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 m MM TO spiifpiiain iimm. 
 
 li 
 
 THE WHITE FLOW£RJF_A BLAMELESS LIFE." 
 
 A POLITICAL TRACT, 
 
 The iasui^s an VJhich the prcseiii, electoral contest is so fkrcelf 
 debated, are lariT-.lv ppi-soiial, an-i tin' character of Mr. KD'VAan Br.AKi; 
 is always, in Kt-ason and out of s(=>Ason. })aniile<l hv liis fnends aa rJi* 
 reason why he should he preforred. Tlio chief of i,iM uc-.vsu;ij)(;i or-^:.n« 
 ia never weary of .lechirin-i th;<t A,',.- eare.'r, at le,i! ;,, exhihits the wliitfe 
 flower of a hlaineless life, a!^ disfinjinishe:! from the alleged st.n'ns on 
 tm-. characters of auch meti as Sir John A. Macdojiald and Sir Charlet 
 
 TujtpM'. 
 
 It is well that o-ii- KtateRnien should have hlanieless lives, and the 
 Jtvmhol of a, vvln.te flower is a pretty one ; hut dofj.s tlfe <d)aracter of 
 Mr. Blake, as< a strftesman, stand hiirher than that of the two men with 
 which it is, wil' »n oiuch offensiveue.ss, so ranch compared! Tiie que.",- 
 tion i.s not on'- of opinion, hut of facts, plain hefore the eyes of all men 
 who will (.nke pains to examine. 
 
 The iHUthii^ion of ^?r. J^lake does not siinply stop with him, hr.t ic 
 «1ho takes in the character of ids father, who Jias woiie Vtefoie him, & 
 fact which has led to sonie hitter, unnece.ssary, and, ]>rohahly, nnd&- 
 aerved criticism, in that it Las been said that the father, with thegrab- 
 hitnj; inntinot-s of the family, was the author of an Act of Parliamen'. to 
 oj-eate a place for h.inis<df, to which he retired about eiijht monthi* after 
 its pa.ssage. 
 
 The real facts? on tin's head are tha't Mr. Blalce, the father, was, 
 like the .^ou. a man of somewhat impas'^ioned eloquence, but ho was not 
 a [uuilent wan, and it is an nnloubted fact that a number of the i:ior« 
 «L\adv going sui>porter.s of Messrs. Lafontaine and Baldwin told tho.s« 
 ministers that they must shelve him; and Mr. Blake was accordingly 
 ph;ced on the shelf of which ho was himself the artificer, but not "foV 
 that sf»eeial purpose as has been erroneonsly and uiyastly alleged. 
 
 The life of Mr. Blake, th.> son, may ho said to be blameles.s, in that 
 nobody accuses him of Ixdng guilty of any breach of the ten command- 
 juents, except that, perhaps politically, it" would be very difiicnltto saj, 
 that he has not unduly co%^eted that which is his ueiorhbours, or that lie 
 has not borne much false witnes.-^ u-..inst his political neighbour ; and 
 there is euoug] tin this to tarnish some of the delicato\intp, of th 
 Mrhite flower. 
 
 Mr. Blako. the fjon. like the father, if not eractlj u " Boanerges^. 
 is a very voluble man. He speaks with many wcwdH on all Rorts tl 
 »ubj6cts, displaying in this* much ability and industry, but of t! m', kind 
 known as "special jdeading;" and on this point, it is to be said, that 
 the habit of volubility and saying many words on many subjects, what- 
 tttrm' may be the imtnediate eifect as a sori^bf fin'works display, a,rn in 
 tk^ir nature, in iuverao ratio to carefnbieSs of thought. 
 
 »T 
 
^ A" 1117 
 
 J 2 
 
 Tri JH<T,oini( tlie puront^ss or its opposito of the olmrrt tfrs of piiV 
 lio men, we must look at tlie fjKits of tlieii- puVilio lives, without HulTia-- 
 Bi*^ onrsoWf's to ixr j;iiid*i<i hy the mere shouts of their ivartizius, whicli 
 aicgejnerally vevy fai- irorn b<>in!^ (ii.sititeveKti^d. 
 
 In 1871 Mr. Blake was a niemlxjr ot the Houio of Assembly of 
 the Province of Oritrtiio, when Mr. S;»ntielil .M.-icdoimld was the Premier, 
 It was iiu mediately iiitoi- ;i contested 'flection, whicli waa remarkitW*? 
 for singul.ir hitrternesf), Mr. Bhike, <1ni iug t!ie contest in tlio constitu- 
 9nci"S, liiivifior very vigorously wnved. — tij borrow a fiii;nre from 
 American )K)litic:s — the '• Ifloody ahirt " of 'Ilros. Srott ; and having, 
 as \\;%n nor, inH|)tly said during the late provinoiHl election eontoat, done 
 very t>uuh to creep iuto ]>ower by his loud (iennnciatious of the action 
 of the Government of the day in dealing with, to use his own words, 
 the " murderer, Louis Biel." Still he did not quite sneoeed. Mi 
 fteld M;iciion>dd'.s Government obiiined a nominal nwiii>rily, Hut iitj 
 innately sutfered from an ab,seu<,e of t!i;4[tt of hi.s .supporters at tli'; erit,iea} 
 moment for him, owing to the incidents of conte.sted electiouw, Icjtving 
 him with only a majority (>f one in the House; and hej'e <'ame Mr. 
 Blake's opportunity. 
 
 The (>recise ovevtiirea which werc! made to lAv. E. H. Woo<l, the 
 Treasurer of Mr. Sanlield Macdouald's (fovernmcnt, have never yet 
 b»;en published, but they are and h»ye been known. Without, ho\v.:;ver, 
 going further on this point, it is quite .sufficient for the present purpose 
 fip Siiy it is indubitable that overtures were made to hiui to betray Ui& 
 eihief, and ,so throw the Government into the h^nds of the Grits. And 
 % is eipjaliy indubitable that the dlshoiiourablj incicement at the fataL 
 waonient was made by Mi. Blake. 
 
 There are several circumrtHnces about the evidence on this point 
 tjit'.t are not very nice, but atill we cannot forbear to receive the fact* 
 by wh stever means ihey may hnv.- been brought to ligh'. Mr. Blake- 
 waa seen to write and send a missive to Mr. Wood, wliich that gentle- 
 man tore up and put in a spittoon. Tlie fragmeuts were, however, 
 picked out of their congenial" receptacle and put together, njvejiling sJie- 
 met of the following wonis in tiu^ handwriting of Mr. Blake : 
 
 "■You bad better speak now. 
 
 Ki). Blakk " 
 
 Mr. Wooil did accordingly " speak now," and the Governmeut of 
 Mr. Santieid Macdouald fell, betrayed by one of hii? own Ministers. 
 Perhaps this is, in all itvS incidents, ovu) of the most dishonourable and 
 mf'iinesjt acts that the history of our jiolitics has pioduc^>d. It iias* 
 made a stain on the chai-acter of Mv. Biake, like that stain of blood 
 w'hicb Lady Ma.cbeth could not rub out, and the simple recital of this 
 Mstory sounds strangely when contrasted with the claima of " the whit* 
 iiower of a blameless life." 
 
 The ambition of the man who betrayed his master, or rather his- 
 Premiej, had been played upon in the operatituis to which we refer, and 
 Ke subsequently found a .seat in tl>B Dominion Parliament. He wa» 
 afterwards appointed Chie.f Justice ot Manitoba to the great scamlal at 
 ^e time of many of the loyal peo[d8 of that province ; but it is only 
 just to hiij meniory to say that he did, by bLs great abilities and industry 
 iA a judge, very much which might be put as an offset to the unsavoury 
 »nd dishonoui aide proi^eedings we have related ; pi'Ooee«liagis that divt not 
 lend lO irring peace in Ihe arena of Domimiou politioa;, to tlw) j,>iutles 
 cenceined in them. 
 
 i 
 
'' 
 
J 
 
 Ifc Is uoL iH^coKsary hero u> reliitr Iidw Sii' .Itilm's (rov,'nMUi'nt <;am» 
 to Failiiiaiciit, vviili a luge in;tji»rity wSid, ciimm1»1»"1 uv\ay, cansitii; it 
 to fall in \>>1\\. Foi- the imujk>w of tins iiHi-i'iitivo, it is suttivit-nt U» 
 «ay, a CiovcnuttfMit was foriiind nnflec the Pr«'mii'i-shi|) of Mr. Al«x. 
 MiU'keiui«», HJi'l whii.li on tiie v<M'y cann'st ailvice of Mr. <Jeorg» 
 Bi'DNvu, i\gain a|)|>t'al<>(l to the country, althoui^h th« cUictioiw had iman 
 «o v.'ccut. Thi! re.sult politically, juntilifd thf wiuaoity whiili moved 
 tho advicji. Mr. Mackonzio's Govi-nmu-iit was rHtunieil vvi^h a vtiy 
 lar^a umjority, ai^'l it was verv coniideiitly waid. ovea ujHMily in Pailia- 
 inont, th.it the Htar of Sir John Mac<h)naUl and liis party had forover 
 gon»' down. 
 
 Later, Mr. Bluke joiiU'd Mr. Mackenzie's Onveintnent, sprving under 
 him. Uut how did ho serve? and hosv <iid lie support, — t;8pceially iu 
 those ltttf?r year.-<, when he had ceased to ho a Minister, and when. Mr. 
 Mackcnxio Ciuue to have trouldus and ditficultlKs] Ho .scaictdy con 
 Ceahnl hirt want of lewpect for his leader, an<l v«m) often when Mr* 
 Muckenzie was niaking important niini.sieriai expositions, tliis man of 
 th;i white flowei of honour, affe';ted to ya^.^n and go to slet^^p. 
 
 It came laUn-, after deatli had deprived the p.o-ty of the uonnseU 
 uiiJ services of Mr. Georgt; Biow.i and Mr. L. 11. Ilolton, and after 
 the fortunes of the elections in 1878 had .swept l>y a crushing majority, 
 that (roveriunent away, tliat a caucus was hidd, of what may be oalU-d, 
 the '* rump" of u uuce great party ; which alone survived in that par- 
 liamtnt. Perhaps it migiit he unjust to say, and at any rate we cannot 
 •ay, that that caucu.s was moved by Mr. Blake, for tlie purpose of 
 deposing Mr. Matkeuzio from the leader.sliip to put .Mr. E!:i!'S .':: his 
 stead ; but at least it most be .said that Mr. Blakd benetitted by it, 
 and that a receiver is as bad as a thief, if indeed he is not a meaner and 
 k.ss courageous |)erson. And it is further to V'(3 s-ud that neithi-r that 
 caucus, ncr its act, would evw have been, if either Mr. George Urown 
 or Mr. L. H. Holloa had lived. 
 
 The circumstances attending the calling of that caucus are knowa 
 liavo been cijane'^-ii.^t'd bj r|,>testabl(? cruelty ami meanness. A 
 circular wuj: simply .sent to Mr. Mickenzie, a man who in uprightiiess 
 of character as widl as iu [loliucil 8agacit\ , was iiead and siioulders 
 above tiiem all. asking hini to attend a caucus to choose a leiider. HTa 
 did not go, but the caucus met and elected Mr. IWward Blake aw leader. 
 These prociedings very nearly seni Mr. Matkenisie to his grave, aad he is 
 to thi.s day an utterly broken down man; but yet ho might use the phrase 
 of t!ie French king afuer the field of Pa via, " Tout est perdu for* 
 I'iiOiiueur." 
 
 It may be here askt-d whether there is anything in the political 
 character of Sir Joiin Macdonald, or Sir Oharh's 'I'upper, which will 
 bear any couiparisou with these proceedings as aflectiug, and discediting 
 and staining tie* uluuacter of the chief actor. It is true Mr. Blake did 
 rtllect cnod'jsty ^•T^d say he did not want the hononr, did not want to b» 
 the leader. But are phrases of this kind of a nature to impose upon 
 the iutelligentM} of any man of common sense, or cm they be regarded; 
 as other than a very thin veil of hypocrisy'? It must be said that n» 
 •luck JTas followed the:;,e proceedings. On the contrary a Nemesis has 
 seemed to follow them ami the party has ever since been broken and 
 discredited. " Had Zinai peace who slew his master {" 
 
 If Wo e^ amine Mr. Blake'.s life by the light of hia publicij- 
 tsleciared principles, we find a shifting position which is not compatible 
 
4 
 
 witli hij^h ijoiilioil cliAt'iictor. His outcry about the rminler of Scotb 
 bff"(H'4) tliH J-lei'tionM in 1871 was mtTO (letnusju^ufisin, jiii'l ni)t » viv 
 ^xaltwl tyiM* »)1" tluit. iJiit. it, Sffined whmi wh caino to his Lonilon . 
 «j>'i oil caivfully wiitleii out. upon his recotit, r/'tiini Vrom KngUinl, iitt»»r 
 the execution of Rif-l, %v^) wer ' a(>uut to h^ivo from liim a lofrifif 
 ^tandiu'd, wh'n hn ilcdlficd th tt lie was not williat^ to l>niM a p >liti(;nl 
 plationii oil rlio scatluld of Ijoni:^ Ri'-I. Timfc di'olariitiori liud an lir 
 boih ut consistency and liopf. But it was too good to lust. I'liw 
 political iirrii{ups hti^Hn, and it was very soon aj)|>arent to all tlvi 
 world that, M\\ hlako liml ht'oomw thH ally of Mr. Launor, tlio Roii'^o- 
 leader of, the Piovincn of Qu'h.*c, to iaiild on a R!(d platfornv with the 
 wildcat poHsil>le criott of rine and r('veng«>, in our mixed population, Ti 
 ig tiuo ^Ir. Blake'n task, in his tihw poHition, was a vfvy dilfifiult one; 
 Und it uniHt lie ailniitto that lie playtul with wond<-'rful skill, t It t^ /•(>/# 
 of tho " Artful Dodder;" his task V>eing to reconcile two totally ini5(ifi- 
 rfntent poHiiiotiH, an rt'presented l-y the tHCiliiigs ejchiliitod respccfcivt'ly 
 ill the Provinces of Ontaiio and Qucliec. His clear Grit allies iu the 
 House, however, followed hini atruight in the wild grai» for office, act- 
 hlg as tiiough they had neVer had any principle, with the hon- 
 ourable exception of iVIf. Mackenzie, who .stood up alone among theiia 
 ttjid voted ill vindication of his own per.sonal honour ;i,id consistency. 
 
 Oorning to th.^ next great question which has divided foi- the list 
 8 or 10 years, our political |)arties, viz, that known as the N.itioiial 
 Policy, we tinil, here again, that Mi. Pilake's political character will not 
 bt;ai' investigation For the fust eight years, nothing could exceed tho 
 vigour of the denunciations of hiio and an<l his alios of tlie protective 
 y>'incipie lnv(iive<l in the tiscul policy of the Government of Sir John 
 Macdonald. It wt'.s declared to he retrograde, outrageous and coriupb 
 fa) some of it' incidents ; and disastrous vn its coiiHequenccs iu relation 
 Tip the jnosp^ritv of (^anvvhi. But now, when it comes to be seen how 
 ^Iroiii'lv tlii.s po|icv has fasit'iied it«elf upon the sense of the country we 
 Iiave again the spectacle of .Vir. Blake wheeling roinid, and dnidaring 
 Ijjat his success at the polls wouM not imply the reversal ot the 
 National Policy ; and we liave already soc-n Urit •iM?,tectiom3t manu- 
 facturers at Brockville and elsewhere, declaring to him in ad<h'esses 
 f^iat they are satisfied with his definitions of policy. Are not these 
 men touchingly confidint and easily satisfied ? 
 
 A change of this kind, and in such on reum stances, is simply an 
 ofier to barter principles for power, and it is a sign by which the most 
 Vijlgnr of demagogues and factionists are known. It is something 
 '!fhich is quite different from a disinterested change of opinion, a)i,<i the 
 moral courage which leads to its confession. But it i^ a phase of 
 flflbaracter which is totally inconsistent with any high type, or indeed, 
 aay type of political morality ; and it is a very curious conimentary on 
 ^e blatant claim to possession on ^the par of Mr. Edward Blako, of 
 Kiperior political morality to that of his fellows, and liis claim to the 
 '•'white flower of a blamelesB life." 
 
 The eie<itor8 who are so partizan, or so blind, as to be deceived by 
 Iha'; cry, cannot be said to be men from, whom much could l>e ojtpected 
 i,4 relation to the political develoi)ment of the country ; and any succes.n 
 Viixich might attend its U3C at the polls would not augur well for the* 
 ftXure of Canada.