August 13, 1867

“SAVING THE UNION” TO BE CAMPAIGN CALL

The Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald is expected to arrive in his home city of Kingston in time for the August 19th nomination day. The crux of his campaign to retain the prime ministership is expected to be a call to save the new Confederation from forces who have earlier opposed it and would still wish to see it undone.

GALT ENDORSED ANNEXATION

The Globe alleges that Hon. Alexander Galt, current Dominion Minister of Finance was dismissed from his officer’s commission with the First Battalion, Regiment of Sherbrooke, for having signed the Annexationist Manifesto of 1849. Galt had earlier resigned his seat in the Legislature over the issue.

ONTARIO RIDING ROUND UP

Carleton

Two government supporters in the persons of John Rochester, brewer, and John Holmes, Warden of Ottawa County, have put their names forward for the Commons seat for Carleton.

The candidates for the provincial legislature are Senator James Skead and the Mayor of Ottawa, Robert Lyon. Both are supporters of the administration, with Skead identified as a Tory and Lyon as a Liberal-Conservative. A third candidate, identified only as Mr. Eastman has put his name forward as an independent.

East Durham

Internal squabbles amongst Reformers in East Durham, as in other ridings, has hindered the nomination of candidates here. No word yet on Tory candidates, either.

East Peterborough

James Anderson is the Reform candidate here for the Commons seat.

Ottawa

There are two candidates in Ottawa for the House of Commons, Ed Macgillivray and J. M. Currier. Both men are supporters of the Government but Currier claims the support of the government for his candidacy. The Liberals have not nominated a candidate of their own and appear to be waiting until nomination day to make a final decision on whether to do so.

Richard Scott, a former Ontario MPP, has put his name forward to represent the city once again in the provincial parliament. He has received the endorsement of the prime minister. He is opposed by H. J. Friel, former editor of the Ottawa Union. Friel was recruited by opponents of Hon. Sandfield Macdonald’s “Patent Combination” but Friel has subsequently come out as a supporter of Sandfield, upsetting his recruiters.

Prince Edward

James McCuaig is the Conservatives’ Commons candidate here. He is opposed by Liberal Walter Ross. Provincially, Absalom Greeley carries the Liberal banner against Conservative Mr. Solmes.

North Lanark

Hon. William McDougall (Public Works) stands unopposed for the Commons here. Liberal Daniel Galbraith stands similarly unopposed for the provincial seat.

North Leeds and Grenville

The former member for the riding, Francis Jones, has received the endorsement of local Tories in the riding by way of a nominating convention. He is opposed by Independent Conservative, G. Montgomery.

The race for the provincial seat is a crowded one, with Ogle Gowan representing the Conservatives, H. O. Burnett signing on to Sandfield Macdonald’s Liberal-Conservative ticket, and Harry Smith carrying the Reform banner. Smith has unsuccessfully contested the riding several times in the past.

North Renfrew

The Dominion and provincial governments will carry this riding. Both Commons candidates, John Rankin and Thomas Murray have pledged their support to John A. Macdonald. John Supple, supported of Sandfield Macdonald, is expected to be acclaimed as the MPP.

North Wentworth

James McMonies carries the Reform banner for the Commons seat here. He is joined on the ticket for the provincial seat by Robert Christie. Their opponents are Tories Alexander Brown and Dr. Miller. This is historically a Liberal seat that the Conservatives are said to be eager to drag to their side of the House.

Prescott

Reformer Albert Hagar is the only candidate declared for the House of Commons here, his expected opponent, Thomas Higginson, who represented the riding in the late Legislative Assembly, having withdrawn from the race.

T. D. McGee will carry the banner for Sandfield Macdonald here. He is opposed by James Boyd, who stands against the Patent Combination.

Russell

The two candidates for the House of Commons seat are supporters of Macdonald. Robert Bell previously represented the riding in the Legislative Assembly of Canada. His opponent is Dr. James Grant. Grant is experiencing a surge in popularity and is expected to put up a serious challenge for the seat.

The race for the provincial seat in the riding is a crowded one with six candidates declared so far and a seventh being discussed. Four candidates supportive of Sandfield Macdonald have put their names forward: Messrs. Sparks, Craig, Morgan, and Dunning. Two Liberals, O’Hanly and Masson have announced their intention to stand. The field is expected to narrow by nomination day.

South Grenville

William Patrick, chairman of the Reform Convention is opposed by Montreal Tory Walter Shanly for the Commons seat.

For the provincial seat the Mayor of Prescott, Mcneil Clarke stands for the Tories. J. McCarthy, a Liberal Catholic, is his competition.

South Grey

George Jackson has returned to the campaign trail once again as the government candidate in South Grey. Jackson had earlier announced his withdrawal from the campaign, citing an unwillingness to spend the campaign relitigating the case for the Grey and Simcoe railway. The Globe reports that Jackson has allowed his name to stand once again on the promise from John A. and company that his campaign expenses would be covered. Jackson will stand for both the Commons and the provincial legislature. He will be opposed for the provincial seat by Abraham Lauder.

South Renfrew

Daniel McLachlin, Liberal, and former member, stands unopposed for the Commons seat.

John Lorn McDougall will represent the Liberals in the provincial contest here. T. B. French, received the endorsement of John A. Macdonald for the provincial seat but this is rumoured to have hurt his candidacy more than helped it.

South Wentworth

Joseph Rymal and William Sexton are the Reform candidates here. No word on who the Tories will field against them.

Toronto East and Toronto West

The writs have been received for both ridings. Nominations will occur on August 22 and the polls conducted on August 29th and 30th.

West Durham

A recent campaign meeting in the riding saw Hon. William McDougall (Public Works) and Hon. M. C. Cameron (Provincial Secretary) make the case for the two coalition governments against the Reform candidates for the riding, Edward Blake, who is running for the Commons, and John McLeod, who is running for the provincial seat. The meeting is reported to have been attended by some 500 people and did not wrap up until well past four o’clock in the morning.

West Northumberland

James Cockburn is the Tory candidate here and will be unopposed for the Commons seat. Reformer Alexander Fraser will be unopposed for the provincial seat.

West York

The writ has been received in this riding where Hon. William Howland (Inland Revenue) represents the government. The dates of nomination and polling have not yet been announced but a delay is not expected.

QUEBEC RIDING REPORTS

Ottawa County

Alonzo Wright, the former MLA, is unopposed for the Commons seat. He will sit with the Macdonald if he is elected. Whether he is opposed depends on the correctness of rumours that Napoléon Bourassa, son-in-law of Louis-Joseph Papineau, intends to enter the race on the anti-Coalition ticket.

The provincial candidates are Dr. Church and R. H. McGreevy, both of whom are supportive of the Hon. P-J-O Chauveau’s ministry.

Pontiac County

Tory Edmund Heath is the sole candidate for the Commons here and is not expected to draw any opposition.

For the provincial seat, John Poupore and William O’Meara will stand. Both are supporters of the premier.

130 OF 164 DEAD IN MONTREAL LAST WEEK CHILDREN

The rate at which children are dying in Montreal appears to be rising. Last week, 130 of the 164 dead in the city were children. During the third week of July, 108 of 181 deaths in the city were children. The death rate in Montreal is well above average for the total population but the fact that the majority of deaths are among children and, at that, babies, raise this to the level of a public health emergency. A review of cemetery registrations in July showed that the cause of these infant deaths is recorded as “infant disability” or “weakness”. The Herald has called for making the presentation of a medical certificate showing the true cause of death a requirement in order that some hope of bringing an end to the Grim Reaper’s rampage through the city’s nurseries.