July 10, 1867

CABINET CRISIS NARROWLY AVERTED

The absence of Thomas D’Arcy McGee and Charles Tupper from the new Dominion government was explained in Montreal recently by Mr. McGee. Demands by Hon. George-Étienne Cartier (Militia) for three French-speaking ministers from Québec necessitate the absence of the two men who had played such an integral role in achieving the union of the provinces and whose appointment to the cabinet had seemed assured.

During a recent meeting in Montreal, the details of which are reported on the front page of today’s Globe, Mr. McGee revealed that Cartier’s demand nearly brought down the Macdonald ministry before it could be sworn in. Failure to give in to Cartier’s ultimatum would have led to the dissolution of the fragile coalition and necessitated the resignation of Hon. John A. Macdonald (Prime Minister) from the office into which he had not yet been sworn. Expanding the size of the cabinet beyond its already thirteen members would have met with the disapproval of voters and surely led to Macdonald’s defeat at the polls when they are held.

Upon witnessing the their prime minister attempting to steer a course between Scylla and Charybdis, Messrs. McGee and Tupper birthed a conspiracy, about which the prime minister was denied any foreknowledge, to refuse their offered spots in the Privy Council, thereby allowing Mr. Macdonald to appease Mr. Cartier, as well as the residents of Nova Scotians and Irish Catholics by appointing the Senator from that province, Hon. Edward Kenny (Receiver General) to the cabinet.

Mr. McGee revealed portions of correspondence between himself and the prime minister in which the prime minister expressed his displeasure at having been kept in the dark about the scheme. The prime minister wrote:

“The difficulties of adjusting the representation in the Cabinet from the several provinces were great and embarrassing. Your disinterested and patriotic conduct — and I speak of Tupper as well as yourself — had certainly the effect of removing those difficulties. Still, I think, you should have consulted me. However the thing is done and can’t be undone for the present….”

The prime minister went on to assess attempts by George Brown and the Grits to win over Irish Catholic support by denigrating Mr. Kenney’s appointment and offering the constituency a number of nominations in constituencies that were, in the prime minister’s assessment, unwinnable by the Grits. To trade Kenney for no-chance candidates was, the prime minister wrote, “an exchange of substance for shadow.”

Of his decision to stand aside, Mr. McGee said, "...I rejoice that I have had in my power to make that sacrifice for the sake of this dear adopted country, which has been so good and so generous a mistress and patron to me."

OTTAWA CABINET BARE AS MINISTERS TAKE LEAVE

Only three ministers remain in Ottawa on this day, the rest having departed for points across the Dominion as preparations for the upcoming elections are made.

ONTARIO CABINET SPECULATION

With a Lieutenant-Governor now in place in Ontario, attention is turning to the appointment of that province’s new government. Rumours around the capital are that His Honour, Gen. Stisted has been given a list of names that John A. Macdonald has directed be named to the province’s executive council.

US SEC OF STATE SEWARD BEATING ANNEXATION DRUM

The Globe is calling for the admittance of British Columbia into the Dominion in the face of repeated calls by the Secretary of State for the United States, William H. Seward, for all of North America to fall under the influence of that nation’s flag. Seward is continuing in his attempts to obtain Russian America. A Canadian Dominion from sea-to-sea will, in the opinion of The Globe result in Russian America becoming Canadian territory in due course.