July 8, 1867

ALERT: MAJOR-GENERAL STISTED TO BE SWORN IN AS LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR OF THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO AT NOON TODAY AT OSGOODE HALL

Rumours and Whispers

Following Saturday’s meeting of the Dominion cabinet, several ministers are departing Ottawa this week for the purposes of beginning their election tours. Hon. William McDougall (Public Works) has a meeting scheduled in Almonte, Ontario, in the riding of North Lanark. “Wandering Willy” as he is known, is rumoured to be facing the wrath of Reformers and the indifference of Conservatives at home for his recent switch in party loyalties from the Liberals to the Conservatives. The Prime Minister is expected to depart Ottawa next week.

Election speculation is heating up in the Province of Québec as candidates begin jockeying for positions in the the provincial legislature and House of Commons. Several candidates are putting their names forward for both Houses. The Globe has a riding-by-riding breakdown today.

Government Business

Several matters arising from the Fenian Raids of 1866 and the organization of the militia were attended to today by your new Dominion Government.

A special warrant in the amount of $26,127 (USD) has been requested by Hon. George-Étienne Cartier (Militia) (1867-0020) to clear the government’s outstanding account with the Providence Tool Company of Rhode Island for the provision of 3,020 Peabody rifles and bayonets. The rifles had been purchased by the Province of Canada in March 1866 for use by the militia to replace the muzzle-loading Enfield rifles the militia had been using. Those Enfields were damaged, dirty, and lacking the necessary ramrods. The Adjutant-General of the Canadian Militia, Colonel Patrick McDougall reported to the government that

It is very difficult to enforce proper cleaning of their arms by volunteers; they take pride in turning out on parade smart and clean and soldier-like so far as regards the outward appearance; but it is too often the case that their rifles are so fouled within that they cannot be fired.

The total cost of the rifles was $76,180 (USD) with some $50,053 previously being paid ($50,000 in cash, and $40 in gold). Later this year the militia will take delivery of 30,000 breechloading Snider-Enfield rifles from the United Kingdom. The Order will be approved on August 7, 1867.

One of these rifles is available until 11:19 pm on July 9, 2017, for an opening bid of $1,895 plus $60 shipping

The Great Western Railway Company submitted a claim to the Dominion Government in the amount of $5,016 for damages sustained by the Erie and Ontario Railway during the Fenian Raids in June 1866. The damages occurred when Canadian militiamen were transported along the railway prior to its completion. A sum of $1,281.42 had earlier been paid but that payment was for services only. Hon. George-Étienne Cartier (Militia) has recommended (1867-0022) payment of $2,800 ($2,550 for damage to tracks; $250 for use of, and damage to, railway offices) be made to the Great Western Railway to satisfy all claims against the government in relation to this matter. This amount was arrived at based on investigations of the claim. The Order was amended from its original drafting to have the amount placed in the Estimates for the fiscal year, rather than paid immediately. The Order will be approved on August 8, 1867.

Col. McDougall is seeking (1867-0021) $1,000 to pay for the construction of a military drill shed in St. Catharines that, once constructed, collapsed under the weight of the winter snow. The Order further requested that the construction of a second drill shed be ordered.

Despite being appointed to the bench for the County Court of the County of Huron on November 15, 1866, Justice Secker Brough did not assume office until January of the following year. In his absence, Acting Judge F. Louis performed the functions of the office for the period November 14, 1866 to December 31, 1866 and sought payment for those services from the Dominion Government. Judge Brough argued that his failure to assume office was owing to no fault of his own and rather because the government had not advised him that the Clerk of the Peace had been “clothed with the necessary authority” to administer his oath of office, and is therefore also claiming his salary for that period.

Hon. Sir John A. Macdonald (Justice and Attorney-General) has recommended (1867-0021 1/2) that the portion of the $2,200 annual judge’s salary covering the period in question be paid by warrant to Acting Judge Louis and deducted from Judge Brough’s annual payment. The order will be approved on August 8, 1867.

July 6, 1867

Hon. William McDougall (Public Works) requested on Saturday, July 6, 1867, authorization for the expenditure of nearly $36,000 for a variety of matters including the Welland Canal ($15,000 repair budget, $2,500 for engineer salaries), the Lachine Canal ($2,000 for engineer salaries), and general surveys over the following six months ($4,000). The Minister further requested $8,000 for the furnishing of the Public Buildings, Ottawa, $2,000 to pay the rent on Rideau Hall for the period April to September, 1867, and $2,400 to pay the salaries of caretakers and others employed at the Government Buildings in Toronto and Québec (OiC 1867-0017). The orders will be approved over the coming months.

July 5, 1867

Even in its first week, Friday was a light day for the Dominion government with but one order introduced assigning the position of Registrar General to the Secretary of State of Canada. The Registrar General is the keeper of the Great Seal. For the Dominion’s first two years, a temporary one would be used before receiving one of its own (pictured) in 1869. The order will be approved on August 1, 1867.

The Expositor today published an account of the July 1 celebrations earlier in the week:

Monday last, the 1st day of July, was celebrated in this town, in a right loyal manner. The weather was all that could have been desired, and the day was ushered in by the ringing of bells and the discharge of firearms of every description. At an early hour the Grand Trunk Artillery boomed forth a Royal salute, and shortly afterwards the streets presented a lively and animated appearance. Crowds from the country came pouring in from every quarter, and by 12 o'clock the streets were one living mass of human beings bent on doing honor to the birthday of the new Dominion. At 9 o'clock the Christian public met in the Congressional Church, and prayer was offered up for the success and prosperity of the Confederacy.

July 4, 1867

July 4 was appointment day for the Dominion government.

The Hon. Edward Kenny, Senator for the province of Nova Scotia, and former mayor of Halifax was appointed to the cabinet as Receiver General.

The Postmaster General appointed Mr. J. Howden as Clerk, 4th Class, upon the resignation of J. G. Leslie.

Thomas Ross was appointed to sign marriage licenses in the provinces of Ontario and Québec. Marriage licenses in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick will be signed by the provinces’ respective lieutenant-governor.

July 3, 1867

If an army marches on its stomach, a government operates on its revenues.

So, on July 3, 1867, the new Dominion government continued to organize its financial affairs with the opening of bank accounts at the Bank of Montreal in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick for the purposes of conducting their affairs in those provinces. Additionally, existing credits to the two former colonies were transferred to the Dominion, and tax collectors in the provinces were to remit their collections to the Dominion accounts as of July 1. Additional credits of $250,000 and $100,000 were to be paid into the accounts in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick respectively.

One of the conditions of Nova Scotia’s and New Brunswick’s entry into Confederation was a commitment from that the Dominion government would complete the Intercolonial Railway. To this end, Hon. William McDougall (Public Works) began the construction of Canada’s first national infrastructure project with the deployment of engineers to establish the location of that portion of the railway line running between Truro and Amherst, Nova Scotia. Sanford Fleming had been employed by the colonial government of Nova Scotia to conduct surveys and make recommendations for the line. The order from McDougall required that such decisions on the actual pathway of the rail line take into account “the cost of construction - cost of future working and management and also of general interest.” This first section of the Intercolonial Railway will be operational in November 1872.

Finally, in preparation for the upcoming Dominion elections, Edouard-Joseph Langevin was appointed Clerk of the Crown in Chancery. As outlined here, the holder of this office was responsible for the overseeing of elections and the publication of Senate and House journals. The office was abolished in 1920, with the creation of the role of Chief Election Officer.

July 2, 1867

The Prime Minister and Minister of Finance proceeded with measures to establish the new Government of Canada.

Order-in-Council 1867-0003 proposed by the prime minister established the Board of Treasury to be comprised of the ministers of Finance (Galt), Customs (Tilley), Inland Revenue (Howland), and the Receiver-General (department not yet established), and that the Board be chaired by the Minister of Finance. The Order authorizes the Board to exercise powers and responsibilities as may be assigned to it by the Governor-in-Council.

Order-in-Council 1867-0004 was proposed by the Hon. Alexander Tilloch (Minister of Finance) and authorizes the expenditure of sums as required by government departments until such time as estimates can be prepared. This Order allows the government to spend money without approval from the House of Commons, which will not meet until elections can be held.

Collections Canada does not have an image record of Order-in-Council 1867-0005 which dealt with Lieutenant General Sir Jonnathon Michel and the Toronto Barracks. Sir John Michael retired with the rank of Field Marshal. Over the course of his career he commanded the 6th Regiment of Foot, British troops in China and Hong Kong, British troops in Canada, and his final appointment was as Commander-in-Chief of Ireland. He fought in the Eighth Xhosa War, the Crimean War, the Indian Mutiny, the Second Opium War, and the Fenian raids in Canada. He died in 1886.

July 1, 1867

The Dominion of Canada came into existence today by virtue of the British North America Act, an Act of the Imperial Parliament, providing for the union of the colonies of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick.

Appointed Prime Minister by the Governor-General, Charles Stanley, 4th Viscount of Monck, John A. Macdonald’s first acts the head of the new country’s government was to appoint, by Orders-in-Council, the Lieutenants-Governor of the provinces, and to establish a number of government departments and their heads.

Introduced, considered, and approved, on July 1, 1867:

Order-in-Council 1867-0001 appointed

• Major-General Sir Henry William Stisted, KCB, as Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario
• Sir Narcisse-Fortunat Belleau, KCMG, QC, as Lieutenant-Governor of Québec
• Lieutenant-General Sir William Fenwick Williams, 1st Baronet of Kars GCB, as Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia
• Major-General Sir Charles Hastings Doyle, KCMG, as Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick.

Order-in-Council 1867-0002 established the new government’s departments and appointed their heads, as follows:

• Minister Justice and Attorney-General, Hon. Sir John A. Macdonald
• Minister of Militia, Hon. George-Étienne Cartier
• Minister of Customs, Hon. Samuel Leonard Tilley
• Minister of Finance, Hon. Alexander Tilloch Galt
• Minister of Public Works, Hon. William McDougall
• Minister of Inland Revenue, Hon. William Pearce Howland
• Secretary of State for the Provinces, Hon. Adams George Archibald
• President of the Privy Council, Hon. Adam Johnston Fergusson Blair
• Minister of Marine and Fisheries, Hon. Peter Mitchell
• Post Master General, Hon. Alexander Campbell
• Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Jean Charles Chapais
• Secretary of State of Canada, Hon. Hector Louis Langevin
• Receiver General, Hon. Edward Kenney