October 14, 1867

MCGEE AND DEVLIN IN STREET FIGHT

Though D’Arcy McGee was victorious in the election in Montreal West, the battle between him and his Liberal opponent, Bernard Devlin continues, this time in a fight between the two men in the street in front of Mr. Moretti’s shop on Great St. James’ street.

McGee had just left the shop when Devlin, approaching from Place D’Armes stopped to confront McGee about a letter the Tory had recently published in the Montreal Gazette suggesting that records existed at the Court House that would have brought Mr. Devlin’s character into question, but that out of an interest in having a clean election, McGee left the documents to rest.

Devlin asked what McGee meant by the statement. McGee said the meaning was obvious enough. Devlin spat in McGee’s face and called him “a d——d scoundrel”. McGee then struck Devlin several times in the shoulder with his cane before his friends intervened.

The two men would do well to check their ongoing enmity lest the violence continue to escalate.

QUEBEC BOUND MAIL STILL GETTING LOST

Mail bound for locations within the Québec province continues to get redirected to the local capital as the postal service and citizens are slow to get accustomed to the new provincial name.

Attempts to devise a standard for addressing letters in the province have thus far failed, the abbreviations “Q” and “PQ” failing to catch on. The latest scheme hopes that users of the mails will use the full name only when they intend a letter for the city and the abbreviation “Q” only for the province.

UNITED STATES ELECTIONS

Recently concluded elections in the United States have seen the Democrats sweep out the Republicans in Illinois and Ohio, as well as making large gains in Iowa, Indiana, and Connecticut.

The constitutional amendment to extend suffrage to blacks in Ohio was defeated by a large majority.

The Republican defeats are attributed in part to dissatisfaction with extravagance and corruption in the state legislatures but a bigger issue appears to be “the friendship of the Republican party for the black race” which is seen as a strong argument against it for “the ignorant and the prejudiced masses” — such prejudice being still “disgracefully strong”, according to The Globe.

JEFFERSON DAVIS IN MONTREAL

As the United States moves towards a trial for Jefferson Davis, the former president of the Confederate States continues his residency in Canada. Last week he was seen travelling through Hamilton and is now reported to have arrived in Montreal direct from Toronto.

MACDONALD PLAN TO USURP LOCAL POWER

Sir John A. Macdonald’s plan to assert the right of the Dominion government to appoint all magistrates in Canada, a clear violation of section 92 of the British North America Act, appears set to be met with opposition from the premier of Ontario, John Sandfield Macdonald.

In Nova Scotia, several magistrates were appointed recently, in a clear exercise of provincial rights (though they were recommended by a ministry that had recently been defeated at the polls and made by a Lieutenant-Governor who says he cannot accept the resignations of that same ministry).

NOVA SCOTIA CABINET SEAT

The drama over the Nova Scotia cabinet seat currently occupied by the recently defeated Hon. Adams Archibald continues. It was reported recently that Dr. Tupper has refused the appointment and word comes now that Senator Jonathan McCully, a Liberal from Halifax, has offered his place in the Senate to Archibald should he wish to accept it.