The morning call., 1891-08-17
SIR HECTOR LANGEVIN.
The Canadian Statesman Forced
to Retire From Office.

Sir Hector Louis Langevin, the Canadian
statesman who, much to the disgust of his
friends and admirers, retired from the Min
istry while under fire, was born in Quebec,
August 26. 1926, and received his education
at the seminary in that city. He studied
law, and was admitted to the bar of Lower
Canada in October, 1850, and was appointed
Queens Counsel in 1864. He was editor of
the Melanges ReligieuX of Montreal from
1S47 till 1919; also oft the Journal d'AgricuI-
ture of that city, and in 1857 of the Courier
du Canada of Quebec. He was Mayor of
Quebec from 1858 till 1861 represented Dor
chester in the Canadian Assembly from
1857 till the union in 1867, and afterward in
the Dominion Parliament till 1874 when he
retired. He also represented Dorchester in
the local Legislature from 1867 till 1871,
when he was elected by acclamatOn for
Quebec Center, which he represented till he
retired in January. 1874. He was elected
to the Dominion Parliament for CharlevoiX
in January, 1876, and again returned for
this constituency in April. 1877, after hay-
ing been unseated on petition and unsuc-
cessfully contested Rimouski in 1878. He
was elected by reclamation for the city of
Three Rivers, November II. 1878, and with
out opposition for that constituency in 1882,
and again in 1887. He was a mem.
Der of the Executive Council of Canada
from March so. 1864, till 1867, held
the OIuce VI SUPERINTENDENT 1Or
Lower Canada from March 80 1864, till
November, 1865, and was Postmaster
eral from that date till 1867. He was sworn
as member of The Privy Council July 1,
1867, and appointed Secretary of State for
Canada, which portfolio he retained until
appointed Minister of Public Works. De-
cember 8, 1869. While in the State Depart
ment he was eX-ot1icio Northumberland,
Superintendent neral of Indian Affairs.
and was Commissioner to assist the
Speaker in the management of the interior
economy Of the House Of Commons, and
also Chairman of the Railway Committee
of the Privy Council. He was del
egate to the Charlottetown Union
Conference in 1864; to that in
Quebec in the same year, and to
the London Colonial Conference of 1S66-67,
to complete the terms of union of the
British North American Provinces. He
acted as a leader of the Lower Canada Con-
servatives in 1873, during the absence in
England Of Sir George Etienne Cartier, and,
after his death, became, In 1873, the leader
of the party in that province. He was made
Postmaster-General October 10, 1875 and
Minister of Public Works May 20, 1879. On
April 5, 1872 he was chosen by the Marquis
Of Lorne, the Governor-General, to go to
London and lay before the British
Government the views of the Canadian
Cabinet relative to the proposed dis
mssal of Mr.. Letelier de ST. JUST,
the Lieutenant-GoVernor of the Prov
lnce OF quebec. his MISSION resulted IN the
recognition by the home Government of the
constitutional rights of the Canadian Gov
eminent to remove Lieutenant Governors
for proper caus". He was created Com
panion OF the Order of the Bath in 1865,
Commander of the Order of Pope Gregory
the Great in 1870, and Knight Commander
of the Order of St. Michael and st. George
in May, 1881. He is the author of LA
Canada, ses Institutions" Quebec. 1850,
"Droit Administratif. au Manuel des Par
oisses ct Fabriques" QS62, I'd ed. 1879, and
Report on British Columbia" QS72)