yourself." When Lord Dufferin said this he admirably summed up Alexander Mackenzie's work as Premier. A great statesman Mackenzie was not, but a spotless one he ever was.

He had made a hard fight for re-election and was worn out by the struggle; in his own words he was "as thin as a slate." He was in one way glad to be freed from responsibility. His position as Premier had given him an insight into political corruption that disgusted him, and to some extent gave him a distaste for public life. Had it not been that his duty towards his country demanded his presence in parliament he would in all probability have become a private citizen of Canada.

For several years he remained in the leadership of the Liberal party, and was the most shrewd critic in the House of the National Policy. In 1880 he retired from the leadership and Mr. Edward Blake succeeded him.

It was in the year that he retired from the leadership of his party that the death of his friend and colleague, Mr. George Brown, occurred. He took it much to heart, and on the floor of the House, when seconding the motion for adjournment out of respect to the memory of the first great leader of the Liberal party, completely broke down.

Like Mr. Brown he had been offered a title while he was Premier. The offer was repeated in 1881 by the Marquis of Lorne but Mr. Mackenzie very wisely declined these offers, believing that titles had no place in such a democratic country as Canada, and that they could do nothing to draw the colony closer to the motherland.

He continued for some years to be an energetic opponent of bills advanced by Sir John Macdonald's government, particularly criticizing the railway policy and the Gerrymander Bill. But his health was far from being good and on several occasions he visited the Old World to refresh himself by travel and a sojourn in the scenes of his boyhood days. He was every where received with respect, and his speeches did much to give a true knowledge of Canada to the inhabitants of Great Britain. But neither travel to the Old World nor to the Canadian West could restore him to his old health. His mind was as clear as of old, but his physical being was rapidly breaking up, and his voice was heard but seldom in the House. Mr. Blake got out of

touch with the policy of many of the Liberals and left the party, going to England to become a prominent figure in the British House of Commons. Mr. Mackenzie's health would not permit him to return to the leadership and Mr. Wilfrid Laurier, who had been for some years one of the most striking figures in Canada, on the retirement of Mr. Blake became the Liberal leader. From that moment new life was instilled into the party.

Mr. Mackenzie continued to be hopeful for his country and remained to the end of his life a staunch free trader. He was not, however, to see the return of his party to power, for in 1892 he passed quietly away, on a beautiful Sunday morning in April, with the words "Oh! take me home."

When the news of his death was flashed through Canada all classes mourned with a genuine mourning. He had ever been a man without spot or blemish, and no one could point the finger at any base act done by him or recall a bitter or unkind word uttered save when some evil had to be denounced.

The House was sitting at the time of his death and it ceased its business until after his funeral. Sir John Thompson and Sir Wilfrid Laurier paid eloquent tributes to his memory.

The London Times admirably sums up his character in the following words: "Modest by disposition, he, nevertheless, enjoyed controversy, and was quite at home in the heat of debate either in the House or on the hustings. Better still-the untiring energy, the business-like accuracy, the keen perception and reliable judgment, and above all the inflexible integrity which marked his private life, he carried without abatement of one jot in his public career. His name has been regarded as a symbol of honesty among friends and foes alike."

Alexander Mackenzie was and ever will remain the Sir Galahad of Canadian politics, and while it seems almost impossible for a party to keep in power in this country without resorting to methods, that are, to say the least, shady, the ideals that he lived up to during his entire public career still live under the surface, and must be returned to before Canada's true destiny will be achieved.

The sketch of the career of Sir John Joseph Caldwell Abbott, K.C.M.G., Q.C., D.C.L., which follows, is largely from the pen of Miss Maud Ogilvy, of Montreal, and was published in much more extended form in "Men of To-day," series of biographies edited and issued by Mr. Louis H. Tache of Montreal in 1891.

Sir John Abbott's Parentage-Enters a Mercantile House in Montreal Studies at McGill College Graduates a B. C. L.-Called to the Bar of Lower Canada-An Aspirant for Political Honors-A Lecturer and Professor in McGill University-A Member of the Legislature Solicitor-General-His Attitude on Confederation-His Legal Knowledge of Inestimable Value in the House of Commons-Exercises an Important Influence in the Development of Canadian Railways - Urges upon Sir Hugh Allan the Project of Constructing the C. P. R.-The Pacific Railway Scandal-Sent on Important Missions to England-His Connection with the Canada Central Railway-One of the Most Active Promoters and Workers in the Canadian Pacific Railway Enterprise-A Director of the C. P. R.—Elected Mayor of Montreal-Appointed President of the Corporation of the Royal Victoria Hospital—Appointed a Commissioner in Negotiating with Australia for Closer Trade Relations and Cable Connections-Leader of the Senate-Accepts the Portfolio of President of the Council-Becomes Prime Minister on the Death of Sir John A. Macdonald -Knighted by the Queen-Goes to Europe in Search of Health-His Death, October 3, 1893.

"S"

IR JOHN ABBOTT'S father, the Rev. Joseph Abbott, was born in Westmoreland, in the North of England, and his early life was spent in the border counties. He took his degree at a Scottish University, and was soon afterwards sent to Canada as a missionary under the auspices of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. Joseph Abbott married Harriet, the daughter of the Rev. Richard Bradford, Rector of the adjoining parish, and built a church and parsonage at St. Andrew's, P. Q. Here, in 1821, his eldest son was born and the birthplace of the late Canadian Premier still stands, almost unaltered, a quaint old-fashioned cottage, with overhanging gables and long, low roof, nestling amidst a group of luxuriantly foliaged elm trees, with the winding silver stream of the beautiful North River visible

* From "Canada: An Encyclopædia of the Country," edited by J. Castell Hopkins,

from its windows.

At the age of seventeen Mr. J. J. C. Abbott left the paternal roof to make his way in the world, and proceeded to Montreal. Here he entered a mercantile house; but, after a few months, the close air and confinement of city life began to tell upon the country-bred lad and a severe illness was the result. After his recovery he went to Gananoque, where he had obtained a position in the general business establishment of the Macdonalds, and there he remained until he came to Montreal in 1843, to study at McGill College. At this time his family also moved to the metropolis, his father having been appointed Bursar of the University, and thus he was once more in the home circle. At this period, in spite of Mr. Abbott's busy life and arduous studies, he found time to join in social amusements, and made a study of vocal music, in which branch he became very proficient. His singing was a feature in Christ Church Cathedral choir, the principal Anglican place of worship in Montreal, and he continued to direct this admirably organized body of vocalists for six years. He graduated as a B. C. L., and studied law in the office of Messrs. Meredith and Bethune, and, in 1847, was called to the Bar of Lower Canada. His partnership with Mr. Justice Badgley and his marriage both took place within the next two years, his wife being Miss Mary Bethune, daughter of the Very Rev. J. Bethune, D. D., late Dean of Montreal. From earliest youth Mr. Abbott had hoped to make his home in his native County of Argenteuil, but this desire becoming impracticable, it merged into the ambition of representing it in Parliament. Accordingly, in 1857, he stood for the County and was then elected its member in the Canadian Assembly. The nominal majority, however, was against him, and it was not until after an arduous contest before a Committee of the House, lasting three Sessions, that he was enabled to take the seat to which he was justly entitled.

"A short time after Mr. Abbott's election to the Legislature he was appointed to a Lectureship in the Faculty of Law in the University of McGill, and, soon afterwards, Professor of Commercial Law, and, in course of time, Dean of the Faculty of Law. When his heavy professional duties compelled him to resign that position, he was appointed one of the Governors of the University, having in the interval, taken his Doctor's degree in Civil Law in

due course. The work of his profession prevented him from taking a large part in the ordinary business of the Legislature, and then, as ever, he took but a minor interest in the violent disputes and debates on purely party questions. But his steady attention to the regular duties of the House was conspicuous and having taken an active part in the agitation against certain objectionable clauses in the Militia Bill of the day, upon which the Government was defeated in 1862, he accepted the position of SolicitorGeneral, under the late M. Sicotte as Attorney-General, in the Coalition Government formed in that year by the late Mr. Sandfield Macdonaldreceiving at the same time his patent of Queen's Counsel. M. Sicotte was leader for Lower Canada and the late Thomas D'Arcy McGee was one of his colleagues. On the dissolution, in 1863, which followed the defeat of the Sandfield Macdonald-Sicotte Government, Mr. Abbott declined to retain the office of Solicitor-General in the new combination made with Mr. Dorion by Mr. Sandfield Macdonald, and assumed an independent position in the general election which followed the dissolution. This new coalition became a purely party Government, formed from the Liberal side in politics. As is well known, the result of that election was such that the Government of the day received but a small majority in the House, and the result was the deadlock which was followed by Confederation.

"Mr. Abbott was not an enthusiastic supporter of this great measure, fearing as he did, the disadvantage at which the English-speaking population. of Lower Canada would be placed under that system; and thinking that the preponderating influence of the French-speaking inhabitants of Lower Canada would reduce the minority to a state of practical impotence; and also that for the British settlers in the Province no career in public life would remain. . . Mr. Abbott continued to represent Argenteuil up to 1874. During this time he applied himself mainly to the legislative business of the House, taking little part in the party discussion. While Solicitor-General, he entirely remodelled the Lower Canadian Jury system and introduced and carried measures providing for the payment of Government fees by stamps, which is now universally prevalent with many beneficial results. During the same period he introduced the Insolvent Act of 1864, which was not passed at the