IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 7 A './ 'i^ #? ^ //A /^ >^J f/- 1.0 II 1.25 |5fr IIIM M 12.0 1.4 - 6" 1= 1.6 Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. Las details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-dtra uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger una modification dans la mdthode normale de filmage sont indiqu6s ci-dessous. n D D n D D n □ □ n Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur Covers damaged/ Couverture endommagee Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaurde et/ou pellicul6e Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque Coloured maps/ Cartes g^ographiques en couleur Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur Bound with other mi erial/ Retie avec d'autres documents Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La reliure serree peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long de la marge intdrieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajout^es lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont pas 6X6 film6es. Additional comments:/ Commentaires suppldmentaires; □ Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur Q /Pages damaged/ Pages endommag^es I I Pages restored and/or laminated/ Pages restaurdes et/ou pelliculees Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages d^colorSes, tachet^es ou piquees n Pages detached/ Pages detachees r~j/Showthrough/ I 1 Transparence I I Quality of print varies/ D D D Quality inegale de I'impression Includes supplementary material/ Comprend du materiel supplementaire Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont 6t6 film^es d nouveau de facon d obtenir la meilleure image possible. This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est i\\m6 au taux de reduction indiqud ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X J 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: National Library of Canada L'exemplaire filmd fut reproduit grdce d la g6n6rosit6 de: Bibliothdque nationale du Canada The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. Les images suivantes ont 6x6 reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tbiiu de la condition et de la nettet6 de l'exemplaire film^, et en conformity avoc les conditions du contrat de filmage. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprim^e sont filmds en commenpant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la dernidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont film^s en commenpant par la premidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol —^' (meaning "CON- TINUED "}, or the symbol V (meaning 'END "), whichever applies. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole --^> signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent §tre filmds d des taux de reduction diff^rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour etre reproduit on un seui cliche, il est film6 d partir de Tangle supdrieur gauche, de gauche 6 droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le ''ombre d'images n^cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 i DAMON AND PYTHIAS t \ A DRAMA OF Quebec Liberalism BY b JOHlSr UlSTDERHILL. 1891 imiiiiiii I* I- - V > 1 I Ml * DAMON Ai^D PYTHIAS. A DRAMA OK QUEBEC LIBERALISM — BY- JOHN UNDERHILL. DRA:MATIS PEPvSONiE. Damon Pythias A'albt Hon. Count Mercier. Hon. Wilfrid Laurkr. J'Jmed I'acavd. Scenes — in Quebec Legislature and Ottaii;a House of Commons. Theatre — situated in the City of Montreal. " It is easier not to give a man the means of liaring influence than to prevent Ids abuse of it." — Madame Roland. PROLOaUE. For a long time, in the eyes of the people, Mr. Mercier and Mr. Laurier passed current as disinterested and " very honorable men." We find that " for pure love of country " the Provincial Premier is about to step into the arena of Dominion politics, and the leader of the Dominion Oppo- sition is to accept Lis services — of course for some^patriotic consideration. It will be necessary to firstly discover vs'^hat that consideration is, and whatjMr. Laurier could or would give Mr. Mercier for the latter's interference. If Mr. Mercier's motives for uniting with Mr. Laurier are to secure money from the Dominion for the payment of his debts and those of his confederates, most assuredly we must conclude that he, at least, is not " an honorable man." We must learn how far Mr. Mercier sought to trade upon Mr. Laurier's fair name, and how far Mr. Laurier was willing to lend that name as a cloak to hide the deformity of Mr. Mercier's motives. Then we must discover whether Mr. Laurier is really "an honorable man," or whether he is not a more accomplished hypo- crite than Mr. Mercier ; but one playing his game in another sphere. Finally the catastrophe of this little drama must be the unmasking of Mr. Laurier. There is a subordinate character, the Valet — Mr. E. Pacaud, — who is like the hyphen of flesh connecting the Siamese twins of Canadian Liberalism. He is the villain of the play, possessing the entire confidence of his two masters. In order to make our characters speak — and condemn them- selves in their own words — we will quote from their own special organs, their own editorials, their own letters, telegrams, interviews and speeches. Ver}"" little comment will be required. We will commence in 188*7, when Mr. Mercier came into power, when Mr. Laurier became a leader, and follow them down to August, 1891. One more word of preface, and then let us dash into " the midst of things." VElecteur of Quebec is Mr; Lau- rier's Quebec organ, Mr. Mercier's especially adopted mouth-piece, and Mr. Pacaud's own paper, of which he is editor and director. La Patrie of Montreal is the acknowledged French-Canadian organ of the Liberal party in the Province of Quebec. Tlie Herald is the accepted English organ of the same party in Lower Can- ada. Once for all, our quotations shall be from one or the other of these newspapers, so that the reader may accept as entirely orthodox Liberalism what follows — whenever it is between quotation marks. ACT I. 188Y. It will be remembered that as soou as Mr. Meroier o-ot into power he conceived the idea of an Interproviucial Conference, which had for object the "raising of the wind " to swell the sails of his hark as he mountod the political waves and steered for the port of Fortune. Mr. Laurier accepted these resolutions, and agreed to put them into force should he ever get into power in the Dominion. It was, therefore, to Mr. Mercier's interest and that of his pocket, and the pockets of his hangers-on, to see that no stone was left unturned to lift Mr. Laurier into power. L'Electeur, 19th March, 1887.—" The way to i-eadjust the ])i'o- vincial subsidies, and to decree that in future that way can no longer be changed for the benefit of one province to the detrimenl; of the others, is one of the objects of the Interprovincial Confer- ence, and we must admit it is a worthy one." Mark the following : L'Electeur, 10th November, 1S87. — " Of the specific allotment announced in the Act of 1867, the increase for the Province of Quebec would be $140,000 per year, according to the basis ori- ginally proposed to the conference, and the one definitively accepted for Ontario, but our Government insisted that we should obtain annually $10,000 more, giving as its reason the necessity in which we find oui selves of printing our public documents in both languages. That demand was granted, so that instead of receiving, like Ontario, three times the amount originally fixed by the Federal Act — that is to sav, three times $10,000 or §210,000, augmentation of Sl40,000--we shall receive $220,000, or an augmentation of $150,000 per year." As we shall see, this clause of the resolutions alone would furnish enough from the Dominion treasury to pay Pacaud his salary and to give Mercier a yearly trip to France. But we will reserve comment, and let these gentlemen themselves tell the effects of these resolutions and how they knit odd bed-fellows together. L'Electeur, 'l*lth July, 1887. — "Mr. Boivin, secretary to the Prime Minister, wrote Messrs. Doucet and Ouellette, the secre- taries of the reception committee, that Mr. Mercier desired to be mtmmm 6 present at Soiuorsot on the 2nd August, to HHsist at the grand de- raonHl ration in honor of Mr. Lauricr." L'Elecicui-, '^rd August, 1S87. — " Messrs, Laurier and Mercicr j-eceivcd a glorious ovation. ... As soon as Mi'. Lauricr ceased speaking, Mr. Mercior was presented with an address of weleonio, in reply to which he delivered one of those vigojous harangues, the secret of which he knows so well." L'Elecfeur, 4th August, 1887 : — Eeportof Mr. Laurier's s])eech ; he said that " lie formulated the hope that the Jnterprovincial Conference, organized by Mi*. Mercier, would contribute enor- mously to put an end to ditlerent provincial raisfoi'tunes." The address presented to Mr. Laurier is signed by Mr. Ernest Pacaud en lete. L' Elect eur, vith August, 1S87. — Report of Mr. Laurier's speech continued: " I go farther," said Mr. Laurier, " I liesitate not to say that I am an admirer of the constitution. Doubtless, it is not perfect ; it contains important faults, which my friend, Mr. Mer- cier, shall be called upon to correct veiy soon, in his Interpro- vincial Conference." L'Electeur, dth August, 1887. — The same report continued : "However," said Mr. Laurier, " there is a question on which the conference will have to ])ronounce ; it is the question of provincial subsidies. On that question I think I agree, as, moreover, I always entirely agree with Mr. Mercier on whatever course he takes." L'Electeur, Sth August, 1887. — Eeport of Mr. Mercier's speech at Somerset, 2nd August, 1887 : " When we saw Mr. Blake dis- appear, we saluted with pleasure the election of our friend Mr. Lau'ier to that high post of contidence. It is not for me to here pronounce his panygeric — it is in every mouth — but, gentle- men, they who heard the magnificent speech that he has just made, the}' who could understand his elevation of thought, the loftiness of his views, the spirit of justice that animates him, the vast scope of liis declarations, they should be satisfied and assured that Hon. Wilfred Laurier is in a position to direct with a steady hand the destinies of our cause at Ottawa." "The Province of Quebec does not want to be treated differently from the other provinces, but she wants to be treated with the same justice." ..." Hon. Mr. Laitrier was good enough to "'' '^ my project of an Inter-provincial conference, which I am . osition to announce will open during the first, fifteen days of n«y" ^September in the capital of the Province of Quebec. The ohy , of that conference is to find remedies for the present evils, and i^ devise a way to conserve th£»t federal system which Mr. Laurier says is so go a; and in which, as in all^ I agree with him." L'Electeur, I6th September, 188Y.— "Hon. Mr. MoiriordooH not count upon corruption to govern. Ho wIhIigh to strike the mind and the heart of the ])eoplo by the development of his politkul work. Public ^latitude will do the rest." O ! Tempora ! O ! Mores ! How the spirit of his dream has since changed I L'Electeur, 1th October, 188".—" Mr. l.auriei-'H opponents find- ing him invulnerable, attack Mr. Mercier and hold Mr. Laurier reHponsible for the acts of Quebec's fir.st Minister." They are doing so, and with greater reason to-day. Follow onr chain, the links will lead us to the staple be- fore long, L'Electeur, 8th November, 1887. — Mr. Mercier's grand reception at the Club Letellier, ]\Iontroal. After his speech, Mr. Laurier I'ose and said : " For twenty years I have known Mr. Murcier, and my admiration for him is as great to-day as it has ever been since * I first knew him. 1 need not pronounce his eulogy, but I must say that he made one omission in his speech, for ho spoke about everything but Mr. Mercier himself. I say frankly and without any reserve that Mr. Mercier is the greatest Canadian we have had since the days of Papineau." "Had the Mer- cier Government done nothing other than to have convoked the Interprovincial Conference, that should suffice to render it worthy of the confidence and admiration of the public. Mr. Mercier stated that it was not for him to say what reasons Sir John had for not accepting the invitation extended to his Government. But I know them. It is because he felt that a most terrible blow was about to fall upon his insidious and centralizing govern- ment." This is the same Mr. Laurier who called a confederate and centralizing system so good, and with whom Mr. Mercier agreed on that point, as upon all others. Before dropping the curtain on 188*7, it would be w^ell to remark that while the Interprovincial Conference was in full blast Mr. Erastus Wiman came to' , ,ec at Mr. Mercier's invitation (iiistigated by M' Laurier), and delivered his first lecture upon Comme- \\ Union in the skating rink of that city. Tb"> night of cie 26th October saw the members of the Interprovincial Conference wm 8 betaking- themselves to the skating rink and there im- bibing the first lessons that the future Unrestricted Reci- procity man taught to Canadians, A small annexationist group in anticipation I It was very opportune that Mr. AVimau should preach the possibility of realizing Mr. Laurier's boyhood dream of ultimate American union, and that Mr. Mercier should have such a distinguished audience assembled to hear him. But, perhaps, Mr. Laurier will say that he knew nothing of all this ! Well, the Conference took place — passed its resolutions, and Mr, Mercier saw visions of the Laurier Government paying off his debts and securing the credit of the prov- ince to a degree that he might be enabled to borrow upon the European markets. But these were " Castles in the air," To-day Mr. Laurier would like to rise out of Mercier and Pacaud ; but his wings are clipped. He would like the country to believe that he has had no intimate connec- tion with these men and that he has not been privy to all their actions. Let his own words and actions refute him. ACT 11—1880-1800, The following letter is addressed to Mr. Pacaud, the editor of the Mercier-Laurier organ. It comes from Mr, Laurier's home ; if not penned by himself it has been in- spired by him. It is only too obvious that the writer seeks therein to hide his identity ; but that identity presses out from behind the curtain when he tries to fold it too tightly around him. He opens the letter by addressing Pacaud in the second person ; then he supposes himself answer- ing one of Pacaud's enemies, and he speaks of Pacaud in the third persori (which gives him the chance of using the name of Laurier) — then he falls back into the original style and speaks to him again in the second person. The letter is cleverly written. We will take a few extracts to show Laurier's great friendship for and faith in Pacaud, •MM to show Piicaud's fitandiiis; evon two yoarfs aiyo, in the •Ktimationof the public aiid to (;ast a littl»* light upon the importame of this valct-de-chamhre to the two great leaders in the Liberal array : LEUcteur. 2^th October, 188!> : "Artiiatjask/vvili.e, 13th Oct.. 1S8;», My Dear Friend, — 1 read owQvy day in the Opposition papers, which come into my hands, ho many infamous thing* aU>at you that I am overcome with vexation. I really do not andf-r«itand how yoa can Hteer your way ho calmly through !gether. . . . . . I have, myself, long 1 esitated t tfiii« up mypen, La', i see wi*h sorrow that calumnies, by dini ■ ' ref>etit(on.s, ar^ making their ,vay even into our own rankr.; yes, even amongst our own friends there are some who will wind up by f^elieving ill of you ]iy constantly seeing th<- name of Pacand, of L'Electeur, running the gauntlet of La M-a..: -i, Le MohiU and La Presse, stuck to every c(pecie.s of compromising aicussioa>, and your ca.% unfolded in every county, one bhould not be surpri-^eJ that fcoiii reports about you find so many echoes." Here the writer speaks of Pacaud in the third person, for tht^' purpose of being able to bring in the name Dmrier without attracting suspicion. •'■He was twice a candidate at his own expense — (that isPataud). He edited three papers that rendered immense i^ervicen — Le .P/wmal, of Arthabaska; La Concorde, of Three Biver.^, and L'Electeur, of Quebec. He founded the first with Mr. Lanrier, pay for it out of their own pockets, filled it with his writings, and scattered it gratis amongst his friends. It was a pap>er that wa-i bom in sacrifice and lived in struggle." . . , , Now the writer changes back to the original way of addressing hira ^v the second person. 0* BliiSli".''* 10 " You were wrong, my dear friend ; the party might have lost its ordy organ in Quebec 'istrict had you accepted a better place, but, at least, to-day you would not bo insulted, nor called a para- site, a pawn-broker, a boodler, etc. But since you have other- wise regulated your course of life, and have not ceased to conse- crate it to our cause, pay no attention to such outcries ; walk with head erect past the men who are jealous of the position you hold to-day, but who never dreamed of envying you the sacrifices of iortune and time it cost you. Cofltinue your work ; perhaps our people are on the eve of finding out that they have much to learn in the line of gratitude from other i-aces." — Ua Ancien — or it should be W. Laurier. So much for Pacaud, his past record and his early and continued association with Mr. Laurier. Let us turn to what his own organ has to say from time to time I L'Electeur, dth May, 1880. — Interview with Mr. Laurier. Ho says : " Mr. Mercier has made an alliance in order to get into powei'. Now that he is there he must keep it." So there was really some species of agreement, and Mr. Mercier having obtained portion of what he wanted, namely, the getting into power, should fulfil his part of the contract, which must have been to help Laurier into the Premiership. Of course these are but the preliminary steps necessary to attain the real objects in view, namely, Laurier to furnish money for Quebec, and Quebec to re- turn the compliment by securing means to contest Do- minion Conservative elections in case Mr. Laurier missed his leap towards the Treasury benches. A neat little programme and well followed out. L'Electeur, Wi Januarj/, 1889. — "To work citizens! Maybe what wo are going to add will stimulate the zeal of our citizens. "Whilst we were penning this article we I'cceived the following despatches " : — So Pacaud is the we who pens the article. " Artiiabaskaville, 4th January, ISSlt. " Ernest Pacaud, Esq., Quebec : " Put my name on the list for five shares in the new hotel. " W. Laurier." Hj » ; i Mi 11 " Ernest Pacaud, Quebec : " Montreal, 5th January. '' I wish success to the Grand Hotel project, for which I sub- scribe some shares. " HoNORfi Mercier." As in all other monetary undertakings, wherein Laurier and Mercier seem to have had any interest, so in this one, Pacaud was the medium. Of course, no person should for a moment suspect Mr. Laurier — the great man of purity— of having any knowledge of Pacaud's character or his actions. No matter whether they were companions from school days, Mr, Laurier must for the moment be supposed ignorant of all Mr. Merciers and Mr. Pacaud's designs. La Patrie, 13th June, 1890.— ''If Mr. Mercier and his friends are at the helm of affairs since 1887, it is to the strong Liberal party that they owe it, to that party of which Mr. Wilfred Laurier is the grand chief, not only in our Province, but in the whole Dominion." So far so good I The Liberal organ is right ' Mr. Laurier and his party put Mr. Mercier into i^ower. L'Electeur, 3rd June, 18'J0.— "Mr. L:iurier'r> itinerary for the week."— a list of all the places in which he was to speak for Mr. Mercier. That day's editorial is headed, "The intervention of Hon. Mr. Laurier." It says : " Le Ganadien of yestei'day puii- lishes a long article to show that Mr. Laurier partakes absolutely of the same- ideas as Mr. Mercier in this campaign on the ques- tion of provincial autonomy, and yet it r.-proaches Mr. Lauriei' with intervening in provincial politics. A little more and the blue organ will create a great scandal out of this intervention. But, we ask, what is there to prevent Mr. Laurier from interfer- ing actively in the present struggle ? He is chief of the Opposi- tion at Ottawa, chief of the Canadian Liberal party Moreover, is he not the chief of the Liberal electoi-s, who, on the 17th June, will vote for Mr. Mercier ? i3y this title it is not only, his right, but his duty to take part in this struggle." This is the election in which Mr. Mercier is to depend upon Mr. Laurier for help ; and in return for which Mr. "p^ 12 Laurier will depend upon Mr. Mercier, wlien the Domi- nion light comes off. L'ElecUur, Gth June, 1890. — Report of a meeting at Saint Sauveur : " The cause ! It is the National cause, and all wish to see it ti'iumph ! The party ! but all are of the same party ; it is a union of friends!" Mr. Laurier's Speech: "My politics are Mr. ]\Iercier'8 ! 1 am of the old school of English Liberals. Mr. Mercier is the chief of the National party, but who was ever more Liberal than he is, in hisi-elations with the workmen ?" . . " I come here topreacli union and concord. 1 come here to work with you that the cause of Mr. Mercier may triumph in the com- ing elections — it is what you all want." "I hope you are convinced that what Mr. Mercier wants is the triumph of the labour cause. But, mark one thing. 1 am as much as you area partisan of that labour cause, though I am not a labourer myself. I liave at heart as much as you have the cause you cherisli ; but I tell i/ou, in all sincerity, Hove the National cause still more than I do the labour cause." Yet Mr. Laurier does not sing his National song when in face of other events and other audiences. It matters little what he may call himself or his party, it is a combi- nation of Mercier and Laurier, aided in minor details by Pacaud. La Patric, ith July, 18!t0.— "The Two Parties Liberal and National." " Alreadj' the Gazette made the remark yesterday, Mr. Mercier spoke at the reception of the National party, and the successes that crowned its efforts. Mr. Laurier, on the contrary, did not say a word about the National party ; but he expatiated at lengtli on the past, the future aspirations and hopes of the Liberal party. Is there a difference of opinion between the two chiefs, as the Gazette would have it understood ? We think not." .... "Mr. Mercier, our common chief in a struggle undertaken for a particular object in our province, could not speak in the name of one of the great parties of the country without running the risk of wounding some of the troops that support him." . . . . " Sucli is the only reason why Mr. Mercier used, the other evening, the word National, whilst Mr. Laurier exclusively used the name Liberal." So Mr. Laurier is a lover of the National cause in St. Sau.veur, where his speech was intended merely for the ears of his own electors and Mr. Mercier's friends ; but he forgets the National and merely speaks of the Liberal cause 13 when he is in a place where his words might militate agamst his prospects as leader throughout the Dominion And in Toronto he has nothing at all to do with the National cause. Quebec can read his sincerity, Ontario can study his political honesty, and the whole Dominion can perceive his motives. A Nationalist in Quebec, he leaves Nationalism to Mr. Mercier in Montreal, and he is merely a Liberal himself, and, in Toronto, he is a„ti- National, a very Briton— an " old school English Liberal' He thus speaks to Ontario : La Patrie'ird October, 1889.-- It is .aid it mav be all very fine for me to talk as u Canadian in Ontario, but "that I advi/e the people o Quebec to establish an independent French-Canadian state on the banks of the St. Lawrence. As to myself personalv gentlemen, I resent the odious imputation, and spurn {he accusal oZCl" ""^ one language for Ontario and another for 'c^ueDec. . If there are any amongst my fellow- countrymen of French origin who would dream of establishino- a Prench colony on the banks of the St. Lawrence. I am not one^>f them I am not of them, and let friends and opponents be well penetrated with the fact." . . . . " i ^q farther -xJlZ It would be the direst ingratitude, after seekfng tie prote^ti^^!;- Jingland in order to become gi-eat, to strike the friendly hand and to refuse to take oui' common share with our other fellow- Citizens. When Dr. Montague quoted from the Quebec speech in the House on the Tth July last, the following dialogue will show how Mr. Laurier tried to back down, aud°iiiiallv was sil(>nced before the whole House of Commons. Hansard, vol. i, 18!)1, July Vth, pages 1975-1976. Mr Montague— on the Budget^.iuotes Laurier's speech as published in the 67oie-" We will have freedom of tSde we will sweep away these i-estrictious ; we will sweep away the custom-houses between these (wo countries.'' This is in the Province of Quebec. .Kf^^^'^'^'V^^u! \^^ Jion. gentleman allow me to tell him that the speech to which ho refers was delivered in French and tliat there was not a Fi-ench reporter present " Some hon. members — "Oh, oh!" Mr. Laurier-'' I am quite willing to say that the report in substance gives the sense of my remarks, but is not verbatim^ Mr. Montague-" We\l, sir, this extract has been printed in m •>"<«i MP 14 newspaper after newspaper ; it has been before the country for months; and my hon. friend has never until now made a public declaration that the report is incorrect. It shows that hon. gen- tlemen opposite are in a very bad condition when they have to rise in the House and repudiate the reports of their speeches as printed in their own organs. Now, 1 ask the hon. gentleman whether or not he ever delivered any such speech as that ?" Ml'. Laurler — " I have just told you." Mr. Montague — " You said nothing, then, about the custom- houses ?" Mr. Laurier — " 1 have told the hon. gentleman that the speech was delivered impromptu, and that there is no verbatim report of it. The hon. gentleman docs not expect me to say that 1 said this word or that word. 1 have just said that the report gives the substance of my remarks, but not ray verbatim remarks." Mr. Montague — " The hon. gentleman does not remember it. I do not ask him to remember it, but the reporter was ti.ere and took it down." Mr. Laurier — "1 say that I spoke in French, and that there was not a French reporter there." And thus did Mr. Laurier, when cornered, strive to cover his tracks. It was not so much the quoted para- graph that frightened him as the fact that some other person might discover how compromisiugly contradictory his different speeches and attitudes were. In closing this act, and before opening the third, last and most important one — the climax of our little drama — it would be well to recall to the reader's mind that we are only using Mr. Laurier's own words or else those of Mr. Mercier or Mr. Pacaud. Our object is to show that those men have been more than politically, that they have been interestedly and amicably allied. We must now follow our chain until we have proven that Mr. Laurier ilung all his personal magnetism into the Quebec elec- tions in favor of Mr. Mercier ; that Mr. Mercier recipro- cated by using his Quebec power to aid Mr. Laurier in the Dominion struggle ; that Mr. Mercier originated the Interprovincial Conference for his own ends ; that Mr. Laurier subscribed to its resolutions ; that Sir John saw the danger to the Dominion in its principles ; that its ultimate object was to saddle the Dominion with Mr. ' Mf l jlW I— I rk 16 Mercier's political and other liabilities ; that Mr. Mercier promised fifteen of a majority to Mr. Laurier ; that Mr. Laurier promised, if he got into power, to settle the Que- bec accounts ; that Pacaud was in every case a " go- between" the Government and all boodlers and con- tractors ; that one of the Langeliers was Mercier's right bower ; that another was Laurier's trump card, and that a third was a paid spy of Mercier's party ; that Mercier dictated to Pacaud and paid him ; that Mercier traded on Laurier's political purity, while Laurier kept up his " old school English Liberalism " as a mask to hide his real motives ; in Kne, that Laurier not getting into power as he expected to do, the Mercier gang had to go to Europe to borrow^, and the Dominion Conservative elections were contested on the strength of Dominion moneys that were to replace the ^100,000 that Pacaud made away with so neatly ; and, finally, that Laurier knew every move made or in contemplation upon the chess-board of Quebec pol- itics. We will go farther. To illustrate, by one example, the Langelier connection, we vv^ill refer to the well-know^n fact that on the week intervening between the day of nomination and the day of election, that is to say, from the 26th February and 5th March, 1891, Mr. Achille Carriere, local member for Graspe in the Quebec House, and one of Mercier's right hand men, left Quebec with election funds, gold and bills, and all along the line from Levis to Dalhousie dis- tributed the " boodle " to the Liberal agents who met him at the different stations. Previous to Mr. Oarriere's pas- sage of" beneficence, agents from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and even Ontario came to Quebec and applied to Mercier, Pacaud & Company for funds. The election took place on the Thursday, the 6th of March. The re- sults could not be known until Friday, the 6th, and on the next day Mr. Fran9ois Langelier and Ernest Pacaud landed in Halifax. Mr. "Weldon, ex-M.P., under directions from Mr. Laurier, met these gentlemen, who had the 16 funds nocossary to buy up any members who might be for sale. They met on Sunday, the 8th, at Mr. Jones' house, and there in secret conclave with Mr. Fielding, Senator Power and Mr. Longley, concocted the plan best calculated to do effective work with these funds. Not succeeding in corrupting any of the elected Conservatives they put up $11,000 to contest eleven constituencies — amongst others Halifax county, and, the elections of the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Marine, and in the case of the last mentioned they did not (>ontest his col- league's election. Evidently this was done to annoy the Government, in the hope of shaking the weaker members by the committee revelations that they anticipated hav- ing a sweeping effect. As far as New Brunswick is con- cerned these Quebec agents were not entrusted with the cash, but a cheque payable to the order of Mr. Blair, the Attorney-Greneral, was sent to Mr. Weldon — the Premier could not seemingly be trusted with it. When it reached the political agent he found the payee of the cheque was away up the St. John River, either on a stumping excur- sion, or some other equally unimportant expedition. Thoy could not get their money until they found the Attorney- General, and the three or four days* chase after that gen- tleman sufficed to let their plans and motives leak out. In fine the connection of Messrs. Laurier, Mercier, Pacaud, Langelier, Carriere, Fielding, Power, Longley, Jones, Blair, AYeldon, and all the leading Liberals is undeniable, and just as undeniable is the fact that the funds Mr. Pacaud had in charge formed the bond of union between them all ; and that bond of union consisted of Dominion of Canada money. Not only this, but in Quebec alone $13,000 of that fund were used as deposits in the thirteen contestations of Conservative seats in that province. ACT III— 1891. Montreal Herald, Janudry 28t/i, IS'.tl.— "The Club National banquet, held at the Windsor Hotel last night, must he »*«■ mmm gather! !!<;• n voted a success. The attendance was large, the thoroughly repre-sentativo and well-sustained enthusiasm j)revailed. The speaking, also, was of high order. The sentiments enunciated had a substantial ring about them that appealed to the intelligence, as well as to the sentiment, of the audience. All scored good points, but Hon. Mr. Mercier made an effective hit when he announced that if Sir John Macdonald brought on the elections immediately he would put oft' his trip to Europe in order to bo at his post alongside the Liberal chieftain Hon. Ml-. Laurier." ' The Herald's Report of the Banquet. — Mr. Laurier spoke shortly, saying he wished to economize his voice in case of a general election. Mr. Mercier gave a detailed account of how the Prov- incial treasury stood— of the union between the Libei-als and National Conservatives— proclaimed himself the head of a National government, and closed with saying : " My duty and my place are known ; I should be at the side of my esteemed chief, the Hon. W. Laurier, should he so desire it, and I will be there what- ever may happen, if God permits." L'Blecieur, 2Sth January, ]8!»1.— "But this is not all. The presence at Mr. Morcier's side of Mr. Laurier, leader of the Canadian Liberal party, he whom our adversaries surnamed the knight without fear and without reproach, unfolds for us other and vaster horizons." i. There is no doubt of it, and away beyond the rim of those horizons are burning volcanos that the eye cannot yet detect, but which, with time, will loom into sight. L'Electeur_ 29fA January, 189L— -'The same sentiments gushed out in all the speeches at the banquet, Hon. W. Laurier gave eejio to the sentiments of Mr. Mercier ; Mr. Mercier gave force and significance extraordinary to the same sentiments when he said, amidst thunders of applause, that he would, if the election rumors were realized, put off his trip to Europe, that he would even hasten back from Paris, if necessary; tha't his place in the h(ur of battle was beside his venerated chief, Hon. Wilfred Laurier." ^ LLlecteur, SOth January, 1891. —Despatch from New York : Hon. Mr. and Mrs. Laurier, Hon. Mr. and Mrs. Longley, and Mr. and Mis. Ernest Pacaud i-eached here this morning and are at the Brunswick Hotel. Mr. Laurier speaks to-night at the Board of Trade Banquet at the Delmonico." 18 So Mr. Laurier flies, fresh from this banquot-hall whore Mr. Mercier promised to stand by him, to New York, to the land of "Wiman, Butterworth and Hitt ; and his travelling companion, his fides achates, his valot-do- chambrc, is the same Mr. Ernest Pacaud, with whom Mr. Laurier seems to have so little to do, the moment there is a cloud on Mr. Pacaud's name, and that his "evil associa- tion" might corrupt the liberal leader's "good manners." The scenes are becoming more interesting as we draw towards the crisis. Montreal Herald, 4th February, 1891 : " Sir John Macdonald's attempt to surprise the country and obtain a snatch verdict be- fore the people would be able to grasp the new phases of the political situation, had led Mr. Mercier and his colleagues, who had arranged to go to Eurojie and the United States on important public business, to cancel their trips for the present and remain to assist Hon. Mr. Laurier and the Liberals in the campaign now opening."' Montreal Herald, oth February, 1891 : "Conservative politicians are considerably disturbed by the announcement that Premier Mercier and moml ors of his cabinet have put ott' their contem- plated business trips in order to be able to aid Hon. Mr. Laurier and his liberal friends in the .Dominion elections. They had fair warning of his intentions and have no right to complain. Besides Premier Mercier would be more than human, if he did not resent, in the most effective and practical manner, the underhand as- saults made upon him and his government by Federal Cabinet Ministers and conservative politicians. It is Mr, Mercier's turn, now, and he can be depended upon to make his power felt on behalf of Liberalism and good government, in Dominion, just as he has done in Provincial politics." It is lucky for the Dominion that he, Pacaud and company have not as yet had a chance, through Premier Laurier, to act in Dominion affairs as they have done in Provincial matters. Montreal Herald, 10th February, 1891 : Eeport of the Bonso- cours Market meeting of the 9th. Extracts from Mr. Mercier's speech : " My duty and my place are known : I must be at the side of my esteemed leader, Hon. Wilfred Laurier, Jt" he wishes it, and with the help of God I shall be there, no matter what happens. God has permitted it, Mr. Laurier wishes it, and 1 am '» ttK-^tt 19 7ie7'e at his side, fighting for the triumph of'tljo cuuho which is ho (lejir to us all." . ..." I and my colleagnos have placed ourselves entirely at Mr. Lauriers disposal, aud lie can rely upon us in the interesting and hopeful struggle in which he is about to engage." "Hon. Mr. Ijiiuricr has accepted the resolutions of the Interprovincial Conference of 1887, and promised to give effect to them if he comes into powei'. It is our duty to make him triumph." So far we have both these honorable gentlemen care- fully fulfilling their mutual pledges and sticking to each other, or rather both sticking to Pacaud, who is the neck- yoke that unites them. La Patrie, 4th February, 1S91. — ''Bonne Nonvelle I Ah! Mr. Chapleau, you l)0asted yesterday in the Witness that Mr. Mercier would not help Mr. Laurier ! Vou had already forgotten that Mr. Mercier, at the Club National banquet, had several times called Mr. Laurier his chief, and that he had promised solemnly to be at his side if you or your colleagues underiook to play us one of those fox tricks at which your old chief is such an adept. To put a little courage into the stomachs of your partisans you hastened to tell them that it would be to Mr. Mercier's interest to stay quietly at home." There is no doubt to-day that it would have been very much to both Mercier's and Laurier's interest had the former followed Mr. Chapleau's advice. La Patrie, 5th February, 1891. — "Not only Mr. 3Icrcier has put otf his European trip until after the elections, but he has recalled his colleagues, Messrs. Chas. Langelier and Robidoux, from New York, and he is busy organizing." La Patrie, 6th Febi-uary, 1801. — Speaking of Mr. Chapleau " He looks well to come and kick up a dust because Mr. Mercier and all our friends in the local Cabinet of Quebec declared they were going to rush into the fight to help Mr. Laurier." La Patrie, 10th February, 1891. — From Mr. Mercier's Bonse- coiirs Market speech : " As to the financial relations between the Provinces and the Dominion, the execution of the decision of the Interprovincial Conference would give to each province the means of developing its resources, favoring its education, instruc- tion aud colonization." Which means to give Mr. Mercier all the means he needed from the Dominion treasury to pay his provincial debts and to keep up Messrs. Pacaud, Langelier & Co. ( I 20 L'EI.ecteur, h)th Febnianj, 18'J1, — " Our advorsarios understand now that, with Mr. Morcior at hi^iHido, .Nfr. liaui-ior in invinoibk' in Quebec. Mr. .\fercier cares little for 'Tory scruples." We should think that his regard for any species of scruples, Tory or otherwise, is very slim. At least the last four years of his erratic career would seem to indicate that he kept little account of either scruples or dramms. VElecteur of the 11th and 12th February contain col- umns upon columns uniting Mr. Laurier and Mr. Mercier as the IJamon and Pythias of Quebec Liberalism. These articles would be too long- to cite, howsoever interesting they may be ; still, for our present purpose, and due con- sideration for our space being had, we must leave them to the gleaners of political information who are sufficiently interested to look up the files. VElecleur, 11th February, 1891, gives a translation of an interview had by a Star reporter with Mr. Mercier, in which the latter says : "We will give Mr. Luui'ier fifteen of a majority in this pro- vince. I have come to place mysolf at the disposal of the Mont- real ilistrict commitlee, and I will remain in harness until the end of tlie campaign. I shall have with me Mr. liobidoux, the Attorney-General, and Mi'. Duhamel, the Commissioner of Crown Lands. At Quebec, Mr. Shohyn, the Treasurer, Mr. Koss, the President of the Council, and Mr. (rarneau, the Commissioner of Public Works, will be in charge, with the same committee that we had at the last provincial general elections in ,Iune. The organization will be the same in all the province, and the result will probably be better." There is no back-door business about that. The full weight and influence of the Quebec Cabinet were cer- tainly cast into the balance for Mr. Laurier. In the same number of that organ Mr. Pacaud writes : " Mr. Mercier has bound himself by a solemn engagement to g-ive at least a majority of fifteen votes to Mr. Laurier ; that is to say, to put him into power." This engagement, the alliance of which Mr. Laurier speaks, the compact of which Mr. Pacaud writes, must surely be a bond of union between the leaders. 21 I/Electriir, Idth Fehruary, ISOl. — Mr. Mercier's speech nt St. Ainbroiso, ( 'ounty of (^uelioc. " At the ro(|UOHt of my chief, IIoii. W. Laurior, I come here to respectfully but firmly demand that you support the Opposition candidate in this struggle. I am your friend ; you are my friendn ; stand together ; stand united, and work for the victory of our chief — Wilfred Laurier." LElecteur, 2:ir«-ry, in which th« AH Babl)a was Count Morcier, and his «hiet" lieutenant was Jilrncst I'acaud. It is not for na here to examine into tho details ot that aboniiiiable and ^ham»'lfss d»;ai ; oar object is to show that the leudfr of th** <^>pposi- tionat Ottawa, the Hon. Wilfred Lauricr, th«' bf>soiu friend, political ehief and general associate of Mr. }tlfrc'h-T. the w^hool-fellow. partner, patron and travelling ronipanion of Mr. Pacaud, not only had a share in the transaction. but that he has been privy to the Ilesrira of Paraud, and ha«» always had full kuowled«^t' of the state of Mr. Mercier's affairs. We hav«; traced their intimacy in a hurried and superlicial manner ever since Mr. I.^iurierha.*' had h'. ■ eye on the premiership and sinre Mr. Mercier had his e) on the Dominion colters. Let us take up, then, the last move in the closinp; a('t of our peculiiir little drama and behold the mask of hypo -risy fall from the fare of that great h'ader who has so long wrapp^-d himself in his cloak of dignity. Before entering upon this final consideration. I would draw especial attention to the peculiar fa<.t that when Mr. Mackenzie and Mr. Blake led the Liberals they were r»>ally the chieftains, each in his turn, of the party ; but Mr. Laurier, like a minor or a quasi-interdicted person, cannot act without his advisory committee, from which all his instructions seem to come. His party may < on- sider him an elegant figure-head, but a very unreliable head. He does not lead, nor is his will law ; they — the .satellites — lead, and he follows their dictation. They could not even trust him with a say in the scandal investigations ; Cartwright, Mills, Davies and Charleton. and the minor characters like Mullock, Lister, Sommer- rille and McMuUen, and a few still more que.stionable personages like Tarte, Amyot and Langelier, has each a duty to perform, but Laurier is kept in the back ground. Does he feel the sting ? or is he indifferent to or power- less against the humiliating slight ? •