Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-05-31
SIR JOHN ALEXANDER MAC
DONALD


As we go to press it looks as though
the eminent statesman whose name
heads this article will not live to see
the dawn. Paralysis, followed by
hemorrhage of the brain, has already
taken life and thought away, only
breathing automaton remains, grey
shadow once a man. And man he
was, indeed. Geographically, he was
almost our countryman; politically he
was out of sympathy with us to the
extreme degree, for he was a Tory of
the Tories.
Born in 1915, in Glasgow, he was
carried by his parents to Canada at
five years of age. His education was
of his new home and his adopted
country's institutions. Admitted to
the bar at q, he became queens coun-
sci at 81. At % he made wonderful
defense of a state criminal Won
Schultze. At 30 he entered political
life, represented his town, Kingston,
in the parliament Of Canada East, ."
as it was called some years ago, from
1874 to 1867, nearly a quarter of a
century. Then came the union, and
he was chosen to the parliament Of
the new nation. 1t were long just
now to enumerate, much less to dwell
upon, the honorable and important
offices which were bestowed upon him,
but in none did he play more i'm
portant part than as attorney
general, when by a coalition he caused,
tory though he was, the disestablish-
ment of the church, or seclarization
of the clergy as it is called. by the
same coalition the land laws were
changed from their feudal nature to
kind more in harmony with the
march of Democracy, the Norman sys-
TEN, which had long before been
transplanted to England, and from
England had gone, perforce, to Canada
was abolished forever.
Passing by many of his works which
are in themselves very great ones, we
cannot pass his greatest one without
some tribute Of praise. His part in
forming union Of al the provinces
and laying the foundation of new
great Northern empire will ever live
as his greatest work. a nation has
been founded and is already on the
way to become one of the great ma
tions of the earth. And he has done
this under the most adverse circum-
stances, although in time of peace.
Out of different races, of different
creeds and interests. of half-ciyilized
Indians and partly of uncivilized white
men, has the mighty editice of the
Dominion of Canada been founded,
and any man can see that it is good.
Our people may think that the coun-
try to our north is yearning to join our
Union, but their national pride has
been developed and stimulated, so that
we of this generation will never see it
Our friends, our allies in business
and in war they may be, but our coun
trymen not for many years, if ever
For such a fame as Sir John Melon
aid has secured one might well AFFORD
to die young, but he dies well stricken
in years--three score and ten, will
six years years to spare. He has fin
ished a monument more lasting thai
brass and "higher than the regal site o
the pyramids; which neither the vast
ing rains nor the innumeral series o
years can destroy"
AS an ancient poet says of his ow
monument, and whom we have alread
/, quoted, he might say and not be vain
, glorious, Continually anew shall ! in
crease in posterity's praise"
McDonald's name shall be spoke
more than "by the Danube;" on a
the shores of every sea; by river
! which seam continent of infinite el
, tent on every mountain; everywher
I shall his great victory of peace b
praised as one mot less renowned tina
, war"
4 We hereby make our bow TO the pull