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The suggestion that
tho Campbells residing in Canada should present an Address to the
Marquess of Lorno was made in tho summer of 1881, and tho first step
taken was the sending of the following circular to some of the
loading men of the name in tho several .Provinces of tho Dominion :—
{Private.)
Ottawa, August 15, 1881.
Slit,—It has been thought that during the stay of the Marquess of
Lome in Canada, an opportunity might well and pleasantly be taken of
presenting an Address to him from those who bear the name of
Campbell in the Dominion.
It could not but bo gratifying to the eldest son of tho Chief of the
Clan to find the strength and pride with which cherished memories of
the House of Argyll and of the history of the Clan are maintained by
all who share in the honour of bearing his name.
To accomplish the object thoroughly some careful organization and
continuous work will be necessary, and some expense must be
incurred.
I venture to take upon myself to address you upon the subject and to
enquire if you approve of the proposal, and if you will give it your
assistance?
I will be much obliged if you will send me the Post Office addresses
of those of the name whom you think it would be well that I should
communicate with on the subject, which should in the meantime bo
considered private.
Your obedient servant,
A. CAMPBELL.
Address reply to Sir Alexander Campbell, K.C.M.G., Ottawa.
Replies, approving of the proposition, were received from almost all
those to whom the circular was transmitted, and upon this the
Address was prepared; and, having been shewn to and approved of by
one or two of the name, whose judgment was deemed to be the best
upon the subject, one hundred copies were printod, and, with sheets
of parchment of the proper size, were sent to about one hundred
Campbells in all parts of the country.
Many difficulties attended tho procuring of signatures, the state of
the roads and the distance to be travelled made it in many cases a
difficult task; but, with hardly an exception, all those to whom the
duty was entrusted devoted themselves to it with persistent energy,
and so successfully that, at the end of March, 1882, the sheets were
all returned to Ottawa. They were in number 146, and the number of
names procured 2,845. It was thought desirable that men and lads
only should bo asked to sign.
The Address itself was then engrossed and beautifully illuminated by
Mr. Medlow, of Ottawa, and, with tho sheets which had been
originally cut of the same size as that used for the engrossing, was
entrusted to Messrs. Dawson Brothers, of Montreal, to be bound. The
task of selecting the kind of binding, colour and extent of
ornamentation to be used, was undertaken by tho late much esteemed
Dr. George Campbell, of Montreal, he chose brown and gold (the
colours of the Argyll family) for the binding, which was admirably
executed by the Messrs. Dawson in thick Russia leather. The
ornamentation consisted of the word “Lorne” surmounted by a coronet,
and one of the mottoes of the Argyll family “ne obliviscaris”
underneath.
It was originally intended to have presented the Address during the
Session of Parliament in May last, but Lord Lorne, upon being
requested to appoint a day for the purpose, most graciously
suggested that it would enhance the pleasure of the occasion very
much if Her Royal Highness the Princess Louise could be present, and
he requested that the presentation should be postponed and should
take place immediately after the arrival of the Princess from
England. Her Royal Highness arrived on Sunday the 4th, and on Monday
a telegram was received, by direction of the Marquess, fixing for
the presentation of the Address, Tuesday, the 13th of June, at 12
o’clock. Circulars had in the meantime been sent to about thirty
(including all who had taken the most active part in procuring
signatures and who, it was thought, would be likely to attend),
requesting their presence on the occasion of the presentation, and
saying that, as soon as a day had been fixed, if they desired it and
could attend, telegrams would be sent to them informing them of the
day and hour and appointing a rendezvous in Quebec. Telegrams were
accordingly sent naming the St. Louis Hotel, on Tuesday, the 13th,
at 11.30. The occurrence of the general elections and the distance
to be travelled prevented the attendance of many of those who no
doubt would have wished to have been present, but at tho time
appointed the following gentlemen assembled:
Sir Alexander Campbell, K.C.M.G., of Ottawa; Francis Campbell, M.D.,
of Montreal; the Rev. Robert Campbell, of Montreal; Captain F. A. C.
Campbell, of St. Hilaire; Charles J. Campbell, of Toronto; Campbell,
of Lochaber; Neil Campbell, his son; Archibald Campbell, of Quebec;
Kennetb J. R. Campbell, of Quebec; Robert Campbell (St. Hilaire), of
Quebec; Benjamin Campbell, of Quebec; and John Campbell, of Quebec.
The delegates proceeded in carriages to the Citadel. They were
received by and presented to the Marquess of Lorne, and followed him
to the drawing-room, whore they were severally presented to Her
Royal Highness the Princess, who received them very graciously. The
Address was then read by Sir Alexander Campbell in the following
words:—
ADDRESS.
The Most Honourable Sir John Douglas Sutherland Campbell, Marquess
of Lorne, one of Her Majesty’s Right Honourable Privy Council,
Knight of the Thistle, and Knight Grand Cross of St. Michael and St.
George.
My Lord Marquess:
"We who, in Canada, have the honour of bearing the name of
“Campbell,” desire to express to you the pride and satisfaction with
which we have beheld the government of the country, wherein we have
cast our lot, entrusted to the eldest son of our Chief.
No name could have afforded stronger guarantees for the maintenance
of constitutional rule than that of a House famous in Scottish
history for the part which its Chiefs have taken in support of
parliamentary government, liberty of conscience, and the Throne as
established by law, and Your Lordship’s course, in the discharge of
the duties of your high office, has commanded general confidence,
and amply vindicated the wisdom of our Sovereign’s choice.
But it is to Your Lordship, as the eldest son of the Chief of our
Clan, that we desire to address ourselves on this occasion. Most of
us have never seen the land of our sires, and some amongst us have
but the dimmest recollection of it, but neither lapse of time nor
separation from Scotland has destroyed our respect and attachment to
the House of Argyll. In this distant land, where we have all
prospered, we still rejoice in the name we bear, and in the stirring
memories which it recalls; and the clustering honours which your
noble ancestors and other distinguished clansmen have heaped upon it
will afford us, we hope, additional incentives to honourable life
and action.
We may not tender you the expression of the fealty and devotion with
which in times past our fathers served “MacChaillan More,” but the
motto on your arms is still our guide, and we have forgotten none of
those traditions of our race which bind us to your illustrious
House.
We wish the Princess and yourself health and happiness during your
sojourn in Canada, and to Your Lordship, a long and distinguished
career in the service of the Empire.
You can download the
Address here in pdf format which
contains a list of all the Campbells who are listed. |
