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The Scot in New France (1535-1880)


Later on, when the ashes of insurrection were still hot, and the commonwealth required a firm but humane hand to allay civic strife, another Scot—a descendant of the Bruce—James, Earl of Elgin, was sent out. This * brilliant orator and successful statesman lived to see his arduous mission on Canadian soil rewarded by his Sovereign ; high diplomatic functions were entrusted to him in China and Japan ; his courage and foresight, on the breaking out of the Indian mutiny in 1857, by daring in the nick of time, to divert from China the British expeditionary forces sent out and ordering them to Calcutta, ‘twas thought, saved India to England.

In September, 1851, in company with a much respected friend, F. X. Garneau, the Canadian historian, and a crowd of guests invited to the Boston Jubilee, it was our good fortune to attend the great civic entertainment tendered in the Boston Common, by the hospitable city Government of Boston to Lord Elgin his Cabinet and twenty thousand guests. Though several of the master minds of the Great Republic. Hon. Daniel Webster, Hon. Mr. Everett, Mr. Putnam and others, entranced their many hearers by their powerful or graceful oratory, we can yet recall the sentiments of pleasure with which the audience, and of pride, with which ourselves in particular, listened to the flowing periods of our Vice-Roy. It was not the first, it was not the last triumph his eloquence achieved on United States Territory.

His able biographer furnishes the following anecdote: "Some years afterwards, says Walrond, when speaking of these festivities, the Mayor of Buffalo said: "Never shall I forget the admiration elicited by Lord Elgin’s beautiful speech on that occasion. Upon the American visitors (who it must be confessed, do not look for the highest order of intellect in the appointees of the Crown) the effect was amusing. A sterling Yankee friend, while the Governor was speaking, sat by my side, and occasionally gave vent to his feelings as the spech progressed, each sentence increasing in beauty and eloquence, by such approving exclamations as "He’s a glorious fellow! He ought to be on our side of the line! We would make him mayor of our city!" As some new burst of eloquence breaks from the speaker’s lips, my worthy friend exclaims "How magnificently he talks! Yes, by George! we'd make him governor, governor of the State!" As the noble Earl, by some brilliant hit, carries the assemblage with a full round of applause, "Ah !" cries my Yankee friend, with a hearty slap on my shoulder, by Heaven, if he were on our side, we’d make him President—nothing less than President !"

(LETTERS AND JOURNALS of James, Eighth Earl of Elgin, edited by Theodore Walrond, C. B., 1873. P. 160. (See Appendix Letter G.)


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