CHAPTER XXXIII. THE RIGHT HON. SIR WILFRID LAURIER. By Louis Honoré Fréchette. The Early Life of Wilfrid Laurier-His College Education-A Student of Law-For a Time a Journalist-Returns to the Study of Law-Enters the Quebec Legislative AssemblyA Brilliant Orator-Enters the House of Commons in 1874-Speaks in English with Great Power-Appointed Minister of Inland Revenue in the Mackenzie GovernmentThe Defeat of the Mackenzie Government-Edward Blake Resigns the Leadership of Liberal Party-Laurier Chosen Leader-His Long Years in Opposition-Becomes Premier in 1896-His Cabinet-The Manitoba School Question-A New Tariff Introduced by the Liberal Party-Sir Wilfrid Laurier and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee-His Foreign Policy-Appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. George and a Member of the Imperial Privy Council-Honored in France-His Loyal Action During the South African War-A Prominent Figure at the King's Coronation-The Characteristics of His Oratory -A Thoroughly Loyal British Subject-The Most Genial of Men. TH HE present (1902) Prime Minister of the Canadian Dominion is a gentleman who not only commands & considerable degree of prestige in his own country, but who has also acquired a high reputation abroad. His eloquence, his ability, his exquisite social qualities, and above all his unblemished personal character as a public man, have made him prominent among the statesmen of the day, and in many respects he ranks inferior to none of them. So his friends are proud to say, and so most of his political opponents—for he has no personal enemies-certainly think. Let me briefly trace the remarkable career of this gifted contemporary who, since the month of June, 1896, has played such an important part in the destinies of our country. Wilfrid Laurier was born on the 20th of November, 1841, at St. Lin, County of L'Assomption, in the Province of Quebec. His father was M. Carolus Laurier, a land surveyor by profession, a gentleman of limited means, but a most estimable citizen. He took his course at the nearest College that of L'Assomption. In 1860, we find him in Montreal on the benches of McGill, and poring over the Pandects and the Coutume de Paris in the law chambers of the late Rodolph Laflamme, who was afterwards his colleague, as Minister of Justice in the Mackenzie Cabinet. Having been called to the Bar in 1864, he practised his profession for two years in partnership with the noted Médèric Lanctot, that hot-headed and impetuous journalist and public speaker, who, at the time of the Confederation scheme, enjoyed a noisy popularity which was destined to change soon afterwards into a sad and undignified obscurity. The feverish restlessness of his surroundings. at this time were by no means congenial to Laurier's calm and methodical temperament; and this may have been one of the reasons which induced him to leave Montreal. In 1867, the death of Eric Dorion had just occurred, and his Défricheur, that popular journal which so valiantly fought the battles of the Liberal party in the Eastern Townships, was also on the point of ending its career, when Lanctot's young partner started for L'Avenir, there to take up the pen which had fallen forever from the grasp of the unswerving Democrat who had hitherto wielded it with such effect. Soon enough, however, the new journalist felt that his talents demanded a different arena and he decided to again seek his fortune at the Bar. The Eastern Townships were then making rapid strides along the path of progress and prosperity, and the future statesman settled at St. Christophe-now Arthabaskaville—and it was not long before his reputation as a lawyer spread wide and far in the district. His marked oratorical powers, his business integrity and his pleasant and kindly disposition won him a universal popularity; so much so, that in the Provincial elections of 1871 the united Counties of Drummond and Arthabaska returned him as their representative in the Quebec Legislative Assembly by an overwhelming majority. His début before the House produced a sensation. Who could he be, this young politician not yet thirty years of age, who thus, in a maiden speech, handled the deepest public questions with such boldness and authority? Whence had this new orator come so fluent, cultivated and charming-who awed even his adversaries into respect by language so polished, so elevated in tone, so strong and yet sẽ moderate even in the heat of discussion? On the following day, the name of Laurier was on every lip. From this initial point of his stirring career, the future Prime Minister proceeded by master-strokes. Thus, as the resounding triumph of his début in the Legislative Assembly of Quebec had placed him in the highest rank among the most brilliant French orators of his Province, that which marked his entry into the House of Commons, in 1874, carried him at one bound to the distinction of being one of the chief English-speaking debaters of the Dominion. The occasion was a solemn one, and never to be forgotten by any of those who were present. The subject before the House was the expulsion of Louis Riel, the rebel of the North-West, who, though under accusation for the murder of Thomas Scott and a fugitive from justice, had just been elected member for Provencher. The question was a burning one and the public mind was greatly inflamed over it. It required, in very truth, a master of eloquence to take the case in hand and to thread his way without falling or stumbling among the masses and mazes of prejudice which rose up all around the Métis chief. The debate, which was violent and heated, had been going on for two days when at last Laurier took the floor. He was known to be eloquent. He had already addressed the House in his own tongue at the opening of the Session. No one dreamed, however, that he would risk his reputation by attempting a speech in English under such hazardous and trying circumstances. Great as was the general surprise, the revelation was greater. In the belief of many who heard him that day, no orator-unless, indeed, it be himself-has since achieved a like success in any of our deliberative assemblies. As in the elegance and academic diction of which he is so thorough a master, the brilliant speaker entered calmly into the heart of his subject, a deep silence spread itself through the great Chamber and the English members listened in hushed amazement to this charmer who wielded their own language with such grace, and who dealt them such cruel home-truths in a tone they could not resist applauding. Astonished glances were exchanged on every side. Laurier kept his whole. audience hanging upon his lips for more than an hour. Not for a single moment did his eloquence fail him. He expounded the doctrines and |