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The following diagrams illustrate the method: L'exemplaire filmA fut reproduit grice 6 la g6n6rosit6 de I'^tablissement prAteur suivant : La bibliothAque des Archives publiques du Canada Les cartes ou les planches trop grandes pour Atre reproduites en un seul cliche sont filmdes A partir de Tangle supirieure gauche, de gauche A droite at de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nicessaire. Le diagramme suivant illustre la m6thode : 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 f 6 T S r r ^ .^ ^ \ \ SPEECH CJI I HI- HON. J. A. CHAPLEAU. riF.LIVERfl) AT ST. I.AUKENT, COUMV 01- jACQUHS CAKTIlik, o\ TIIK 6th SEPTEMBER, 1883. an :> ^ u^9f \ ■ SPEECH BY rilK Hon. J. A. CHAPLEAU. DBLIVERBIt AT ST. LA r I { i<:xT. I N T 1 1 1-: ( '< > r xt y ( ) f .i a( \iV ks c ' a i i t i vai ON THE eth SEPTEMBER. 1883. The first thing which has struck as strange and which may well surprise us all who are here to>day, is the aureole which surrounds the Conservative who has come forward in this county as the opponent to the Hon . Prime Mfuister. I SKid aureole — I should rather have said rainbow, and the rainbow implies fair weather for poor mortals like Hon. Sir. Mouseeau, for among the men of varioua shades of opinion that compose it, there are reds and blues and greens and yellows, not to speak of other tints. [Laughter] There are reds (rouges) like Mr. Laflamme, blues like Mr. Be^lerose, yellows like — (well it is a Roman color which might have pertained to Mr Trudel before he quarrelled with the Vatican.) [Cheers.] There are cailleg like Mr. Beaubien, and bigarrea like Mr. Meruier, and greens like Mr. Descarries What a group ! And their notes, they are as varied as their plu- mtirji. What a happy family. Gentlemen, some of you have a good memory. You can recall the letter that Mr. Laflamme wrote at the last election in the county ? What attitude did Mr. Mercier assume at that time ? What figure did Mr. Descarries cat ? How, then, has this strange revolution come about of which we see the effects ? ; Does Mr. Trudel talk religion with the ex. Minister of Justice or dees the latter ask for ' explanations on the congugal Syllabus ? ; Does Mr. Mercier speak of coalition with Mr. Bellerose ? No, but Mr. Bellerose tells the story of bis late electoral mission to St. Hyacinthe. And Mr. Beaubien hears all that is going and — turns it to his own ad< vantage, while be thinks of his lost speak- er's chair for which he has found a substi- tute at Lavigne's. Rather look at that dreamy brow : — Oh ! qui me donnera d'y sonder sa pensee JLorHi|ue le souvenir de nr grandeur pansee. Revleutcomme uu remords raHsaillir loin du bruit. [Cheers.] Why are they here, those friends of yesterday, those foes of to- morrow 7 Mr. Mousseau has not changed. Ue is the same Premier, with the same Government, with the same pro- gramme. Mr. Descarries, too, is the same that he ever was. He has learned nothing new ; Lie had nothing to forget. If the two candidates have not changed, who or what has produced the change in those who said * yes ' yesterday and came to say ' no ' to- day ? This is the answer to the riddle — and it is as old as the story of disappointed poli- ticians. It is because Mr. Tru-lel is not a judge, in spite of his solicitation of Mr. Dansereau ; it is because Mr. Mercier is not a Minister, although he asked Mr. Moussean to appoint him ; it is because Mr. Beaubien is not Speaker, although he asked— all the echoes around him ; because Mr. Laflamme is not a member, and he wants his next cant didature puffed up ; because Mr. Bellerose — no, he has not changed — he is what he always was, tiresome aad dis. A agreeable. [Cheers.J Do you think those gentlemen care about the can- didate that they have presented to you ? Not the least in the world. Do you think they care about the' electors ? Not much ! But, to come to the point, whether they have changed through interest or not, in good earnest or make-believe, for good reanon or none at all, would that be sufficient to make you, free and honest electors, turn round liki) whirligigs ? Are you going to be two-facud because those gentlemen have their spites to gratify ? They must, indeed, have a small opinion of you if they think they can thus play at shuttlecock with the county. A Liberal said the other day that if Mr. Mer> oler took them for playthings, he must try his game elsewhere . That might do at 8 1. Uyacinthe.but it would not do here. [Oheers.] Ton have heard all those gentlemen. Have they givon you a single solid reason for voting against the Hon. Mr. Mous- seau ? Not one. Their speeches were full of insults to me and to Mr. Senecal, bnt apart from that there was no- thing in them. And they have made all this noise and fuss to induce you to vote for a man whom they do not like or respect them- selves, and whom they would still have you accept as the man of your taste and choice, the man whom you would select to maintain the high reputation of your country. Ah I gentlemen, you shall do what seems. right to you, and I will be nothing the poorer afterwards ; but, frankly and with all the esteem and respect that 1 have for you, I would think very little of you in- deed if you lent yourselves to a dirty g^ame like that. [Oheers. j Yoa know that I never decline nor dislike a struggle, but what I like is a frank, sincere, in fact, a square iight. I respect my oppon- ents when they engage in those struggles, but low comedy like that, tie, it is simply disgusting. ACnDSATI0N8 FOR RBA80NS. And what have they told you to make yon accept their mannikin? That I was rich, that I had millions (ah I if I had, I would lena some of them to purchase another can- didate than that one), tliat I had enriched myself at the expense of the province. And who aaid so? Mr. Laflamme, the man of the canal ; Mr. Mercier, the man of the tun- nel ; Mr. Bellerose, the man who sold his parliamentary stationary : Mr. Tmdel, who would have bartered his seat as a senator for a judveehip in the NorthweHt, and tiually Mr. Beaubien, who paid by building lots for the tracing which brought the railroad on to his farm, who sold to Mr. Heneral for the Government the land surrounding the station at Mile Kad at three times the price of the land adjoining his, who caut^ed to be built the railway to the exhibition grounds, in order to add value to his pro- perty, who pro(:ured at the cost of the Government a Speaker's chair, costing $120, under the pretext that the old one had been soiled by Mr. Turcotte. At least, these small gentry should put in their attacks a little of the form that good elec- toral traditions have left us, but no : "Vile intriguer, liar, speculator, robber, trafficker in principles, NhatnelesM Jobber, slave, manipulator of conHClenceB, chief of the band of brigandH, vampireN, Htealer of l«tters. Freemasons, frieud of cut-tbroats and assas- Hins, friend of gaol-birds, hypocrite, plunderer, thief." That is a collection of mild terms which the journal of Mr. Senator Trudel has applied to me in the thirty or foHy numbers that I went over yesterday. Surely it is not in the Senate that he learned that vocabulary ; nor, perhaps, was it during his trip to Paris, for I am sure that he was better behaved than that at the Folies Dergerei. Gould he, by chance, like the innocent Vert- Vertf have made the passage in bad company ? Guess, if you cao [Laughter and cheers]. For my part I know nothing about it, nor do I wish to know ; I only know one thing, and you will agree with mH that a stock like that could not come out of very clean shop. Le Temps (that ball that Mr. Mercier has tied to his foot), Le Tempt is too young yet to have learned these words. It is too small, and its month is not large enough ; but that will come in good time, I supppose. Here is a sample : — "That other windbag, who is called Secre- tary of State, has never frightened anyone. Besides a pleasant physique and sympathetic voice, be has nothing that would make of him even an ordinary orator. The proprieties of grammar, even of good sense, were never worse treated by the lowent huckster than by that political charlatan whose only rn«rlt con- sists In resounding like a big drum and having the cap sent round among the crowd to have his own throat filled. The sale of the railroad is the proof of it." Such is the politeness, the justice of my opponents, now pleasant it is to carry on a contest with such men I I have been a mt sat sei I I in ha of ' ; nor, B, for I I than lid he, Vert. Id ughter otbiag only with member for Hixteen yearH, and I think I have sat in the House with many men of good sense; I have been a minister tor eight years, I have been Premier nearly three years, and I may be allowed to say that 1 did my duty in the different important positions that I have occupied. The world, therefore mnst be composed of fools, If the great editor of Le Tempt is a man of wit, or vice vena ; I believe that it is oire vena. (Cheers.) 1 think there are still people of wit, and I am sure that there is at least one fool in Le Tempt, and he runs the risk of being one as long as he lives, (boud cheers.) It is enough that he has made <■ errors of judgment;" that cannot be for want of language. Let the earth of Notre Dame des Anges be light over him. Well, gentlemen, it is fanny in one sense, but it is sad in another ; it is melanchely when we think that it is with such language that they attempt to Instruct the people. When we read the history of rebellions, and are indig- nant when we see the drunkard publish edicts against honest people, we might ask ourselves if It was not in such abandoned sheets as L'Etendard that the lesson of producing such papers as Le Fere I)u Chene, and that is what they call engaging in poli- tics. THB QDBSTION OF POLITICS. But what, then, do you mean by poli- tics ? Until the present, 1 thought that it meant the knowledge of men and things, ap< plied to the administration of public affairs ; I thought that it was the art of instructing the people and guiding them towards their destinies in the world. Was I deceived ? Am I then a simpleton ? It is true that I was quite young when I learned the ele- ments of politics ; I loved politics before I knew the tortuous paths of self-interest, of ambition and of intrigue. I studied politics before I studied the narrow meannesp or the calculated effrontery that is too often mixed with it. Yes, politics had my first affections, and I have kept for them the freshness of remembrance which time has not yet effaced. It is perhaps a fault in my politi- cal education ; it is doubtless a weakness from the standpoint of success, but I confess to you that I do not regret that fault, and that I do not wish to care myself of that weakness. From the first, from the earliest days of my career, I have loved frankness, openness and friendship in politics. I have not changed nor would I chanure my tem- perament in that respect. I left college ; I bad in the history of the country learned that our ancestors by blood were of a race of whom it was said with justice, '* Oesta dei der francos " ; that Ood ha render you a service. That task we ifhall accomplish to^uther, and with your support we shall bring to a victoriouH, a triumpiinnt concluHiou. I Loud cheers | To us bo the work, to all be the glory and the good re- sultN. It is to St. Laurent that I wishpd to com& ; first, to the County of Jacques Cartier, whose name sounds so well to courageous souls. [Cheers.) It is a long time since we first met here on the ground of politics ; seventeen years, I believe, since that day of trial. The other day we met on the grounds of the dead ; I came to mingle my regrets with yours at the tomb of the companion of one of your old servants, your ancient member. It is in the days of mourn- ing that we count our true friends. To-day is a day of labor, and I have come to you again. To-day is a great anniversary — the 6th of September — the anniversary of the birth of Sir Qeorge Cartier, that great patriot who died in the service of his country ; died regretting that he was far away from the Canadian people whom he bod loved so very much. Uim they bad calumniated during hia life, but he had the tardy justice rendered him after death of being called a great citizen. Such a day is a good augury ; such a day cannot but be one of success, the forerunner of a triumph. [Cheers.] Ah, my noble friend, if you were here you would say to those asHembled, eager to know and to do what is right, to these people here gathered together, tliat thosu are not worthy of public confidence who seek to villify the representatives of the nation and stain the reputation of their com patriots ; they are unworthy of you, whose just song, as well as last sigh, wire those words so patriotic, ■< Before all, let us be Canadians." [Loud cheers.] Gentlemen, I told you what kind of men my opponents were — envious, disappointed, ambitious, who regarded batre struggle of the last thirty ypars. In spite of their denuncia- tions in the press and on the hustingc when they were in opposition, in spite of the free- thought notions blaXiOned abroad by their most powerful friends, you Ree tbem docile and obedient when religious questions are brought up. It Is not from sympathy or from taste that they act thus ; it is because it is their interest to do so ; it is because they know that the immense majority of our people are profoundly and sincerely Catholic. And, moreover, if any danger arose, have we not vigilant sentinels, experienced leaders, to point it out to us and to guide us in the defence. The episcopate in our country, as elsewhere, has always shown a zeal worthy of its lofty mission, an admirable prudence, a constant vigilance, with a moderation and tact which have won for its members the immense respect with which all the Powers have snrrounded it, and the astonishing suc- cess which has crowned its efforts. With the vast influence which the Episcopate has at its disposal, with the whole body jf the c\mt(j, there U no retwm to fear for the liberty of the Cbarcb. It is, tber'ffore, mere temerity to interfdre, without special authority, in dls- cuMlona in which the slightest mUtake may compromlM the entire canse, or the least display of petulance may provoke grave di- visions, such as those of which our Provlaci- has, unhaopily, been the victim for several years. Vet, notwithitaoding those rude les- sons of expurlence, a certain number ot young men leem to take pleasuro in Htarting anew those sad coutlicts. It is <|nlte time that a reaction should take place In public opinion, before the evil becomes more gene- ral. Unhappily, the evil Is most intense at the very source from which its cure ought to be derived. That which the Episcopate deplores a portion of the clergy counte- nances and encourages. It has been stated that the majority of the shareholders, or, it you will, the active patrons I of LEteniard, is composed of members of the clergy. To that we have nothing to reply, but we tUtter ourselves that we know enough ot the disposition ot our clergy to ; be assuretl that they would at once rebuke : any one who wonld thus address them . "I I propose to make use of your money and I your influence in order to unite our efforts with those of Mr. Mercler and the Liberals I with the objact ot overthrowing the Conser- vative Qovernment of Qaebec and ot divid- I ing that of Ottawa." (Evidently, when Mr. \ Trudel took it into his head to found a jour> I nal, he took care to produce a thrill on the religious chord, and it was not in the name ot politics that he appealed to the clergy. Ue gave a front place lo certain great prin-> I ciples. Ue dwelt on the importance of in- tensely Catholic minds ha"ing a trust- worthy organ of their own. And the pro- spectus numl)er of L'Ei-niard may be taken { as evidence of the fact. From this point of I view the letter of Mr. Prenderg'ist to Mr. \ Mackay has a great importance ; it gives the note which has been sounded over and over again. This letter bears the date of the 22nd of August, 188 2, that Is to say, in the very travail of creation. Sbttreholders were then in demand, and Mr. Premiergast, ' who asks Mr. Mackay for money to found a ' paper in Montreal, styles himself in L' Eten- \ (lard, " Prendergrast et Cie., editeurs et pro- prietaires.' There is, accordingly, no room I for doubt ; it is the present directorate of L'Eu-ndard that furnished to its public the rraHOQH aikI motlvcH for which the latter WHS to (flvit tuy to MuiiHrs. Trudtil and I'ren«', hiive fell proloiimlly the WHiil of adnlly JoiirnHl which Nhould hiive for Ita chief ohjucl Ihe pronioiloii of Catholic Iti- toreatB. Tliu pretended (.'athollc Jotirnala now In <'Xliitence are liiVHrliihly devoted. In tlie flrat plHCf, to their political partleH, hiuI, after that, to pert! )nHl InteriNiH. The iiiitiirMi con- ■equence In thut when It hecomea neo^NMHry to lUNtruct tlie iKipulbtlon on Imp'irtant rellKioua and polltlcHl i|ii('HtloiiN, the dully JounialH now In exiHtence often refUNe to do ho, on the ground tliiit Nuoh a courae wou'd liiiurfihe intereNtH ol part' or com** In cuutllctwith peraonal opiDlona Thir In 1H77, at the tinae of the Urange trr Olea, we anw the I'roteatant preaa forinlnit a coallllon HKnluatua, while the pretendtHl Catholic jourimlH treated Ihequea- llou from a political point of view and accurd- Inc to party lutercHta. *~ 1 have Juat cited onlv a Ningle InNtance, but there lire aeveral otnera where an Inde- pendent Catholic Journal could have rendered eminent aervtcoa. "Urged hy this n-^ceaaity, which haa been long fell, aupported by numeroiia frienda among the clergy, and, moreover, acting In conformity with the doalre cletirly expresaid by FluH the Ninth and I^eo the Thirteenth, that the preaa abould inaiat upon and defend the riKlita of tlieChurch, a group of dial In- gulahed Catholica are now endeavoring to raiaoa aubaoilntion for the foundation of a Journal devoted to Catholic intcreNta and ab- aolutely independent of party or pernonal In- tereatji. To realize the project a capital of $100,IH)U would be neceaaary, and our frienda are far from being rich." In the words just quoted the case is well put, and in order that there might be no doabt, L'Etandard of the 13th of August en- dorses the above letter by saying : — '* There ia but one ezpreaalon aa to tbe value ofthe letter: 'That's Juat the thing.' 'It ia the pu.e and almptd truth.' 'It ia exactly what we would have written ourselvea ' Mr. Prendergaat haa admirably sumnaed up what the public think--: and feela on the matter. * * Who would venf ure to deny that tb*j letter in qu€Htlon ia only a trAna?atlon ofthe whole In- dependent Cocacrvative pruas. at the time when It was written?" Before examining the conseqaences of such an appeal, let us examine the facts. Do the Catholics of the Province of Quebec experience the want of a daily journal ? [Nc, no.] The Episcopate answered the ques- tion in a letter addressed to the clergy of the diocese of !St. Hyacinthe, denouncing the idea of founding a religious journal. This important document informed us that the Bishop of the diocese in which the future journal was to be publish- ed wa8 himself £fur from desiring it. Mr. FrundurKaxt ia paillcularly unfortunate in tbe example that he cltea of the atlalr of the OrauKomen. A positive man who wish- ed to have a brief characterisation of that aaaertion would bo forced to cry out, "That Is a He ot the flrHt water." Who does not know that the two great Conservative organs, La Miner vf and Le Monif, were intlezlble on the Orange (lueation ? Th»y even (piarreled with their < umrade in arma, the Uakkttk of Montreal ; they gave their approval and en* couragement to Mayor Beaudry, and, in fact, put theui ves at the head of the movement which pi Qted the demonatration. The Minervf. uover inquired whether it was i striking friends or foes in politics. It struck right and left. [Hear, hear. J On the other hand ia it not pitiable to find a public man, a Senator ike Mr. Trudel, thus cooly and : deliberately, in the hope of curr'*^^ ing an elec- tion, making appeals to tbe prejudices of I race and religion. Now what are TBI CONSBqOBNCKS OF ▲ PROPAOANDA based on the letter of Mr. Prendergast ? What figure would Mr. Mackay have cut if ue had spent a hundred thousand dollars to start A'iP/tfni/ard as a religious journal? What I has come of that want of an orgaa on the part of the Catholics? We never ; beard V > tendard address a word of rebuke I to La J'a(rie, to the Witness, or to L'Aurore. But, on the other hand, we read ten times I over in the same number that there is a clique in the Province of Quebec, that Mr MoQBseau is to disappear, and tlipt Messrs. Ijenecal and Dansereau must be chased from the Conservative party. The religion of L'Etendard does not proceed from that direc- tion. It is true that Messrs. Mousseau and Dansereau are not merely professed, but fer- vently Catholic. It is true that Mr. Mous- seau wrote, not six months since, a magnifi- cent profession of Mth addressed to the bishops. It is true that Mr. Senecal, who considers himself a submissive son of the Church, has his share, both with heart and purse, in all the good works which he was invited to assist. It is true that all those gentlemen are without reproach both as to their doctrines and their intentions. But what does all that signify ? L'Etendard can say, no doubt, that it is doing the work of the Church .n combating Catholics of that stamp, to the benefit of unbelievers and fan- atics whom it lets alone. It is true that public opinion was aroused to overthrow tbofe p:et«nderi. (Cbe«n.) There \» no kind ot axe*Krln(ltnK woriiti thftn the rellKionH variety. (Hear, hear.) No odo haH the right to turn to bit own personal ends that grand and powerful aentiment which doml- natea us in thia fair land of Canada. In a country where there are au many honeat- nalnded men, ao many aincere Catholica, ao many diaciplei of truth and Juatlce, it ia ea«y to gather partiaana to one'a aide in the name of relJKiou. but woe to him who makea of roliKlun a ladder to mount to re.' glona that are alien to it. (Cbuera.) Graft- ed on a religioua atook, L'EUnlard baa re* ceived from A PORTION OK THB CLIROY an enouragement of which it baa ahown itself little worthy. The thought of its patrons and apouHorH wiui that it ahould giye the toue to the Cauadiau preaa by dignity v language, loftinnas of aim and impartiality of judgment. What must be the disappoint, meut of thoae who in good faith believed in the protaata that were made to them. I know that everywhere the direction which that journal has taken ia matter for regret. But the evil ia done, and thoae who condemn it to-day are aware of the enormoua reapou* sibility which they assumed. The blunder which a portion of the clergy committed (and undoubtedly it was a blunder) was, not in having interested thum* selves in politics — that was their right ; nor in having given their opinions on public questions related to morality and to religion — that was their duty — but, gentle- men, your fault was to have given politicians ' admission to that fortress of society into j which laitb, charity and virtue alone should gain admittance. [Cheers] The fault was to have allowed a tew men — some of them i of greater conviction than ambition, others | of more ambition than sincerity — to have \ yon for their partners, for their sureties, their defenders, to take refuge in your sacred ark, to hide their own weakness and avoid | disaater. In fine, the fault was that you in- tervened to receive the blows which they drew upon themselves by their temerity. Beware, for those who would have you make that mistake have their personal interest in your doing so, and to tliat interest they were not afraid to sacrifice religion and the Church. Insinuating and skilful, they flatter you, telling yon that you alone know the real ne«ds of the people. Yea, and it is just b«* cauDtf yon know thoae nueda so well ttiat yoo ahould take tare uot to let youraelvea aerve the purpoaea of thoae who have no thought lor the p«ople at all. You repreaent devo- tion, abnegation, aelfosacriflce, charity ; thoae who woiiN make uae of you are far from r»> preaeutiDg thoae virtues in the uvch ot the people. Do not, then, imprudently allow youraelvea to ithield their cauae witn your name, your mission and your character. (Cheois.) KALSI ACCUSATIONS. That is what 1 think ; that ia what 1 meant- An attempt baa been made to ruin me in the mind of the clergy, and I know that my opponents have Hucceeded in creating ene- mies tor me. Calumny has alwaya a certrin degree of succ^is. I am aware that from presbyters to preabytere, from palace to palace, they have carried the mtaorable joke that, during my travels in France, I was affiliated with the Freemanons. My name, it was reported, had been seen on the regis- ters of the Grand Orient. Even the name of the person who gave this piece of informa- tion was mentioned. And the one selected could not fail to carry conviction, for it was that of Mr. Claudio Jannet, one of the most illustrious Critbolic writers in France. It was from him that the story had come ! Yes, gentlen'an of the clergy, who will read thes^ words, you know that such things bare been said of me. Bnt^ perhaps, you do not know that it was those politicians who assume to themselves especially the charac- IdT of relfgion who invented those calumniet which priests and even bishops have repeated . 1 never cared to answer in public thoiie perfidious lies which were whis- pered about with an air of sympathetic pity for myself. I do not reply for the same reason tliat I had no need of a certificate to prove that 1 am a French-Canadian and a Catholic. Besides, the cowardly calumny which Li'^es itself is not worthy of the honor of a public reply. I have done better. On my passing ^hroogh France I wrote the fol- lowing letter to Mr. Claudio Jannet, whom I IumI known in Canada, and whom I knew too well to believe that he could have written such an infamy. Here are m^ letter and his reply : — •' Paris, lOth October, 1889. " M. CI.AUDI0 Jan MBT. *' My Dkab Sib,— Tbe relations, uofortn- nately too brief, which we have had togetber 8 in Canada, were of acharactrr to Justify me, 1 am Huro, Id the lequeHl I am abr>ut to makL- of you For arcHdya HufllcJenlly longtime In CanadH, soiiie persons have inadi' use of your name to hupport an odious calumny aKainstme. lu a word, It has boon secretly circulated In the ranks of the clrrtjy that I was either a member or atnilated with a Free- Masonic or some other secret noclety In France. And ihey raafee u*e of your name to support these false statements by addlnx that It 18 Mr. CInudloJannel.of Paris, who furnish- ed the proof (if tilts statement, he stating, after having assured hims^lfof th-i fact, that the Hon. Klrst Minister of the Provinre of Quel>ec was a re^iistered member ol tlie Grand Orient. • • • • Under the circumstances, I am sure yoa will not consider impro- per the rerived me of the honour ol* receiving your visit at Paris. " lam ext emely surprised that my name has been mixed up with the allegations you speak of. I have never said nor written to any- one that you belonged either 'o Free Masonry, or to any secret society whatever. "Not only do I authorize you, but I pray you, if need be, to give to this denial all the pub- licity that you may consider proper. "Accept, dear sir, the expression of my most distinguished consideration, and believe me always, "^' most devoted servant, (Signed,' '* Cl AUDIO J ANNE r." And on tb ut.. transmit ved a ir da, ocntaining tractors, nud cc n of my visit to Rome, I iorandum to the Propagan- complaint against my de» uding in these words : — "Before concluding, I desire to make the fol- lowing declaration to your Eminence :— On the honour of a gentleman, on the faith of a Chris- tian and a devoted CHtholic, I declnre thai I am not, and that I have never been, a Free- maaon, or a member of any secret society ; I have never had the desire nor the Intention to become one, and I have frequently In my young days refused to become a member ol such societies. "It remains for me only to declare my en- tire devotion to our Holy Mother, the Church, and my profound consideration for your Emi- nence, and Willi pleasure I subscribe myself, "Your Eminence's most humble and "devoted servant, (Signed,) "J. A- Chaplkau." " Distrust those who would protect you in spite of yourself," said a diplomat, "■ as such persons are sure to bring you into trouble." It is a wise counsel, which is not witboat its application to present circumstances. THI QUESTION OF UNDCB INFLUKNCE. The gravest charge that they have broaght against me before the clergy is that of having refused, when I was Prime Minister, to pre- sent a measure on the sutject of what it has been a),'reud to call undue influence— that is, a measure interdicting the civil tribunals from inquiring into the intervention of the clergy in elections. It is true, I refused to do so, and on that subject I have never cbangeverniiient cou'tl not very well ►et aside all ntFers mnde, and fall back upon private nogotiatlons after all. " They would naturally bo expected to .award th»» lease to some one of the (.-ompanles that had 'eu'tred for It.. "The Boleotlon of the narljes to whom to entrust the care Hmt working of a property of such Immense valuts as the Q'lebec, .Montreal. Ottawa & Occidental Railway for a term of een, tw«infyor twenty five years is a matter 'or the very gravest consideration, and, In my opinion, tue surest way of obtaining full value for tlie property, either on lease or by sale, is lor the Governraeni to determine the minimum value to the provluce and negi- 1 late on that basis with persons whose ability lo under take and carry out either form of con- trwct is undoubted " Yours truly, •' W. SHANLY." And from the moment when, after the elec- tions, I began to receive regular offers o^ purchase — I had already had ^everaI — I asked &Ir. Shauly to put in wiiting the advice which he had given me s t that it might serve as an official docurn*».'it Still it has been said and repeated a^aiu and again, that it was Mr. Senecal who determined the Gov- ernment to make the sale, and that I had from the first determined to make it to him- self. It is painful, gentlemen, to a man who believes ho has sincerely and coasuientiously done his duty to be obliged to answer such low insinuations, especially knowing, as I do, that so far from having been favored in this transaction, Mr. Senecal has been the most ill-treated of all, in big negotiations. And yet it was to him, I do not hesitate to say, that the piovinc' is in- debted for having found so advantageous a way to dispose of its railroad. I hear my opponents say that the bargain could not have been so good a one for us, because in less than a year after Mr. Senecal found a buyer, and profited by his purchase. Wait, gentlemen ; I have a word to say on that point presently. But, meantime, I ask per- mission to say — and I must a'^k the pardon of the manager of the Grand Trunk tor the indiscretion that I amcommitting — that the Grand Trunk itself had, non-officially and confidentially, made an offer for our railway, and that it did not go beyond six million dollars for the entire road. [Cheers.] There are persons present here to-day who are as well aware of the fact as I am. Let me also tell you that the Pacific Railway Company would not have given more than seven mil- lions for the whole road. [Cheers.] Let A2 10 ' man any who me, above all, tell yon that if Mr. Senecal had not made an offer which was methodical and reasoned out in all its details, we could not have met with a single oiler exceeding six millions and a half. Let me tell you that the Paci> fie Railway Company have also said and thought and still say and think [you can ask them if you like] that the Govern- ment obtained for this section of the road the full value, if not more. And still every j one agreed in sayiug at that time that the i road from Montreal to Ottawa was the only part of the liuu that was worth anything and would return prcfits, and that the other sec- \ tion, not being connected with the United ; States in winter, would hardly v^ay enough to grease the wheels of the engines and cars. Let me tell you that there is not a of business, a railroad man of importance, nor a capitalist, has not said and would not I say again, on his responsibility as a man of I business, that the province has had the fall value of its property in the fortunate i bargains that I have been able to conclude. Let me tell you that the capitalists who i were joined with Mr. Senecal in the Syndi- cate which b 'Ught the eastern section had really no coijfi.lonce in the pecuniary suc- cess of their eutorprise, and they invei-tei their capital in it, in a great measure, from public spirit and, to some extent, because they believed in the lucky star of the man with whom they were associated. (Cheers.; Do you wish me to cite names ? I am not afraid to do so. I will mention the names of Mesrrs. James Gibb Ross,McGreevy, andAlphonse Desjardins. These men are still alive and can give their opinions. The expression of it is, indeed, contained in a letter I am going to read, the letter of a min whose great business experience can- not be doubted, and who is not likely to be 8u>ipi}cted of partiality for Mr. Senecal. On tlie 3rd of April, 1882, Mr. M. H. Gault wrote to me as follows : — " Montreal. 3rd April. 1882. "MyDear Sir.— Now that ibe road has been divided, aud the most promising portion sold the Canadian Pad lie Railway, i am In- different wheiher 1 coniioue a member or not. Other gentlemen who had joined me In this purchase of the whole roaa have withdrawn their names, be ieving; there is no money In the purchase of the Easiern portion. (Slgued.) ' M.H. GAUX.T." " To Hon, J. A. Chapleau." I regret, gentlemen, to have to enter into these details from which the respect dae to our public men shou'.d have sived me. But I promised to leave nothing unanswered and I have accomplished my task, painful though it has been. [Cheers.) But, it may be said, how did the Grand Trunk come to make the purchase of the Eastern section on such conditions? Gentlemen, if there is in this crowd a man clevor enough to explain the operations of railways and tne principles that rule them in their rivalries, in their wars, in their transactions with one another, I will tell him that his secret is worth millions, if he only turns it to account. Railroads have been known to be sold at two cents in the dollar one year, and in less than three years, be worth twenty times that sum. Who will not acknowledge that the Western sec- tion would not have yielded the half of its value, if it had remained in the hands of the Government after the construction of the rival line of the C%nada Atlantic ? And what of that sale to the Grand Trunk ? What are its conditions? What is the margin of chance or hazard that it includes ? Thai sale, if I have been rightly informed, was only based on a guarantee of debentures ot the company selling, and of that guarantee, variable, as are all railway funds — and the present time is exceptional for such variations — could the Government assume the risk of it on the transactions in which it was a party? No, you, who are my opponents, know it quite well, and, if you were not actuated by bad faith, you would unite with me in recogniz- ing the facts. [Cheers] It is so much the better, I say, a thousand times over, if a fel- low-citizen,courageous in his enterprises and skilful in his calculations succeeds in mak. ing a considerable fortune. I am proud of it, and you ought all to be glad to hear of such a thing. Even if it were a bitter enemy, I would, for my part, still re- joice in his prosperity. In the days of ill fortune, that man shrank from no personal sacrifice to promote the triumph of the good cause. Those who are tearing him in pieces to-day would not have even the temptation of power, if Mr. Senecal had not been to the fore and helped us on to success. So much the better, then, if he has succeeded in his turn. And there is no right-thinking, honest man who does not share in the senti> ment. (Cheers.) THR POLICY OF 6RLLIN0 THB RAILWAY. I do not believe there is a single man who 11 would deliberately and periotiRly put in queHtion the wisdom of nelliiig the road and of thus relieving the iinances of so heavv a burden. It is well known that the leaders of the Conservative party at Ottawa, when consulted on that important act, gave it their ready adhesion. One can only laugh at the absurd pretension of the hair- splitting lawyer who cited artinles of the Code to prove that an administration could not sell that which it administered, when it was Parliament that gave its solemn sanc- tion to a contract in which, after all, tho ad- ministrator was only one of the sharehold- ers. There is no longer any intention of DI8CC88INO THE PRICE. That is a question which was decided after long deliberation. It wab M. July's as well as M. MerelOi-'« opinion that $8,000,000 reqresented the full value of the railway. Still, I' cannot help say- ing that on the evening ot the vory day on which Mr. Senecal was to Rubmit his con- tract to the Government, I made a final effort with Sir John to obtain the acquisition of the road by the Pacific Company. Perhaps I did not observe the ordinary rules of dis- cretion, but it was I who myself dictated the terms on which Mr. Senecal and his syndi- cate ofi'ored to buy the road from us, and with my permission Sir John communicated to the president ot the Pacific Company every one of \U clauses and the conditions of sale. [Cheers.] I committed an injustice towards those wUo alouH of all the parties tender- dering had made a methodical study of their own offer. The Allan- Bivard Syndicate never made the slightest calculation as to their tend»^r. If any one reads the official correspondence, he will see that Mr. Rivard only copied out the propos- als made to him by tho Hon. Mr. Loranger and myselt It was the desire of us both (and that is how that syndicate originated) to eflect a fusion of those two groups, and it was only whtn we gaw the equivocal gama that Sir Hugh Allan and Mr. Beaubien were playing iu the matter that we thought proper to leave tuem to themselves. After that they were no longer in question, except in the underhand and deceitful intrigues of Mr. Beaubien in the house. MB MEBCIER's position. As for Mr. Mercier, he is obliged to have recourse to ridiculous evasions, saying that the Government obtained the consent of the House for the sale of the road under false pretences. But is it for Mr. Mercier to speak of such a thing as false pretences after trying to obtain power by giving bis tacit approbation to the whole transaction ? How, Mr. Mercier, do you expect that sensible people will believe when yeu tell that absurd story which you imposed on your St. Hya- cinthe electors about your determination to attend the House only just as your business would permit? Gentlemen, do you know what Mr. Mercier thinks of those who absent themeelves from the Legislature during the Session? He will not deny that in 1878, at a meeting held at St. Liboire in the county of Bagot, he denounced Mr. Mousseau, who bad absented himself from the Set<8lon of the UouHtt of Commons to take pMt in the Pro. vinci il election because " be had misunder '• stood the obligations of his position by ab- •' staining at the end of the Session from " voting on about fifty quostionn," insisting upon tho fact that " when one accepts the re- «' presentation of a county, he is required, " according to the dictaten of honor and of " his conscience," to represent his county « during tho whole of tho session, aod to vote '« upon all questions which aro submitted to '« the Legislature." How do you expect to be believed when you, a party leader, excU(!o yourself in that way for declining to vote on a question of such vital importance to the Province! You know that you would not deserve to be a leader, nor even a member, if your excuse were a sincere one. [Cueers.] Come, now 1 Be frank 1 You were for the sale of the eastern as well as the wefitorn section of the road. As to the latter, you said so openly but as to the other, you only assorted under your breath. You approved of the sale of it entirely when you announced to the world that you Were quitting politics. You were present at the discussion in Quebec ; you voted agaiast the amend mout ot tho mem- ber for Kiimouraska blaming the Govern- ment on account of tho manner it had negotiated the sale, and you told anyone that chose to hear you what you thought of Mr. Beaubien's conduct ia the matter. [Cheers] You would have voted, you would even nave spoken against your leader, Mr, Joly (he was not your leader at the timej, as you did before on the question of the South Shore and tunnel and on the question of the salaries 12 of UiniHtor8 if you had baea askoJ [Choera.] Yoa never had a word to say against the sale till the day when you saw your illuHions as to entering the Quebec Cabinet dlHappearing. You were ready to approve of the whole policy and to defend it if Mr. Mous^eau had invited you to form part of his Miointry. [Cheers,] Now that you arc all in all with those whom you de- spised eighteen months ago, your gift of tho gab is at their service in denouncing a policy which you then thought excellent. [Cheers.! THE CHARGE AGAINST MR M0DS8BAD. Seeing, moruover, that he could convince no one by the arguments which I have indicat- ed, Mr. Mercier tries another plan. He seeks to prove that the Mousseau Govern, ment executed the contract with culpable lack of wisdom, and that they thereby en riched some of their friends at the expense of the country. That is really the only point in the whole question of the sale of the road that could \}» brought against the present Ministry, if the statements of Mr. Mercier and his new allies were true. Un- fortunately for him, they are net true, as we will proceed to show. Mr. Mercier says: " Mr. Chapleau transferrad to Mr. Henecat and Company the balance "f Ciuehec's million (600,000) and the value to the Quebec Gov- ernment of the Court-house wharves 2^^iis the $400,000 of debentures which the municipality bad already given to the Government and to pay Mr. McGreevy. J* or this consideration the syndicate undertook the works ihat were to be done at Quebec and notably the displacement of the Prince Edward street road «nd the ex- cavation of the so-called Princess Louise basin, and over and above the lour millions of the price of sale he promised to pay an addi- tional sum of $501).OOj at the time of the dwliv- ery oi the roads. Now, by un agroHment made between the Mousseau Ministry and the Syn- dicate on the 2ist of August, 188i. iwo months alter the hamltng over of the road, the latter is relieved from U'ldertaklntj those works, and from the paymen' of the SiOo,0.^uebec journals of the time published those offers, which, however, the city refused to accept without modification. I threatened a lawsuit but it bad no effect. I then told the Corporation that I would leave my offer open and that if the Govern- ment sold the road they would also sell their claims against the city, which would then have to contest the matter with the Syndi- cate before the courts of law. It was at my proposal that the Syndicate accepted this situation which wa?, indeed, advantageous 13 for them but which also freed as from the annoyaDce of a lawsuit against the Corpora- tion and the complicatiouK that would en- sae. The Syndicate gave $500,000, it is true, but it received $400,000 in Corporation bonds bearing 7 per cent, interest with the sinking fund. It executed works valued at $200,000, but we were obliged to guarantee the legal validity of our titles and with those titles it also received $600,000 worth of city debentures. The syndicate, it will be un- derstood, could not assume at its own risk the application of the law of 1875, prepared by the DeBoucherville Government by its Attorney-General, Mr. Angers. That law was to the effect that, when the road was ; able to pay over and above the expenses of working, five per cent, on the $3,000,000, the loan of which had been authorized by the commissionors in the said law, the balance over the live per cent, on the $3,000,000 should be divided among the i municipalities that held shares in the road. Now Montreal had paid in bonus and was no longer a shareholder, and the other mu- nicipalities had been virtually ex- empted from the payment of their subscriptions. And we sold the road for $8,000,000 on which it was to be presumed that five per cent, at least would be reallized above the expei^ses of working. The city of Quebec said ; the five per cent, on the five millions beyond the $3,000,000 of Commissioners, ought to be applied at least to the payment of interest on the debentures that will represent part or whole of our sub- scription. I look upon that pretention as extraordiuary, but it was specious, and it was, perhaps, on account of that difficulty that the Hon. Mr. De Bouchervilie, when he was Prime Minister, expressed the opinion that it would be better to remit that subscrip- tion. Mr. Joly's Government had made a loan of $3,000,000 without modifying the law of 1875, and we followed his example in our loan of 1880. My object was to arrive at some settlement, end that which I proposed seemed to me to be just, and no one objected to it except the praporation itself, and as for that body I ex- elocted that its opposition would give way in the face of a lawsuit with a company in whose case political influences could have no effect. And that is what really happened. Bead the debater (which, by the way, are very incomplete) in the Hansard published by Mr. Desjardins, and you will see that Mr. Joly thought the City of Quebec had been too rigorously dnalt with, while Mr. Robert- son claimed that that corporation bad been treated too indulgently. The syndicate did not ask for the change, but, on the contrary, Mr. Senecal insisted ou maintaining the clause by which he would have benefited, and I had to have it recorded in black and white that the 17th clause had been waived in order to prevent misunderstandinfrs and opposition after the session. [Cbeer;^. ] The Hon . Mr. Mousseau has only conclud- ed the arrangement which I had offered to the city of Quebec, and wh eta. Public men who respect themselves are wont to keep such gentory at a distance, not desiring to become the accomplices of their schemes, not wishiij;^ to become the tools of blackmailers. Individuals of the class in question dread the law courts and the well devised processes that justice employs for the protection of citizens against vex- atious prosecutions. They know that their interested testimony would not be admitted in court and that besides being baffled and put to shame, they would have to submit to expenses which are al- ways troublesome. They would, there- fore, prefer to appear before a self-styled commission of enquiry to try and make good their pretended claims, or rather, in truth, to prevent them coming to light, by being paid for the scandal which they have devised. We have had svch enquiries before the House . The experience of Mr. Prentice can hardlj, I think, have escaped the memory of Mr. Beaubien. Even he who at the time lent an ear to that trickster had to blush at his proceedings, and the House — I can in- voke the testimony of even my most violent antagonists — had only disdain and contempt for the accuser. There are still Prentices in the world ; but what surprises me is that there are members who call themselves fair-minded and who, nevertheless, can stoop to the use of such instruments. Not thus we are going to pre- serve the honorable traditions of British parliamentary usage which require that the political accuser should bring an explicit charge and stake either his reputation before the tribunals or his seat in Parliament. If any one knows of what is deserving of blame, let him out with it at once. If he knows of acts that tarnish the character of Ministers, either those now in office or their predecessors, let him formulate his charges, let him state the sources of his information, let him name his witnesses, and if they have nothing to allege, let them hold their peace. Vexation at the loss of opportunities for gain, jealousy ot the success of otherf, the mean desire to rob one's neighbor of the good fortune which his talents may have won for him, these ere not reasons which should induce a Lcgislatute to make itself the echo of malevolent rumors and liclicu. loos stories. [Cheers.] THB OHARAOTBR OK TUK iOCUSATIONS. As for you, Mr. Beaubien, everyone knows what you are. Strange it is that, unco:ici- ously to himself, a sort of subtile aura is ex- haled from the person that tells of what moral utuff a man is made. There is no need for conjecture ; no need of inquiry ; an instinct, which is infallible, tells us what he is. Even if you have not bad close relations with a man, after we have been a few minu- tes in his company and seen him in his native guise, you can £%y with as much con- viction as truth : <• He is frank and honest, or he is dark and false ; he is a man of large views or of limited horizon ; he is generous or mean, leai-hearted or jealous- minded. Oh, accusers, and I had almost said, oh ye en- vious-minded, you give forth your peculiar aroma ; you reveal yourselves even under the mask of public interest, you would bring condemnation on men who are better than yourselves. Bead over your speeches or your articles, put yourselves, if you can, in the place of listeners to yourselves, and you can- not but perceive that your first word, your first lin your first expression of the feel- ing, givtiu the dominant note c^ your soul. When yon ask for information, not daring to accuse yourself, your first word is : " Ask those gentlemen who are in the enjoyment of from a million and a quarter to a million and a half expended in the finest property in province." There we have the men of figures 1 From a million and a quarter to a million and a half ! How many quime sous would that make ? says Mr. Louis Beaubien. (Laughter and cheers). Bead over your articles : <• Those men who drive in carriages at our expense ! Those men who wallow in luxury and in the enjoy- ments of millionaires — men who yesterday were not worth a cent and who to-day can purchase splendid properties and pay for them." Such is the style of writing that characterizes those accusers. One would think that they were groaning b^ neath the wounds inflicted by their own covetousness, by the reverses brought on by foolish speculations. Like Mr. Tnidel^ 15 of otherr, hbor of the may have una which lake itself ad ildica. llTIOMa. )De knows t, unconci- lura is ex- 8 of what ere is no iquiry ; an 18 what he ie relations few minn- m in his much con- ind honest, lan of large 8 generous linded. Oh, , oh ye en- nr peculiar 1 under the ould bring letter than hes or your :an, in the Ld you can- word, your )f the feel- yoor soul. it daring to is : " Ask enjoyment ) a million ;)roperty in e men of uarter to a any quime Mr. Louis re). Bead men who le ! Those the enjoy- yesterday vho to-day irties and of writing irs. One )aninK be* their own nght on by r. Tmdel, they would make fortunes by audacious ven- tures and riflk therefor the futures of their families, t> e means of their kindred and neighbors and their personal credit . Then they have seen all their hopes foundered in a 8ib((ie day, and the leb, i$ of the wreck — have they seen it? — included portions of their conscience and honor, fiut no, they have not seen it. They have only retained the hatred which the gambler feels when as he returned home with empty pockets, after haviug left his last sou on the gamicg table. [Cheers.J Do you think there is much difference between the successful and the ruined gambler ? If there is any fault, it is with one party as well as the other, with this difference, that the ruined gambler loses his money and keeps his apite, and that spite is the cousin of despair and the parent of dark counsels. Do you think that people are deceived by your diatribes ? Do you not know that the public, who are good-natured and rejoice to see one of themselves making bis fortune, are aware that it is through spite and envy that you speak as yon do? But you reckoned tL at among the multitude, naturally well dis- posed, there would still be some who in secret cherished envious thoughts The pronenesB to believe in evil rather than good, the unwholesome curiosity that is ever on the scent for scandals, are the reults of crowds as well as of individuals. It is on this distempered condition of certain persons that you caculated to obtain dupes. But, after all, you will not succeed. (Cheers). The people will understand, as the house understood, that the sacred domtdn of pri- vate life must be respected, and what is more, yon will be unmasked. You will be asked, as I ask you to-day, what are the deeds of which you accuse your opponents, what are he offences that you lay to their charge, and, if you are not cowards and liars, you will at least declare (if you do not wish to reveal their names) that you have evidence and and witnesses to establish your accusa- tions. But you will not do that. Tou are afraid of what is clear; absurdity is your element and scandal your nourishment. Tou want something mysterious, something vague to excite and gratify that unwholesome curi- osity of which I was just speaking, and of which you avail to make dupes and victims. (Cheers.) THK QUESTION OF COALITION. I cannot close, gentlemen, without saying a word about this coalition about >''Mch the newspapers have told you so much during thu itist few months, this 'onlition which Mr. : Trudel aod bis friends call a treason, ■■ a I *' shameful Hale of the Conservative party for " the benefit of liberalism." Once for all, and to put an end once for all to these malevolent statements, I declare to you that I have never desired a coalition. A coalition is a compromise between two political parties by : which the respective programmes of those parties are moditied for the purpose of adopt- . ing one programme acceptable to everybody. We had a notable example of this in the case of the programme of confederation. I urged union, conciliation; but coalition, ; never. (Cheers.) To those who desired that I I should ^disappear, Mr. Joly consenting to disappear also, for the purpos' of making a new party, I always replied that I had under- , taken to govern the province with my pro- j gramme, and that I had no intention of com- mitting the task to others. I asked all men I of good will to unite with me for the purpose of inaugurating a reign ot union among us. This union, so necessary for us, a minority in the confederation, Sir George Cartier de- sired when he frankly offered a& alliance to the leader of the Liberal party, Mr. Dorion ; the Liberal party itself appreciated the necessity for it, when it made that effort, ill-considered and bungled, if you will, bnt at the same time most significant, to unite all political opinions in one great political party, which they pompously christened by the grand name '■ National " ; this union I had hoped for, when after the violent contests of what may be called ** the Letellier period," the people tired of these excited and violent struggles, sickened by the defeats and victories of the party, at the end of which it saw only impoverishment and ruin, — the people, I say, demanded with a loud voice, the reconciliation of its child- ren, the union of all the active forces of the nation for a common work, the good of the province by the development of its material resonrcep, and the enlargement of its paliti- cal and moral influence in the confederation. (Cheers.) It was in response to this gen- eral sentiment that the Government of 1879, on the day following its foundation, threw oat boldly at Levis its programme for the approbation of the public opinion, its pro- gramme of '■ conciliation," of peace, of a re- turn to serious bosines^, and of tranquility and order." This program uae, as unexpected 16 ia its aunouncAment as it was inwardly de- sired by the people, excited lively discus- Bion. A few important CoDHervutives wl\o had not been rousulted in the Helection of this programme accepted it with defiance and attributed it to weakness. These had been the most violent combatantt), Htriking without mercy and without intermisHion. The battle had been violent, and, according ' to their view, victory should have been hatl ' without compromirie, not even as to the choice of men. On the other hand, the van- ' quished of the day knew that the people whom they had galvanized during eighteen months with an ex- hauHting labor had become tired of these ruinous contests. For the purpose of diverting public opirlou they attempted to raise the clamor of ridicule. The repertoire of irony was exhausted ; the epithets given to the new men who had joined the Con- servative party, the shouts and laughter at- tempted at the reading of one of the articles of this programme, namely, the encourage- ment of one of the agricultural industries, that of butter and cheese, made the round of the press, of the hustings, and of the entire country. But a stronger clamor, one more frank and more true, also ran through the Province and completely covered the others. This was the popular acclaim by which the new programme was received. [Cheers] Yes, I wanted union, I am not ashamed to avow it ; and you, Mr . Mercler, ought to be proud also to declare that you, too, wanted it, instead of trying to defend yourself against the imputation ot so noble a senti. ment. Undoubtedly you are beginning to m.ake me feel that you are not more sincere on this question than yon have been on others. You need not attempt to quibble out of your position . Everyone knows that from 1879 you were ready to break away from your party ; he who wrote the follow- ing lines in Za Concorcfe was in your confi- dence. It is from that paper of the 27th December, 1882 :— " It was soon after his arrival at Quebec that Mr. Mercler became a coalitionist. It was not as the Progrcs dr Vallvjiflcld said immedlale- ly after the defeat of Mr. Joly ihat It became a question of an alliance with the men of good will of the ConservatiVL' party. Mr. Mercler has stated since 1879 that It ought not to be for- gotten that some ten Conservative counties had oome to us by accldeut, and that at the next election these countries would abandon us. The late Mr. LetelUer before, as well as afterwards, frequently confirmed the opinion of Mr. Mercler. * Make a coalition,' said he, ' becauHo Mr. Chaplenu will make enc, and you will lose power,' • • • /,« /'utrii, with whi<-h we wll deal I'lirther, only treatH, as a rule aa Iniblclleb, those who believe that there WHH any serlouN queHtlon of a coalition. It Ih i|ulte certain ihat the 'bear" of /.a Patrie will never HSHlst at nu-etlngs where the leHilcrs <>r the piirty make pro|M)HltlouH for n cutiiltlon." Why, then, your (luarrel with La Palrie, a quarrel which one day or another you will continue in La Temps which you have founded for the purpose of defending your- self against him who denounced from the first your projects ot coalition with the Government. What wa^ it that La Patrie said, when it drew you out in the following article of the 2nd JiiUUikry : — "[La Concord)' evidently attack) Mr. Beau- graud persoDHlly for tlm puriwse of reaching higher and Htrlftlng those who, fa- <»r near, were opposed to this famous cO'Utloa that ce tain Important parsonages had In 'ented In the silence of the Cabinet. • . • • Mr. Heausfrand saw Mr. Mercler and asked him to be kind enough to read Ln Conmrdi' and to state hlH opinion of the article entitled 'The Hon. Mr. Mercler and Coalition.' • • • • I he following dav Mr. Mercler replied that he hae read La Concorde of the 27th, and he ap- proved of the article from the tlrstto the last word In It. VVe have since learned that Mr. \'ercler himself had corrected th) manuscript of thea>tlcleln question, and tp at it was Im- possible, therefore, to misunderstand his re- ply." And of what coalition did La Patrie sp'ak on the 4th cf January, 1883, when it said to you: — " Since the first project of coalition, Mr. Mer- cler ought to have seen that his schemes were not popular, and rhat he would not easily tlud in Montreal Influential Liberals who would be ready to give the right hand of fellowship to Benecal, Chapleau and Mousseau, and to their friends. • ♦ • • \ir. Mercler, we say, ought to understand that his plans were not popular We could even use a more em- phHilc adjective, and still, in spite of this, he di'' ijoh the less continue to have relations with certain Conservative lerders who played with him for the purpose of obtalnlpg elections by acclamation in places where the Liberals should have made a flght. It Is In this that we have found ourselves In complete disagree- ment with Mr. Mercler, and consequently we have refused to follow him." Mr. Mercier, you day now that you were not properly understood ; that you were al- ways in accord with your friends, and that they ill-judged you; that you were for the coalition which La Patrie desired and not for the fusion ■ which La Patrie denounced when it said with, Mr. Thibaudeau "Mr. Chaplau wishes conciliation, but on condition that everyone accepts his opinion and follows him." You It enc, and ttris, with reatH, hh a that there lU. It IH Lu Palrie vbere the .louH for a Oa I'atrie, other you you bavo lini; your- from the with the Jm Patrie following Mr. Beau- >t' reaching - or near, ition that 1 'ented In and asked ncitrd)' Hiul itltlPd 'The I • • • led that he ind he ap- ;to the last d that Mr. nanuscrlpt b it waslm- md his re- itrii' Bp ak It said to n, Mr. Mer- emes were easily find ) would be lowshlp to nd to their ircier, we plans were 711 ore em- olthls, he it Ions with layed with leotlons by Liberals his that we dlsagree- quently we you were u were al- and that were for ie desired hich La laid with, ,u wishes t everyone im." You say, tinally, Mr Mercier, that yuu have never ceased to be faithful to your party leaders. Yon were not of that opinion when you i stated In the House that you would not fol- low any line of conduct dictated by a politi- ! cal party ; that you had imposed upon your electors the condition that you should be free in your actions and i>i your political sympathies. You have, unfortunately, a bad memory. In an interview with a reporter of the Star iu October, 1881, did you not make this confession : — " Is It true, Mr. Meroler," asked the reporter, " that you have abandoned the eminent posi- tion which you occupy In the ranks of the Liberal party on account of the conduct of your own friends ?" "There Is some truth In that statement." "They turned axalnst you when you pro- posed to lorm a coHlltlon, Is It not true?" " Yes, many anions them " " Is It on tliat account that you are retir- ing?" '• That Is one of the causes of my retirement. What Is the use of working patriotically lor one's country when one's party renders one's eflbrts useless." Mr. David, the only really sincere man among you, translated your thoughts when he said in i.a Tribune of the 8lh October, 1881 :— " Our conclusion Is that all those who are lu favor of a coalition must accept Mr Cnapeau as First Minister. Their efTorls should be de- voted to the work of surroundlns him by strong men possessing the public confidence." It is your friends, your newspapers, who thus ex'use and accuse you. For myself, who know yeur opinion on the subject, I blame you for one thing— that is, not having to-day the frankness of your opinions at that time. Let us have no subterfuge, no quib- bling ; make the confession of your faith full and complete. Those who have blamed you, those who have ac cused you will pardon you the more readily if you will only be frank. Ah, gen- tleman, if I did not know the wonderful verta- tility of Mr. Mercier 's talente; if I had not seen him at my side fighting the Liberals to the death in 1 862, and seen him afterwars- coustituto himself their most ardent defen der ; if I had not seen him afterwards coming back timidly to his first love, to return ad in to his vomiting imprecations against those who had had his first vows, I woul^d be astonished to read, not only the declarations of others on his account, but as well the re- cital of his own movements since the day when power placed in his sonl ambition without limits, and in his heart an ardent thirfit to poacess it. At this moment his dream ib not changed, and each irksome awakening has caused to revive more intensely and n^are vividly the de- sire to see the dream continued . [Cheers . ] Yes, if I did not know to the very depths the Mercier of to-day as I knew the Mercier of the past, I would be astonished to see him defend the contradictions of his political career with a supplenoss of argument that has only its equal in that of his own politi- cal conscience. But I know liim ; I can go farther and say I have always had for hi.n a leaning because I was his firnt master. I kiiow him and 1 am not astonished. I then take courage and despair not ; I believe that he will yet return, and that his lust loves will be those of his nartiur days, so truo is it that the first impression on a new vase rarely disappears and that 'the first flame can never hi extinguished," as they sing at the open. But a truce to badinage ; the fault of Mr. Mercier is that he had not the courage of his convictions ; everyone would have applauded him if he had followed his own lirst movement. The fault of Mr. Trudel is that he desires to make impossible all idea of union between the public men of our Province. That is more than a fault ; it is a crime, for where, indeed, will these violent dissensions bring us. THB CONSEQUKNCGS OF DIVISION. To what point are we drifting with these violent dissensions ? What point is the des- tination of everything that is divided ? Is it not ruin ? Or, is it not, at least, insigni- ficance. An eminent politician, an Italian Minister, wrote not long since that the great danger of constitutional governments among the Latin races was the crumbling awav of opinions, the breaking up of parties. Every faction raises fresh di^culties, gives riso to tew discu^jsions. Time is lost in expedients t3 destroy a faction or to absorb its existence which mu8t be maintained at any price, and as each party is too weak on account of its in- ternal divisions, new compromises are neces- sary every day. Time passes, strength is lost in the effort to maintain equilibrium and the useful work of administration is nullified. That is just what is happening, in Quebec. And yet how many important questions are pressing themselves on the attention of legislators and rulers! We have hardly any share in the immense movement which is going on to-day in ^ 18 • Earope and America. The Northwest ia on the way to paas uo by. Our old province has been mortgaged for the millions that are absorbed in the constraction of the Pacific and westward immigration and we do not even think of profiting by that movement. Oar agriculture is not making even a tenth part of the progress that it ought to make. The last census has left us behind tbe other pro- vinces. Our forests are disappearing, and with them our natural wealth. Our mines continue hidden beneath the surface of the soil, and education is neglected and is too much dissociated from the material progress of the present. Colonization has a few heroic apostles amongst us, but that indi- vidual efifort is not seconded as it ought to be. And. why is there this stagnation ? Why this indiflerence V Why this division that is wasting our eneigies. We were al- ready divided into two parties, and even that was too much, for it was too personal, too bitter. But now the Conservative party is divided against itself, while the Liberal par- ty is almost as badly situated. Our British compatriots, not understanding these family quarrels, keep aloof from us, and at the pre- sent moment form almost a distinct party in our province. How, then, can you ex- pect the Government, the Legislature, the press, to engage seriously in the elaboration of fruitful projects to develop our neglected i'isources. Why, we have hardly time to have our wounds dressed, our arms repaired, our ammunition renewed. As for the cler- gy, they, too, are the prey to profound dis- sensions. THB PARAMOUNT DOTY OF THB HODB. What, then, is to be done ? It is for aU those who have any mission to instruct to give our position their serious reflection and to set to work without delay No society can exist without submission to authority, without in part surrendering its will to that of the general public. It ought to be well understood that it is no mere question of taste, or of self-love— it is a question of duty, a question of sacrifice. It is necessary to have confidence in the powers that be, even if they are not all that we desire. Have not the Oovtrnment satisfied the bishops on the question of education ? Have they not be- gun a vigorous reform in the direction of the strictest economy ? Let them, then, have full opportunity to set in order our provincial finances, of which the equilibrium has been disturbed by Judgments ad- verse to the Qovernment's policy. Let them havH tbe opportunity of making our provincial autonomy respected and if possible improved In the confederation to which we belong. These are some of the important tAsks which claim every in- stant of the Cabinet's time and energy. French Canadians, look around you. Look at the other nationalities of the pro- vince. Do yen not think that they, too, have differences among themselves ? Only it is to be noted that they settle them quietly, and, no matter what is the regime under which they live, they know how to come to an understanding with it when their own interests are at stake. You also see them at the head of all our great industrial enterprises. My friend, do you not think that it is an anti- Canadian proceeding to attack one of our own people who has succeeded by energy and perseverance, as Mr. Seneoal has been at- tacked, a man whose courage and enterprise have raised him to the position which he holds ? Do you not think that he would be an aid and a support to your undertakings, if you allowed him to give you the benefit of his wonderful business talents and rare activity. Away then at once with those who cause dissen- sions amongst you, who would, if they could, ruin your best men. Away with those who are eaten up with envy and jealously and allow those who have proved them- selves to be men of business to labor for the prosperity of the country. (Cheers). In- stead, then, of continuing these miserable dissensions, let us all unite under the same banner — the tanner of our country. Let the priest teach submiseion to authority and set the example by his acts. Let our com- patriots concentrate all their efforts towards the same end, so that our rulers, safe from those mean personal attacks, which are pro- voked on all sides, may be able to consecrate their time, their efforts, their iBtelligence, and their whole devotion to the assurance of prosperity to the people, protection and lib- erty to our iLStitutions, and to our fine Pro- vince the high place which it ought to oc- cupy in the Canadian Confederation. mr proTincUl equilibrlam Igmentfl ad- policjr. Let of making ipocted and ifederation to aome of the n every ia- and eaervy. ound you. of the pro- It they, too, jlvefl ? Only settle them I the regime they know DderstandiDg D iDtereHts them at the enterprises, lit Isananti- neof our own ' energy and las been at* id enterprise n which he he would be indertakinga, give you ul business Away then Ause disaen- uld, if they ly with those md jealously roved them- labor for the Dheers). In- ise miserable ler the same iountry. Let authority and Jet our com- forts towards :s, safe from tiich are pro- to consecrate ' intelligence, ) assurance of otlon and lib- onr fine Pro- onght tooc- Ation.