HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times, 1891-6-18, Page 7eneneeneneweeenseesseeesselasee'
THE LATE PREMIER
SKETCH OF HIS CAREER,
Ms Early Home me—First Appearance ea
Po i iti S -no rly posi mite Par eer—as ,
Prime Allafstee—tIls Part in trouredera- ,
tioa, etc., etc.
Of the story era life so full of incident as .
,
was that of the deo:toed stateemane and ea
bound up with the hit tory of Canute during
the past forty years, it le possible only to
give but the beiefest outline at this time.
The biographer and the historian can. alone
do justice to the subject, John Alexander
Ideedonald wae of etteoteli parentage, hie
father being Hugh efecdonald, of Sutheri
landthire, who *married. Helen Slim; of
Badenecto ,loyerociasnire. Tile former
had moved in early life to Glasgow,
where, on Jazuary 11, 1815, ids eenind
son, John Alexander, eves born. When t he
future Premier of Cituaila woo in Ma fifth
year the family joined in the eutigra,tiou
Movement and came out to Canade, settlirg
at Kingeton, thou the most important town
of what is ROW Ontario. After few years`
reeitienee in that town Mr. Hugh Macdonald
moved to Adolphustown, on the Bay of
Quinte. leaving his son John Alexanderunder
the tuition ef Dr. Wileoe, a fellow of Oxford
Unive.ity, at the Royal Grammar School,
where he remained until Ids sixteenth
year. The father kept a atore a ?hart dis•
temente the east of the Quaker meeting-
house on Hay Bay on the tient conceesion.
It we la, emelt clap. baartlea building, taint-
ed re, and stood for many years. A limiter
to Aeolphustown recently wrote : °Stand-
ing itt Cie old Methadistelturch at Hay Bey
the visitor cm en tho modest rein. It
markt; the dwelling•place of the parents of
Sir John Mocdonahl. The house was
hurnea long einem and the cellar and its
wane alone mark the spot."
ant eoite'S EARL'S: IlOtIE.
In his book "Country Life in Canada
Fifty Years ago,"Dr, Mt nal' Haight says :—
"1 remembee-ht.ing at a nomination in the
village of Bath, on wheat ocetteion there
were servi al speakers from Kingetonaamong
them .141,:i A. Macdonald, then a young
lawyer ins. [(alit% his way into politica
e life. Ile made a speech, and began SWIM -
tit ingin tide way :— 4 Yeomen. of the County
of Lenge and Addingtm, I remember well
when 1 an about in this district a bare-
footed 1 oy,' eta"
In le:ei Mr. Hugh Matelonald returned to
Kin:: ton, where he lensed the Kingston
Mils, a few miles out of the city, and at the
same time orrice! on Ititetheea on Princess .
street. Young Meedonald has been de- }
wilted re home, in his school tlays "a very!
intellh telt and pleatiing face, strange, fuzzy- I
l kf ' ..,air triatet in a dark Illa$S, ant 0
a sttiking nose." His father had al ways l
intended him for the legal prolession, and
upon leaving school in 18e1 he
ENTIMED TnE LAW OITME
of Ain George MacKenzie, where ho applied
himself diligently to his etudies. Be *pent
six yaws here, and proved a most exemplary
student. Before he was quite twenty-one be
was called to the bar of Upper Canada, and
opened an office in Kingston. In a short
time he had -worked up a gobti business, anti
had become solicitor for the Commercial
Bank, and also for the Trust rind LoanCom-
pane', with which latter corporation this re-
lationship continued up to the time of his
. death. These were the days of the Re-
belliou, and it was in connection with one
of the incidents following that outbreak that
young 'Afacdonald earned bis first legal
lanrels. He was engaged to defend Von
Shoultz and others of the two hundred
"Hunters" who invaded Canada at Prescott
from the United. States in November, 1838,
and were taken prisoners by Co]. Young.
The trial at Kingston caused intense excite-
ment, and the young barrister's brilliant
defence of his clients, thoueli fruitless, was
acknowledged to be a masterly one. From
that time forth John A. Macdonald'
abilities were reccgn: hy all, and his
future greatness was of eedicted. It was
seen that, he was a mite :utterly fitted to
to take a prominent 'p -cc in the stormy
politics of the Canada of that day, and, as a
prellininsay step, he was elected a member
of the Kingston Council in 1853.
NIS FIRST ArrEAEANcE IN POLITICS,,
In the following year, after a most excit-
ing contest, Le was elected to represent his
city in the Assembly, which then held its
sessions there. In his reply to the requisi-
tion asking him to be a candidate—which,
by the way, was signed by the father of the
Hon. Oliver Mowat—he said that in com-
plying he had no personal ambition.to gratify
except adesire to advance the interests of the
town and "to maintain those principles of
public policy which you jnstly style sound"
lip
and T eral, and which have always actuat-
ed ou loyal old town." "In a young coun-
try like Canada, " he continued, "1 am • of
opinion 'that itis of more consequence
to endeavour to develop its resources
and improve its physical advantages them
to waste the time of the Legislathre, and
the money ' of the people . in fruitless
discussions on abstract and . theoretical
questions of . government One great ob-
ject of my :exertions, if elected, will
be to direct the attention of the Legisla-
ture to the settlement of the beck townships
of the district, hitherto soutterly neglected,
and to press for the construction of the long
projectedplank road to Perth and the Ottawa,
and thus make Kingston the market for a
large and fertile though hitherto valueless
country., Ties desirableolejectonce attained
the prosperity of Our town will be establish.
ed on a firmer basis."The young politician
'tho thus made the construction of a plank
road one of his first cares lived to become, as
Premier of his eonntry; the chief bastrement
in building one of the greatest railways in
the world, . •
On the huetings Mr. Macdonald's ability
as a popular speaker made itself strongly
.41?,,..F.040,4Wo.400woMR0•4(•14.0VOIR,Orclet...._
felt, an.1. his vietere sr.. an eeeewheltning Tilley, Peter itliteheil, H. L. Lengevin,
one,ile elute became a mer of the, Chet/mite. A. G. Arehibeide Ediseted Kew
•
Canadian Assembly of lee t, in, which Mr. ney.
Ogle R. teowen and Mr, 'Joseph Edouard
Canehomaleo made their entry into political
life, aud in which the Tories Lad o majority
of but three.
EAELY roteniont. onnsen.
Of the einitieft vicissitntle-e of e.; per
Canadian polinirs from tios time until fou- leanatia was deeply interested, committeeo
federation leak of space forhide teey ehennet ers were appointed oa both sides to arraog
here This WAd .111..i era ot the thud struggle. a treaty. They met to eleasbington in 187
between the older order of things and the and among the Joint High -thuirmiettione
new, when the battle for" rep. by Pep." Wai and Plenipotentiaties representing the Im
being fought, when the eeat of troverement • pedal Government WAS Sirjohu Mactionah
was itinerant, said when Adminieteationsied *hose position AS Snell while at the seen
short lives and stormy eines. It would he tone prennee of Canada was oo„f p„olzo,
out of the question to attempt even to out- difficulty. Speaking of thie afterwards i
line here the sequence of events. Suffice it eau), e ted maternally before me n
to soy that John A, Alamicinald's influeneea °uterine ne eel
quietly exerted at best, gradually mode; it the Dontatien of Canada, which I was there
self fele, and it WAS not long before he ieft, especially to represent, anti the difileuity of
the ranee, oneein nposition ot Prom_ Ine1100 my position was, 'het if 1.gave undue mo-
lds rise WAS still more rap:41. In 18.)4acenly nljnenee to the interests of Canade, I might
tee years after his entry into the politics! justly I. ; 1 .1 t. ,
ee.4., ,n nannann be tineaig
arena, he became Attorney -General 01 purely coloeial and aselfish view, regarieese
Upper Commie in the eitteNete Morin .Ate- • of the inteeests of Canada Asa portiou of the
ministrittiou, aud soon atter sueceetled thr heap re end, on the ottier bailee, if I kept
Allan MacNeil as Prime telinister„a nrc ey s sohk
on lwperi
reeinetulatton only can begen mi.:dm la, held ea neelceting Inv seecial dut
h d „, p . ,nsl p - i• • toward .iiiy own country.' Au ineviteble.
He was a memeer of the Ea:me:hie tioaneei melt eves that Sir John wes eed to Awe.
at Canada from elav 110, 1847, to eetwele
don 10 UMW exteto he interest of Canesta,
111111, 1848 (In the .441nainfWation of the tar and for teis he wes severely taken to cask
Hon. W. Morriel ; from sePteuthee 1 ifn• elm -wards. During the session of 1872
1851, to July lath. MS On 11:0 N1,aeXall- huwever, ?eroded hinwelf end himennie:
Morin, e Tache-elaedonald, and the Mae- try in a sp,.„4 which is eonseiorea to have
donald-Cartier Aentinistrationsi ; if041 Aug' been one of the ablest ()Torte of Lis life,
mit onto year, to May 231•41, litfla int
OPPASITION.
the Certier.e. laetlonald Adminittrationi
from March 30th. 1804, •until the Uni'oo 'XI Ewe years of Bettina Government folloir •
the Tacheeefacdoeald end the lielletee•Maei the appeel to the country itt 18711. end
clonald Adminitithniored ; nini lie was, giT John found hinitelf in Opposition. Ile
in these several periails. ithecieeraiisioe• 15441 wishedd to retire from the leederaliip of
al from May f7.1tit to December 7t1I, 1847 the party to liae so often led to vietoey at
neneeniesioner of Crown Lends froin the the none ail perliatneut, but, hie felon&
latter date to March Itith, 184.4 ; Attorney. 30,t hew of it, fir, miieheezie. took
General for Upper awoke trent SeP101l1b0r .oliire with only a nominal majority- At Ms
1e54, to teeth July, 185e, when, Wein stud, feeling he famid not earry an the
1,5 tt1Mit MINIsTElt Govet went ememesfully under the eireum.
-steneee, dieeolvell Parliament. At the elect
he and ide Cabinet resigned, being defeated tiest that. tool: piece early in 1874 the "P
onthe seat of Government question. He re. eat soandat t. was the ery, awl the tieverii
•
turned to otlice on August Oth, same year, ment was endorsed by a good majority. Vila
as Postmaster -General, a pdeition Ite resuni- Whetted that for five veers at lost the
ed •the folicwing day, on his re ippeint meat- Mited.tuald °lenient ihoela he in Oppesitiort.
isa Attorney•General 4 Upper Cittitt4e. widen Looking ahead, therefore, Sir John took aol-
office he continued to hold until the defeat of mew° of the well.enotenbee teeee pent
the Achniuistration on the Militia hill, May.- eageerk the Matthig members of the Goy..
eStel-, when lie amnia colleagues eg. tin retired, ennnenti and developed hie .44 National
them Mike. The late Sir George lee Cartier. poleian Wit and the leading wen of his
aud he led the Oppesition in tee Aesetubl h .
tusup cia thisplaifnr.n,aw
uutel the defeat ot the needed; Maelloneli inenittrated it series of political pienies a
Dorton Government, when the iteelm•Mac- erten:, the pulite- was developed with good
doneldlloveraraeut was thientel, etervit eeeett wen, pitennalent enien.,1 ni Sep
and he returned. to his old office) of. tembee, lees, the .eieetien took piatre, au*
Attorney -General, and wee a; neeeinneetta the Conservatives wore the vietors by
leader in the Aseetubly from Oat time until •grcarvr j than er tee io t
the union of the British North Animicen
. House of ComitiOnS before. But eter Jolt
PIevinees in 18°7' fie hal fin' °al° ni 'himself, for the 'first time in thirteofou
Moister of Affairs jointly wIth that years. WAS left without a seat. Eletted i
of Attorney•Gentral from January to _May, 1844, Ite had been Omen for Kingston a
1We, end front August, liffie, until the every election mail 1878. This time he wa
Union. Ile WAS requested to take the place defeated, but be enlitequently encored th
of Sir E. P. Tache as Prime Minister on the teat for vietorit, 13. 0, -
death of that gentleman* 1805, bitt waived
his claim in tevour of Sir N. F. Belleau. • Is row= :WAIN.
During six years of this period be bnel been
a member of an Opposition which had only
nineteen members in a Ilenee of eiehty-foar
• Tenter or evosnisorox.
The most inmortaut event of the period
whieli followed waa the settlement of the
W ash ingten treaty. The Reciprottit y treaty
hail expired, and yarious itnportent ques.
tione between Great Britain and the United
Stateslioning arisen, he certain of which
a -
to 1878. one of the andienee. A SSOtell Re-
former, who had been disposed to interrupt
Sir John, stole around VO him after lee bed
speole ond 'hurriedly shook hie
hand, evidently auxious not to be ought ill
thiS act of bermlese treason eo bit AWA
party. In eta Louis II. 'Tache's admirable
portreit gallery of Canadian " Men of the
Day," Mr. J. Ie.. Watere How writes of Sir
John as a speaker z—" The veteran Premier
cannot be teamed among oratork yet few
o orators can gain end hold the Attention of
thellouee so Suecte*sfully endoiegnetically as
rs he. :Much of this is doubeless due to the
„ feet that it is John" who speeles! •and
it note; ally everyone wants to know whet, the.
first Men in Canada has to say but not a lit-
e tie is due to the ttter of Sir John's speech
,e which is unceinnionly characteristic of hint
ot him—is, indeed. Rid yo'lleri The Premier,
- in speaking, atiopte that Stirle ApnatirintialinennetT
more tu 13,1:OUT an the Imperial
than in the' Parliament of Canada, that is
to say, be is uot reinakeley fluent, hesitates,
indeed, almost, on pureote, id matter.of-fact
rather than rhetorl el, and is withal never
embarrassed Sir ,Tolin's dieceurees are,
livieje:leoviner,,neepeta444011,, antlyt hveaviiite 4a, sto(z ebily ems brief
aueedote tlret toneorous, kind which
). 1:ever labs to Nottet down the llouemi
is very happy. ale; in making a nutmeg
commentary on the speech of another, inter-
im:0i% a shaft of niter inerrimentwhenever
a mark is offered." Oa two momentous oc-
casions his deliverances so far exeelled kis
ordinary efforts asto heworthy of pre,e.erva-
tion in history. Both were speeches rnatle iu
the Hoittee—the firat masterly argument of
houra in length with reference to the
'Washington Teeety, the second the Pre.
utieret defeetie of Mown on the Pacific rail-
way °Nage; when he spoke for five bouts.
IN I-RIVAT5 LIFIL
Itt private life Sir John Macdonald was
ono teethe meat genial and approachable of
men, fie was tnoat effective in personal
(minus, and his cordiality secured bun hosts
of frieuda, even arnoug political opponents.
He woe the life and soul of any festivity io
which he joined, veld being singularly well
informed on all eubjecta, he wasit brilliant
convereat ion al iste He watt an excellent after
d peer speaker,and an inimitable etory-teller
full of rendniseenves of past days and path
stalesmen,
renier EEL tTl955,
Sir John was twice married, first th leta-
belle, daughter of the late Alexauder Clark.
Eq., of Dainavert, Inverneemshire,
laud; and in 1867 te Soap Agnea delatehter
oi the late TIM. 'IN J. Bereard, A =alba at
t Her hfajeste "e Privy Connell of the Islantl of
Jamaica. The latter survives him, with
• two chiblen—a daughter. elite a son by the
1 firat marriage. who ot present repreeeate
a Winnipeg in the Homo of Commons.
PISTiNcTONS.
etir John Nrolomm was the reeiplent
n • during Ms Iifetline of Ineuv lion -tura In
t ltele reeeived the deence of D. C. L.
• (hon.) from Oxford University. He was
O alto an LLD. of teneett's teniveraity,
Kingaton, and McGill University, Montreal,
• and a D. C. L. of Trinity College, Toronto.
Ire was eireated K, C. in July, 1807, and
h C. B. nt eseweinber, 1884. itt January,
r 1871, Ito received the title of Knight Grand
e thou of the Royal Order of Isabel la
Catolien. of Spain. Ile was nominated a
' member of her Majesty's Mose Honourable
PrivY Connell in duly, 1872 and was sworn
8 in Augnet, 1870. He also held the rank
of Past hi rana Sonar AN arden of the Order
of Ancient, Free, and Accepted Masons of
Canada, and. was a Grand Repreeentotive
in Canada of the Grand Lodge of Euglextd.
Returning to pewee! then, in 1878, Si
John Maetionaldho tune° remained there
but the experience was a valualile one, as, email% three „general elections since the
indeed, was hie whole peliticaltareer during time, in every nistancte, neve the last, per
the stormy quarter 01 5. contury„whieli pre, naps. by sure majority. The leading
ceded the krrnation of this Dominion. His nodded and semi.political events of thi
powera of debate werestrengthened,his one. latter period of his rule are fresh in the
Walton into men and them motives:31aq> minds of Canadian'. Chief among them
cued, monis natural tat dove:aped, so that may to mentioned tbe construetion of the
Ito was thoroughly schooled for Isis long reign ( %median Paeific Railway, the paesege •of
over Canadian affairs width was to follow. the Franchise' .Act, the leiel the
various legal fights with the province, the
nts MET IN 470=DEltATION. dispute over tho fisheries question and sub -
When in 1804 Mmes. John A. Macdonald aequent proccediugain commotion therewith,
a,nd A. T. Galt met Mr. George Brown for and lastly the events immediately prior to
the purpose 01d:sensate; the tonnution of a end during the recent etunPiti811. To tbe
Coalition Government, tibia the balance of nervous strain causeel by this great struggle,
parties neutered necoesary to stable ,govern- eonpled with old age andsessioual cares and
mot, Mr, brown asked ii1C113 how they pro- lumetott greatly aggravated by a.1Iuna.
posed to settle the seetionel difficulties be. Oriel "scandal "is undoulatmlly to bo
tween tJpper toul Lower Canada. and they bete 1 the Premier's collapse and ease uen t
death. lle had orrived at an age when oily
and mind axe illtitted to cope with extritor.
clinary worries aud exbausting efforts.
ins .ACIIIEVEMENTA AS A =cannon.
replied t ut their remedy was "a federal
union at all the British Northeamericau pro-
vinces." Of this scheme Conservatives as-
sert their late leader to have been the parent,
while Liberals claim the honour for Mr.
Brown. Both men, itt all events, were Eir John Macdonald's great esl achieve.
leaders in the oegotiatious for carrying it ments sis a havonaker are thus set forth in
into °Sect, and by virtue of his office as the "Parliamentary Companion ": " The
Attorney -General, if for no other reason, secularization of the clergy reserves; the
Mr. Macdonald was looked upon as the improvement of the criminal law ; the pro.
chief spiritlie was heaa of the Can. motion of public instruction ; the extension
adieu" delegation at the Charlottetown Con- of the municipal system; the reorganization
ference af 1S64, convened for the purpose of of the militia; the settlement of the seat of
effecting a union of the Maritime Provinces Government question; the establialiment of
direct steam mail communication with
Europe; the establishment of additional
penitentiaries, criminal, lunatic asylums,
and reformatory prisons, and providing for
tho internal economy of the House of Com -
mous; the reorganization of the Civil Ser.
and at (he subsequent Quebec Conference to
arrange a basis of union for all the British
American colonies. At the London Confer-
ence in 1866-07 he was unanimously chosen
chairman, and his share in the momentous
work of that gathering has thus been
described by one of his biographers — vice on a permanent basis; the construction
"Though some of the aolese men our of the Intereolonial railway; the enlarge
colonies have ever :produced were instru- ment of the canals; the enactment of a
mental in framing the new constitutional stringent election law; the ratification of
character, Mr. Macdonald, it was readily the Washington treaty; the Confederation
admitted, was the master -head. Many a of British North Ainerica ; the extension
time duringthe progress of the negotiations and consolidation of the statues." The de.
i
conflicting nterests arose which, but for ceased statesman's former political °ppm
careful haodling, might have wrecked the nents may take exception to this recerd,
scheme ; and here the matchless tact of the but it represents what the Conservative
Attorney -General of Coaled& West pre. party regard as his chief claims to the
eminently asserted itself." Another writer; gratititle of his °Gantry apart from his
has said :—" His perfect knowledge of all general services as its political ruler for
details, has marvellous tact, and irresist- many years.
ible persuasive powers proved equal to the
herculean task of reconciling the vast and
varied interests which at times seemed so
seriously conflicting as to menace the whole
scheme. Confederation may, indeed, be
justly regarded as Sir John Macdonald's
magnum opus." Confederation accomplish-
ed, and the new constitution' brought into
force on July 1, 1867, Mr. Macdonald was
called upon to form
THE FIRST GOVERNMENT
of the new Dominion, and was sworn a mem-
ber of the Privy Council and appointed Min-
ister of Justice and Attorney -General of Can -
„aide, which office he filled until November,
873. One of the first acts of the first Goyer-
nor-General, Lord Mole*, was to confer
upon the Premier the honour of Knighthood.
The new Ministry was composed of gentle-
men representing,the majorities in the vari-
ous provinces. 'I do not want it to be
felt,” Sir John Macdonald said, "by any
section in the country that they have no re-
presentative in the Cabinet and no influence
in the Government. And there are now no
issues to divide parties, and as all that is
required is to have in the Government the
men who are best adapted to put the new
machinery in motion, I desire to ask those
to join me who have the confidence of, and
represent the majorities in, the various sec-
tions, of those who were in favor of the
adoption of this System of government and
who with to see it satisfactorily carried out."
Of the thirteen members of tide 'first Govern-
ment of the Dominion Sir Hector Langevin
is to -clay the only one still in office atOttawa.
Its composition was as follow : John A.
Mead oi aid, A. T. Galt, Alexander Canne-
lla. A. J. Fergusson -Blair, W. P. Howland,
Ceoige E. Cartier, Wm. McDouga,11, S. L.
AS A POLITICIAN
no public men was ever more bitterly and
unforgivingly abused by his political oppo-
nents, on the one hand, or more loudly and
unceasingly eulogized by his political friends,
on the other, than Sir John A. Macdonald.
Both facts bear testimony to the wonderful
extent of his success as a politician. That
success was in part due, no doubt, to his
remarkable power of drawing men to him
and holding them—to his extraordinary
"personal magnetism," a gift in which his
rivals for popular favour have always been
conspicuously lacking. But, beyond this, he
united in himself, as few men do, an un-
usual number of those qualities which are
invaluable to the successful politician and
statesman. He had a marvellous knowledge
.of human nature: is rare insighb into men
and their motives; an inflexible will, ad-
mirably united to is remarkable power of
adaptability to circumstances; . a gift of
leadership which had been likened the
feat of the juggler in keeping half a dozen
bells in the air at once; an extraordinary
ability for holding together diverse elements
and interests. He possessed the uncommon
faculty of tieing able to evolve success out
of defeat ; his greatest disaster was •soon
followed by his greatest triumph. '
As a public speaker Sir John Macdonald
was by no ineans great, from an oratorical
point of view, but he was always effective.
Although he never spoke rapidly, his ideas,
after he had fairly begun, flowed freely and
steadily, and' the happy humour with which
his speeches to the. people abounded:always
kept his audience an good spirits.. Even
those who had been taught to hate him, often
failed to resist his platform " magnetism.
It is related thatait .a .pienie meeting prior
LIVES IN AN APPLE TREE,
--
A Madly Intone old elan who l'annotStay
indoors.
Leslie Buchanan, of Lexington, Va., has
recently become insane through grief for
the death of his eldest, son and has develop.
eit craze which 14 gamely distressing aud
annoying to his friends. 111r. Buchanan is
an old man in hia seventy-ninth year and
though peculiarin his actions, is still so
mild and inoffensive that his relatives can-
not bring thenwelves to peace him in an
asylum. His 'Mese vagary is that ha is suf-
focated whenever in the houso, so that he
as
htaken up his abode in a largo apple tree
in an orchard near his home, and out of
which he cannot be persuaded to come. It
is now two or three weeks since he establish-
ed himself in hie singular dwelling place,
and strange as it may seem the old gentle-
man's health has not only not suffered, but
aetually seems improved under the ex-
posure and physicians have advised his
family not to interfere with him as long as
this is so.
Mr. Buchanan sits smiling and happy in
his parch, which has been rendered as com-
fortable as possible by means of a suspend-
ed platform. His food is carefully hoisted
to him by his directions, though it
could be as easily handed, as his tree is not
over &Lilt feet in height. Crowds from all
over the county have come to see the old
man, who seems pleesed at the attention
ansi w11 discourse to them by the bour of
the advantages of an outdoor life. At night
he is guarded from molestation by a servant
who sleeps at the foot of the tree.
Centipede Poison.
A strangestory comes fromBaxter county,
in Western Arkansas. .A family of five
persons left their home in the neighborhood
of Baldwin, Tennessee, about the beginning
of Mara, trying to reach Texas iu a team
of their own, and one night camped near a
way -side spring, where they were found
dead or dying the next morning. _All rem-
edies failed, and the death of the entire
family was at first ascribed to the contamin-
ated condition of the spring, which shortly
before had formed the eentre of a Gypsy
camp ; but a coroner's inquest revealed the
fact that the ill-fated travellers had cooked
their coffee in a on that contained the
remains of a large centipede. The plan of
pursuing and lynehing the Gypsies was then
at once abandoned, but it could have done 110
harm to analyze, or at least to clear, the sus-
pected spring. The centipede hypothesis, at
all events, is based on the popular error which
confoundsthe effects of mineral and vegetable
poisons with those of an animal virus.
Serpent virus kills only by its direct injec-
tion into the circulation of the human body,
and an ounce of the virttlene substance
might be swallowed with impunity, unless
the experimenter should happen to be afflict-
ed with gastric tumors, Many birds and
animals, in fact, devour all sorts of venomous
reptiles; the Merops apiaster'or Turkish
starling, kills and eats scores of wasps, and
in dry seasons when the herbage of the
parehed hillsides withers to •the roots, the
Abyssinian baboons subsist largely on
scorpions. The English naturalist Burkland
swallowed with impeuity the virus of three
different kinds of serpents, The bite of
venomous 'insects has undoubtedly, though
very rarely, led to fatal results, but a quart
of boiled centipedes would not furnish
poison enough to kill a child.
AUDIENCIE vnTE OR:NA'4414-
PEROE,
The sou or aeaven Seen .99d So.onein With
by the " rereigie
The andience of the Foreign Ministers.
With the Emperor in Peking took place al -
Most exactly on the thirtieth anniversary of
the otahlishrnent of the British and French
Legations in Peking.The Ministers, ettachee,
secretarieseanel ituerpretent • started for the
great ceremony of meeting the "Son
5Yitehe'illiTeene7, 48,1110‘e1t 118i'l el tke:111 e Lahel ni ng ° tx.lni ei Di eg ofLeget
it
tions shoultaneonely. The Corps Diplome
tig ueall rode in gceen eed au chairs,each paten
quin beieg herne twiner coolies, with relief
of equal numbers of bearers, wearing offic*0
livery, and eecit hlinister being followed le
four meunted Reroute io resplendeve un
forms. A couple of mounted Chineae sae=
also accompanied the procession in th
capeeity, of guides to the piece of aodieuce
The Tse Kuang-ko, where the audience too
'doge, is siettat,ed close upon the shores a
the Middle Lak-e, which tons through th
palace grounds, and is crossed in us nar
rower parts by magnificent bridges of white
atone or marble. 'The ,grounds are entered
from the Tartar city' by the FA Hue Man
(Gate of "Flowery Prosperity"). end o
pErrempeeeroorh, pin:, whir remdsobeniadecarethilenie (•itiaatl$eautod
laid them oo the telele in front of the Em-
peror, kow-towing as he dtd so. The Em-
peror merely bowed in acknowleetioneut,
and did not speak till the Minister 1101 re
sumed his former place between eine "Drag
acOvepri.:11.1airoSw.'voyeitt,1i1141,100.5aatymettlieun:adeprkr;84eingdill4
short speech to Prince Ch'ing who listened
kneeling. The Prince then rose, and dee
scentlidg the steps with his arms entspread
of like wings twhich is in acute:4.0o with the
te cifaasie Confucian style), echoed it aloud,
- ; the text being repeated in Ensile/a by the
- ; MinislF's interpreter. When the latter
' I hail finished his Majesty siguta—ed that the
e emparaneeaudienee wo _emacitetied, end db.
1
; messed the Minister with a slight how, the
3' Mmister retinog backward making threa
1- ohmonees, AS on entering. 'When theindi-
e-ideel audieuees with the Ministere were
c over, tbe entire diplorantic comet was re-
. caved, the thirty.the pertains bora rho
k various legations being moged in three
f rows before the throne, and end: one mak-
e ing three obeionees as he came and retired -
Canada's Position iet the British Btapire.
Gee of the reselts of the dicipueeeleetweeni
11 Canada and the United Stothie—the North
met by the beget °Mode of the Teemed
the Ministeni reeching !his point they were
difficulty—is thot our neighbore are there -
Yemen, who joined the procession, wine
was also augmented by volt crowds of Tar-
tar cavalry. The " Porbidden City" Watt
curiously still, though itis inhabited by
ebout at* women and 4.000 eunuchs—bet
only 940 man, hie limpet:NI Majehty th
youteg Empanel.. In an tenet room tisCorps Diplometique were regeled with all
sorts of
Atlantic fishery 'trouble and theBelning sea
h by gaining a elearer conception of the inn
portance of the Dominion and of her proper
position in the British Empire, And m
t
truth there waa much need for thio lesx0P. ,.
. wow, ot tho nttOrallOOS MM.% per repeee
ei ontative citizens of the republic are to b0
' 12fgarde4 as an iodon of the general epinien,
talus, when the astern. (potion was under
consideration in 1860 Preisideut Grant ax -
pressed his surprise, in 9Ile of hite epessagete
to Congress, that the "Imperitet Coverei.
i meat should have deiegeted the whole, or a
there, of ite juriediettion or cootrol elite in-
shore fisheries eo the Colonial imthority
• lolOWa aS the Dernieien of Canada, and
that theeemitindependentbut irreeenteeible,
agent has exercised ite delegated Delvers in
an unfriendly way."So Mr. Ilamilten Fieh,
lett reretee4 of Stale:: " wy sharply
re u e _the i erpoeitio of lee tioverne
men o Canadae—to au* tem ensilage of
b
Ur. Blaine, in_ hisreinew of the correspond.-
enee of which Mr, Beale* lettere were pert—
Incense it hail pressed on the Imperial An.
thoritio ita right to be coneulted. es tO the
choice of Commissioners appoiated te c9n-
eider the value of the Comedian fieltertes,
opened up to the fishermen of the United
States uuder the \Wellington Treaty of 1871.
Cemiug dowmeto a later time, when the
Behriug sea difficulty aroma to create soma
feelhig between 11,14ada and the Ueited
Stotes, we tied edr. Rhine himeelf ateruming
the position that Canada, whatever might
teller stake in the questiou at ileum ehould
lie kept quietly in the background, whilst
the stateemen of lengleeid end the United
States settle matters with as Little Oterfer-
ence as possible from mere °Maiden; like the
C.inadinus. is it any wonder when their
Iodine exhibit such dense ignorence of
Canada's constitutional rights and pnvie
?ego that the people generally should re.
mend the action of our government In eon -
election with these long-standing dieputee
as an interference unwarranted and Inver.
tinent.
Now, though the meausby tvigeh these
fiche impressions regarding the Dominion
are lacing removed are not such as good
neighborhooa could have deserved, and
though the fact that these rmikling disputes
should exiet must be deplored by.all who
pray fer peace among =time it Is never-
theless seam consolation to know that the
authorities at Washington are twinning
to recognize that in all matters of Domin-
ion concern, Canada is is free agent. This
fact, clearly apprehended will tend to
prevent future unsunderstondings awl cetn-
plications. it is well for the Americans and
all nations to kno.v that, as the Quarterly
Review peel it, while the titte,en is
still the 'head of the executive auth-
ority, and etue alone initiate treaties
with foreign nations—that being an act of
eamplete sovereignty—and appeals are still
open to her Privy Council from Canadian
tourts withiu certain limitatione—it is an
admitted principle that, so far as Canada,
has been granted legislative rights and
privileges by the Imperial Perliament—
rights and privileges set ferth explicitly
in the British North America Act of 1867
- she is practically sovereign in the exer-
cise of all those powers, as long as they do
not conflict with treaty obligations of the
-parent State, or with Imperial looislation
directly applicable to her with -her own
consent. It is true tfiat the Queen in Come -
oil can veto Acts of the Co.neelian Parliament,
but that supreme power is only eaercised
under the conditions just stated, and can
no more be constitutionally used in the
case of ordinary Cenadian statutes ideating
the Dominion solely, than can the /sovereign
to -morrow veto the Acts of the Imperial
Parliament—a prerogative of the Crown
still existent; but not exercieed in•England
since thedays ot Queen Anne, seed now in-
consistent with modern rake and Parlia-
mentary Government.
mem= eateleeteine
CS well as enth champagne ma eigare end
Peinee Cletng, the Peesident of the Tatnig.1
Yanles, and severel high metrepolitan olfii
cialettetee as haste for hour or more, Thee
wait, no dentin, was part of the programme
The room in which the hlinietete were eni
tormined was handsomely furnkhed And the
floor was covered with a foreign carpet,
WhUo this early banquet WAS in Progress
the cement in_ whieli the Minieters hed redden
were e,arried out of sight, when the Wince
tumounced that it WAS UM M go to the
Audience Hall.
The GeTnlAn Minister, Iferr van Bretult,
was t te &at to be summoned. Two Munetere
of the Toung.ii Ymmeu cooducted him awl
his utterprever, Baron von der Go*, to the
Audience Hall ; but they had namely gone
fore they were baele again, so brief was
the Ant interview between the repreeentae
tivo of the Kaiser and hie Majesty of the
Middle Kingdom. Then followed the Amer -
lean 3,114ister, Cal, Doty ; the *Melt Min-
ister, Sir John Waltham ; the Japanete
Minieter, Id. Otori ; the Italian Minister..
Chevalier Pattea, mei the Netheriaede Mtn.
iter, Mr. Fergueon ; mit Munoter being
acconmenied by his interpreter, miq, as in
the first. instance, eicorted by two eihnistera
et the -Yemen. The leant, ceremony erenvery
simple. The Emperor was seated on is throne,
raised on a dais atthe north end of the hall
handsome bannieter and a flight of eteps led
it to the tetrad°, in front of which stood a
couple of carved,. ornamental standa, while a
table wasplaced Immediately in front of the
throne, whieh was, therefore, with lea 04011.
pant, partly concealed from view at least
the lower part. It hind the throne was
raised n. huge slab of black marble, covered
with Chinese anal Ilanoliti inscriptions —the
names of :200 distinguished officers who bad
conquered the Mohammed ins in the reign
of Keen Lung (1760) and others who had
taken part in the war of 1770. The two
Princes known as the Pao Wang and Ito
Wang—the "iron -capped princes"—stood
one on each side of his Majesty. One of the
se:Iodate/ore mentioned supported a magni•
ficent vase of &henna and the other a
curiously carved wooden cover in which
rested
A NANED swonn,
of which the hilt, in the shape cIa golden
dragon wi tit emerald eyes, alone WAS visible.
The Prince known as Pao Wang is the
grandson of the great General Stunko.lin-
sin, who wee killed in 1865, while Prince
Ko is the Grand Chemberhun. The hall,
which WAS well lighted, owing to the large
doors being thrown wide open, was covered
with a flaring and tawdry foreign carpet of
cheap make. Ono both sides, from the en-
trance to the foot of the dais, were ranged
numbers of military officials of high raiik
whostood silent and motionless, with avert:
edehYees
Tmagnificence of the attire contrasted
strangely with the simplicity of the e,ppear-
ance of the young Emperor, who rules a
fourth of the human race, and whose fea-
tures have never before been seen save by
the highest of his own subjects. Whatever
the impression the "barbarians" made on
him, the idea which they carried away of
the Emperor Kuan_g_ Hsu was pleasing aud
almost pathetic. His air is one of exceed-
ing intelligence and gentleness, somewhat
frightenednand Melancholy looking. Hb
face is pale, ond though itis distinguished
by refinement and quiet dignity, it has none
of the force of his martial ancestors, noth-
ing commending or imperial, btu is altogeth-
er mild, delicate, sad and kind. He is es-
sentially Manchu in features; his min ia
strangely pallid in bus, which is no doubt
accounted for by the confinement of his life
inside those forbidding walls, and the ab -
once of the ordinary pleaele es and pursuits
of youth, with the constant discharge of on-
erous, complicated, and difficult duties of
State, which, it must be remembered, are
iccording to Imperial Chinese etiquette,
ti
noetly transacted between the hours of 2
and 6 in the morning. His face is oval
shaped, with a very long, narrow chin and
it sensitive mouth, with thin, nervous lips ;
his nose is well shaped and straight, his eye-
brows regular and very arched, while the
eyes are unusually large mid mournful in
expression. The forehead is well shaped
and broad, and the head is large beyond the
average. He looked anxious, watchful,
somewhat nervous, and more overcome than
any present by
TEE trausuAL EXPERIENCE.
His dress was is plain puce-colove silken
robe with a golden dragon embroidered on
the breast and shoulders. Ile sat cross-leg-
ged like a Bundha, in front of t'ne table and
played nervously with his hands while the
ordeal lasted. Ile wore nothing in the
shape of a crown or other emblem of his
high office, his head covering being an or-
dinary Chinese official hat of felt, surmount-
ed by a button of knotted crimson silk.
At the foot of the throne knelt Prince
Ch'ing, who was also somewhat plaitaly at-
tired. On the Ministers entering according
to the ceremony agreed upon beforehand,
they advanced slowly to a point between two
pillars in front of the platform on which the
Emperorseat and made three low bows as
they came forward. Each" was then intro-
duced by name to his Majesty by Prince
Ch'ing. 'The German Minister alone read
an address of a few words in English, bis
interpreter repeating the text in Chinese,
end Prince Ch'ing, still kneeling, translating
it into Manchu —the language of the Peking
Court. The Minister then advanced a few
steps to within some three y rds of the
• oeiiilitooneen,
Benefits of Physical Development.
It is interesting to note how one by one
tbe popular fallacies which have long in-
fluenced the thous:lit aud action of men ere
yielding before the irresistible lagie of fact.
Of sneli erroneous views one is that the
mind and body of the scholar are in inverse
preportion and that physical development
is not a favorable or at leaet eecessary
condition of success in echelon -ship. That
this opinion is not well Sounded the follow-
ing from President Hyde's eontribution lo
the June Foram will show. Says Presieent
Hyde:
The awards of the Smyth mathematical
prize in Bowdoin College for the past six
classes present a remarkable, if not
a representatnee, phenomenon. This peize
of 9300 is based on a coarse in mathe-
matics extending over two years, and is the
most important college prize. Of six con-
secutive recipients of this prize the Cunt was
the winner of the quarter -mile run ; the
second was the pitcher of the college base-
ball nine; the third was the moat brilliant
performer on the trapeze; the foneth was a
man of good physical development without
special athletic attainment.; the fifth was
the catcher of the college baseball nine and
the best general athlete in college; the
sixth is a candidate for a position cm the
college boat erew, and will next year be a
member of the foOtball eleven."
The inference from these facts, which do
not stand alone but may be duplicated from
the records of many other educational in-
stitutions, is plain, and is that otiose things
being equal the odds are all in favor of the
student with a good physical development.
Let parents and guardians take a note of
this and cease to despise the things which
make for the building up of strong and
vigorous bodies.
No Place for Little Boys,
Mother—"Johnny, leave the rocsa my
dear ; your father has just smelled his
ntlexele.'