HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1977-06-30, Page 150Page 110
They called him "the
•fri,rn page Illi)
writes, "by Thomas
McQueen." (Nobody seems to
have, told us where McQueen
as w hen C'arnt ron made hi m
an editor. ) Cameron was also
instrumental in inducing John
R. Gemmill to convert the
Lanark Observer of Perth into
the Lambton Observer,
forerunner of the Sarnia
Canadian Observer.
'Perhaps his most important
contribution to Sarnia and
Lambton," in opinion of
Lauriston, "was in the Scottish
settlers he induced to seek new
homes there. Some of these
were isturdy Highlanders direct
from the land of crags and
heather, to whom he discoursed
fluently in the Gaelic; others
had come on after a first essay
at home -making in Lanark.
Their attitude toward public
affairs and moral issues was to
color Lambton public life for
many decades."
Mrs. F.H. Griffiths, of Don
Mills, who contributed a
Cameron plaque picture for
this story, writes.: "Because
my interests are in the Lanark
families that later moved to
Lambton, I often wonder what
charisma he had to entice those
70 -some families to move. He
wasn't respected that much in
Lambton, as he was nicknamed
`the Coon' for his erratic ways
and his course in and out of
polities."
An appropriate reply, if not
an answer, is found in Judge
D.F. McWatt's biographical
sketch of Cameron: "He owed
nothing to wealth or Con-
nections, but was strictly the
builder of his own fortunes. His
open. frank countenance and
demeanor won for. him many
staunch friends: his business
tact recommended him to party
leaders: and whenever the
opportunity offered he was a
faithful and diligent public
servant."
Many Campaigns
Those opportunities were
numerous; his defeats equally
so. Details of his public service
need be presented only in
. briefest form. Cameron was
elected to the Assembly from
Lanark in 1836, and sat for
Lanark after the 1841 union of
the Canadas. In 1847 he was
elected. in Kent. In 1851 he came
to Huron and defeated Hon,
William Cayley, Tory, but in
1854 was defeated in his home
riding by George Brown. In
1858 he regained the Lambton
seat and supported the Mac- 1
donald-Cartier government in
its efforts to bring about
Confederation. Four years
later he was elected to the
Legislative Council for St. Clair
Division, finding among his
colleagues Donald McDonald,
against whom he had voted in
St, David's ward in 1858. From
1863 to 1869 he was Queen's
Printer.
. He resigned that post to run
in South Lanark. where he met
v
defeat in 18 . n t e
Dominion election after Con-
federation he was an un-
successful candidate in
Russell, but finally. in 1i 4, won
So1ath Ontario and entered the
}louse of Commons. He had
established his hurtle in Ottav,a
in 1863.
'Cion" allusions were
frequent in partisan writing
and election cartoons in earlier
Years. One popped up on April
19, 1923,.when the Drury
government of Ontario
surrendered to a Conservative
filibuster and announced an
election. Hon.. Howard
Ferguson exulted: "Mr..
Speaker, the coon came
down!"
M.0 Camer on earned a more
respectable title as "the
Apostle of "Temperance." He
introduced the first prohibition
measure in the Canadian
Parliament. That was 'In
1855," Lauriston writes.
Cameron was not in
Parliament then, but the date
matters little now.
In 1839, Cameron visited,
Scotland and married his
cousin Christina, .daughter of
Robert McGregor of Glasgow.
They had one daughter.
Cameron died in Ottawa on
June 1, 1876, aged 68, and was
buried in Lakeview Cemetery,
Sarnia. Cameron Street in
Sarnia is named for him;
Christina for his wife
Euphemia for his mother,
Sarnia home an Chris
Street,
Happy Birthday
Goderich
from
Bill Barwick
Insurance
Phone 524-7551 30 Kingston St
it
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ul
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