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Date: 1864-08-06
By: Montreal Gazette
Citation: “The Parliamentary Excursion to the Maritime Provinces,” Montreal Gazette (6 August 1864)
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THE PARLIAMENTARY EXCURSION TO THE MARITIME PROVINCES

(Editorial Correspondence)

Portland, Aug. 4^th.

A long train left Montreal last night en route for St. John, via this pretty seaport of our Maine. There were on board about fifty legislators and others bound upon the excursion, which gives promise now of success.

The crops as we came along the stiff clay lands seemed in places very poor; the ground appeared to be baked, and lacking in verdure; but as we got into the uplands nearing Richmond, we found promise of better crops, in fact the damage done by the drought seemed inconsiderable. The scenery with its beautiful alternations of hill and dale, cultivated land and woodland, charmed those who had not before passed through the picturesque value of the St. Francis by day, while those who like myself, had grown somewhat familiar with it renewed with ever fresh pleasure our acquaintance with the beauties we had so often seen before. As usual there was grumbling with the refreshments provided at Richmond and as usual there was a hurry scurry at supper and at examining baggage at Island Pond, but we got on very comfortably—the grumble over. A gentle rain fell during nearly the whole night, but this morning the rain has ceased and we have prospect of fine weather.

The number of persons who have reported here or intimated their intention of coming are about 18 members of the Assembly and about 20 members of the fourth estate, besides 30 to 40 other gentlemen. I enclose a list as complete as I can make it up this morning:—

Legislative Council—Hon. Sir. N. F. Belleau, Hon. Messrs. Ferrier, Donald McDonald, H. Boulton, P. H. Moore, Rob. Read, Samuel Mills, A. A. Burnham, A. Vidal, Walter McUrea, J. O. Bureau, A. B. Foster, E. Leonard, D. Reesor, W. H. Chaffers, J. B. G. Proulx, Olivier Blake, J. S. Sanborn.

Legislative Assembly—Hon. T. D. McGee, Hon. J. Cauchon, Hon. John Rose, Hon. M. Laframboise, H. E. Taschereau, G. Perrault, J. S. Smith, A. Wright, L. Archarnbault, J. O. Beaubien, H. Munro, A. Dufresne, J. H. Bellerose, A. Walsh, A. Mackellar, T. Scatcherd, A. Gagnon, M. Fortier, T.C. Wallbridge, W. Ferguson, Jas. Cowan, L. Burwell, Wm. F. Powell, Samuel Aut, R. Bell (Lanark), W. H. Webb, J. H. Poulin, John Pouport, J. S. Ross, Mr. Jones [North Leeds], Jones [South Leeds], T. D. McConkey, F. W. Chambers.

The Press—Of the press, there will be present as Editors or accredited representatives of the following journals: —

Mr. Chamberlin, Montreal Gazette; Mr. Macaulay, Journal de Quebec; Mr. Penny, Montreal Herald; Mr. Ferguson, Kingston Whig; Mr. Dawson, Quebec Gazette; Mr. Duvernay, Montreal Minerve; Mr. Harcourt, Toronto Glove; Mr. O’Brien, Quebec Canadien; Montreal Witness; Mr. Belford, Toronto Leader; Mr. Barthe, Sorel Gazette; Mr. Miller, Montreal Evening Telegraph; Mr. Caldwell, London Prototype; Mr. Law, Hamilton Spectator; Mr. Willy, Brockville Recorder, Cobourg Sentinel; Mr. Tyner, Hamilton Times; Mr. Columbier, La France, Paris; Mr. Begg, Quebec Mercury.

Besides the gentlemen above named, a few other gentlemen from the professional and commercial classes have, from their official position or connection with the Lower Provinces, been also invited, and accepted the invitation.

Private List—Judge Maguire, F. G. Johnson, Q. C, Mayor of Cobourg, L. Renaud jr., Rev. J. Ellegood, J. Shaw, jr. Mayor of Sherbrooke, F. D. Fulford, L. A. Grenier, J. Daintry, jr. Dr. Beatty, J. Sache, H. J. Hubertus, E. Rawtings, Dr. Hington, J. Lacoste, A. M. Delisle, Dr. Macdonnell, Charles E. Belle, N. P., W. H. Hinsworth, Wm. B. Lindsay, Adolphe Caron, Herbert Smith, John Thompson, Hugh McGill, Henry Judah, J. H. Daley, J. O’Neil, James A. Greer, Thomas Workman, Wm. Workman, Josh. Mitcheson, J. Fyffe King, P. Macfarlane, Rev. J. Irwin, A. Robertson, Q. C. John Duggan, Q. C. Sheriff Hall, W. T. Wood, D. R. Murphy, A. J. Charlton.

A deputation are here from St. Johns waiting to take care of us, and furnished us with the following credentials: —

Saint John, N. B., 30^th July, 1864

Sir.—I am instructed by the Committee organized for the reception of members of the Canadian Legislature, to transmit to you a copy of a resolution passed at a meeting held by them on the 27^th instant, and, further, that this communication will be presented to you by James O. Harding, Esq. High Sheriff of the city and county of St. John, and formerly Speaker of the House of Assembly, who, with Lachlan Donaldson, Esq, President of the Chamber of Commerce, will leave by boat on the 1^st August for Portland, to be in time to meet you there, where you embark for this city, and to extend and welcome to you and your co-legislators on behalf of this committee and the city of St. John.

I have honor to remain
Your obedient servant,
John W. Cudlip,
Secretary of the Committee,

Hon. T. D’Arcy McGee

“At a meeting of the Committee organized for the reception of the members of the Canadian Legislature, held on the 27^th July, 1864, it was resolved unanimously that James O Harding, Esq., High Sheriff of the city and county of St. John, and Lachlan Donaldson, Esq, be requested to proceed to Portland on Monday next to meet the members of the Canadian Legislature intending to embark there for this city, and that they extend to them a welcome in behalf of this committee and the inhabitants of the city of Saint John.”