HON. OLIVER MOWAT, Q.C., LL.D. Premier of Ontario, 1 872-1 89<> SIR OLIVER MOWAT Q.C., LL.D., G.C.M.G., P.C. A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH BY C. R. W. BIGGAR, M.A., ONE OP HIS MAJESTY'S COUNSEL, ETC. 'A young country does well to take careful note of all that is best in its past. The figures in the history may or may not be of heroic stature the work done may or may not be on a grand scale. But it is foundational work, the significance of which grows with the lapse of time. Fortunate the State which, looking back upon its early builders, finds their characters stumped with the unquestioned hall-mark of truth and honour finds their actions controlled by clear purpose and high principle. As an example and an inspiration, the memory of such builders cannot be too carefully preserved or too closely studied.' Dr. George R. Parkin, Preface to tfie Life of Sir John Beverley Robinson. VOLUME II TORONTO WARWICK BRO'S & RUTTER, Limited 1905 to the Canada Entered according Act of Parliament of , in the Department of Agriculture, Ottawa, in the year One Thousand Nine Hundred and Five, by -Charles Robert Webster Biggar, M. A TORONTO : WARWICK BRO'S A RUTTER, Limited Printers and Bookbinders. Of CONTENTS OF VOL. II CHAPTER XVI AFTERMATH Page 459 'Not one stick of timber, one acre of land,' etc. The Queen v. Me St. Catharines Milling Company (The Indian Title Case) The Act respecting Assignments and Preferences (1885) The General Elections of 1886 The Mowat Government 'slaves of '' the hierarchy Protestant Boys to the Rescue' (of Martin J. Griffin) School Law Amendments Mr. Mowat's Memorandum thereon The 'Ross Bible' approved by Synods, etc., and by Tlie Mail Hon. Geo. W. Ross's Speech at Strathroy. CHAPTER XVII ONTARIO POLITICS (1886-1896) Page 481 The General Election of 1890 The Mail's Eulogy Labour Legislation The Equal (?) Rights Association 'More Popery' concordat' ( 188S), 'No Popery' ( 1886-90) 'The Mowat-Mercier 'Devilish Ingenuity' 'No Presbyterianisrn' The French lan- guage and the French Canadians to be ostracized Report of the School Commission Mr. Mowat's notion of 'Equal Rights' The - 'Protestant Protective (? Destructive) Association' Patrons of Industry Sir Oliver's Opinion as to their Platform Selection of Public Officials by popular vote undesirable The 'Revised Statutes, 1887' The Inter-Provincial Conference at Quebec The Loyalty-Reciprocity Resolution Powers of Lieutenant-Gover- nors The Act as to Pardoning Powers Correspondence between Sir John Thompson and Mr. Mowat The Attoiney-General of Canada v. The Attorney-General of Ontario The Quean v. -St. Catharines Milling Co. (The Indian Title Case) Liquor License Act Amendments The Local Option Law Secrecy of the Ballot Succession Duties Act The Queen's Counsel Case The Judicature Act, 1895. CHAPTER XVIII PROHIBITION (1893) Page 527 The Marter Bill Sir Oliver'sm reply to the Deputation The 440783 vi CONTENTS Debate in the House and its Result The Prohibition Plebiscite The Temperance Convention of 1894 Sir Oliver's Pledge. CHAPTER XIX PERSONAL MEMOIRS (1887-1896) ....... Page 541 - The Queen v. Tlte St. Catharines Milling Co . Argument Gift, to Dun net Church The Forbes Portrait Mr. Ballantyne's Address and Sir Oliver's Reply Created K.C.M.G. Death of Lady Mowat The Harris Portrait Speeches by Mr. William Christie, Sir Oliver Mowat and Mr. Speaker Ballantyne Last Visit to Europe The Freswick Address Buchollie Castle- -The Free- dom of Wick Scotland, France and Switzerland. CHAPTER XX COMMERCIAL UNION vs. BRITISH CONNEXION (1886-1896) Page 567 Mr. J. S. Willison on Sir Oliver Mowat The Commercial Union Movement Unrestricted vs. Restricted Reciprocity The Inter- Provincial Conference (1887) Mr. Farrer's Pamphlet Sir Oliver's Letter to Dr. McKay, M P.P. His Open Letter to Hon. Alex. Mackenzie British Connexion and Canada's Future Dismissal of a County Attorney Gazetted K.C.M.G. Press Opinions Ad- dress by County Council of Oxford and Sir Oliver's Reply The Centennial Celebration at Niagara-on-the-Lake (July 16, 1892) Sir Oliver's Patriotic Speech The Death Knell of Annexation in Ontario Sir Oliver's Speech at the Board of Trade Banquet (Jan. 5, 1893). CHAPTER XXI LAURIER, MOWAT, VICTORY Page 635 The Mackenzie Bowell Administration The Manitoba School Question The General Elections of 1896 The Cabinet of Prem- iereLetter to the Hon. Wilfrid Laurier Conciliation ATS. Coercion The Result The Laurier Ministry Senator and Min- ister of Justice Sir Oliver's Farewell to North Oxford His First Speech as Senator Sir Mackenzie Bowell's Kindly Speech The Manitoba School Settlement The British Preferential Tariff Sir Oliver's Share in the Legislation of 1897 His Diamond Jubilee Speech (June 1, 1897) Created G.C.M.C. CONTENTS vii CHAPTER XXII LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR OF ONTARIO (1897) . Page 669 First Speech as Lieutenant- Governor The McDowall Centenary ' The Autumn of 1898 The Beginning of the End Christianity ' and eome of its Evidences Lecture to Medical Students Death of Rev. John B. Mowat, D.D. Sir Oliver's Death His Funeral His Grave-stone His Monument in Queen's Park. CHAPTER XXIII CONCLUSION Page 697 Causes of his Success His Colleagues Hon. Adam Crooks Hon. T. B. Pardee Hon. C. F. Fraser Hon. A. S. Hardy Hon. G. W. Ross Hon. J. M. Gibson Leaders of the Opposi- tion Hon. M. C. Cameron Mr. W. R. Meredith Mr. G. F Marter Lieutenant-Governors under whom he Served His Relations with the Ontario Civil Service Appreciations by Miss Agnes Machar (' Fidelis ') The Hon. James Young The Hon. George W. Ross, LL.D. Conclusion. APPENDICES APPENDIX I Page 747 The families of John Mowat, Esq., of Kingston, C. W., and of his eldest son, Sir Oliver Mowat, G.C.M.G., of Toronto, Ont. APPENDIX II Page 749 Erratum. Appendix III is by an error described as a memorandum by Lieut.-Col. White, C.M.G. It was prepared by William Smith, Esq., B.A., Secretary Post Office Department, Ottawa, Ont. APPENDIX V Page 777 Sir Oliver Mowat' s Conservative Supporters. APPENDIX VI Page 779 ' ' Judges and Politics by the late Christopher Tyner. APPENDIX VII Page 783 The ' Eedistribution Act' of 1874. APPENDIX VIII p ge 787 The Boundary Award. [ix] APPENDICES APPENDIX I Page 747 The families of John Mowat, Esq., of Kingston, C. W., and of his eldest son, Sir Oliver Mowat, G.C.M.G., of Toronto, Ont. APPENDIX II Page 749 Extracts from a report of the Hon. O. Mowat, Postmaster- General upon the application of the Grand Trunk Railway Com- pany to the Government for an increased postal subsidy (Aug. 12, 1863). APPENDIX III Page 769 Memorandum by Lieut. -Colonel White, C.M.G. (formerly Deputy Postmaster-General of Canada), as to the Trans-Atlantic Mail Service between Great Britain and Canada prior to 1863. APPENDIX IV Page 775 Sir John A. Macdonald and the Confederation Act. APPENDIX V Page 777 Sir Oliver Mowat' s Conservative Supporters. APPENDIX VI Page 779 ' ' Judges and Politics by the late Christopher Tyner. APPENDIX VII Page 783 The 'Redistribution Act' of 1874. APPENDIX VIII Page 787 The Boundary Award. [ix] APPENDICES APPENDIX IX Page 789 Judgement of the Judicial Committee of H. M. Privy Council in the Boundary Case. APPENDIX X Page 795 An Act respecting the Executive Administration of the Laws of this Province (51 v. c. 5) . APPENDIX XI Page 797 Mr. Mowat's Speech on the Ballot Bill, introduced by Mr. A. F. Wood, M.P.P., in 1890. APPENDIX XII The Manitoba School Settlement. APPENDIX XIII Page809 Kind Words from the Pulpit, the Parliament, the Judges and the Press, April 19-20, 1903. APPENDIX XIV "The Mowat Administration,' 1872-1896. APPENDIX XV Page 853 As to Spelling and Punctuation. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS VOLUME II Frontispiece 1890. HON. OLIVER MoWAT, Q.C., LL.D., Premier of Ontario, 1872-1896. Facing page 558 1884- HON. C. F. FRASER, Provincial Secretary, 1873-4. Commissioner of Public Works, 1874-1894. Facing page 672 1902. His HONOR THE HON. SIR OLIVER MOWAT, G.C.M.G., ETC., Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario . Facing page 706 1874. HON. ADAM CROOKS, Q.C., LL.D., First Minister of Education . Facing page 708 1887. HON. T. B. PARDEE, Commissioner of Crown Lands. [xi] CHAPTER XVI AFTERMATH the battle for New Ontario was not yet 1882-8 BUTwon. As we have seen, the Dominion Government, in becoming parties to the Special Case agreed upon in 1883 between the Attorneys-General of Ontario and Manitoba, had expressly reserved from the jurisdiction of the Privy Council the question whether the awarded territory, even if it should be found to be within the limits of Ontario, was the property of that province or of the Dominion. Their contention was thus stated by Sir John A. Macdonald, in a speech delivered at Toronto on May 30, 1882:- 'They say Ontario is robbed, because the award of three gentlemen appointed by Messrs. Mackenzie and Mowat has not so far been ac- cepted. Now, in the first place, the country in dispute either belongs to Ontario or to Mani- toba. Manitoba is now being settled by Ontario men, and it is not of much consequence whether that country is owned by yourselves or your sons. But, gentlemen, I tell you as a lawyer, as a con- stitutional lawyer and it is with some pride that I say I have never yet laid down since 1867 a constitutional principle which, on reference to the highest Courts of the realm, has not been 459 SIR OLIVER MOWAT Chap. XVI sustained, and that I have not in any one case expressed a constitutional opinion but that the highest Courts of this country and England have sustained my opinion I tell you, I say, as a constitutional lawyer, that that award, whether confirmed by the Legislature of Ontario or by the Dominion Parliament at Ottawa, has no legal validity whatever, and that it is a mere piece of waste paper ...