Reminiscences of a Raconteur, Between the '40s and the '20sHam, George H. (George Henry)
History
Reminiscences of a Raconteur, Between the '40s and the '20s
Ham, George H. (George Henry)
Canada; Ham, George H. (George Henry), 1847-1926; Journalists -- Canada -- Biography
Speaking of Sir John, I remember years ago, when he came from North
Ontario to Whitby during a campaign, and regaled himself, as was the
custom of those days, with a drink at the bar of Jake Bryan’s hotel. The
crowd naturally joined in the “refresher,” and as Sir John—(he was then
only John A.)—lifted his glass, a friend drew his attention to the fact
that there was a fly in his grog.
“That’s all right,” he quickly replied. “It’s meat as well as drink, and
I’m hungry.”
That caught the crowd, and the remark spread far and wide. The Tory
majority in Whitby was never so large as it was in that election.
The Old War Horse From Cumberland.
Sir Charles Tupper was really the fighting man of the Conservative party
in those days, and he dearly loved a scrap. His command of the English
language was complete, and his declamation was powerful. A good field
day by Sir Charles in the House gave you something to see and hear. He
was outspoken even to friends. When some Portage la Prairie supporters,
who were dissatisfied with something or other he had done, wired him
from Manitoba that they could not see their way to support him in this
particular measure, they received a curt message in reply which read:
“You had better vote Grit.”
The Portage people went home, but did not vote that way at the next
election. During the campaign of 1900, when Sir Charles had came over to
rehabilitate the disorganized Conservative party, I happened to be on
the C.P.R. train which was taking him to Nova Scotia. Visiting his
private car, I found him resting in bed. I remarked in course of
conversation, “I suppose you are going back to Cape Breton.” He was a
candidate there.
“No, no,” he said. “I am going to Western Nova Scotia to help our
friends there.” And then he told me he could be elected by acclamation
in Cape Breton if he would consent to let Alex Johnston, recently Deputy
Minister of Marine and Fisheries, and a strong Liberal, be his fellow
member. This was offered him by those who controlled the political
situation on the other side.
“But,” said Sir Charles, “I absolutely refused the offer, and told them
it would be either two Conservatives or two Liberals; besides, as leader
of my party, I could not show such an example to my loyal followers. We
must sink or swim together. If we win and I should lose in Cape Breton,
another seat can easily be found for me; if we are beaten, there are
others to take up the fight,” The old Cumberland war-horse was game to
the last.
Sir Hibbert Tupper, his son, was also a fighter of the first rank, but
when the Bowell Government was disrupted he was among the first to
return when peace was declared, and announced his entry into the Council
Chamber with, “The cat’s come back!” which was a slang phrase of those
days.
Sir John’s Trusted Lieutenant.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account