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Lor;jque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un t:8ul clich6, il est filmd A partir de I'angle supdrieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nicessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illujtrent la m6thode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 w 1 s ; I R\ ( .\ I .\hU ) I 1 i-; R A R \ F' 1 3 2 . F'4A2 ■■>c5fc ppp T JAMES TURNER A C9 IWHOlCSALE OROCCnS. ^f::' j?;.^~^-^-^^^^^-><^ 6^ /^^^ieSZe-/ < ,',-^ ^ //^ < . •< -^^ <^ A o^ > ^ .;?? * *^ . -'«' / ' -^ f^r ^ / ^. -^ J -^ ^^* » » c- t C. ^i>^i <^- ^ -«-/- / r i^ ^'"*-^ I f ; I ^j:-€ /-i>j»^::^ ^::^c. ^^ ^^-- '^r-f^ r--^.^ ,^ ^T x.«;$r^. I i^-*-: feqy tf: /^t-i A "^ "'■•* r^ *^^<2^^^ r- r' 1 A^^ ^^ ^-^-r^',, y ^- w-y- , - / ^^^ - > il ^^^ V. f- 7c. ea,'^' ifSS;*,. LIFE HON. ADAM FERRIE. In giving a few short notes of the leading points of my life, it may be proper to refer not only to my own origin, but to that of my foreffathers. Admiral Ferrier, a Grandee of Spain, in command of the Spanish Armada, fitted out at a most enormous expense for the purpose of invading Great Britain, had his fleet dispersed by a violent gale, on their nearing the English coast. Many of his fleet were wrecked by being driven on the rocks. His own ship was driven as far up the Channel as the Islands of Cumbrae, opposite Kilbride in the Shire of Ayr. He saved part of his plate and treasure, and settled at that place, knowing that by returning to Spain in the highly excited state of that Court and Nation in consequence of the disasters that befell the immense Armament, he would certainly lose his head. He bought lands, married and had a family. The lands were handed down from generation to my father, who was left in such affluent circumstances as to prevent the necessity of his following any profession. He, James Farrie, of Irvine, in the year 1751, at the age of twenty-one, married Jane, daughter of Thomas Robinson, of Irvine, a man of considerable fortune, which he inherited from his forefathers. Thomas Robinson left only one son but several daughters, and it may here be observed that, at the time of his death, such was the great value of money in Scotland, that although the daughters were only left about ;^l,500 each, they were called heiresses. My mother had sixteen children, nine sons and seven daughters. I was the youngest ; and twelve of the family were living when I was grown up. Being the youngest of such a large family, I was made a pet of, and by far too much indulged. The consequence was that it nursed in me a naturally quick temper, that I never have been able to throw off to this day, and fear never will. When I was only fourteen years of age I stood 5 ft. 9 in. and considered myself a man. Some of my brothers were then owners and captains of ships trading to Jamaica, others of them were in the East Indies. I had just left school and was determined to go to sea or to India. My father sent me a trial voyage on one of his own vessels, with secret orders to the Captain, if possible, to sicken me of the seafaring life. We had very bad weather, both on our out gif.ing, and home coming, and were nearly shipwrecked. When I got home, I pretended that I had not been frightened at our narrow escapes, nor at all disgusted with the sea. Itiit I, with less reluctance than formerly, hearkened to the solicitations of my father and mother and brothers and sisters to settle at home and learn the manufacturing business, at this time, 1791, quite the rage amongst the gentry in Scotland as a calling for some of their sons. I was put to the weaving of muslins under the tuition of Wm. Brown, a first rate master tradesman. I was a very apt scholar, and ere long could compete with any one of them in the twelve loom shop. After being taught all the other preparatory branches and mysteries of the trade, I, on the 3rd of October, 1792, opened a warehouse. By the support of my father, brothers and othtr friends, I was getting well on, until the very disastrous times in the year 1793 came. I had then made considerable credit sales, and had heavy stocks on hand. Prices fell from 30 to 40 per cent. The first mercantile houses in the country were either failing or suspending payment. My losses were, of course, to the extent of my business great. I was consequently quite dejected. My youth and inexper- ience led me to believe this great crisis was the finish of the manufacturing trade. I then stated these my notions to my father, and proposed winding up the business and going to try my fortune in India, as through the influence of ray father and friends with the great house of Fairley, Honum 6^ Co'j, I could have gone out under favourable auspices. My father heard me out and was evidently much moved by my distress. Taking me by the hand, and in the clearest manner possible, pointing out that by industry and frugality, and the aid he and my brothers could give me to weather the storm, I would soon make up my late losses. He finished by urging me to go on and make as many more goods as possible at ttiethen very low rate. I imagined that these arguments of his were for the purpose of getting me to ^ive up my intention of going to India. I said trade would never recover the late shock. His reply was, "Trade and Commerce often get sick, but never die." This observation of his made a strong impression on my mind. Finding I still had doubts, and a wish to go abroad, he consulted a Bailie, James Young, who he knew had great influence with me. Mr. Young took in hand to get my prejudices done away with. On my calling at his house, where I very often went, he said, "What is the.maller with you, Adam? You used to be the most lively young man in town, and now you are the most dejected." I told him frankly the cause of this change, and my fears that if I went on in the business, as my father and friends wanted, I might lose all the money they had loaned me. He asked me what was my actual or probable loss over the profits I had made on my sales. I told him. He said it was a small sum, and that as he was just then lookii;^ out for an able and trustworthy person to conduct the manufacturing business which he meant to commence immediately on a large scale, in order to have full stock made and ready for the market, ' at the then very depressed prices of yarns, weaving, ear following, 1794, enabled to pay up nil borrowed money, except a bank credit 1 had for ;^300. I continued business in my native town of Irvine till May, 1799, when 1 moved my store and office to Port Glasgow. I employed all the weavers there and at Greenock and Kilbarhan. The principal part of my sales were to the captains of ships, and a few houses in Glasgow. I also consigned considerably to Quebec and Montreal. In the spring of 1800, l.left my business in charge of my foreman and friends, and sailed for Hamburgh with a stock of goods which was kept up by fresh shipments from time to time. I attended Lipsic and Frankford fairs, and sa .V a great part'of Germany. On my winding up to go home at the end of the year 1801, I was obliged to barter a deal of my goods for a cargo of Dutch cheeses, and about ;^i,20o worth of French cambrics. At this time there was a great deal of smuggling carried on in all fine wares. To show that I was no smuggler, I consigned all my wares to my brother-in-law, David Johnston, of Ft. Glasgow; but, both the manifest of the vessel and bill of lading to the care of the Collector of Customs at Leith. I came home by London, where I found letters informing me that my cambrics and other things were seised, as London was the only port of entry in Britain for these articles. I made light of this news, and spent ten days seeing London anr< }\ worth visiting there and for thirty miles around. Then I went to Edinbur^ i and petitioned the Board for liberty to ship my goods to London, under bend, so that I might pay the duties. I was told that if I did not know the laws of my own country, I should have found out before venturing to ship goods, and that it was a legal and i^r re vocable seizure. At this I got another petition made out in very clear and strong terms, backed by certificates of character signed by many of the most wealthy and influential gentlemen in Scotland. The Board, after great delay, at last condescended to reply, that no doubt it was a very hard case, but the law was against me ; nevertheless they would take it into consideration. After four months of further delay they condemned the goods to be sold. As a last and ! ( ! i I ) ! t li desperate eH'ort, I wrote a letter to the Lords of the Treasury, telling all the particulars, with a card direct to Mr. Pitt, as first Lord of the Treasury. To the honour uf that great maii, in course of post I received a letter signed by him, saying that if the case was as I had stated, of which he had no doubt, J had only now to apply for my goods to be sent to London for entry. I instantly set off to Kdinburgh, and on my sending my card to the Board, I '.vas admitted, and treated in a very different way from what I was before ; and the CJerk was directed to make out an order to the Collector of Leith, to see the said goods shipped to the Cubtoms at London. But before this was all done, tne short peace with France took place, and prices fell from 30 to 40 per cent:, as goods in place of going at vast expense to Hamburgh with various commissions heaped upon them, were poured into the London market direct from the manufacturers. My goods net'.ed about ;^6oo less than cost and charges. This case made a considerable talk in Ft. Glasgow nnd neighborhood. A very intimate friend of mine, Peter McDougall, was at the time Collector's Clerk at Greenock. Charles Oglevy, his uncle. Collector of Customs at Greenock, and Sir James Campbell, Collector of Customs at Pt. Glasgow, had at this time been displaced by the said Board in consequence of some very trifling error which they had committed in calculating the drawback on salt consumed in the fisheries. Although they offered to pay into the 1 reasury the amount lost, this zealous and pure Board would not listen to such a proposal, as they had their own relatives and friends hungering for the places. Mr. McDougall on meeting me said, "you have been very badly treated by the Board of Customs, and if you wish to retaliate, I can give you the particulars of some gross mistakes of theirs, on the collection of duties on foreign sugars, by which the Goveinment has lost from ^'200,000 to ;^3co,ooo." I promised to keep hi^ name concealed, wiiile 1 would follow out the case as I thought best. He took from his pocket a very full and particular statement, giving dates, quantities, duties collected in separate Customs which should have been collected in others, and the results. This statement I enclosed to Mr. I'ox with a letter from myself pledging for its being a true and genuine statement. In course of post I had a reply from Mr. Fox, thanking me for the informa- tion and assuring me a proper use would soon be made of it. The newspapers were filled with a strong charge against the Board of Customs at Edinburgh, for gross ignorance of the Ibws (what the Board accused me of) which they were largely paid for, having carried into effect, and that in Greenock and Port Glasgow alone, from ^^aoo.ooo to ;^3oo,ooo was lost to the Revenue of the country. \fter much discussion it was ordered that .*iaid statement should be put into the hands of the commissioners then named, to be by them taken to said 5 ports, to be compared with the books of eutry; All this was done and the statements found to be correct. The members of the Board were all dismissed, and an interim one appointed to carry on the work. But their political influence was such that they were reinstated within six weeks after their dismissal, wUh a reprimand and a notice that if any after errors took pluce, they would immediately lose their position. Their conduct was criticised both in public and private. My revenge shows the truth of the old proverb, "The King may come in the badger's robe." I shortly after this was married at Port Glasgow to Miss Rachel Campbell, daughter of the late Colin Campbell of that place. She was only seventeen years of age. We had a family of twelve; nine s«ns and three daughters: Five of our sons died and were buried in Glasgow. From the time I went to Glasgow, which was shortly after our marriage, I was selected by the Reformers of that city as their principal leader. I had for many years been intimate with the leading merchants, who were for the moA part hot Tories. In those days politics were introduced at almost all our dinner parties, and ran very high. I fearlessly on these occasions, as well as at public meetings, espoused the Whig and Reform cause. This the Tories could not stand, and mj invitations to their dinners became gradually fewer. Colonel Wakdell, in parliament, brought a charge of malversation against the Duke of York, Commander-in-Chief of the Army, and was in consequence under enormous expense in defending himself against the many actions at law brought against him. A great public meeting was held in Glasgow to propose a general subscription toward the fund raised in London, and I was called to the chair, though I took no part in calling the meeting. On the spot there was upwards of ;^3oo subscribed, and so sanguine was the committee of management, that they begged me to remit ;^300, and that they would see me paid. Long and flaming advertisements were put m all the newspapers of the City, requesting those favourable to the cause to contribute to the fund ; but no great exertions were made. When I came to demand my money, I found the whole contribu- tion amounted to about ^^270, out of which came the expenses for rent of hall, advertising, dr>c. , in all amounting to £^4. Long afterwards, accounts came into me from all over the country for advertising in the papers. I refused payment on the groundF that no orders were ever given by me or the Committee. One of the claimants took me into court, and the violent Tory judge found me liable. This was published in the papers, and brought numerous summons against me, which I paid to save expenses, which would be far more than the claim. S-eh were the rankerous feelings at that time, that those my political opponents thought they could not in any way recommend themselves s magistrates, a friend of mine, as was customary, dined the night before the opening of the Court with the other magistrates, sheriffs, dr^c. After the dinner he came straight to me, declaring himself quite shocked, although a strong Tory, at what took place, and told me among those present were the Hamiltons themselves, with a Judge who was a cousin, and other relations. Some one introduced the subject of the trial which was to come otT before them at nine o'clock next morning. Lord Pitmilly said aloud that Hamilton had nothing to fear, for that they would fix Col. Wardell and reform me. Mr. Muir advised me to withdraw the suit and take it before a common jury. This was attempted, but these upright judges insisted that the case should proceed. I produced numerous and most respectable witnesses in proof of this gross assault and battery, and also the truth of the frauds which Hamilton had committed. Cut the Judges quoted Lord Helenbouro's doctrine, 'The gi eater the truth, the greater the libel." They gave me a shilling damages, and expenses to pay. And this injustice was carried on from lo to 15 years after, when the Reform became the ascendant and popular cause. Notwithstanding all the^e drawbacks, and often meeting wifh losses from lending money to pretended friends, I became rich. In 18 10 numerous and extensive failures took place all o\er the country, and particularly in Glasgow, by which I lost a great deal of money. But, being rich, it did not oblige me to narrow my business or make any sacrifices. About this time there were some great Reform meetings, at which I was forced into the chair. It was generally known that I wns in active corres- pondence with Major Cartwright, the Father of Reform, and with Sir Francis ■ ! Burdett, and some other eminent friends of the good cause. All this raised the bile and provoked the wrath of all the creatures of the Court. Various schemes were hatched by which they hoped to run me down, such as trying to get all discounts or Bank accommodation stopped ; but I was too strong for them. The sheriiTs of Renfrewshire and Lanarkshire laid their wise heads together, and came to the bold determination of seizing my ware- house, counting house, dwelling house, &'c., for the purpose ot finding my political and treasonable correspondence. After breaking open all lock-fast piaccs and making a thorough search without finding anything to suit their purpose, they were told by my clerks that I had gone into the country that morning with Mrs. Ferrie and a party of friends, to spend the day at Mr. James Elder's. It was then determined by these wise men to seize mv person also. A warrant was put into the hands of their bailiflfs, and I was apprehended in the midst of this company of friends as if I had been a culprit of the blackest cast; I was carried to the City and ushered into the presence of my accusers ; the two sherilTs and their deputies. I immediately demanded of them a copy of the warrant, affidavit or infoimation upon which they had ventured to take this very violent step. I saw at once that this demand took them all aback. Sheriff Connel at once got up and in a most rude and passionate manner ordered me to be respectful or he would make out a warrant to put me in jail. I replied that he might do it at his peril, and that he had no right to act out of his own County, indeed that he had no righi to be there except he was summoned as a witness. On this he broke out into a most furious passion, and said, he had a letter in his pocket which would condemn me. I smiled with contempt at him, and put him at defiance. The other Sheriffs saw that they had got themselves into a scrape, so they alt retired into an adjoining room to consult. When they returned the head Sheriff of the City and County, Robert Hamilton, addressed me in a very polite and conciliatory manner, saying, that he had from the first been against this mode of conducting the case, and that he was sure that there was a mistake in the matter, but that they had been informed that I had for long been in active correspondence with very dangerous poliuoal characters, and that all they wanted was to peruse said correspondence, and that he hoped there was nothing seditious or treasonable in it, and if there was not, I could have no objections to satisfy them on the question. I said that, as they had not consulted my feelings in the very harsh steps which had been taken, I would show them nothing, and that I had never at any time corresponded with such characters as they had mentioned. At which Connel said, "Dare you deny, sir, that you have for long been corresponding with these firebrands of this country — Major Cartwright, Sir Francis Burdett, Samuel Brooks and others of that stamp ?" I replied, I would not deny I had, and I considered it a high honour. On this be rose and swore that he would again go to my dwelling house and break open every lock-fast place which they had not before examined. I J $ IE :r' £:" I then •d4r«&a«4 Sheriff Hamilton and requatted bim to allow me to accompany Connel and hit attendants to s«e that none of our valuables were stolen. }le said, *'Yoa have now perfect liberty to depart. I from the first thought you could not be guilty of anything criminal, and I wash my hands of any further steps in this disagreeable matter, and recommend my friend Sheriff Connel to do so." But no, Connel would and did go, taking his aids with him. On arriving at my house I was much surprised to tind seated in the kitchen and passage a number of officers and porterat. In order to prevent the breaking open any more of the doors, I jjavc them the keys, but closely watched their proceedings and made them replace everything. Connel then said, **\\n have searched your Counting-house and Warehouse all over to-day and have found nothing such as we want. You admitted that for long you corresponded with these vile men, and I demand that you show me the correspondence." I replied that I would not so far gratify him, but would demand of him his authority for the steps he had taken. He got furious, stamped his feet and threatened me. I sneeringly imitated him. Foaming with rage, he asked me if I knew who I was speaking to. I retorted, did he know that he was in my hou.se, and that he had, without legal authority, in a most wanton manner, seized my person and for hours held me in durance vile, and broken up the doors in both my house and place of business. I finished by declaring that but for its defeating the legal steps which I was determined to take, I would kick him out of my house. The officers, porters and my servants had a hearty laugh at the figure he cut, and the mob left my house declaring that from the first they were sure that the ^reat hubbub would end in smoke. The keys of store were immediately sent me with Mr. Sheriff Hamilton'a best compliments. I lost not a day in instituting steps to have tbc case brought before a jury. The City rang with accusations against the Sherifls and Connel in particular. They became seriously alarmed at the approaching trial* and set alil their iricads upon me to drop law measures. They offered ample letters of apology, which I was induced to accept. The public who had takena warm interest in die case blamed me for compromising in this way. The Cause of ReJorm was now ably advocated all over the Kingdom, and fast getting numbers from the opposite ranks. In short, it was now becoming fashionable to be a Reformer. How different from what it was when I first took up the Cause. So much was I looked up to by the people of Glasgow, that I was often cheered on the strtets, and sometimes called tiie Sir Francis Burdett of Glasgow. This I really disliked. The Magistratea had aiwaya been friendly towanl me, and had often invited me to join the Town Council, but I refused, although I alwaya aided i y • 9 ccompany olen. }le ought you iny further CoomI to )n arriving passage a open any roceediogs WarehouM uitted that yott show ind of him I if I knew my house, V seized my )ors in both but for its kick him rty laugh at le first they iamilton's ore a jury. Conncl in ial, and set pie letters kena warm gdom, and tr becoming hen I first f Glasgow, Sir Francis had oiten waya aided them in putting down riots and keeping the peace. They got me to take the Baton as head of the Gentlemen Special Constables. About this time a very notorious regiment ws stationed at Glasgow. A company of them at Greenock quarrelled with some of the inhabitants, and with their bayonets murdered a number of people. The guilty were banged tor this crime. Another company of them rose on the inhabitants of Perth, which ended in the same fatal manner. They were instantly all brought to head quarters. Very shortly after this, three of them went into a public house on Saltmarket Street, on a market day, where some country lads were, after market, treating their sweethearts. The soldiers became rude to the girls. They were warned to desist, but continued, when one of them was knocked down. They all turned out to the street to fight it out, man to man. The populace formed a ring and saw fair play. The country lads thrashed the soldiers well, when some other soldiers can>e up and wanted to attack the lads, but th^t people would not allow such foul play. At this the soldiers ran to the'i barracks, and the whole regiment turned out with bayonets (they had been prohibited from wearing theui except on parade, owing to their former brutal conduct) to attack the people. The alarm was spread in Town that they were marching up the Gallow-gate with drawn bayonets to attack the citizens. I ran to the police station, and the police turned out with simply their staffs of office. What were a few police with sticks to 700 or 800 men with sharp steel in their hands ? The inhabitants came forth to their aid, however, and wherever the soldiers separated from the main body, they were knocked down, disarmed and dragged to the strong room. One of the police, near where I stood, was attacked by three of the soldiers. He put his back to one of the upright large bannon opposite the lontine, and defended himself most bravely. One of the soldiers stole round him and was ready to stab him from behind, when I darted forward and gave the soldier a blow on the head with a heavy stick, which I for long had carried for self-defence. He dropped down to all appearances dead. The other two left the policeman and fiercely attacked me. I struck one of them on the hand which made the bayonet fly many yards away, and he was instantly secured and dragged off by the heels. Having now only one to look to, I soon laid him low. By this time, the people had armed themselves with sticks, bricks, stones and other things, and were fast overpowering the soldiers. As I stood at the cross one of them quite close to me was struck with a piece of brick ; be fell, gave a quiver and lay a corpse. The soldiers, seeing themselves completely overpowered, fled to their barracks. A great many of the people got bayonet wounds, but as GsrasI recollect, none of them were mortal, iieveralof the soldiers were killed. I was in a state of great anaiety as to the fate of the one I first knocked down. His skull was fractured and trepanned. It was often reported he was dead, but he did recover. Quite a formal and long legal investigation took place. 1 : 3 W fit 1 1 I got the thanks of the constituted authorities for the conspicuous part J acted on this occasion. A copy of the whole investigation was sent up to the Government, and the regiment was disgraced, broken up and drafted into different battalions serving in sickly climates. My business was equal now to ;^ 100,000 every year. I was worth ;^ 70,000 when the very bad times came on at the end of 1815. A number of my intimate acquaintances became involved in difficulties. They applied to me to become their securities for amounts. They made me believe that it was only a temporary embarrassment, and that they had abundance of means to pay far more than all they owed, and that I would run no risk of even losing a farthing by them. John Spence shewed mc statements of his ati'airs, and made it appear that he was worth ;^90,ooo. He failed and I had nearly ;^io,ooo to pay for him. Hutchison Co'y, and various others all failed and 1 had for them in all, to bear a losji of about ;^35,coo. O'Reilly, Young i., and being informed, he said that these newcomets all tritled with the disease until it got into the system so that no medicine could p'-event the black vomit and death. He expressed happiness in finding it in so early a stage with me. He told me that during his first year in the Island, he had been seized with this fever, and an old inhabitant who was quite famous for curing all he took charge of, had taken him in charge and cured him, and that he was willing to treat me as he had been treated, if I would put myself in his hands, and had firmness to go through with the ordeal. I rei>lied that it others had followed out the prescription, I could and would. Without going into all the particulars as to the treatment, the result was that I broke out into a profuse perspiration. He said the game was won, and gave me medicine to completely carry oft the bi'.e. I was kept in bed with a blanket over me, while he changed my flannel frequently. The violent headache subsided, also the burning heat of my skin, but I became so very weak that he had to lift me out and into bed. I at last fell into a sound i If '■it tff sleep, and when I awoke I was free of the fever. Although at first as weak as a child, I very soon gained my former strength. I had from the day of my landing been trying to get an amicable settle- ment with Mr. Ilsley, but without effect. Becoming homesick I determined to make a bold effort to get the business settled. As I could not get any reply to my frequent letters, I got Mr. Pacifico and Mr. Burtwhistle to call on Ilsley with me so that they might be witnesses as to what passed between us. I spoke to him in a conciliatory manner, but he pretended he did not know how my account stood with the firm in London. I produced their letter to me acknowledging that I had paid the bills granted by them on the consignments made by me, also a letter direct to Ilsley directing him to give me up the goods on hand and to pay me fur those sold, with a copy of a letter which they had written to the firm to the same effect. I then said I hoped he would act like a nan of honour and do me justice as far as it was in his power. He replied that if 1 called his honour in question he would give me the satisfaction that one gtntleman could demand of another. I ridiculed the idea of settling a debt in that way, while he owed me such a very large sum as about ;^i4,ooo, we would not meet to fight on equal terms, but if he would pay me I would then meet him in that way, or give him a good thrashing with my fist, wh ch I was well able to do. We could make nothing of him, and left him to his guilty conscience. My two friends told all their acquaintances how I had cornered him, and his proposal to try and shout me for asking of him my own, was made a fine story of all over the City, and properly turned into ridicule. I had to take him into Court, and got a warrant to seize my own and his property wherever I could find it ; but he had everything made over to his mistress, although he had a wife and family in London whom I knew. At the tine I was there he was building a perfect palace to live in, and had a fine new brig worth £S>^^*^ ^^ jC^tOoo, and one of the best wharfs and stores in the place, drove his carriage and pair, and gave the finest entertainments. He paid everyone he owed in Kingston in full to keep in well with those he was determined to live among, but put me and those he owed in Britain at defiance. Strange as it may seem, he got those in good society to go to his fteats. I closed up my business with two other houses to whom I had consigned, and left for London. 1 arrived there in June, l8i8, and found ttte affairs of the firm nearly wound up. I with others who could get nothing at Jamaica, ranked for our full sums, but my portion came in all to only about ;^2,ooo. By the time I returned to Glasgow, enough had been recovered to pay evety pound I was bound for, but out of my ;^ 70,000 I had only what was worth about ;^9,ooo or ;^rD,ooo. My credit everywhere vas as good as it w«« before my great losR,and my old friends offered to give me the most liberal credit and to support me in any way within their power. I was quite overcome by all the kindness of my friends and the public at large. Even with all my great wealth gone, I think this was the happiest period of my life, and 1 setwriously «» It first as weak imicable settle* k I determined ot get any reply to call on Ilsley between us. I (I not know how iir letter to me le consignments me up the goods which they had would act like T. He replied kBtisfaciicn that !a of settling a about ;^l4,ooo, »y me I would my fist, wh ch left him to his ices how I had of him my own, into ridicule. )y own and his ade over to his 11 I knew. At , and hod a fine s and stores in ntertainments. with those he in Britain at y to go to his lad consigned, ttie aAiairs of I at Jamaica, •out ;^2,000. overed to pay nly what was good as it wan t liberal credit overcome by h all my great 1 set seriously i to work again to try and make a third fortune. I commenced again the job printing, employing the needy calico printers to print my cloths. I had cmplo>rly life been famous for boxing and walking. I fought often in schoolboy times, and never met one who could beat me. I had gained bets by my f^pf* ii tf. 1 I *■ walking twelve miles in two hours, seventy miles in one day, that is daylight, and thirty miles in six hours without stopping. My business of job printing went on prosperously. To a firm at Dawsholm, Gy., by the name of Shortridge &'Co'j, I for very many years paid from j^i6,ooo to ;^25,ooo annually. I began to find the consigning business to be more hazardous and less profitable than formerly, and my sons getting to manhood, I thought as an outlet to them, I would establish a hoase at Montreal, to which place I had been trading for twenty-eight years. When I let this be known, Mr. James Pinkerton and Mr. Hector Russell, a cousin of Mr. Wm. Cormack, who had been brought up to business in the house of H. Russell &* Co. of Montreal, and who was then on a visit to his friends in Scotland, was strongly recommended by them as being in every respect fitted to takt charge of such a business, and worthy of any confidence. This was in the beginning of 1874. Cormack was introduced to me, and I liked his manner and appearance, so we formed a co-partnership on the terms that I was to manage the business in Glasgow, under the form of Adam Ferrie &* Co'y, and to hold two-thirds of it, and he to manage the business at Montreal, under the form of Ferrie, Cormack dr> Co'y, and to hold one-third of it. I sent him to England with letters of credit, in order to lay in, on the best terms, the goods in his scheme, of their manufactury, while I set to work to make up the Scotch goods ; the whole forming a most complete and extensive assortment of price goods, hardware, groceries, stationery, dr'c. They were shipped in March ; Mr. Cormack and my oldest son, Colin, sailing at the same time. The ship was the "Cherub," Captain Raside. She started 1st of April. All went well with them until they got to the Banks of Newfoundland, when they encountered a violent hurricane which dismasted the vessel, making her a total wreck. The Captain said he never encountered such a gale, and that it was by the extreme exertions of the crew and passengers that they kept the vessel from sinking. His description of the contrast between the terror and uselessness of Cormack, and the cool courage displayed on that trying occasion by Colin, was very flattering to my feelings as a father. I'hey took six weeks to go from the Banks to Montreal, when they might have made the distance in one. A store had been taken for them in Mr. Torrance's buildings, St. Paul's St. They arrived on the 31st May, and found previous shipments snugly stored. As the vessels that sailed at the same time as they did, and others two weeks after, had arrived, very unpleasant fears and rumors prevailed as to them. By the lateness of their arrival, the first, and that is the best, of the Spring trade was lost. But still, Mr. Cormack wrote most sanguinely of their sales and prospects, and sent me a large order for the Fall goods, which were bought and sent by the early vessels. The whole of the shipments to them then amounted to about ;^35,ooo Stg., and I naturally expected that large remittances would come to me by return of the Fall vessels, but very little actually came. Still I got very flattering accounts from Mr. Cormack, and '^TO^ , that is daylight, To a firm at y many yean paid nsigning buiineu my aoni getting iblith a hoate at t years. When I 11, a cousin of Mr. >use of H. Russell inds in Scotland, ect fitted to take This was in the liked his manner ns that I was to srrie &* Co'y, and intreal, under the . I sent him to terms, the goods ake up the Scotch lortment of price [pped in March ; time. The ship • ' Newfoundland, le vessel, making luch a gale, and that they kept the n the terror and it trying occasion y took six weeks ade the distance lings, St. Paul's lipments snugly did, and others ors prevailed as the best, of the nguinely of their ods, which were pments to them cted that large but very little Cormack, and extensive orders for every description of goods, to be sent out in the Spring of i8a5, with promises of very large remittances by that time, as the long credits given on their early sales, would then be due. In 1824, I had built for the trade, a very fine btrque of about 300 tons register, called the ''General Wolfe." She was fitted up in most superb style, with a ladies' and gentlemen's cabin, in the finest variegated mahogany. Her equal had never sailed from the Clyde. Her building was superintended by Captain Wm. Johnston who had long commanded one of the Liverpool traders belonging to a company of which I was a partner. By the advice of my oldest brother, James, (who had long been at sea, and lost his right arm when only eighteen years of age, defending a ship of my father's, of which he had com- mand during the first American war) a system was adopted, then quite new, of boring a hole of several inches deep in every timber head, with an auger, and filling it with linseed oil, and of dosing the joinings of all the timbers well with whitelead and oil. This vessel was sold to James Ewing &" Co'y, and has been since in the Jamaica trade. She has been repeatedly examined, and her timbers found quite fiesh, owing, no doubt, to the care taken in building her. She was dispatched from Greenock for Montreal the end of March, 1835, with a cargo for Ferrie, Cormack &• Co'y. Considerable shipments were also made to the firm from Liverpool at the same time. The ship returned the beginning of July with nearly 500 tons of dead weight on board, but with very small remittances for me. My son's letters for some time past had been rather gloomy, hinting that he feared the business would not succeed under the management of Mi. Cormack, and recommending my coming out immediately to look after my own interests; I felt much disappointed and very uneasy ; but as Mr. Cormack still wrote in good spirits and continued to send me large orders, I wrote my son that I feared he viewed Mr. Cormack with jaundiced eyes. I, however, curtailed shipments. My son's reply to my letters, after this, told me plainly that Mr. Cormack was not attending to the business, but was constantly in a round of company and dissipation, and if I did not come out soon he trembled for the result. I wrote strongly to Mr. Cormack of the trifling remittances sent to me. He sent rather more, and a great order for goods. I wrote my son to exert himself to the utmost to keep things right, and that I was coming out with the "General Wolfe" in the Spring, but not to mention it. The end of March, i8a6, we sailed with a large cargo. Mr. Cormack was evidently alarmed at my arrival. I found the stores filled with the very same kind of goods he had sent me very large and fresh orders for. The fact is, he knew nothing of what was on hand ; and had just copied some of his former orders. Every one of the merchants in Montreal bore testimony to the exertions made by Colin to make up for the misconduct of Mr. Cormack. I, with the help of my son, made out a statement of the afiairs of the Company, and found them on this side very bad. !(!;■ Wr^ l6 I' I t; ! I • ''1, ( !:i I propoied a diiiolution of the partnership, and that it he would quietly agree to this, I would forgive him all the harm he had done me, and grant him a full discharge. But some of his blackguard and dissipated acquaintances advised him not to do it. I found out plenty of his transactions so bad that I had him completely in my power. I made Mr. Walker, my lawyer, write him as to his having my orders, to take strong steps against him. He got alarmed and consulted Daniel Fisher and John Simpson, merchants, in Montreal. They heard his statements and told him he was completely in my power, and that he should instantly try and get an amicable settlement with me. When he told them the terms I had oflered him they were astonished at its great liberality, and advised him to go and see if I would still consent to it. He got them to propose this to me. The argument used by them was just what had at first urged me to make so great a sacrifice, namely, that by bad advice he might be induced to set to work and collect the immense outstanding debts and go to the United States, where he could laugh at me. I agreed to the dissolution, and it was instantly made out, signed and advertised. I was anxious to get him away, and took and paid his passage for the Clyde. He was seizjd for some debts, I paid them and got him off to Quebec. He was not long away when other accounts came in, which I refused to pay. I immediately discharged some of the useless and supernumerary hands, gave the management to my son, and set off to visit all out customers in the Upper Province. I went and returned all the way by land, and found the corduroy roads very bad. I took six weeks to accomplish the task, having gone at far west as London. I crossed many forests and by-paths where I needed a guide. The face of the country is very much changed since that time. I found Mr. Cormack's credits hnd been very injudicious, none of the parties had money, and I took in payment whatever they had to offer in the • hape of produce. And with all the diligence that I and my son could use, Cormack's sales were settled at a fearful loss. The greatest losses were in that part of the country from Toronto round the lake to Niagara. At this last place alone, ;^6,ooo to j^7,ooo was lost, a large part of it from Mr. Cor- mack letting some of his cronies draw large sums on the 6rm without fee or reward. He had given fine dinners at all the towns on the route, and at Niagara, he gave a dinner to all the gentlemen of the town and neighborhood. They got drunk on the finest wines. A large number uf them ordered horses, which they mounted in this state, and with their coats turned inside out, and otherwise dis6gured, rode through the town in the light of a long Summer day. My informant said that he and the people generally, wondered who this Adam Fcrrie could be, who allowed such folly and extravagance to go on. Wc hurried home as large remittances as possible, but such was the pressure for money that Fall, that my friends had to sell off the "General "1PWF > would quietly ! me, and grant id acquaintances him completely u to his having 1 and consulted They heard his that he should en he told them t liberality, and He got them to ;ed me to make nduced to set to ; United States, i it was instantly passage for the m off to Quebec. refused to pay . lumerary hands, ustomers in the and found the be task, having )r-paths where I 1 since that time. lus, none of the to offer in the ' son could use, t losses were in iagara. At this I from Mr. Cor- without fee or le route, and at d neighborhood . 1 ordered horses, inside out, and a long Summer ondered who this ince to go on. lut such was tke >ff the "General •7 Wolfe," and all my property nt tiome. It took us two years to sell off the great accumulation of slock on hand, after I arrived in Glasgow. It was the Fall of 1828, before I got all paid off so that I could prepare to carry the whole of my family out to permanently live in Canada, where I had, a year before, sent my second son, Adam, and Donald Murray, who had for long been a clerk in my employ. I must not furget to mention that I had for long been a little acquainted with Sir Walter Scott. He had .1 nephew, \Vm. Scott, then about i8 years of agr, who became acquainted with a number of very wild and dissipated young men of Edinburgh. He was becoming a sad annoyance to all his relatives. Sir Walter asked me, a« a great favour, if I would take charge of him, and send him out to act as an assistant in our Stores in Montreal. I agreed, and he came to Glasgow in March, 1828, and stayed at my house until the time the ship sailed. This at once brought on a more intimate correspondence with Sir Walter, and both he and his nephew weie very grateful for the little I did for them. I still have a few of his letters. I gave letters to several gentlemen who expressed a strong wish to have his holograph. The end of this year, the famous law suit called Harvey's Dyke Case came to a close, after having taken between six and seven years of litigation in the Courts in Scotland, and the House of Peers. I will here give a shoit account of its rise and progress : — In 183 1, the Estate of Westthom, bounded on the South by the River Clyde, and about two miles above the Green of Glasgow, or Kutherglan Bridge, came into the market for aule, and was purchased by a distiller and spirit dealer, by the name o'Thos. Harvey, a low upstart, who, in his early years, used to drive into the City of Glasgow, a sour milk cart. Hs immediately began trying io stop passengers from using a road in said property, which led from the eastern suburbs nf the City, through all the properties on the banks of the Clyde, until Hoswell Park and Bridge, which were eight miles up, were reached, and which had been open and patent to the public for time immemorial. Indeed in old times, it was the principal road in that direction. It was a favorite resort and walk for the citizens, particularly those in the suburbs of Camlachie and ToUcross, which were in the immediate neighbour- hood of said property. The people tore down the palings which Harvey erected to keep ihem from usin^ the road. He then began to build small forts upon the top af the bank, which rose almost perpendicularly from the riverto about 100 feet. He placed on the forts, two small cannon, and had the audacity to fire them, loaded with shot, over the heads of parties who would proceed to use the road, notwithstanding his violent threats. 'Ihis occasioned a strong hatred against him, particularly amongst that desperate class of people^ the colliers, who lived and wrought in the pits in that neighborhood. They, I do believe, would have murdered him, had they got him in a quiet place. So determined was he, that he next employed a multitude of masons and labourers. 'i I :■ I "V I ^ # »f|fl I.,,, , I IS who in an incredibly short time erected stone walls at least twelve feet high, and about three feet thick, from each fort down to the River, which is very deep right off the bank, at this place. Up the front of these walls, and all along the tops, he put cheval-de-friu of the most formidable kii;d. On the works being finished, he had salutes fired and great goings on, as ii now he was able to put the people at defiance. But this raised their wrath to such a pitch, that secret «;ommittees were formed for the purpose of instructing the male iahabitants to meet at a certain point, at a given time, with all the requisites necessary to open a road through these formidable dykes. Some thous- ands of them, all armed in one way or other, met accordingly, and marched, headed by the the colliers with their picks, to the walls. To work they went, and in a very short time the walls were undermined, kegs of gunpowder placed, trains laid and fired, and the walls levelled to the earth. At this hearty cheers were given. The crowd had dispersed ere the Sheriff, at the head of a regiment of soldiers, made his appearance at the scene of action. He succeeded in capturing about a dozen, whether they had been partisans I cannot say, and sent them to gaol for six months. Mostly all had wives and families, who very soon were reduced to a state oi starvation. I was, as usual, waited upon to see if anything could be done to relieve their distresses. I drew out a petition, heading it with a decent sum. In a few days, I got from the genteel part of the citizens, upwards of a hundred pounds. I went out to where these families lived, and gave each of them a sum sufficient to keep them for a week. I called on a few of the respectable neighbors, formed a committee which took in hand to raise as much as possible, and to give each family the same sum weekly, that I had given them then, 'i hey roised a considerable sum, which when expended, they got the requisite amount weekly from me. All became expended, which I had, before the men were liberated, and there was great difficulty in raising the additional sum. Meetings were held in ^bout twenty or thirty diflerent places in the Ciiy and suburbs, for the purpose of concocting some plan for keeping the road open. A member from each of the committees waited on me, to know if I would not aid them in tnking steps to accomplish this And,for Harvey had commenced preparations to repair (he breaches. 1 spoke se- verely against the very illegal way the opening of the road had been conducted, and also against the determination expressed, of revenging the wrong done to the public. I said that, if they would pledge themselves for their different Constituencies not to injure either Harvey's person or property, I would take instant legal steps to keep the road open and protect the rights of the public. This they did. I called a public meeting on the subject, wh'ch was most numerously and respectably attended. I stated all that had passed, and what had already been done, and that I fondly hoped that the public gen ally would countenance and support me in my proposed measures to take legal action, and that I had not a doubt of succeeding, quoting a similar case which had been tried in our Court and gained, when an attempt was made to shut up the river road mmmmmmmmtm •9 velve feet high, •.vhich is very walls, and all kiiid. On the n, as it now he iT&ih to such a instructing the ^ e, with all the es. Somethous- , and marched. work they went, of gunpowder h. ' 7«ii8l f a regiment of 'VI^Sh (led in capturing and sent them .'■■'Jo''v who very soon i upon to see if out a petition, genteel part of re these families for a week. I :tee which took r the same sum ble sum, which e. All became here was great n !\bout twenty se of concocting 'MsM the committees '''tw^HI accomplish this hes. 1 spoke se- been conducted, rong done to the their different , I would take i of the public. wh'ch was most ■iJM isbed, and what ;en .ally would !gal action, and h had been tried 3 the river road beneath the City, The meeting unanimously gave me every encouragement, and promised to see me through the struggle. I begged of them to name a committee to aid and advise me. They refused to trammel me with a committee, adding, >'Too many cooks often spoil the broth." But I begged tc name a committee, and to include in it some of the persons living in the neighbourhood of the dykes, who had a more immediate interest in the keeping this road open, and, in their names and my own, I would prosecute, for if in my own name alone, my opponent might plead that I had no immediate interest in the plea. The meeting saw the force of my reasoning and agreed. A committee of six was named, I to be chairman, having the casting vote. I believe a more zealous or harmonious body of men never existed, thttn this committee, which was six years in existence. A subscription was taken up at the meeting, and a sum got which I thought sufficient to put the case through the City Courts. I entered a plea and craved an interdict against the I dykes being rebuilt till the case was decided. This was granted and served on Harvey just in time to prevent the road being again closed up. My exertions and, I may say, success in relieving the distress of the poor families, and getting the road kept open, added much to my popularity. It went so far as to be annoying to me, und it created jealousy in some little minds. The case was pushed through the local Courts. Our proof was so strong and clear, that we got judgment with all expenses. Harvey swore that he would sf end thousands of pounds to gain his point. He appealed, and carried the case to the Court ot Session at Edinburgh. I saw that the e\penses were going to be very great, so I wrote to the citisens generally, setting fcrth the consequences, if we allowed Harvey to gain the victory by his stubbornness and length of purse, which would be the closing up of all the small roads and pleasant walks with which the city and suburbs were surrounded. I got this letter printed and distributed broadcast with an N. B. at the bottom intimating that I would once a week, viz., the principal market day, stand at the Cross with a strong mahogany box which I had made in purpose, with a slit in its lid for the money which I was certain would be poured into it — from the widow her mite, from the wealthy man his portion. The Hrst day we got nearly ;^5o ; and such was the weight of the box that it took four men to carry it into James Duncan's shop close by. The Committee, including the said James Duncan, was in attendance to open the bo." and count the money. Nearly half the amount was in copper. We opened an account in one of the Banks, where our coUecticns were regularly deposited and a regular set of accounts were kept showing every receipt and disbursement. We adopted other ways of raising money for the cause. A man who had a panorama in the City got into difficulties and put it up for auction. We purchased it at a very moderate sum and leased the hall where it was, and opened it every night for two hours at half the former price. All kinds of people came, and the first week we cleared the cost. r ■1 , I ► I'll fi|r iM. l)!l< . -f i 1 I''' • t,. The next was the week of the Glasgow Fair, and of the multitudes who attended, many came to see the panorama. After all expenses, we cleared ;^47. The original proprietor kept hanging around, so we sold it to him for what we paid for it. The musical amate• k i 1. 1* r. » ! \k r 9' ' ' 1 i Si? ; ' t 1 :U . 1 1 nil' !«> this, in early times, was the priftcipal road «ast of what is now the great City of Glasgow. I, therefore, cannot see a reason why we should nut confirm the uniform decisions of all the Courts below, in favour of the respondents, with all expenses." There was a cheer in the galleries, which his Lordship rebuked, then turning to the House, he begged if there were any dissentients, they would slate their reasons. I'here were none, and we got a unanimous decision. Till the pleading was ended, I did not like to renew my old acquaintance with Mr. Brougham, whom I knew when he lived in Edinburgh, as he was the leading counsel for Harvey. When all was over, I went up to him, and without any introduction he held out his hand and named me. In the course of our conversation, I remarked that in his speeches in this case, he had not displayed his usual eloquence and fire. He replied, *'No wonder, from the very first I considered it a bad cause in every respect." He then told me they w«re waiting for him to speak in a most important case in the Court below. I followed him, and heani ..^m in his very best style. When he got warmed up to his argument, every muscle in his face moved, and the sarcastic irony which he poured forth on that occasion, far surpassed anything of the kind I ever heard. When I returned to Glasgow, we set to work and made out our account of expenses, omitting nothing. In all, it amounted to more than ;^2,ooo. Harvey's must have been ;^3,ooo, for he was fleeced and cheated by all hands. Our surprise and mortification was great when he publicly stopped payment, and declared himself a bankrupt. He called a meeting of his creditors, and submitted a statement of his affairs. By this it appeared that both the Estate of Westthom and his immense distillery at Pt. Dundas were mortgaged for nearly as much as ihey would net. It was evident little could be got out ot the whole estate if put into the hands of trustees, although his books showed 13 to 14 shillings per pound. He was asked to make an offer of composition. He wanted to make a job of it, but after much higgling, they screwed him up to, I think, 6/8 per pound. Ihe creditors generally agreed to accept this, but we being a committee acting for the public, could not. I called a public meeting to lay everything before them, and try to bring the matter to a close. .Shortly, I gave a statement of what we had raised, paid, and what was still to pay, and the amount of our claim against Harvey, and that I had looked forward to this sum being vested in the hands of trustees. This proposal gave satisfaction. I then stated, I had called them thus early together, for the purpose of consulting them as to whether we should accept the offer of composition. Many cried out "no," for he had used the public infamously. 1'he greater number was for leaving it to the committee. This we declined. Some of the leading men came forv.ard, and coolly asked me what I would do if I were the individual creditor. I replied that nobody had more cause to dislike the man than I, but as this was a mere matter of money, and as I had never refused to accept a lensonahle offer, I Mould not make this the exception. I'he cry then the great City ut confirm the londcnts, with rebuked, then t, they would decision. 1 acquaintance {h, as he was p to him, and In the course e, he had not ider, from the n told me they Court below. le got warmed sarcastic irony of the kind I lit our account ! than ;^3,ooo. [d by all hands, ped payment, creditors, and )oth the Estate mortgaged (or be got out ot books showed }f composition. /td him up to, I ept this, but we blic meeting to lose. .Shortly, lill to pay, and ltd forward to ive satisfaction, the purpose of >f composition. The greater Some of the do if I were the dislike the man never refused to , The cry then as llfRt, <*Take his oflfer." I said we would do so, and as our case was a peculiarly Mlling one, and as we could place no confidence in the man, or his notes at ^ree, six and nine months' date, we would demand cash down. The cry then mt for the original committee to continue to act, at least, for the first year, ireminded them that I was to leave them, with my family, for Canada in a ■w months, but that I would act till then, by which time the whole affair fittinected with the case, would be closed. The members of the committee dton came forward to thank the citizens for the compliments paid us. lliey llated, that, by the the time all the balances were paid, along with the very .■•avy personal expenses which I had been at from first to last, they feared jiffitry little would be left for the proposed fund. The public had not been ijiware that I had paid out of my own funds, my whole travelling and all my ifther personal expenses. The universal cry now was, to pay Mr. Ferrie at ill events. I stept forward and said, had the whole ;f3,ooo due us been iccovered, I might have taken payment, but as it was, I would not receive one iirthing, but that I was more than repaid by their hearty thanks, and the great l^dness always displayed toward me by the people of Glasj^ow and its jkeighbourhood. I said, this fund must be established as the only sure means itf preventing those of aristocratic principles, from attempting to rob the people <|f their just rights. I ended by saying, to all human probability, it would be |%e last time I would meet them, and that I had to return them my sincere and ^jlartfelt thanks for the uniform kindness and support I had received from the ipopie generally, ever since I settled among them. In May, 1839, just before I was to sail for Canada, to my great surprise, Compliments were paid me by dinners, and a variety of pieces of plate were ]|iesented to me from various bodies of the citizens. And not the least gratifying Sitt of all this was, that my political opponents were the most conspicuous in ese testimonies of respect. But 1 must not go into particulars, else it may Ik alleged that silly vanity is at the bottom of this narration. I and my wife and family sailed in a brig, the "Albion," of Greenock, ailong with nine other cabin passengers. I laid in a large stock of everything t thought would tend t« the comfort of ourselves, as I often found on board ttiese vessels a great lack of many things. It turned out as I feared, for the fteptain had laid in nothing nice. As there were three other lady passengers, 4 fellow, and he had opened it early on the passage, and had been helping him- self to it all the voyage out. When we got into the St. Lawrence, 1 wisnt to examine the order our things were in, and found the cask open, and all the bottles, with the exception of a few, gone. There was nothing on board the vessel but the common rum of the crew, and the captain was constantly drunk, but it was with my rum, as he, I found out, had been in the habit of taking a bottle every night. I made a good deal of noise about the theft, and let him know I was well aware of Iiow it was all gone. In our rank of life, with so large a family, as a matter of course we had a great many packages, clothes, furniture, *&'c. In order tu be revenged on me, the base villain went to the Collector of Customs, and made oath that he knew I had concealed amongst my luggage, a large number of smuggled articles. My things were put under seizure and everything tossed and tumbled about, but nothing was found. The Collector sent for me, and excused himself, saying, from the nature of the accusation, had he not taken the steps he did, it might have cost him his situation. He advised me to prosecute the Captain. I contented myself with writing a simple statement of his conduct, which was certified by two of the passengers and the Collector, and sent to the owners of the brig at Greenock. He was dismissed from the vessel and so disgraced, that he was compelled to leave the Clyde forever. My sons, Colin and Adam, proposed settling at Hamilton, and opening a general store on an extensive scale, which they alleged would serve several good purposes, such as doing away with the necessity of my giving such very general credits over the Upper Province, and that they being there, would be at hand to look after my interests. I was to continue my business at Montreal, under the name of Adam Fenie cV Co'y, of which I was the sole company, and to supply their stores with everything ; to be a partner holding half of the concern, which was to be carried on under the name of Colin Ferrie d" Co'y. They took stores which were soon filled, and the business Was going on well . In 1830, the firm bouglit a large piece of ground in the very centre of the then «'small place," and had a big store built thereon. We did well in it. Nothing would satisfy them, but that we fhould have a number of country stores to be supplied from the depot at Hamilton. We purchased ground six miles above Gait, close to the Grand River, and on the road leading to Guelph and Lake Huron, and built houses for trade and storage. Adam was to have the management of this establishment under the name of Adam Ferrie Junr. d^ Co'y. This business did well. I may here observe, this is now the Town of Preston. This shows what can be done in n young country by spirited individuals. They also bought a new brick store and dwelling in the Town of Brantfurd, filled it with goods of every kind, and gave the management of the establish- ment to a Mr. James Muirhead. Another store was started at the Village of Nelson, and the management given to Mr. L. Cooper, tai^.der the name of P'enie, Cooper 6r' Co'y. 25 Still another store was started at Dundas. The merchants of Montreal and other plaaes, seeing us getting on so well, flocked to this mine of wealth, Hamilton, and set up in opposition here and io all the other places. In a few years we began to find the truth of the old adage, "Too many irons in the fire, some will cool." The credits given by. the managers, I and my sons had appointed, were too liberal, and brought on many bad debts, hence we were glad to wind up at a loss. Adam, about 1834, bought on account of tlic Company a farm of 300 acres, 100 of which were cleared, a good dwelling house, large barns, and an old mill on a never-failing stream, which ran through the centre of the property; He had from his boyhood a mechanical turn, and lie was anxious to erect new miUs on the old site. The great difficulty was to erect a dam across the stream tram bank to bank, for he determined to make it an overshot power, and it required a good height to give a racecourse to serve this purpose. The front of the dam was built of hewn stone, with a wide cart-road behind it, and the embankment to slope to the bottom of what was to form the lake or reservoir at an angle of 45 degrees. The width of this immense mound was 400 feet. The expense of building and filling it in was enormous. When it was finished the water was let in and it formed a lake a quarter of a mile long. Not a leak appearing, it was thought safe to proceed with the building of the mills tor flour, barley and oatmeal, and saw mill and distillery. These were all built in hewn rubble work, and such was the expense, together with the necessary dwelling house and cooperage, that the people around that neighborhood were significantly shaking their heads and passing their remarks, wondering whoever our principal creditors would be, as nobody who had money to pay would throw it away on such extravagances. The millers around, with their shabby wooden mills, were particularly busy with their remarks, and even went so far as to fix the date when the great crash was to take place. This was even thought more probable when it was known that Colin had built a house at Hamilton on large grounds which in all, at least, cost ;^6,ooo to ;^7,ooo. Repeatedly the appointed time for our failure passed over, and still all were paid every Saturday, and the prognostications were listened to no longer ; till some knowing person at Preston let out the real secret, viz., "A London Bank had advanced the money for a mortgage on all our real estate." This was a great relief to all the former guessers, as the loss when the final winding up came would fall on those far away, who could bear it. Our business went on tolerably well till the Fall of 1841, when the Messrs. trang failed, for whom I had become security and helped to the amount of 8,000 to ;^9,ooo. Next came down Messrs. Hackett &• Dickinson, forwarders, whom I had een a principal means in setting up and had throughout supported. I was aken in by them to the extent of ;^4,ooo. I was basely taken in for ;^l,ooo by Chaii. Lamontaign, in getting, through Thos. Judah, a false set of my notes for the House of Industry, which case 5 •c '4 I'll .1' made a considerable noise in the Courts of Law here, and was universalljr allowed to be one of the basest swindles on record. The year 1842 turned out a most disastrous one for the trade of Canada. A great number of failures took place here and all over the country, by which I was deeply taken in, to a great extent by my helping others. This year I shipped largely to Britain in flour, pork, beef and batter, the net loss on which was fiom ;^6,ooo to ;^7,ooo. The losses united brought me into great difficulties. I realized all at my command, at a great sacrifice, to pay off all these losses. Colin Ferrie &' Co'y owed me on account j^65,ooo. Only their drafts on me for a considerable amount were on the circle. To keep their own credit good they retired this paper at a fearful sacrifice. Such was the panic and scarcity of money at that time that little more than half price could be got in cash for property of any kind. Colin Ferrie &' Co'y, by great exertions and selling off their large stocks on hand at Hamilton, en&bled me 10 pay off every just debt which I owed, bit a few of the swindlers I resisted. Colin settled at 10 shillings per pound. Had I kept clear of the scrapes here recorded, or gone out of business three years before, I might have retired with a fortune of between ;^6o,ooo and ^^70,000. I have no hesitation in saying had I since 1792, when I went into business, minded my own interests and helped nobudy, I would have been the richest inhabitant in Canada. I forgot to mention in the proper place, that in 1840, several years after the dam and mills at Dover had been finished and in operation, the water in the reservoir had worked into a bed of quicksand on the south side of the dam, carrying it away. When the men were going to breakfast they discovered a little water oozing out of the bank beneath the dam, like a very small spring ; and in less than half an hour it burst out with such force as to level all that side of the dam and carry away in its course our fine stone built distillery, houses, trees and everything. Ten minutes completely emptied the lake which it took seventy hours to fill with the large stream running into it. The ice on the Grand River, just below the works, although about 20 inches thick, was broken up from bank to bank, and carried down stream about a mile, where it was piled up to an incredible height, along with the roofs and woodwork of the buildings. In order to prevent the mills being kept idle for six to eight months while the repairs were going on, a temporary dam was made up the glen, and a water- race dug along the bank of sufficient height to feed the mill-race. To make sure the like should never happen again, my son dug low down from bank to bank, and drove two rows oi large wooden piles into the ground at six feet apart, each log longued in the same manner as our wharfs are, and puddled. So strong was this new work that judges thought it might have resisted the prodigious body of water without the breastwall and mound, which was ^^^ about thirty feet thick. As all the woodwork it deep tituler the water, niitl free from the atmosphere, it will last for ages, and the puddling can never decay. The expense of this work was very great, independent of the rearing of the new distillery ond other buildings. It may well be said, "Losses never cone singly." It is to be hoped our run of losses and bad luck is now over. We have siill left a great amount uf property, but our capital has been swept away. Thank Cjod, we have preserved our good characters for honor and honesty. When I came to Canada I almost determined net to have anything to do with politics. I have to some extent, but not an active part. When 1 arrived in Montreal, a new Board of Trade was appointed, and I was one of them. I was re-elected every year until 1847, when I retired owing to my having so many other public duties. I was chairman for seven or eight years. About the year 1834, the discontent of the French Canadian population began to display itself in rather a public and alarming manner. The iiriiish in Montreal began to talk of the necessity of our leaguing together by organiz- ing into societies. A number of Scotchmen held meetings and came to the determination of forming a national society. It was to be called *'The Saint Andrew's Society." The idea became very popular, and a meeting was called, at which a draft of rules and regulations were submitted. It was determined as our Patron Saint's day, the 30th of November, was a» hand, we should celebrate with a dinner to be held in the Albion Hotel. I was chosen President, and as such filled the chair on that joyful occasion, when about lao sat down to the feast. The whole went off in the mokt agreeable manner, only some forgot that champagne was not as weak as water, and got tipsy far too early. There was a profusion of first-rate madeira and port provided, with a bottle of champagne for each person, yet the wine ran out. I, anticipating this, sent two dozen from my own cellar, and when the want was announced I ordered my servant-man to produce it. A great cheer got up. In time this also was finished. We kept it up with wine till ubout two o'clock, when the company began to thin out fast. A few choice spiiits with haid heads drew near the ch~ir. We ordered in tumblers, fine Highland whiskey and boiling water. We had three tumblers each ere we parted at five o'clock. I never left the chair from the time I took it at six till then, when I danced the Highland flin^' with the few who saw it out. I was at the annual meetings as first vice-president for six or seven years thereafter, but I never saw one of them go off as well as the first. A number of red-hot Tories, who became directors, were constantly by some means or other, introducing politics, notwithstanding; the society was established on purely charitable principles. I reminded them of this, and tried to keep them in check, but I saw nothing I could do or say would avail, and I quietly with- ♦ ' ' ' 1 ' . ir F .'! ■' .'I drew, and have never gone near une of their meetings since, bot have yearly paid my contributions. I think it was in the year 1834, that the inhabitants in Montreal of British origin, formed themselves into a body under the designation of the Conitltu> tional Society. I was elected Vice President. We had a hall secured for holding our meetings in, and many printed documents distributed, setting forth the cause and necessity for our organization, and calling on every loyal subject of whatever origin, to join us. The only difficulty in our way waa the keeping of the furiously loyal within moderate bound* as to their hatred wf the French Canadians, for they were so prejudiced as to ataert that '*tbey were all traitors in their hrtirts, whatever they might pretend." These opinions, I uniformly combatted and condemned, and argued that it was both unjuot and impolitic to sport such sentiments. Even at our public meetings and on the hustings, I fearlessly expressed these sentiments, and recommended conciliatory conduct toward the French. I called on my countrymen to reflect what their feelings would be, if placed in the same position as the French Canadians. Would it not be that of jealous> ? It was our duty in every respect to try and allay these feelings, and by kindness, try and lead them to amalgamate with u*. I really believe that some of these high- Hown dvine-right-of- Kings meftr set me down as French in heart, because I I'itiecl their prejudices. But when the very wicked and uncalled for rfbeJHon broke out in 1837, who acted the best part? I flew to nrms instantly, got a company of young Scotchmen formed, and drilled them at my own expense, until curps were regularly organized by (Government. I was unanimously chosen the first captain of the regiment, and acted in that capacity while it was in existence. From the time I landed in Montreal I was occasionally meeting the diflferent Governors of the Colony, as a member ot the various deputations appointed front time to time, to present petitions or addresses. During the time of the rebellion of 1837 and 1838, 1 had a source of correct information as to what was going on in the United .States among the rebels and Yankee sympathisers, through the medium of two of our former clerks who had gone to settle there. One, who was at Buffalo, was very able, and particularly minute in his descriptions. As the letters might be opened by the Aoserican authorities, we agreed to correspond under anonymous signatures and addresses. I sent all information, after reading it to a number of gentlemen in the City, to the Governor, and it was of vital importance to the Government. The Governor, Sir John Colborne, sent for me to inquire as to the know- ledge I had of the writers, as to their trustworthiness, Sr'c. I assured him and his Secretary of their respectability and the confidence I had in them. I was warmly thanked by both. I cannot help heie remarking, that while I can suppose that Sir John may have been a very good soldier, as I am convinced he was a very well meaning man, yet he appeared to me to be a man of very inferior ability. It might be that he was then bordering on dotage. I will ?9 give you an instance : I had sent liini a leltei from my friend at Buffalo, in which he gave some rather alarniinj; information, as to the general feeling of the people in that quarter, and that a great number of Yankees and fugitive rebels were actually under arms. At the time this letter came, the affairs at home also wore a very gloomy aspect. I received a card requesting that 1 would immediately wait on the Ciovernor. I did so, and was ushered into his own room, where I found him alone evidently in a state of great excitement, lie expressed thanks for j having come so early, and then commenced a long discourse on the fearful state of the Country, and the very trying situation he was placed in, and having by the very rapid manner in whicli he had delivered this long harangue, completely exhausted himself, he t.aiil, "Mr. Ferrie, I think this is all I have to say to you." I made my bow and retired, wondering why he sent for me. When he was going away, a stt of silly puppies calling themselves the Doric Club, chose to issue a mandate that all the inhabitants of Montreal, should on a certain night, illuminate their houses, under the penalty of their high displeasure. A great majority of the inhabitants thought this compliment to Sir John, quite uncalled for, and the order as proceeding from a very improper source, decided they would not obey. When the night came, the Dorics traversed the streets calling on the people to illuminate or they would smash their windows, and they put their threat into execution, which terrified the people to comply. 1 and a few others would not be coerced to do this. Some of my windows and green blinds were broken, but 1 held out. They collected a lot of material before my door and made a great bonfire. I took no notice of all this, which increased their wrath to such a pitch that, that night, they tried in vaiious ways to burn my house down. Our Tory news- papers could not be got to take any notice of their gross outrages. I had nothing very particular to do with any of the Governors after this, till the Earl uf Durham came here. When I was introduced to him, he repeated my name, and seeming to think for a while, he asked me if I was the Adam Ferrie of Glasgow, who took such a prominent part in the cause of reform from the commencement of the century until it was carried in Parlia- ment. When I told him 1 was, he said he was then very young, but the accounts given in some of the newspapers of the persecutions which I sustained in consequence of my politics, made a strong impression on his young mind, the more so because he thought 1 was right. I then informed him that I had travelled all the way to Durham to attend the great Retorm meeting there, when he made his maiden speech, which was heard with such great applause, and made him ever after looked up to as one of our great leaders. I after- wards had a private interview with him, when he got me to give, in confidence, my opinion of various public individuals. At his request, I made out a very long report, which he very kindly acknowledged. I was very much with his Chief Secretary, Charles BuUer. Before the Governor left for Britain, he sent for me, and said he wished to thank me personally for the services I had 30 f rendered him, adding that when he went home, he was going to tend me a mandamus for the Legislative Council. I thanked him, but declined the honor, giving him my reasons for so doing. He then said if there was anything else within his gift that would be acceptable to me, he begged that I would name it. I replied I was more than repaid by his kiiiC^ness, and that I neither wished for, nor would I take, any other return. This proved to me, although he was a very proud man, he was poksessed of a warm and grateful heart. The people generally in Montreal had for a long time been complaining of the very high price which both bread and firewood were kept at by a combination of those in these trades, i had often spoken to the leaders of the unreasonable rates which they charged, and threatened to start an opposition in both lines for the benefit of the poor. In 1837, the thing was carried so far, that I set seriously to work and organized a ;oint-stock company under the name of "The Montreal Public iiakery." We sold pure and excellent bread at from ad. to 3d. belou -.hat the bakers had charged. They held meetings, and came to the determination to sell our company down, at a copper lower per quarter loaf. We had managers to pay, and various draw- backs to contend with, and by our rules could not sell lower than cost. The public, who made such an outcry against the bakers, no sooner heard of their selling at a trifle lower, than they left us. The woodyard which I staited, hud the efTect of reducing the price of this important necessity very much, also. But I could only sell it to the really poor, for to lay up stock sufficient to supply the city, would have taken a capital of many thousands of pounds. I could not attend to the selling of the wood, and was cheated by those in charge. This establishment was entirely on my own account. The House of Industry came forward, and loaned me^^iooo to carry it on, for which I granted them my note with security for the repayment at the end of two years. A circumstance took place as to this note, which is worth narrating, as involving a case of as gross villainy as I have ever heard of. I gave the said note by the desire of the Board of Management, to, and in the name of, Mr. Ch&rles La Monta.j^i>, as treasurer and secretary to the Institu- tion. He had for a long lime bicn -.. man of wealth, and very much respected, but about this time, 1840, he go' inveigled with a band of gamblers, who swindled him to such an extent, that, in a fit of desperation, he paid away my note to one of the gang. This man who got the note, employed a lawyer Ly the name of Thos. Judah to get me to give the like amount in a negotiable shape, as it was not negotiable, being in the form of a loan from the Institution. Judah came to me and stated that the Institution was requiring a few hundred pounds, and that they sent him to request that I would give them two noteH for ;^500, payable at same date as the one for ;^l,ooo. I replied that if I got up the said note duly indorsed, I would have no objection to comply with the request. He produced the note duly endorsed, and sat down in my office and made out two for ;^500 each, payable to my own order, which I put my name to; y entered them in my bill book, numbered them, and exchanged the paper, took my ledger and credited the note for the ^^ 1,000 and debited the two for ;^500. All this was done in his pretence, and he waH behaving as coolly as if he had been transacting a piece of ordinary and legitimate business. As the Board had intimated to me, they might require some such change, I had not the least idea anything was wrong. Some weeks after this I was requested to meet the Wardens of the Hous«. at Dr. Holmb'. I went, and to my astonishment, learnt all. Some ef them pre>:nded to blame me very much, but 1 retorted, their own Secretary-Treasurer was alone to blame, along with the villain, Alexis Furnet, he paid it to ; and the no le&s guilty Judah. I showed them at once my bill book and ledger, which proved that all I got by the transaction was the trouble and vexation: They succeeded in coaxing me to resist payment of the two notes when they fell due, because I foolishly trusted them to bear me out in case of being foiled. The notes had gone into the hands of third and fourth parties. I was cast with very large expenses. What was my surprise at having new actions-at-law raised against me by these very wardens, to pay them also. Their case is still pending. I have proved they knew of the swindle weeks before they let me know, durinj^ which time they were trying to £et a settlement quietly through the other parties. I have also proved that one of their own body, Olivia Berthelet, knew of the whole transaction from Judah. before the time Judah called on me to get the note exchanged. This case was in the newspapers, and made quite a noise. In 1839, the Honorable C. P. Thompson, afterwards Lord Sydenham, arrived in Montreal as Governor General of the British North American Colonies. To my great surprise, I received on the day of his arrival, a card from his Chief Secretary, requesting my attendance on His Excellency at ten o'clock next forenoon. When I received this summons, 1 thought there must have b-en some mistake. 1 went a little before the time, and was received by Major Campbell, who I had previously been acquainted with. I expressed to him my dsubts, but he said he had orders to show me up the instant I arrived, ard that we were not to be disturbed till one o'clock. When I was ushered in, His Excellency took me by the hand and thanked me for being so sharp on time. Being seated, he said he hoped I would be able to give him my company till one o'clock, as he had a number of questions to ask me, and begged that I would in my usual frank way answer them replied, it was not in my nature to answer otherwise. He then opened a memorandum book, on the top oft \t first page my name, and under it questions, with the opposite page blank for answers. I I,. , > 3a If, k f 1: He commenced by reading question number one, and wrote down the answer as I gave it. In this way he went throughout the whole, which occupied till nearly one o'clock. He laughed heartily at my description of some of the characterr the questions were about. When I rose to leave him, I begged he would excuse me for putting one question to him, in return for the many I had answered. He said, certainly, and that I would find him auiiwer as frankly as I had done, and which had given him the greatest satisfaction. I then begged to know how he was aware fo humble an individual as I was in Montreal. He answered he knew me well before the present meeting. I replied, that was a mystery to me. He laughingly asked me if I had not had frequent communications with tlie Karl of Durham. I told him I had. He said, "His Lordship recommended me to see you early, as I might depend on a frank, fearless answer to any questions I might require to ask you. And his Chief Secretary, Mr. liuUer, al.so told me if 1 wished to get information and the naked truth, I should, on arrival, send for you, which you see I have done." From that day till his death liis attention and kindness wab unceasing. When he formed the council for the City he appointed me first alderman, in which capacity I acted from the middle of 1839 to the end of 1843. Being uniform and pointed in my attendance at all their meetings, I was very generally on the different committees. This consumed so much of my time that I refused to allow myself to be le-elccied. The end of 1840, His iixcellency info-med me, he had appointed me a Legislative Councilloi, and in the .S])iing of 1841, I received from Britain my mandamus. Being obliged to go to Kingston from three to four months a year, living there at a great expense, and away from my business, I thought was paying rather high for tliis hi>noui. But now the Houses of Parliament are to sit here, I will be saved all this. The present Governor General, Sir C. Metcalf, has always been quite kind and attentive to me ever since he came to this country. But I cannot help thinking that at my hrst interview with His Excellency, now Lord Metcalf, having in answer to some of his questions, frankly, if not warmly, expressed my confidence in several of his first Executive Councillors, was in the way of my becoming a tavourite with him. From all that passed at that first interview, and from what I liave since "^een and heard, I am fiimly convinced he was prejudiced ugainst these gentlemen from the first. In none of our frequent interviews afterwards did he open to me on politics or public characters, until at a meeting 1 had nith him in the Old Government House in August last. He had been much vexed and perplexed in trying to make up a new Ministry, that would command the confidence uf the country, and consequently a majority in the Legislative Assembly. He opened frankly on this subject, 33 the pied the 101 and told me how he had been thwarted, and asked me plainly how 1 thought he could make up a Ministry I replied that with the addition of Mr, Baldwin and Mr. I^fopcaine and the next best of that party, the Administration would be quite strong enough for every purpose. On hearing that, he struck the table with his clinched hand, and vowed he would never act with one of them. I replied, your Excellency asked me to give my advice, wiiich I have done, and I am very sorry it has been disagreeable. I hope you will excuse me having given my candid opinion. He said, certainly, and that he was obliged for the advice, although he could not take it. The subject was changed, and I left him more convinced than ever that Lord Metcalf was a very seH-willed and stubborn nran. This is the year 1847. For nineteen years past I have devoted a great part of my time to the interests of the poor emigrants annually landing on our shores. They arrive here often in a most deplorable state of filth, sickness and destitution. it was back in 1829 that a Society was formed, and public meetings were held, and subscriptions taken, for the purpose of helping the poorest of the emigrants to get to their destination. I made myself as useful as possible, and was successful in raising a very large sum for this work. The Government lent us some of their land above Windmill Point, upon which we built wooden houses and sheds in which to shelter the sick and those who could not be sent off on their way at once. The Committee of this Society yearly published a statement of its transactions and outlays, and laid it before a meeting of citizens called on purpose of approval. At this meeting a new Committee was formed and a Chairman, Secretary, &^,, chosen. For the last sixteen or seventeen years I have been Chairman. In 1833, the number of emigrants was about 52,000. By the crowded state of the vessels, much sickness and various kinds of fevers were engendered. Our accommodation at the sheds was found to be insufficient for such a mass of suffering hrmanity. 'I'he Infirmary, by their rules, could not take them in. The constituted authorities of the City would not lend us their aid. Our funds were exhausted. I applied to the Government for aid, but they had no funds for any such purpose. I again had resource to a charitable subscription, and was successful beyond my most sanguine expectations. By this, we were enabled to extend our accommodations, and we managed to get through this trying year very well. I may here observe, that during 1832 on to 1834 when the cholera was so bad among the emigrants, not a person but those who were bribed, would go near them in their sheds. But 1 was thete, morning, noon and night, to see that the keepers did their duty. The scenes I witnessed during these two years and in iS^-j, are far beyond my descriptive powers. I had, at all times, when exposed to tl;i,-i«e infections and dreadful maladies, my body strongly impregnated with sulphur, and felt confident of its making me proof against m 34 infection, and by the blessing of God, and for His wise purpose, I was most mercifully preserved. I have said nothing of my parliamentary duties, as nothing occurred of a very extraordinary nature. Ihere have been the usual bickerings and low personalities between the place men and place hunters, between the '*ins" and the **outs." The pretended Liberals or Reformers, Lafontaine, liinks iSr* Co'y, have for long past been playing so foul and false a game, that even 1, who' spoke to Lord Metcalf so btrongly in their favour, have been completely changed in my opinion. The Rebellion Loss Bill, their putting in fourteen of their tools at once to swamp the independent part of the Legislative Council, and many of their other base delinquencies, have opened the eyes of most of their original friends, so that ut the next election there will be such a change of members in the Lower House, as will deprive them of a majority. Indeed, I think some of the present ministers will not be returned, and will hence be compelled to withdraw from public life. No doubt the foolish and iniquitous act of the mob in burning the Parliament House, has strengthened the present Ministry, but for this they would have been compelled to resign, ai;''> Luii^l Elgin along with them. What a blessing this would have been to LuaaiU. The base creatures know their danger, and will begin to provide judgeships and other fat berths for themselves and friends. Mrs. Ferrie and I had fur many yeais past been talking of paying a visit to our native country. As 1 saw a very discontented spirit fast growing among the people here, particularly the furmerly furiously loyal, who made advance to get me to join them, 1 hurried our preparations and took our passage by the ship "Mary Ann," bound for the Clyde. \N'e sailed eaily in June, and had, for the season of the year, a boisterous passage of thirty-one days. After an absence of twenly years, we had the pleasure of meeting our surviving friends and relatives in .Scotland and England. Most of them were a great deal changed and time worn. Uur reception by them, and generally wherever we went, and were at all known, was most cordial. As the season uf the year was advanced, we set off for Ireland, and spent some time in Dublin and the neighbourhood. We then crossed the Channel to Liverpool, where we spent ten days enjoying ourselves. We went from Liverpool to London ; there we stayed a week. Then we took a steamer for France and landed in Boulogne. Seeing all in that neighborhood, we proceeded to Amiens ; the Cathedral there, where the coronations took place for centuries, is magnihcent. We spent two or three weeks in Paris, seeing the public buildings and gardens, art galleries and statuary, and sight-seeing in general. We were delighted with everything ; but the palaces at Versailles and their surroundin^^s threw all we had previously seen into the shade. I could with pleasure have spent a week looking at the things we had only a day io admire ; it was like a dream or a scene from Fairyland as described in the famous Tales. We next went through Belgium, and stayed a week at the Belview, Brussels. We did not forget to visit the field of Waterloo. We saw the review of troops before the King, Queen and Court at Antwerp. Mrs. 35 ,.„. ^.. .0... r ::::"- -"^-^rH^ •" '° "" .";: ol™. '» '"" "" ""' '"""; r.dinHa^Uh from *. ;:X" '^^^^"• - -" »';::. <.- •" — -"vr ^". - W. .00. . —' ''"■"^XrTohn F«rie'. V""«'>L'\t».. After .t CUpl.."" ^o"""""' 7 "''„k „1,h o..r nephew, Mr. H. A>Wm. ^^ "!r'-"l "whirl we remained for four months ^.^^ ^^^ ^,,, lodgings, where w .^ ^^^e^ 1 look mck •n. hospitality je ---<^^^" -« ^,, ,,,er ^-^f^ ^^^^^l^ I Jv/s grateful feelings, and -^J^^ ^ .^ ^,,,, uvine. The ^^"^^^ ^ ;;^,aing of I We visited again my na -e i ^^^^^^^^ ^,^^ ^7^°'l 1 Borough, and a„J friends there, ---^".f^^jfv.ey voted me the freedom of the Boj g ,he magistrates and -unc -d ^U ^^^^.^^ ^^^ ^.^^^^^^^ "^^ 'taring speech. i„.Ued n.e to meet ^V^^ -;;^; ,i,,„ent. and ^o -' ""^^^.^^^^ll^h all V,y Provost Robertson, ^^f^^'/^^,,^ ^..d Inn. and had a ^ff^' ^^^n ; ^ X. ^rnceeded n a body to me .u^Sr compliments on the oct* NVe then P;'^"*^^ ^^^,, assembled to pay their comp ihe elite of the pia .^ enough. . . uUe over- .„d .ure., .hey <"*>;"' ^^i^^'^h to >»''» '"" »'"" W «"'.ed . «co»d «, .gain went lo Mii>d" fc Edinburgh, 1 receiv i„.U.Uon from .he ""'' „,„„« lake no refusal lh« >■ ,„ Elinbureh, « "'"l , few b.l M days w.h °"' , Th„„,., Fairne, P,. lil..8»«, ""1 'l'""' '^k ,„d pu. up " "»-. r'ri,ave».deu» happy. U,ere we wen, .0 °'«7;,'„,„n were paid, which mus, have » ^^ ^^^.^^ rr.tr:he9 had i.^^- - r -U ne...per. .. a three times \ at num p,„seow, which sailed very fai^ «P"'^ °^ '^"^ v, '! bv the steamer City of Glasgow, ^"\ve took P--er,^°":,^UYork. The leavetakmg was a mos P 3« We remained three days in New York, and arrived at Montreal on the 8th of May. After spending a short time there, we set off to viait the different members of our family now settled at Toronto, Hamilton and Dovn Mills. I left my dear wife to enjoy her children's society in the two latter places, while I went to attend to my Parliamentary duties in Toronto. I went to Hamilton every Saturday, returning on the Monday morning. Not approving of the conduct of the Ministry, and seeing it hopeless to stem the torrent of gross abuse practiced by the Executive, I left for sweet home eight days before the Session ended. I may here remark that there was no difficulty in getting in the House of Assembly an overwhelming majority for any measure, however bad, if proposed by Lafuntaine, Hinks 6^ Cu'y. And this will ever be the case while the const! : varies of this Colony return so many needy, greedy, unprincipled lawyers i ' • have been in the habit of doing. Forty-seven lawyers in a Legislative. sembly of eighty-four members! Was ever the like known? The thing is infamous, and tending to the ruin of this new country. If there was no pay given, there would be fewer of the briefless lawyers. They get a pound per day while the session lasts, besides travelling expenses, while many of them could not make at home a dollar a day. How easily such men may be bribed to sell the best interests of the country. It makes me sick. In politics the year 1850 to 1855 produced nothing very important in this Colony. lliere was the constant chiselling and villainy of Hinks and the other base creatures in the Executive Government of this devoted country. I attended the sessions of Parliament during these five years, and I can say that every year the barefaced dishonesty of those in power, kept steadily increasing. At every session I embraced every opportunity of exposing their malversations, but they seemed so wholly corrupt as to be insensible to shame. I could not stand it, and left them in the middle of the session of 1854 for Britain, my wife going with me. We visited all quarters of the country, and received great kindness and attention both publicly and privately. We returned the end of 1855. As determined upon before we left, we came and took up house in Hamilton, as the whole of our family were there or in the neigbourhood. During my stay in Montreal for about 30 )ears, I made very many dear acquaintances and strong attachments, and the leaving it has cost me great grief. I may remark, although during my residence in that City I had from first to last made myself as usefu- as possible, I never was paid any public compliment, excepting that the newspapers often gave me great credit. I attended the greater part of the ^-^ssion of Parliament this year, 1856, and am sorry to be obliged to say those in power are going from bad to worse. Many of the public acts of the present Minisiry are so bad and unprincipled, that I will just leave them as described in the newspapers. A day of reckoning, I hope, is close at hand. 1A ^ BOR^ ^T iRVlNt, SCOTL^^^' ,5TH MAi^CH, m7- Di*^ ^T ttAMll'TOl'- C^HADA, 24Ttt DECEMBER, 1863- K5