The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-10-30
MERCER DEAD.
Canada's Ex-Premier Passes
Away Peacefully.
LEADER OF THE FRENCH PARTY
Sketch of the Life of a Great
Conservative Ieader-Last 2
Campaign.
OF THE FRENCH PARTY

MONTREAL, Oct. 80, 1S94-Honore
MERCER, ex-Premiar of Quebec, died this
morning at about a quarter to nine
o'clock. The end had been expected any
time during the preceding tw~enty-four
hours and hope of his recovery had been
given up weeks ago. In fact, from the
moment that he first fell seriously i'll
on the l4th of August last it had been
felt that he lay on his death bed. Mr..
MERCER had been suffering from a COM
plication of diseases for years past. dia-
betes predominating. After his defeat
ct the general elections of March. 1892,
his friends expressed the opinion that
he had only six months to live, but by
dint of adopting abstemious habits of
living he managed to prolong his life.
Drs. E. P. UaChappelle and Rattot
were his medical attendants, and the last
rites of the Church were administered by
the Rev Father G~arceau, 8. J. 1t is a
remarkable fact that a spiritualist here
had foretoid about ten days ago that
the end would come on the thirtieth of
October. Yesterday Mr.. MERCER was I'm
conscious most of the time. For ten
hours one day he lay in a comatose con-
dition, reviving at intervals for a few
seconds and then ~relapsing into q state
that was almost akin to death. MI.
MERCER at a late hour last evening was
very weak. Morphine was administered
at 1890 O'Clock and the patient became
much agitated. 1t was then feared that
a reaction would take place and the end
nigh come any minute.
LAST HOURS.
Throughout the night the vital spark
hfckered, growing lower and lower, until
the end came.
Mr.. MERCER in his prime would have
body Is now a mere skeleton, SO much
had it wasted away. Notwithstanding
that Mr.. Mercier's death was expected
at any time, the news has created IN
terest here and the bulletin boards con-
tanning the Information were soon sur
rounded by crowds eager to learn the
particulars of the once great French
Canadian leaders last hours.
Mercier was unconscious when he died
and had been so for many hours. He was
surrounded by Nine: Mercier and his
his brother Edward. The funeral will
take place Friday or Saturday at the
Church of Gesu.
A NOTABLE CAREER.
nose, County of Iberville, Province of
Quebec, on October Is, 1910. He was edu-
Gated at tho Jesuit College in Montreal
a Hvac bsGan The He s aIsc entered of law the at joa st:
L - ASO N 49,
nalistic fold and was for a period editor
of Courier de St. Hyacinthe.' which
supported the Conservative party.
Having finished his course of studies
MERCER was admitted to the bar in
1865.
For some years he devoted himself to
his profession. but in 1872 he was elected
as a Liberal to represent Rouvill in the
House of Commons.
His career in the Dominion Parliament
was short, as he retired in 1874 and re-
1900 49, - h4e ~-afooSinn
In 1879 he was elected to the Provincial
Legislature and was appointed Solicitor
General by the then Premier Mr.7E.
Jolly.
In 1883, ON the retirement of Mr.. Jolly,
Mercier was elected leader of the Quebec
Liberals, then a very small party m
the House, and he at once commenced
an aggressive policy. The feeling arous-
ed by the execution of Riel, the leader
of the half-breed rebellion in the northc
west gave him a great opportunity
organized a brilliant campaign which
led to the defeat of the Conservatives
Government. Mr.. MERCER was sum
moned to form a abine on January q,
citing Incidents. AS Premier, he was a
staunch champion of French Canadians
and their rights. One of the most i'm
portant acts OF his administration was
ton by which the Jesuits were paid a
large sum of money and which pro-
voked a storm of indignation in the
other Provinces. MERCER was surround
ed at Quebec by a number of hungry
followers and when the Bale Des Chali-
eurs Railroad exposure came in 1891 he
was dismissed from office by Lieutenant
Governor. Anglers and was a few weeks
afterwards defeated at the polls. Since
then he has not taken muhc part in pol
itics as his health had been rapidly
declining, but he attracted considerable
attention on account of his advocacy of
Canadian independence.