CHAPTER XIV. HON. JOSEPH HOWE, The Late Principal Grant's Estimate of Joseph Howe-Howe's Love for Nova Scotia and Her People and His Far-Reaching Influence-Sabine's Account of the Enthusiasm for "Jo Howe "-His Father a Uuited Empire Loyalist of Boston-A God-Fearing Man-Joe Howe's Tribute to His Father's Memory-The Birthplace of the Great Reformer-A Child of Nature-His Education-Learns the Printing Trade-A Poet of Considerable PowerPurchases the "Nova Scotian "-Attacks the Abuses of His Time-Howe's Far-Reaching Influence as a Journalist―The Nova Scotia "Family Compact "—Mr. George E. Fenety's De ser ption of the Council-Howe's Familiarity with the Whole Province-His MarriageA Serious Illness-His Celebrated Trial for Libel-Elected to the Assembly-Begins the Great Battle for Responsible Government-The Stubborn Attitude of the Council-Howe Moves a Series of Twelve Reform Resolutions-His Brilliant Eight Hour Speech in the Assembly-Joe Howe in a Duel-The Council, Enraged at Resolutions, Refuses to Pass Supply Bill-Howe Appeals to the Secretary for the Colonies-Sir Colin Campbell Opposed to Responsible Government-Lord Falkland Replaces Him-Howe Makes an Enemy of Lord Falkland-Howe's Life Among the Farmers of Musquodoboit-His Influence Upon the Material Prosperity of Nova Scotia-His Attitude Towards Confederation-His Great Detroit Speech-Takes Office Under Sir John Macdonald-Appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia-His Death. TH HE late Principal Grant in his powerful sketch of the character and career of the Hon. Joseph Howe, which appeared in The Canadian Monthly nearly twenty-eight years ago, calls that great reformer "Nova Scotia incarnate." At first this may seem but a half truth, for during many long years Howe was bitterly opposed in his reforms by a large and influential section of the people of the Atlantic Province of the Dominion. But these people were, for the most part, alien to the soil. They were not Nova Scotians, but native born Englishmen or United Empire Loyalists who formed a species of "Family Compact" in the land where they had pitched their tents, and who despised the natives of the Province, looking upon them as only fit to be hewers of wood and drawers of water to the dominant class. Joseph Howe, or "Joe Howe," as he was more familiarly called, was truly representative of the masses of Nova Scotia. They lovea nim and ne them; and the ocean washed shores, the tide-tortured rivers, the barren places, and the fruitful valleys of his native land were dearer to him than any other places on earth. No other Canadian-not even Sir John Macdonald or Sir Wilfrid Laurier -has had such enthusiastic worship from his followers. Through his paper and in parliament he talked to them "about politics, and trade and agriculture;" he made them "laugh a good deal" and "think a good deal more" even while they were laughing. He formed them; his thoughts were their thoughts, and the freedom they ultimately possessed was brought about by him and they reverenced him as at once their friend and the shaper of their ideals. Sabine in his Loyalists of the American Revolution admirably shows the enthusiasm there was, in the forties, throughout the length and breadth of Nova Scotia for the man who had done by pen and tongue what Mackenzie and Papineau failed to do by force of arms in Upper and Lower Canada. "It was 'Jo Howe' by day and by night," writes Sabine. "The Yankee peddler drove good bargains in 'Jo Howe' clocks. In the coal mine, in the plaster-quarry, in the ship-yard, in the forest, on board the fishing pogy, the jigger and the pinkey, it was still 'Jo Howe.' Ships and babies were named 'Jo Howe.' The loafers of the shops and taverns swore great oaths about 'Jo Howe.' The young men and maidens flirted and courted in 'Jo Howe' badges, and played and sang 'Jo Howe' glees. It was 'Jo Howe' every where." Joseph Howe was of United Empire Loyalist stock,-Puritan stock at that. At the time of the American Revolution, his father, John Howe, was employed as a printer in Boston. He worked for a Mrs. Draper who was publishing the Boston News-Letter when the flames of revolution broke out. Mrs. Draper seems to have been a loyal Britisher, and when the British troops evacuated the city, in 1776, she moved her printing plant to Halifax and there established the Nova Scotia Gazette. She took with her John Howe, who, for some four or five years, managed her business. In 1781 he branched out for himself and issued the first numbers of the Halifax Journal. He was a man of force and integrity and rapidly won the confidence of the leaders in his adopted Province and was appointed Postmaster of the Province. John Howe was a God-fearing man who assembled his children about him for worship morning and night, and who on the Sabbath went forth with his Bible under his arm to minister to his little flock of Sandemanians in an "upper room." He was much beloved by his family, and set them an example of generosity to the poor and sympathy with the erring. His purse was ever open to those in need, and he regularly visited the prisons to help the fallen; and frequently when prisoners were set free they found a resting place at his home until they could secure employment. To the end of his days he remained the same generous, God-fearing, true-hearted Christian, and in his charitable work, in his declining years, received assistance from his son Joseph. His children held their father's memory in reverence and much of the beauty and goodness of Joe Howe's character was due to the fact that he looked up to his austere and kindly father and ever found delight in his society. The following stanza written to his half-sister, Jane and Joe Howe was no mean poet-well shows what a dutiful and loving son he was: "Oh, how we loved him, love him now, Our noble father! By his side My mother, who my faults would chide; With cares domestic on her brow, More wayward, and of sterner mood, But ever provident and good; Hating all shams, and looking through His father was the predominating influence in his life. He had been to him an instructor, a play-fellow, a daily companion, to use the words of his illustrious son who could say of him: "He was too good for this world; but the remembrance of his cheerfulness, his childlike simplicity and truly Christian character is never absent from my mind." From his father, who was to the end a Loyalist and a Tory, Joe Howe inherited not a little of his Toryism and a great deal of his love of the Empire. It is true that during the course of his life Howe seemed the opposite of a Tory, but ever under the surface was that love for established institutions, for monarchical form of |