Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-07

allowance for his marvellous vitality. He
rad lost consciousness 30 hours ago and had
taken no nourishment since, save small
quantities of champagne, which were ad-
ministered with difficulty.
Very Tenacious Constitution.
The Premier, sick unto death, kept up
the unequal struggle until after 10 O'Clock
tonight For days it is assumed he re-
sisted the inevitable by the sheer force of
his powerful will, but yesterday conscious
ness disappeared, never to return. In the
ensuing period nature, no longer restrained,
asserted itself; life's fire, already burning
low, lickered and smouldered as if the soul
would leave its earthly tabernacle at each
successive breath
AT 10 o'clock this morning, hundreds who
called to make inquiry realized that all
hopes had vanished forever The news
from the sick room was more discouraging
than ever. A strange and leader color
overspread his countenance, and his extrem-
titles assumed an icy coldness. No one
would recognize in the dying nfan one vest
ige of resemblance to the great political
leader
Tears trickled from the ewes of Rev. J. J.
Bogart, rector of ST. Albans Episcopal
Church, as he passed through the gate and
encountered throng of newspaper men.
He had Just left the house where, assembled
in the parlor on the first floor, the grief
stricken household had listened to the read
ing of the offices of the visitation.
The End Comes at Last,
Once or twice the watchers at the bedside
thought that death had taken place. and DIR.
Powell, holding the Premier's pulse, dis
covered only faint trace of life For three
hours before the sad event, Lady Macdonald
never left the room for an instant. The
other watchers included Mary, her invalid
daughter; Hugh John Macdonald, the
Premier's son; Job Pope, Sir Johns faithful
Private Secretary, and near friends of the
family.
At 10 P. NJ. a complete collapse set in.
In the succeeding few minutes the Premier's S
breathing became more and more labored,
and only the slightest 1utter of the heart
indicated life's presence. At 10:15 the Pre-
mier gave few long inspirations, and with
out a struggle or the slifgtest evidence of
pain passed away.
The funeral is likely to take place Tues
day, and will be of a state character On
that day the body will likely be removed
10 the Senate Chamber and lie in state for
four or five hours. The interment will sub
sequentlv take place at Kingston, Ontario,
where the Premier's first wife ana his
father are buried
Not a StickIer for Consistency,
Sir John-as he. was familiarly known
all over the Dominion-was one of the cley-
crest men of his time, and would have won
distinction ip wider field than that of
Colonial politics had the accident of birth
not placed him in Canada He was poll
tician that was nearly a statesman and a
speaker that at times just missed being
eloquent. Gifted with rare boldness
and plausibility, he showed himself
capable of originating striking COM
binatiOns and of giving his ideas practical
effect. For consistency he naturally had
but little regard. Sufficient unto the day
is the record thereof might be called his
motto; nevertheless the inconsistency was
not in himself, but in his surroundings, for
wherever he found himself or whatever he
did, it was with single aim-the success of
his party.
Sir John was not a selfish man, and at
the end of years of public life, nearly 40 of
which were passed in office he was very
little richer than when he entered it. He
had his official salary and allowances, and
few years ago the Conservatives raised
fund TO secure for their leader liberal al
lowance during life This, with the delight
of political battle with his peers and of ad-
ministering power, can be called his reward.
He controlled an immense amount of patron
age; he was by no means nice at times in its
distribution, and he dared the public indig-
nation by such transactions as the sale of
the Canada Pacific Railroad charter for a
contribution of 5000, 900 to the campaign
fund, or the absorption-probably for the
same purposeS-of the Secret Service funds
(throwing himself upon his privilege as
Premier when investigation of the latter
business was begun), but all this was done
for the advantage of his party or the profit
of his friends
Could Ride Six Horses at Once.
The peculiar feature which distinguished
him as political leader was the. amazing
dexterity wherewith he managed to hold to-
gether set of heterogeneous elements
national, religious, sectional, personal
aetuated each of them more by regard to
their own individual interests than to the
welfare of the united people. Both as re-
CARDS the instability of the medium which
supported him and The wondrous skill with
which 1t was made to seem as reliable as the
solid ground, Sir John may not inaptly
be compared to the circus athlete in his |