July 22, 1867

ONTARIO ‘PATENT COMBINATION’ COMPLETE

A new week has dawned in Ontario and news emerges that over the weekend Sandfield Macdonald has solved the puzzle he named the Patent Combination and appointed the final two men to his cabinet. Edmund Burke Wood of West Brant, a Reformer with legislative experience, has been appointed as Treasurer. Matthew Crooks Cameron will serve as Provincial Secretary and Registrar.

The complete membership of Macdonald’s Ontario ministry is:

• Hon. John Sandfield Macdonald (Premier, Attorney-General)
• Hon. E. B. Wood (Treasurer)
• Hon. Matthew Crooks Cameron (Provincial Secretary and Registrar)
• Hon. John Carling (Agriculture and Public Works)
• Hon. Stephen Richards (Crown Land Commissioner)

News of Mr. Wood’s appointment had not reached his home constituency until after a meeting of local Tories, convened for the purposes of nominating a candidate against him had been called to order. When a telegram announcing Mr. Wood’s position in Sandfield’s administration was read, the meeting broke up in confusion. The meeting will reconvene tomorrow. Brant Reformers have declared their intention to nominate a new candidate to stand against Mr. Wood.

$100 THE PRICE OF A JUDGES BRUISED EGO

Hon. Sir John A. Macdonald (Justice) has submitted to the Privy Council an Order (1867-0029) for consideration. In a report dated July 11, 1867, the prime minister reported that the attendance of a number of judges was required for the swearing in of His Excellency the Governor General of Canada. The prime minister is of the opinion that the judges should be paid $100 each for their attendance and duties performed during His Excellency’s swearing-in.

The compensated judges are:

• The Hon. Chief Justice William Henry Draper (Court of Queen’s Bench, Ontario)
• The Hon. Chief Justice William Buell Richards (Court of Common Pleas, Ontario)
• The Hon. Mr. Justice John Hawkins Hagarty (Court of Queen’s Bench, Ontario)
• The Hon. Mr. Justice John Wilson (Court of Common Pleas, Ontario)
• The Hon. Mr. Justice Charles-Elzéar Mondelet (pro tem Court of Queen’s Bench, Québec)

There have been reports that the judges felt slighted at their reception in Ottawa, having been ignored by members of the new Dominion cabinet during their stay in the capital. While these reports were earlier dismissed as attempts by The Globe to stir trouble, the existence of this Order suggests that the judges egos required some soothing.

EAST NORTHUMBERLAND REFORM CONVENTION

Reformers in East Northumberland met at the Warkworth Town Hall at 2 p.m. on July 17, for the purposes of choosing candidates for the upcoming Dominion and Ontario elections. Wilson Webb defeated Kenneth Mackenzie by a vote of 17 to 13 to win the party nomination.

It is the second time Reformers in the riding have met to select a candidate as the man they previously selected, James L. Biggar, who represented the riding in the late Legislative Assembly of Canada, declined the nomination, on the grounds that the riding would not be well served to have two candidates from the “extreme eastern part” of the riding, where support for the party was weaker. James Cumming, a local businessman, also declined the nomination for the Dominion Parliament but did accept the nomination for the provincial legislative seat.

EAST TORONTO

James Beaty, owner and editor of The Leader has been nominated as the Conservative candidate in the riding East Toronto. He is a Protestant Irishman who has received a favourable review from The Globe.

HIS EXCELLENCY’S HONORARY DEGREE

Lord Monck, Governor-General of the Dominion of Canada has received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Dublin.

RAILWAY PATRONAGE AN ELECTION ISSUE

James Trow, Reform candidate in South Perth has accused Minister of Public Works, Hon. William McDougall, of promising voters in that riding that the Government is prepared to spend the full $15 million allotted for the Intercolonial Railway in the election if that is required to secure victory.

REFORMERS COMMANDEER TORY MEETING IN SOUTH WELLINGTON

Tories in Guelph called a public meeting to discuss support for the Dominion government. Several Reformers answered the call and attended in such numbers as to pass resolutions condemning the current Government, supporting the principle of one-party administration, and support for the local Reform candidate, David Stirton.