July 29, 1867

NEWS FROM OTTAWA

As of Saturday, July 27, only two ministers were in Ottawa, they being George-Étienne Cartier and William McDougall. The government has conducted no business in some time as a result of ministers having dispersed across the country for election purposes. Mr. McDougall is expected to join his fellow ministers on the road today.

GIBBS CAUGHT IN LIE

Government candidate Thomas Gibbs was caught in a lie two nights ago in Ashburn in the South Ontario constituency by his Reform opponent, George Brown.

The previous night, in Columbus, Gibbs told the audience that he had contributed $500 towards the Volunteer Relief Fund for those injured at Ridgeway. He did so by writing to his brother and having him make the contribution on his behalf. The story having been well received, was repeated by Mr. Gibbs’ brother, William, last night in Ashburn.

After telling electors about how Thomas had written to him and asked him to make the contribution to the Fund, William was confronted by Mr. Brown who asked him three times whether or not he had paid the money on his brother’s behalf. William did not respond to the first two questions. When the question was put a third time he admitted he had not paid the money to the Relief fund. Further questioning from Mr. Brown revealed that Thomas had only contributed $100 to the Fund.

The audience was scandalized and Brown accused the brothers Gibbs of playing a trick, attempting a fraud, and imposing a falsehood on the innocent voters of South Ontario. It comes as no surprise that Gibbs should have lost the vote taken at the end of the meeting by a margin of three to one.

While it remains to be seen what effect this episode will have on the fortunes of Gibbs and Brown once the poll is taken, Gibbs is guilty of that which many politicians before him have done and surely many more who follow will also do. That is commit an unnecessary exaggeration when the truth would suffice. Too often, politicians will say more than is necessary in order to curry favour with voters, thinking that an exaggeration of promise or past deed will give them that much of an advantage over their opponent. However, if that were true, then, as Mr. Brown asked last night, why did Mr. Gibbs not claim to have made a $1000 dollar donation? The price of such an exaggeration is low but the cost could be very high indeed.

SCHEME TO KIDNAP ABRAHAM LINCOLN

The Herald reports, according to sources in Canada with knowledge of the plan, that Col. Percy Wyndham of the Union Army was part of a conspiracy to kidnap President Abraham Lincoln and his cabinet and deliver them to the Confederate government in Richmond, Virginia.