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"Party is the madness of the
many for the gain of the few." —SIR JOHN A. MACDONALD.
FOR some years after the
first settlement, the Zorra pioneers took little interest in politics. What
with clearing the forest, "ploughing, sowing, reaping and mowing," they had
hard work to provide food and clothes for themselves and their children. In
Parliament there scarcely existed what we now call partyism. The
politicians, acting upon the principle that the "State belongs to the
Statesman," were occupied in gobbling up as much of the land as possible at
a shilling an acre.
There was but one voting
place for the whole county. This was at an hotel called "Martin's old
stand," near Beachville. It was open voting; the election lasted for five
days, and feeling ran high. During the election, free meals and liquor were
supplied by each candidate to his friends. Barrels of whiskey were placed
near the polling booth ; pails, dippers, and little tin cups were supplied
in abundance, and as may be easily imagind, the consequent scenes were far
from edifying. The wonder is that under such circumstances the consequences
were not even more serious. But the typical Highlander, although never
chargeable with lack of courage, is not disposed to fisticuffs. This is too
small game for him, and if he fight at all, he aims at killing "twa at a
blow."
A Highlander and an Irishman
fell out and began to quarrel. Instantly the Irishman's coat was off. "Tut!
tut! " said Donald. "Pe quate, and we will jaw it for a while."
But while personal encounters
were not so frequent as under the circumstances might be expected, the
poverty and degradation caused by strong drink were very great. In Britain's
battles, from the days of old down to Dargai Heights, the Highlander has
taken his full share of fighting and honors, and he has proved himself able
to hold his own "man tae man the world ocr;" but alas, there is one enemy
that has time and again, in Zorra and elsewhere, proved more than a match
for him—the enemy that gurgles out of the neck of a black bottle.
Cheap as whiskey was in those
pioneer days it was frequently hard to get, for the money was not there. A
poor old woman, who was very fond of a dram, sent her daughter round to
Sandy's bar for a gill. As she sent no money, but only a promise to pay next
morning, the girl came back without the whiskey, and reported that the
tavern keeper would not give it to her without the cash. The woman had no
money, but she told the girl to give the family Bible as security till the
next morning. Even that was refused. When this was reported to the old lady
she exclaimed, "What will I do when he'll neither tak my word nor the Word
of God for a gill of whiskey?"
"Bring out Jeroboam," said
the head of a house when a friend called, meaning a jug of whiskey. But why
was the whiskey jug called "Jeroboam"? Because it was "Jeroboarn, the son of
Nebat, who made Israel to sin." Thus the Highlander, with a native religious
instinct, confessed his fault while he indulged the sin.
It was in the thirties. Mr.
Ayers was driving a flourishing, hotel business in Embro. The political
contest was between Peter Carroll and Robert Rollo Hunter. Mr. Ayers each
day drove a four-horse sleigh, loaded with voters, to "Martin's old stand,"
the place of voting. There was always a piper on board, who skirled away the
music that never fails to inspire the Highland heart. They had cast their
votes, and were "na fou, but juist had plenty." The four- horse team had
been left standing for hours in the shelter of a log house. In this domicile
lived two bachelors, who, for various reasons, were notoriously unpopular.
Indeed it was whispered that these men did not distinguish between their
neighbors' hen roosts and their own. On this occasion a wag played a cruel
practical joke on the bachelor brothers.
While the sleigh stood beside
the house, an enemy found a couple of logging chains, fastened them securely
together, then attached one end very carefully to both cross beams of the
sleigh; then the other end was attached to the top log and roof of the
shanty. The chain was carefully concealed with snow. Well, the time came for
the Zorra boys to start for home. They had the Deoch an doras (drink of the
door, that is, the last drink). "All aboard!" There was a rush, and soon all
found a place, in various postures, in the long sleigh-box. "Hurrah! Whip!
Crack! Get up! " With a bound the horses dashed forward, but in an instant
came to a standstill. The driver, knowing nothing of his attachment, struck
up again with more vigor, and in less time than it takes me to write it, the
topmost log of the shanty, accompanied by the roof, lay on the ground.
When, with bunting flying,
pipes screaming, and twenty free and independent electors shouting, the
sleigh reached Embro, there was a hot time in the old village that night.
Every man, woman and child turned out, and long and loud was the cheering
when it was announced that Hunter (Embro's favorite) was ahead. But next
night the news came that Carroll was ahead. The third night Hunter's
majority was seventy, and he kept the lead to the end, much to the
satisfaction of the Zorra men.
The first Parliament of Upper
Canada was elected in 1792, and was held at Niagara. I can find no trace of
any representative of Oxford in the first or second Parliament, but in the
third Parliament, 1800-1804, Oxford, along with Norfolk and Middlesex, was
represented by Hon. D. W. Smith.
From 1804 to 1812 Oxford and
Middlesex were represented by one man—Benaiah Malory.
From 1812 to 1820 by Mahlon
Burwell.
From 1820 to 1840 the
elections resulted as follows: 1820, Thos. Homer; 1824, Thos. Homer and
Chas. Ingersoll; 1828, Homer and Malcolm; in 1830, Chas. Ingersoll and Chas.
Duncombe; in 1835, Chas. Duncombe and Robt. Alway.
Duncombe having left the
country, there was a contest, as we have seen, for his seat, between Robert
Rollo Hunter and Peter Carroll, resulting in the election of the former.
After the union of Upper and
Lower Canada, in 1840, Oxford was represented by Francis Hincks, afterwards
Sir Francis Hincks.
In 1844 Mr. Robert Riddell
was elected, and in 1848 Peter Carroll and Hon. F. Hincks.
In 1849 Lord Elgin was egged,
and the parliament building in Montreal burned. There was great excitement
throughout the country.
In 1851 Hon. F. Hincks was
elected; after which the county was divided into two ridings —North and
South Oxford.
In 1854 the north riding was
represented by D. Matheson, Esq., of Embro, and the south riding by Hon. F.
Hincks.
In 1858 Hon. Geo. Brown, of
Toronto, was elected for the north riding, and also for Toronto, and decided
to sit for Toronto. Then the constituency was represented by Wm. McDougall.
In 1861 the north riding
re-elected Wm. McDougall, and the south riding Dr. Connor; and on the demise
of Dr. Connor, Hon. Geo. Brown became representative for South Oxford.
In 1863 the north riding was
represented by Hope F. McKenzie, of Sarnia, and the south riding by Hon.
Geo. Brown.
In 1867 the north riding
elected Thos. Oliver, of Woodstock, as its representative.
In 1872 Thos. Oliver was
again returned for North Oxford, by acclamation, and E. V. Bodwell for South
Oxford.
In 1874 Thos. Oliver was
returned a third time for North Oxford, and Col. Jas. A. Skinner for South
Oxford.
In 1880, on the death of the
late Thos. Oliver, the present member, James Sutherland, became member for
North Oxford. Since then Mr. Sutherland has been elected four times, and
each time by an increased majority.
The election of Hon.
(afterwards Sir) Francis Hincks, in 1851, was perhaps one of the most
exciting contests ever witnessed in the county. The "Clergy Reserve"
question and the "Separate School" question were up, and a great deal of
religious feeling was aroused. The writer has now before him one of the
campaign sheets of the time. It is a large poster, eighteen inches by
twelve. The head-lines are in very large letters, and the whole get-up quite
sensational. For clear ringing denunciation of a political opponent this
electioneering document would be hard to beat. Here it is as far as it can
be exhibited on our small page:
"ATTENTION!
"REFORMERS!!
"Hincks, the traitor to Reform
Principles, and his Office-hunting friends have reported that Scatcherd will
resign. This is false!
"Scatcherd cannot resign!
"400
"Free and Independent
Electors have signed his Requisition, and he is pledged to go to the polls.
He is opposed to tax the people $800,000 a year to pay the 'Interest' on
money for a railroad from Quebec to Halifax, for the benefit of Lower
Canada.
"Electors of Oxford! Can you
vote for Hincks, who has falsified every promise, and betrayed your dearest
interests?
"Who voted against the
Marriage Bill? Hincks.
"Who voted against the
Rectory Bill? Hincks.
"Who voted against the Clergy
Reserves Bill? Hincks.
"Who is patron of the
fifty-seven Rectories? Hincks.
"Who said you persecuted the
English Church? Hincks.
"Who turned Merrit and
Malcolm Cameron out of the Executive Council? Hincks.
"Who supports Sectarian
Schools? Hincks.
"Who said Upper Canada
Reformers were a set or Pharisaical Brawlers? Dr. Taché, one of the new
Ministry.
"Who got $7,000 to pay for
dinners given in Montreal, and called it 'extra services'? Hincks.
"Who voted $8o,000 of your
money to repair the Governor's residence in Quebec? Hincks.
"Who spent $3 50,000 to
remove the seat of Government? Hincks.
"Who voted $300,000 last year
to pay for the Administration of Justice? Hincks.
"Who divided the County?
Hincks.
"REFORMERS!—AWAKE.
"Record your votes for
Scatcherd, for his Election must be secured. Read his Address. He is a
Farmer, and a resident of your county. His Interest is yours.
"Mr. Hincks has received a
Requisition from the County of Kent, to run in opposition to Mr. George
Brown, and has accepted it.
"November 18, 1851."
Strange that after such a
fusilade Hincks was triumphantly elected!
A Zorra man who is still
living, speaking of the excitement of this election, says: "They axed me how
I was going to vote. I said I would vote for ------; and as soon as the word
was out of my mouth the blood was out of my nose." This was voting solid!
How did the early elections
compare with those of to-day? As we have already clearly shown, they were
not ideal. We wish we could say:
"Then none were for the party,
then all were for the state;
Then the great man helped the poor, and the poor man loved the great
'Then spoils were fairly portioned, then lands were fairly sold,
And the Romans were like brothers in the brave days of old."
In the olden times, as
to-day, whiskey was the foe of everything pure and good. The fact also of
there being only one polling place in the county, and the open voting,
helped greatly to increase the excitement.
But notwithstanding the
excitement and excesses of the early elections, they were conducted in a
manner immeasurably more pure and honorable than some similar campaigns in
our time. Are not our politics rapidly degenerating into a very cesspool of
corruption? The boodling and bribery, the frauds and corruption which have
characterized many recent elections, are enough to bring the blush of shame
to the cheek of every honest Canadian. Occasionally we have an election
trial, and then, although only a corner of the covering is raised, we see
something of the seething mass of corruption underneath. And yet how seldom
do we hear the ring of genuine, honest indignation against political
corruption, except when it hurts "our party" or "our man."
What is the remedy? The
remedy lies largely with the Church. Unless the Church throws off her
indifference, arouses herself to cry aloud and spare not, the cancer will
spread. Legislation can do something; and by all means let good laws be
sought—laws that will make it as easy as possible to do right, and as
difficult as possible to do wrong. But legislation can deal only with
environment. The Divine Spirit alone, working upon the hearts of men, can
create and foster a love of righteousness, and a hatred of iniquity.
We may change the tariff,
reform the finances, prohibit the liquor traffic, obtain better Sunday laws,
enact severest laws against bribery, kill off. the monopolies, and shake off
the bosses, but unless the electors enthrone Jesus Christ in the politics of
the land, there will soon be as much oppression, dishonesty, intemperance,
and corruption as ever. Radical and lasting reform must begin in the heart.
"Let Glasgow flourish by the preaching of the Word," said John Knox. So we
say of Zorra, Oxford, Canada. Men of God, arise!
"Perish policy and cunning!
Perish all that fears the light
Whether losing, whether winning,
'Trust in God and do the right.'
"Trust no party, sect, or
faction;
Trust no leaders in the fight;
But in every word and action
'Trust in God and do the right."
As soil, shower, and sunshine
can make more flowers and fragrance than all the chemists, so God's Word and
Spirit can effect more in moral reforms and human regeneration than all
human legislation. Let every Christian patriot therefore proclaim the
glorious truth that Christianity is not a mere sentiment, or a system of
cold abstractions, but a power that shows itself grandly in the domestic,
the social, the political life of a people. It ennobles every department of
life, making the polling booth as sacred as the prayer meeting, and the act
of voting an act of worship. |
