison, many of them 100,000 strong, embodimeuts of what the South American " Gauchos " call in their patois — came con quero^^ or beef in the hide, (enough to feed the starving populations of the world,) which are often slaughtered when their skins have no value, and when the carca- 18 ses are left to feed the coyote, and the vulture, merely for their tongues— those chartered libertines who never listened to the voice of the herdsman, charmed he never so wisely ; who know nothing of Christie, never fattened under the care of Cochrane, who would charge at Snell, and who would not hesitate with lowered front and fiery eyes to butt over Mr. Stone himself, not- withstanding the panoply that he wears as the official represent- ative of the majesty of Agriculture under the great MoKellar; (great laughter), who without persuasion from land agents, with- out prospectuses of emigration touts, ignorant of Horrocks Cocks and Creasy Whellams, guided by that keen natural instinct which baffles the researches of the naturalist; which is unerring and mysterious as fate, and which almost rises superior to reason, have sought these pastures for centuries so numberless that they almost contradict the Darwinian theory, with a mute eloquence superior to the late ingenious argument of Mr. Gladstone, and form our best certificate of the value of this domain to the stock- breeder or the grain grower, (cheers and laughter). It is a little strange, but I am afraid it is true, that the saga- cious, grizzly fronted old Bisons, who lead the herd, don't stay on the lands of Jay Cooke & Co. longer than is necessary, Nothwithstanding these liberal terms, what success had Sir Hugh Allan when he went to London with the (/barter that he bought so dearly, according to the assertions of the GoA^ernment party ? How was he received by the Barings, the Glyns, and other great powers of the money world of London, who have always been among the first to take up Canadian projects ? With his great Charter in his hand, with his own reputation aa one of the most astute business men of Canada, with that to back him, which is in itself a tower of strength, his immense personal prestige and triumphant success, his mission was a failure. The terms of the Charter by which the interests of the country were guarded were so stringent, that wo do not know that there was even a ' nibble ' at the great bait with which he * bobbed ' for the ' big fish ' of Finance in London. No, gentle- men, he utterly failed, to accomplish anything under the Char- ter which it is asserted he bought at so great a price — even at the risk of repetition I must say so — and he came back to Canada, and surrendered that enormously valuable Charter (immense applause which lasted some minutes, after which Mr. Plumb proceeded.) Now, gentlemen, it is certain that either one of these two sup- positions must be true ; either that no agreement existed be- tween Sir Hugh Allan and Sir John A. Macdonald in respect to the moneys subscribed by the former to the elections, and consequently there was no sale of the Charter, or that Sir John A. Macdonald had the temerity and audacity in the face of such u ll an agreement to refuse to ratify it, and to disappoint tjie .. wealthy and powerful Sir Hugli Allan, who had, as one may say^ ♦'the hook in his gills," and consequently, we must suppose^ . could have exacted his own terms. The Oldbe and the Party have constantly asserted that Sir ■ Hugh was no party-man, but was a lover of money who would insist upon his pound of flesh to tho very drachm, and can we suppose for a moment that when he had paid out so enormous a ■um of money, for which we are told he was to have value, that if he had, as I said before, a " hook in the gills" of Sir John A. "'•■ Macdonald he would not have "jerked" him just where he pleaaed. (cheers.) Everybody, I say, must know, that if he was the avaricious and sordid man he is painted by the Olobe^ he would have cut deeply and sharply for his fleshy forfeit. Why, of course, he would ! It is absurd to talk otherwise ; but since the Ministerial Party seems determined to force this Charter business upon us, I, for one, as I suppose it to be the theme on every hustings in Canada to-day, intend to meet the issue, although I claim that it is most unfairly put upon me, but I am willing to ; probe it to the bottom, and I am not sure that I have not al- ready thrown some liglit upon it in my own feeble, humble way, . although I dare say that it has been said and will be said that I am " a Yankee, and don't know anything about Canadian poli- tics." (Laughter and great applause.) Now we will go on towards the close of the Session of 1873. "About these days," (as Zadkiel's almanac says) the Hon. Lucius Seth Huntington brought before the House of Commons re- solutions accusing Sir John Macdonald of having sold this valuable Charter which has been under discussion, and charging him with having received from parties in the United Stites* interest, before referred to, large sums of money which hud been used for corrupt purposes at the elections of 1872. Those resolu- tions of Mr. Huntington were brought forward without any com- ment from him, and his proposition to refer them to a committee was voted down by a majority of the House. A distinguished and elegant writer, master of his art, whom I may venture, with some apology to name — Prof. Goldwin Smith — although he choses to remain under a transparent disguise as the impersonal author of r. a series of papers entitled " Current Events," which delight the . readers of tiie Canadian Monthly in each is?ue of that magazine, asserts, (and with all deference to his judgment, I think he was wrong,) that Sir John A. Macdonald ought at once to have - granted that committee. It seems to me very certain that Sir John A. Macdonald had a stronger position by not granting it. However that may be, it was voted down by a large majority. A day or two after- . w rds Sir John brought forward himself a resolution for a com- I -Ji % S^'-''' *5 loittee. It was said that he was compelled to do so unrler pres- iwire, and he appealed to everybody in the House to say if Uuire had been any auch pressure brought to bear upcn hini. There was no affirmative reply, and we are bound to assume that that assertion is not true ; and on that committee, which consisted of five members of the House, was placed the leading mind of the opposing party, the brains, as one may say, of the whole Clear Qnt army, the man who is the pride of the Chancery Bar of Canada, and whose talents we all delight to honor — the Hon. Edward Blake, (cheers.) The Hon. Mr. Dorion was also placed on that committee by Sir John A. Macdonald. He is the leader of tlip Rouge Party of the Province of Quebec, and I nay say, parenthetically, that since he joined Mr. Mackenzie's Minis- try, Mr. Mackenzie lias not had anything to say by way of de- nouncing the Scott murder. (Great applause.) The Hon. John Hillyard Cameron presided, and it is well to re- member that a proposition to have the witnesses who should com© before this Committee examined under oath, was met by the ob- jection that it was contrary to the usage of t^r British Parliament, and a Bill of that kind would probably be dis.^ owed by the Home Government. However, the House passed t. Bill empowering this Committee to administer an oath under the usual penalties. That Committee appointed its meeting in Montreal, in the month of May I think. Continual asertions and insinuations were made that Sir John Macdonald was endoavouring to procure delay; that he was only shuffling and evading, and keeping off invcHtiga- tion. However, when the Committee met, or about the time of the meeting of the Committee, the Oaths Bill was disallowed. Word came back from England that the Committee could not sit and ad- minister oaths, as was proposed by Parliament. I'here were insinuations then in the newspapers, that Sir John Macdonald had sent a confidential messenger to Influence the Queen's Ministers and Queen's Advisers to disallow the Bill. Anvbody who will believe that will believe anything. (Applause.) The Oath's Rill having been disallowed, the Committee broke up its Session, and on the very next day appeared ..he whole story of what is now called the Pacific Scandal. It ch^a out in the leading newspaper of tne then Opposition — an extra - judicial statement, that showed a desire to prejudice the public mind, a course similar to that for which, during the Tichborne trial, many public journals have been punished for contempt of court. What man accused of a crime has not a right to be considered innocent until he is proved guilty — except myself ? (L(mg continued applause.) Yes, except myself. However, we are not going to talk about personal matters now. The next thing I wish to mention is that when Parliament ad- journed, it was understood that it should meet on the 13th day of August, but not for th(5 despatch of business. I intend to make a point of that, and I intend, if it is called in question, to prove it. Sir John Macdonald said, * For the purpose of hearing the report 16 of this Committee, Parliament will Btand adjourned until the 13th day of A'lKUst, and will not then meet for the dispatch of business, and therefore it is not necessary for all the members to reassemble, and it is only necessary to have a quorum," or words to that effect. Mr. Mackenzie assented, and I think the only member who opposed it was Mr. Holton, who at that time, probably, spoke on his own account solely, and Parliament adjourned with the under- standing that it should not meei on the 13th day of August for the dispatch of business. Not long afterwards, there was an agitation commenced to have Parliament meet, and try this case on the 13th of August. Most people remember how the Press began to agitato this question. Petitions were cir- culated, and I think there was one hero in Niagara, and by a kind of special pleading people were brought to think that Parliament would be doing its duty if it met on the 13th of August to examine that case. I assert here, boldly, that it would not have been doing its duty if it had met that day for that purpose, and I assert, also, that it would be a frightful infringement of the pri- vileges and the rights of the members who had absented them- selves upon the understanding between Sir John Macdonald and Mr. Mackenzie, and who could not be present to represent their con- stituencies on the floor of Parliament on that day. (Long applause.) Any single member, who by any accident, or by any previous ar- rangement, had been prevented from coming to Parliament at that time, would have had a right to make the most serious complaint, as his constituents would have been for the time practically dis- franchised. It struck at the very root of liberty (applause), and Lord Dufferin, with that clear judgment, and tliat knowledge of Parliamentray law and of Constitutional principles which so emi- nently distinguishes him, said " Gentlemen, I intend to consider my Ministers innocent until they are proved guilty.' Applause) " I intend, under their advice, that Parliament shall not meet for the despatch of business.' We know all about the stormy meeting of Parliament, and the denunciation of the Governor General, which almost amounted to treason. Lord Dufferin stood firm, lam glad to say, from first to last throughout this tryiug crisis, although he was ignorant, to a certain extent, of the force and rage and fury of party politics here ; and his conduct from first to last has been endorsed by the British Government (applause). Here I want you to understand that delay again was charged ;;gainst Sir John Macdonald. The Governor-General then said "I will appoint a commission under the Great Seal, who shall have power to administer oaths, and who shall examine into this scan- dal, and probe it." He appointed Judge Day, Judge Poulette, and Judge Gowan, gentlemen who, of course, were abused and slandered by the then Opposition Press. Well, that Commission met in Ot- tawa, and issued subpoenas, and what do you think ? The men that brought the charges refused to come before the Commission, alleging that Parliamentary privileges had been usurped, that it was the right of Parliament alone to investigate the case, and that Mr. Huntington and his chief witness need not appear to give their t J € 1 1! 17 cir- testimony. The consequence was that Sir Hugh Allan and Sir John Macdonaldand some others were the only witnesses in the case examined before the Commission. Sir John did not, like Mr. Huntington, shelter himself behind the bulwark of Parliamentary privilege, and through his voluntary testimony it was ascertained that a largo sum of money had been subscribed by Sir Hugh Allan, somewhat exaggerated as to the amount, by the Press, but no mat- tar, — it is large enough, any way. We will call it whatever they like, "erhaps it might bear some little proportion to that $750,000 that they say is coming here now to help my oppo- nent and his friends (applause). But I am too much of a business man to believe that $750,000 .story. I tliink Sir Huirh Allan spent a grciit deal of money. I thiuk when he had got into it, and had spent .seventj , or eighty, or ninety thousand dollar.s, he made up his mind he would go on paying money until he accomplished what he desired, namely, the exhaustion of the Grit ' pile ' and the ' call.' Sir John made a clean breast of it. He said, " I have taken part of this money, and spent it in the elections." I do not justify this. I, myself, am lot 1 ^und to Sir John in any way, although it is said among my op^jonents that he wrot; my Address, which is certainly a great compliment to me (applause and laughter). Well, Parliament was called together, and the debate commenced. That was the beginning of the big tight — the beginning of the enf\ Mind you, up to this time the Hon. Lucius Seth Huntington had not appeared. He claimed, as I have told you, that Parlia- menc alone Avas competent to deal with the case. All his party claimed the same thing, so that until the case was investi- gated by them, the logical conclusion was that there was, in a Parliamentary sense, no investigation at all. Now, what have we next? As soon as Parliament met, instead of preparing to in- vestigate the case, they brought in resolutions which, if passed, must compel the resignation of the Ministry. Those resolutions were discussed every day during the short and eventful session, and every night also until the final breaking up of Parliament. No pro- position to investigate the Scandal Case was made. The debate, of course, in many cases was exhaustive, but what are such debates in which facts are colored and twisted in every way by the acri- mony of party feeling, both sides taking the extremest opposite grounds ? The probability is that the truth lies between them. "Deserted at hie utmost need By those his foimer bo'inty fed," Sir John and his ministry resigned, without taking a vote on the debate. Mr. Mackenzie was sent for to form a new Government, and was so forgetful of principle, and so desperately wicked as to form a Coalition Government ! Not that I have any particular prejudice against Coalitions myself, but you know that I am a Yankee " about as good," the Globe says, '< as a barber," and I can't be expected to understand the nice morality and the unvarying consistency of the Party of Purity (applause). Now, excuse me a moment, and I'll tell you why I am not afraid of Coalitions. I well (2) 18 remember, for I am a very attentive reader of tho Globe, that there used to be a tremcnduouH expenditure of type-Betting and priutor's- ink on awful denunciations of tho Head of one of the most singu- larly economical and pure Governments that Canadian history re- cords, that of the late John Sandfield Macdonald (applause). Day aii'ter day, scribblers that were not fit to be his valets — I don't say barbers, (applause) that is my private designation — denounced him. • And a Coalitionist he was, with M. C. Cameron, and E. B. Wood, and our re8i)ectod member in his Ministry — himself a Reformer of the Reformers, He left behind him a well filled treasury, — now considerably depleted, — a sound policy, which his opponents, after denouncing it, had to take up themselves, and to an outsider like me, a caution not to believe in political cries, which has embold- ened me to venture to speak of the Pacific Scandal without fear, favour or affection (applause and laughter). Now, bearing in mind the pious horror of Coalitions of all the followers of tho Globe, bearing in mind the denunciation of Coalitions which we have cften heard fulminated like an Ernulphus Curse against all who dared to think for themselves in such matters, when the Scandal Mongers foui.d that they had a "show," as they say, for coming into tho ofificos which thoy greedily coveted, when from the Pisgah of the Club, and tho iSussel House, and other choice Camping Grounds of the faithful and the faithless, they saw the Promised Land, and smelt the odours of tlie Government Trencher, they knew that no Government formed of their o'vn party, ' pure and simple,' could stand for a moment, and what did they do ? Did they say with Mr. Disraeli, all honor to him, that they were not ready, that they had no polic y matured, that tliuy could not accept office, and take the risk of falling into a minority, which might draw the country into the great excitement, cost, and bitterness of an Election. Not at all ; any one of them would have been ready on the shortest no- tice to take command of the Channel Fleet or to write a Queen's Speech. Office, I gravely fear, was the; end and aim and bound of all their hopes, and all their desires. Now, as an outsider, I don't think the country should have been put to this trouble for the sake of any thirsty horde of office seekers, and that it is com- paratively of very little consequence to the country whether the " Party of Purity" is the " himon Pure," or whether Sir John is as black as he is painted by those who fear him. Men in this world are so much alike, that I venture to say that it would be difficult to find the virtuous all on one side and the sinners on the other, until Dr. Cumming's prophesies are fulfilled. Mr. Mackenzie and his friends without hesitation accepted office, and who do you suppose did they take into their counsels ? Mr. Cartwright, a Tory of the bluest blood, personally hostile to Sir John Macdonald. They also deprived Ontario of the services of the Hon. Mr. Scott, who seems to be a sort of ready instrument for severing old ties and forming new ones, — a Patent Coalition maker (applause, and laughter). When it became necessary to form a Coalition in Ontario, Mr. Scott was the man for the work, 19 'J in HUd and proved himjelf so far equal to the occasion that his aid wa» invoked at Ottawa (applause and laughter.) If it wert) necessary for him now to go to the people for re-elec- tion he would not be happy. The election to tho Local House took place in his district a day or two ago, and iti that election Mr. O'Donoliue was returned, and I think the Hon. Mr, Scott can see the " hand-writing on the wall," for there was a majority against the Government candidate in favor of Mr, O'Donohue of 600. (Loud applause.) In spite of Mr. Scott's great ability in forming coalitions, I think he will on this occasion, unless he gets berthed in the Senate, " fail to connect," as the phrase is. Parliament as I say, was prorogued, but about that time an event occurred, a mysterious dispensation of Providence — the death of a venerable Senator, by which a vacancy was created in the Senate at Ottawa. I think, and my opponent will correct me if I am wrong, that it was understood at the time of forming the Dominion, when many of the members of the Upper Houses were deprived of seats in the new Senate, that vacancies occurring there should be filled hy those gentlemen who were entitled to them by priority of ap- pointment in the Upper Houses which were then dissolved. I think that rule has been followed out, except, perhaps, in the appointment of the Hon. Frank Smith, which Mr. Fraser here or Mr. Dorion there will not probably question ; but on this occasion what was done ? The appointment by rule of succession would have gone to the Hon. H. B Bull of Weutworth, a gentleman against wJiom nothing can be said, whom I have the honour to know i)er.S()nally. That gt-ntlemun was not appointed ; and who was ? Why ! to that calm and placid atmosphere of the Senate, that quiet place where, they say respectable elderly gentlemen (I beg pardon Doctor Carroll) doze during tho day — but I don't mean that as anything offensive. I mean to say it is not the place of tur- moil and bustle of action ! of the heat of ba+tle and the fierce contending strife ! of the press of business, and the inauguration of new measures. It is a calm, quiet, placid chamber, rich w'th gold and damask, where men sit, not like the Senators of old Rome, but rather like the fabled Deities of Olympus, and look with serene con- tentment, not. perhaps unmingled with gentle pity, upon the noisy wranglers of the Lower House, and upon the busy world below them. And now, who takes the place of the dead Senator ? V/ho dons the robe and grasps the ivory sceptre ? Who with measured tread and lofty port and beaming smile, and heart oversowing with Christian charity and goodwill towards men, is welcomed by the Campbells and the Aikens, and the Macphersons, as he bows gracefully to the graceful Christie, and sits dowa at his right hand ? Why — the Honourable George Brown ! (Long-continued applause and laughter.) One may well stand amazed at the spirit of self-abnegation under which this gentleman foregoes the happiness of appearing before the People as a Candidate for their suffrages for election to the Commons. How is it possible that the Arch-Apostle of Reform (Oh, yes, we've had a specimen ,of t! ,i 20 Reform in the present Ontario Government), retires from active service ? Why in lie not now before a constituency, single handed, afilam? (A voice, "Ho can't find ono.") I liear tliat rctmark, gentlemen, hut far be such an inHinnation from me I Why, ho was the chosen Champion of his Party — the l^owcr behind the Grit Throne whereon his trusty Henchman sits — rather uneasily, I should say — the power behind the 'I'hrone, greater than tho Throne itself. He is the concealed Showman, whose hand is under the table moving the Puppets, and making them squeak as he likes. And I ask again why doesn't he go to the people for election? Even Sir John Macdonald is facing his constituents; but the new-born Senator I fear has no 8tom.T.ch for the fight. Now, about the time that the hon. gentleman I am referring to entered the benate, there arose strange rumours — convenient hints from more convenient •special correspondents,' slight iiiuendoes, straws which showed which way the wind was blowing, and which looked ■as if a storm was brewing — presage of a pretty quarrel between the discordant elements which formed the Ministry. Evidently there was trouble among them in regard to the question of dissolution of Parliament. We saw it ahead — " Far off its coming flhone ; " but we couldn't bring ourselves to believe those hints in regard to Ministers who had never been before the House after taking office, that had been seen of men only when they were clasping Mr. Huntington in fond embrace, and making mutual admiration speeches of each other in Montreal at a grand " ovation," (as the penny-a-liners call it,) where the Hon. John Young presided, and where the Premier and the rest of them talked talk of a family tea-party character, and where the Premier and his cclleagues united in striking bands with the three men who were concerned in publishing a stolen letter. (Long-continued applause.) Why, gentlemen, I have no words to speak about that — I have no words by which to describe an act of that kind. I fancy that the gentlemen who were induced, in a moment of political excite- ment, so far to forget themselves as to violate the sanctity of private correspondence, are heartily ashamed of it ; and I fancy the gentlemen of the Press who have attempted to gloss over, or to justify, or to apologise for what I can scarcely find expressions sufficiently strong to stigmatize — I fancy they, the party hacks and drudges, were disgusted with the dirty work they had to do. (Applause.) I am called the candidate of the charter-sellers. Now, suppose I turn upon those that have apologised for this almost un- nameable thing, and many of them have endorsed and justified it with an audacity that appals me. In the Globe there was an article pleading that in this letter there was evidence of an intrigue of an immoral political arrangement going on between Sir John A. Macdonald and Mr. Pope in regard to filling a seat in Parliament — but I do not believe the other side will be more scrupulous when they get a chance — nor do I believe in the judgment of a partizan editor,a needy office-seeker, and two bitter opponents of the author of the letter and its proper recipient, when they claim t hey had a 21 I'tnark, liy, ho • right to become receivorH of stolen proptrty. A letter is inter- cepted, the contentH of which must huve been nttt-rly unknowQ to tlie ttiief and his aiders and abettors, and the foul act is justified on political ronsiderations. They were probably hunting in Huntington's behalf for proofs — that's thu way it's done. Sa it has been in my case. Gross charges were freidy circulated against me, till one fine day when I really roused myself and threw down the gauntlet, those who intended to crush me, sud- denly discovered it might be worth while to bo prepared with proofs. Well, gentb>men, to get bn k to the omens presaging a dissolution of the House : they wn slight at first, but the little cloud, no bigger than a man's hand, grew and grew until it over- shadowed the land. People gazed at it with wonder. The mem- ber for Welland, that cheerful optimist, was secur" in the opinion that he could not be wounded in tht; house ntlemeii ! (Great cheering.) And I tell you another thing : that the Coalition by which we are governed is unsound ; it cannot mix ; the chemical elements are antagonistic. The Tory Finance Minister, the late Opposition Leader, the "Maritime Independents," the "Quebec Rouges," and Mr. Scott, who is the flux that is used to amalgamate the mass — and high over all, the great Master and Dictator, must soon find that there are stubborn wills and stubborn prejudices to conquer. To be in a '• healthy minority " for a while, will not hurt the party that has so long swayed the country. But I fear that the ^■A: 26 ::'f\ r'fTu " promotion of harmony" and the " removal of sectional jealousies '\ is'nt exactly the mission of tJ e new Government. (Applause.).. Why, gentlemen, living in that quiet which the Globe so kindly refers to in the short notice with which it honors me, and having, as it says, a capacity for silence — which you who hear me wilL think I have very suddenly lost — (applause), I have read a good deal and thought a good deal of public affairs, and my impressions are very strong that the "Reformers" — as they call themselves— and the " Antis " generally, have not done much during these last years to promote harmony among the jarring elements of Confede- ration ; indeed they have not been very notably in harmony with each other. (Applause.) ' ' -, r, , •• " / ' ' 1 fail to see anything in Mr. Mackenzie's address which would warrant the people of Canada in expecting at the hands of his Ministry a liberal protection in pursuing any tariff policy. Mr, Mackenzie, I know, is an advocate of Free Trade. He and his fol- lowers are cast-iron men, who can not accommodate their views to the changing wants of such a country as this. They must go on in a certain direction, or else they are thrown off the track. We mp^ claim some definite indication of what would be the policy of the Government on the question of a tariff. It is not a month ago sin^-e we heard that a manufacturing company in Hespeler was compelled to wind up its business, and sell off its products and . machinery. Now 1 can tell you why this was the case. A great financial revulsion had gone through the northern part of the United States, and after crushing out the railway interests, it has fallen next with the greatest severity on the mapufacturing inter- ests. Hoyt, Sprague & Co., the greatest company in Rhode Island, were compelled by it to go into bankruptcy. Their indebtedness was enormous. Their stock was very large. Their factors in New York failed at the same time. Money could not be had. You could aot sell anything. New York Central, perhaps the safest Railway stock in the United States, fell twenty or thirty per cent, and the banks in the northern part of the United States could scarcely pay an ordinary cheque for household expenses. Hoyt, Sprague & Co. failed, and Ives & Co. as well. They had a large amount of money, in their hands from Savings Banks (which people say I have also, and I will show them whether I have or not.) (Applause.) It became necessary that Hoyt, Sprague & Co. should turn their goods into money, no matter at what sacrifice. Other firms followed. A great depression in prices ensued. The largest busi- ness houses in New York, such as Stewart's and the Claflins' sold their goods at thirty and fort*' per cent, less than regular prices, for the purpose of meeting their engagements ; and those that were weak went to the wall. One of the great houses, selling $25,000,000 worth of goods in a year, immediately advertised th :ir stock for sale at a loss of twenty or thirty per cent. But what was the consequence ? Our duties could not prevent them from sending their merchandise here, and the fall in prices on the other side was too great to give us any encouragement to try competition. Mr. Mackenzie's address says nothing about protecting our Manufacto- '••K (/■ 2t ■ir>i, ries. At Hamilton, however, a few days ago, he attempted to make a Protection speech, and he did not appear well there. It is just as I have said before, he is accustomed to running in a groove, and when he gets out of that groove, he is gone. Protection I consider one of the most desirable things for this country. We are met with a duty of sixty per cent, at the frontier of the United States, and we reply to that by levying a duty df fifteen per cent, in return. I do not desire that protective duties should be excessive. I desire them to be no more than will be necessary to encourage our manufactures, without giving them an unhealthy stimulus ; but I cannot see why the same article going from us should pay sixty per cent, for the privilege of exportatioi, while coming into our borders it pays only fifteen per cent. (Ap- plause.) Sixty per cent, is almost, if not quite, prohibition — and was intended to be so. (Applause.) Free trade, in order to be sound philosophically, or true financially, should be reciprocal (applause), and until it is so we must have a cordon of custom houses, which will cost us no more than they do now if we help our own manufacturing trade a little while we are paying for them. Now as to the Ballot, and an Income Franchise, I think the latter is right and just. I don't know exactly how it should be adjusted, but I am perfectly willing, so far as I am concerned, that it should be adjusted with great liberality towards those who, naving no real property, have sufficient income to put them on a par with men owning land. I am not in favor of t'e Ballot, and I say it openly. I never was a politician in the United States in the sense of having anything to do with addressing the public, or taking a public part in public affairs. I never held any office there in my life, excepting, I believe, I was once a notary public ; but I can tell you a great deal more about election dodges there than you would care to know, and you mav rest assured that the ballot is not the greatest boon of freedom. Our system of voting is open and frank. A man comes forwaid and says like a man who he is going to vote for, and I am for that. (Applause.) And, gentlemen, I could tell you of such frauds in the ballot box in the United States as would frighten you. Such frauds as compelled the adoption of glass globes which were perfectly transparent, in order that the ballot box could not be stuffed and brought in before the election already packed, like a packed jury, by the men who had the manipulation of the ballot box in their hands. No human skill ran guard the ballot box against fraud. It has been practised in New York, Baltimore, and Brooklyn ; and in the South the reuurning officers take the ballot box and carry it home, and always put in ballots enough afterwards to elect their oun men. I am against the ballot, gentlemen. We don't want the husks thrown to us by way of concession. We want living issues. We want something that will show us what to do with this great country. How we can fertilize the soil ; what we can do best with it in order to produce the greatest happiness to the greatest number. (Applause.) That is what we want. We don't vrant a blind adherence to an old dis- If S8«>5};?/S«MU»«slj»Hi».. 28 ^i fl t carded policy. These men who come before you and promise to support the Ministry without reservation — what are they ? They are only promoting those quarrels which it were best to lay aside. What have we to do with them ? What do we care ? Of what in- terest is it to us whether one man or another is in power ? I will f,o just as far in the direc ion of reform as any man in Canada. I don't call myself a " Refoi mer," because I think the men that mouth the word the most are least likely to practice what they preach. (Ap- plause.) I doi. t pretend to be a member of the " Party of Purity," for I think corruptions foul, and rank, and high, and offences that smell to heaven are committed just as much by one party as by another. The Ministerial party know in !;heir secret hearts that there is no more hollow cry in the world than the cry of " purity." It is " too thin I " (Great applause and laughter.) There is no such thing as a pure political party in the world, and no party has a right to arrogate to itself the claim to such a title. That won't do. (Applause) Try another dodge ; it won't an- swer. (Applause.) I don't believe it. But, gentlemen, the Phar- isee stiil prays at t'^e corner of the street, and thanks God that he is not as other men; but he is just as great a hypocrite to day as he was eighteen hundred years ago. (Prolonged applause.) " The Party of Purity ! " " the incorruptible I " " the virtuous Party I " Why ! I should be ashamed if I had not a truer, a sounder, and more raauly cry to go before the public with than that I belonged to the Party of Purity ! (Great applause.) They say that on both sides there have been gross abuses ; and I think that the election laws ought long since to have been put right. I am not an advocate of a particular party, and I have no hesitation in saying that corruptions have crept into our system ; but I say if there; was no bribery on one side there would not be on the other. Many men are bribed in the elections, and I know where money has been paid for votes by my opponents or his friends. I do not want that kind of support. They talk about my spendiig money. I have not spent any money, although I understand that my cheque has been shown as having purchased a voter. That is too absurd. How a man could have so misjudged another as to have supposed that I, having ordinary business prudence, would have given a cheque ; would have actually given cognovit of my crimi- nality, I can not imagine (applause). I believe I must have in this community the reputation of being a better business man than that. Heavea forfjnd that any man spend a shilling in my beha and he will not do it on my money if he does, because a man so base, so vile as to sell his vote will cheat the man that bought it, and the last man that comes whether the first purchaser or the last will get his vote, but I should say that the last buyer would hare the best chance (applause). I am sorry I am detaining you, but I have got a great deal to say yet. Are you wearied ? (Voices — No, no, no. Go on, &;!.) At this point one of Mr. Currie's backera vainly tried to persuade the Returning Officer to stop Mr. Plumb. Gentlemen, I believe magnificent Dominion. there is a great future in store for this I acknowledge that I am an American. I 29 acknowledge that I have taken out my naturalization papers within two years, which has been made a charge against me. I acknowledge that I was suspected of not being a voter, that I was challenged at the last election by order of my opponent, and he told me so himself. I had then resided here in Niagara nearly 12 years. 1 told him it would be a costly challenge to him, and I think it will be. (Applause). I don't expect to suit my adversaries, and I don't intend to try. (Applause.) I didn't intend to take the oath ot allegiance until after mature deliberation — until I chose to do so in fact — and what have you got to say about it? 1 took it because the condition of things in the United States was such as made it uncertain as to the future there ; because I was not in harmony with the great majority in that country. I hated the Republican party, and am proud to say so (applause). Probably my oppo- nents will call me a " Yankee Tory," but they said I was not much of a PZm»)6, after all (laughter). A great many puns have been made on ifay name, and / have been in early life a transgressor in that line, and have, perhaps, not wholly abandoned the error of my ways, even now that I am old and grey-headed, and I will say that if I am a Plumb, I intend to show my opponent that I am a " Magnum Bonuvi." (Applause.) Although we may become at some distant day an independent nation, I am not now in favour of independence. The period for that is hidden in the dark womb of the future, and until the fulness of time arrives, I am for a close adherence to the British Crown. (Applause.) I have no fellowship with open or secret Annexation- ists, and I have almost less fellowship with the Independents, be- cause they are substantially Annexationists, and dare not come out openly and declare their sentiments. It is a secret leaning towards the great country upon our borders, and I am fond of bringing secret things to light, as I shall hope to do in some matters before I finish my address. I say, then, emphatically that I am in favour of adhering loyally to the Crcwn. We are not prepared for indepen- dence, even if we desire it, and I trust in God that the time may come when Great Britain and Canada, instead of being separated, may be drawn more closely together, and I trust that the time may come when a great and permanent Commission may be established in London, whereto may be appointed persons of influence, ability, and experience, well versed in our affairs, and at one with our in- terests, to look after those interests, and to adjudicate and advise upon such questions in regard to our atfairs as belong to us in our connection with the Home Government. A department of that Commission might be a proper place of reference with regard to enterprises witliin the Dominion, seeking the aid of English capital, and it would be a salutary check upon bubble companies, such as have been floated there to our disgrace and discredit (applause). Our ex-Governors, for instance, might very properly hold appoint- ments on the Board, and there is now in London an eminent banker and financier, formerly residing and holaing office in the country, who is an authority on Canadian affairs, and who might properly be placed upon it (applause). * I HI 80 n. I I dare say our self-styled Reform friends, who never want to see money spent — except upon themselves — will object to it be- cause it will cost something ; and we cannot, I fear, expect any movement in that direction from them, unless they use it to strengthen themselves in their present very precarious and un- stable position ; and in their conduct, as instanced in the Toronto Government, by largo wastes and small economies, I recognize the truth of the old saying — " Saving at the spigot and spending at the bung." (Great cheering.) My dream of the Canada of the future is embodied in a few lines, (written for a different purpose,) that I will read to you, if I am not trespassing too much upon your time :— , , ..,, ,. ... ,.j f ' ' "I saw a nation glorious and free, ' ' '' :iO i Leading a darkened world to liberty. First in the van, impetuous to strike The festering chains from soul and limb alike. Far o'er the rearward legions shining gleam, Her star gemmed banners, — was it but a dream?" "The teeming West spread forth her vast domain Where she sat peerless in her gentle reign. The sun uprising from his Atlantic bed. On her broad brow his roseate honors shed And smiled upon her when his latest beam Warmed the Pacific, - was it but a dream ? " " Fair was she in her young exuberant health, Ships, mines, and workshops deluged her with wealth, New States, young Empires from the prolific stock In vast accretions lock and interlock By bonds of kin, faith, interest well we deem Conjoined for ever, — was it but a dream?" ' (Immense applause and long continued cheering.) That, trentlemen, I trust, may not be a dream, but may be a prophetic vision of the Ctniada of the future ; and if we are true to ourselves I feel that we shall achieve rank amon^ the peoples of the world, Avhich shall reflect honour upon the Great Nation to which we owe our alle- giance. (Great applause.) Mr. Plumb then proceeded to the third division of his address, speak- ing for nearly an hour, which was characterized throughout by the most stirrinj; eloquence. He said that while crossing the Lake last summer, he met his opponent, Mr. Currie, who spoke about the probabilities of a vacancy in the representation of Niagara in the Commons, and said that he \VIr. Currie) should come f 31 eopaland Roman Catholic Bishops, Jud^e Parker, the Counsel of the Keceiver of the Bank, Mr. Pruyn, Mr. Oornim?, Mr. Olcott, Mr. Van Antwerp, Mr. Williams, Mr. Learned and Mr. Tweddle ; all the leadlnjf Bankers, the Mayor, and many of the leadinjf citizens of the town; and had since received letters from the Bishop of New York, the Chief Justice of the State, the ex-Minister to Japan, (now resident of Albany) and a leadins; capitalist and banker there, and from Mr. Mead, who was the Receiver of the Bank, showing that he Mr. Plumb had always retained the hifjhest social standinp; ii the city of his former residence, and the unbroken confidence of the community ; that his entire property in 1861 was handed over to the Bank, and throufjjh that means and the use of property belonging to his wife's estate, all the liabilities of the Bank had been long since paid in full, principal and inte'-est, and every liability of his own had been (satisfactorily settled and discharged. Most of these letters, except that of the Receiver, having been read at previous meetings were not brought, forward, but having read the Receiver's letter, which was of a highly complimentary character, Mr. Plumb proceeded to say that in returning from Albany he met in the Pullman Carriage, one Kenneth Sutherland, a bosom friend and confidant of his opponent, of whom he had heard in Albany ; that he had been applying to several of the gentlemen before named for in- formation against him, Mr. Plumb, frankly stating that it was to be used in the Election Sutherland looked surprised and guilty, and confessed that he had discovered uotliing that was not greatly in Mr. Plumb's favor. The Currie Party had denied emphatically that Sutherland bad gone to Albany at all, and when he came back those who were in the secret did not take their followers into their confidence, but allowed them to go on in full cry until the facts came out in a speech of Mr. Plumb at Queenston. Mr. Plumb then turned to the guilty parties, many of whom were on the hustings, and denounced them in invective^ which stirred the au- dience to the wildest pitch of excitement and enthusiasm, and wound up his speech by saying "'laving now exposed this base and cowardly " company on the part of the man who said in his brief address to you "gtintlemen, that he would use every *' honorable effort tototn theseat,^'' and "having shown you his vile aud unmanly attempt to go to Ottawa over " the ruius of my personal character and honor, having challenged him "and his abettors toproducethe reportof his company, or bring forward "any charge that they can formulate against me, and bavins; their con- "fession that they are fully satisfied of the falsity of the reports which "they have circulated, I think I am justified in saying that, atleast those " who have pledged their votes to Mr. Currie under the influence of the " reports referred to, are absolved from such pledge and morally bound "to vote forme." Notwithstanding the dense crowd, and the presence of Mr. Currie's friends in large numbers from the Township (where alone he has any great strength) the most perfect order prevailed, and the audience sat without moving through an address which lasted nearly three hours. The leaders of the Currie Party, however — notably Mr. Robert Ball, several times approached the Returning Officer with requests that he Tould silence Mr. Plumb or adjourn the meeting, but he refused to in- terfere, and Mr. Plumb evidently had fully gained the ear of his hearers of both parties. He spoke without a moment's hesitation and the reporter had, at first, great difficulty in following him, but after the first half hour his report is nearly verbatim, as it is now published. No notes or memoranda of any kind were used. The meeting was nearly broken up, by his retirement from the Platform ; after which Mr. Alexander Servos, Reeve of the Township, mover of Mr. Ourrie's nom- m m i ■ i ination, came forward and was heard to say that he was greatly pleased with Mr. Plumb's vindication of himself, and that no one could fail to be fully satisfied with it. Ho was followed by Mr. Currle himself, a pitiable object, who with trembling hand and quivering chin, murmured forth a few jerky and disconnected sentences. Mr. J. T. Kirby and Mr. Bell of Qiipcnston made short speeches in favor of Mr. Plumb, and the most metrnrable meeting ever held in Niagara broke up about half-past four with cheers tor the Queen, the Returning Offlcer and the candidates. The meeting was largely in favor of Mr. Plumb whose speeches at Queenston, St. Davids, Virgil and West's Corner's, during the canvass, have fairly moved the spirit of the friends of Union and Progress and caused many defections from the ranks in the strong- holds of Gritism. His return is considered certain, and although there are certain rumors that the Party of Purity are backing up their honor' able candidate with money, and although he openly boasts that he in- tends to spend it freely, and has promised every office in the Riding within the gift of the Dominion Government to half a dozen different persons, it is the intention and expectation of Mr. Plumb's friends that if there is any corruption it shall be on the side of the party of purity so well represented just now by Cook and Wilkes. ¥ 1 rtf' I liii