Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1891-06-18

city he sat in Parliament at the close OF
his brilliant career.
Sir John became a member of the
cabinet OF Canada (then comprising On
tarlo and Quebec) early in 1847, as Com
missioner Of Crown Lands. He served
until 1850. He was again Cabinet
officer from 1854 to 1858, as ATTORNEY
General He first became Premier in
1858, and laid firmly the foundation of
his subsequent great fame In 1862 he
was Minister of Militia, and his Govern
ment suffered defeat on the militia bill
OF that year For two years he was the
leader of the Opposition, but did not en-
deavor to embarrass the Ministry, which
was trying to administer the affairs of
Canada on the policy of the double ma
jority, or governing both Ontario and
Quebec by it's own preponderance of rep
resentatives in the House. This effort
was complete failure. In May, 1863. J ohm
A. Macdonald moved in the House a
vote of want of confidence i'm o powerful
and logical speech, ever since remem-
bored in Canadian history, and regarded
as one Of the greatest of his life The
vote carried, and from this day Macdon-
AIDS conspicuous leadership in Canadian
politics was recognized everywhere, 1t
was not until the following year that he
again took Cabinet Office and became
the acknowledged leader Of the effort
for the consolidation of all British North
America into the Dominion. He was a
delegate to the convention on Prince
Edwards Island in 1864, where the
union was first projected, and the leader
In the second conference, at Quebec,
later In the year. He was chairman Of
the London colonial conference of 1866
Z, and remained in Europe until the
passage of the imperial act for the con-
solidation of the North American prov
tnceS.
He returned to the new world and was
! at once intrusted with the work of form
Ing the first government of the great
northern. AngloSaXon nationality of
which he had dreamed from his first
entry into public life, and to which he
had devoted many years. He became
Premier Of the now confederation, and
was knighted by the Queen. From 1867
to the present time he has been the
grandest hgure of the Canadian nation.
With the exception of a few years in the
early seventies he has continued the
Premier of the greatest dependency of
the British Crown, which he did so much
to make great and so nearly independent.
Canada has grown in domain, in popu-
lation, in wealth and in influence during
all the years of Sir Johns preponderance
In her affairs. She extends from ocean
to ocean and from the lakes to the frozen
sea. The great railroad enterprise which
I was the occasion of his only retirement
| from public life has become marked
| success and one of the chief glorfes of
his long administration. He had but
I just triumphed in his last appeal to the
| people of the Dominion and been again
trusted with the government. The
glamour OF his name and his achieve
| ments were the great bulwarks of the
Conservative party in all its appeals to the
Dominion plebiScite He was deemed the
founder of the party and the father Of
Canadian union, and to many electors it
seemed little short of treason to vote
against Sir Johns retention in power
The majority of the people of the Do
minion seemed to DO Liberals, but while
they voted with their. party in the local
elections, they willingly voted for the
continuance in power at Ottawa of the
man who has been gratefully called the
creator of Canada.
He was at the very zenith of his great
| fame when the summons came. He had
not found the semi-sovereign republic
which he created ungrateful, for the in
cense OF the approval Of the people came
still fresh upon his senses from their
last opportunity to express it,
| The greatest Canadian has fought his
last fight; his remarkable career is at an
end. All Canada sincerely mourns. Par
tisanship is forgotten. At this visitation
Of death, nation is In tears AS the
sweet singer who wears the laurel of
the empire has said Of another one gone
before:
Fallen at length,
That tower of strength;
| That stood four square
~. mr. - - a 4 Il