Document Information

Date: 1896-06-24
By: Jean Chapais
Citation: Letter from Jean Chapais to Charles Tupper (24 June 1896).
Other formats: Click here to view the original document (PDF).

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Private

Hon. J. Chapais
Quebec June the 24th

The honourable

Sir Charles Tupper, [illegible]
Secretary of State
Ottawa

Dear Sir,

I am just arriving from Kamouraska where after the fiercest battle, we are beaten by eleven votes. I need not tell you how deeply affected I am by the dreadful blow that our partly has received. For me the most painful feature of the campaign is the shameful conduct of the province of Quebec. You should have been sustained here by a majority of twenty; you are beaten by thirty.

Allow me to tender to you the opinion of my admiration for the grand and noble fight you have made in the defence of our cause. You ought to have received another reward. The only consolation left to your friends here is that they did their best

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to give you the victory.

Now, shall I be permitted to tell you a word about Sir Hector. I don’t know if your hands are tied at the present moment. If the precedent of 1878 can be followed, you are free to appoint judges, senators, etc. I think Mr. Angers could be elevated to the bench and Sir Hector appointed to his seat in the Senate. It would be only a justice done to an old statesman, and nobody could take objection to that. My dear Sir Charles, I leave that matter into your hands, trusting that you won’t forget your old colleague and devoted friend and won’t let him remain out of Parliament if you can help it. It seems to be the last thing that his party can do for him. Sir Hector has been unfairly treated at one time, and it would be a dark spot in the history of the party, if nothing was done for him. Believe me, my dear Sir Charles

Your devoted servant

Jean Chapais.