The Herald – 1878.02.23 – Letter from Johnville and from Mr. Magee – #17

LETTER FROM JOHNVILLE

To the Editor of the HERALD

Dear Sir,– In these letters we are certainly anxious to give credit to whom credit is due, to be just to every one and all thins to all men, but when public men, whose acts are public property, fail to come up to our reasonable and just expectations as far as Johnville especially is concerned, we feel it our duty to point out their short-comings.

We can look back with no small amount of satisfaction to the happy relations that existed between us and our [quondam] representative, Mr. Munroe, who to us always acted the part of the good samaritan ; when we were poor and in need he did not pass us by, but came to our assistance. We regret not being able to express ourselves thus warmly with regard to Mr. Lindsay. He may have a considerable share of legislative ability, if so it is latent ; and he may have in his nature some of the milk of human kindness, but if so it is very much skimmed.

Anybody having the curiosity to know what it costs a man to be elected in Carleton County we would advise them to consult Mr. Lindsay. However, deficient he may be on other subjects, he understands, from personal experience, all about County elections and costs, as well as the next man. We entertained the hope that after having paid so dearly [for] the place, position, distinction, seal, etc., saying nothing of the honor and the whistle, that he would be permitted to enjoy and wear his honors in peace and quietness. It was not so to, be however. By his daring to aspire so high, being only a mechanic, and trespassing upon the Connell demesne, he had provoked the ire of the Connell faction, Charlie declared something has got to be done. It is not often that Greek meets Greek, they did however meet in Woodstock, this time sure, and then came the tug of war.

On declaration day Connell protested against Lindsay’s election on the plea of bribery and corruption. A scrutiny was commenced which continued for years, and though considered by most as frivolous and vexatious, might have been kept up until both parties would have been reduced to the peculiar condition of the two cats, and nothing remain except the tails, had it not been for the fortunate and timely resignation of Mr. Munroe. The scrutiny was then dropped. Mr. Connell saw his star appear again rising up beautifully in the distance.

At the next election, to fill up the vacancy, Mr. Connell was a candidate. There was no strong man to oppose him, and because the people, who generally are forgiving, thought him sufficiently punished, decided to give him another trial. He was elected by a respectable majority. He did not disappoint the people this time and proved his conversion to be sincere. The years he spent in retreat and retirement gave him time to think and study, and pointed out to him the folly of the past and the wisdom of adopting a more prudent and less arrogant policy in future.

After a time he entered the Government, and got the office of Surveyor General, which he held until Confederation, when his ambition drew all his thoughts to Ottawa, and where he cut a sorry figure, as was to be expected. It is said that whilst at the head of the Crown Land Department he devoted his attention to the duties, and managed the affairs as well as had been done before or since, which may not be saying very much. As far as we were concerned, here in Johnville, we had no reason to find fault. He appeared to be disposed to do us justice if no more, and we asked no more, nor would we be put off with less. Certainly he was prompt in forwarding our grants. If at any time there was confusion or any misunderstanding between us and the office it was caused by the blunderings of the Parish Commissioner, and his selfish untruthful and unreliable returns and reports. At one time an injustice was near being done to a very worthy man in Johnville, all the work of his same commissioner, and would have been done too if Mr. Connell had not been warned of the consequences of such an unjust act, who when he saw there no other alternative, appointed a disinterested party to investigate the matter and report to the office, which when done it was seen clearly by the department that they [been led] into error by the dishonest returns made by their own officer. The consequence was that the commissioner was deprived [of] all authority, as far as Johnville was concerned, and Mr. Cummins was appointed in his place. If Mr. Connell did this it was to avoid exposure, and because he knew he had independent electors to deal with, who would submit to no humbug from his hands.

When we saw this Mr. Giberson’s manner of doing business, we concluded that if many other commissioners under the Labor Act, in other Parishes and counties, managed things in the same way it could be no matter of surprise if the condition of things in the Crown Land Office in Fredericton would be confusion twice confused.

Yours, &c.,
– MONQUART

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The Herald – 1878.02.16 – Letter from Johnville – Government Members – #15

LETTER FROM JOHNVILLE

To the Editor of the HERALD

Dear Sir,– If Mr. Connell’s name appears often in these letters, it is as much necessity as choice, on account of the prominent position he occupied and being so long identified with the County matters, his peculiar views and principles, and last but not least, his peculiar style and manner as a speaker, giving a person to believe that there is some trouble in Talleyrand’s definition of language “ a gift by means of which a man can conceal his thoughts.” For the race only three entered, Munroe came in first, closely followed by Lindsay, and Connell last, sixty behind, and dead beat, dead as a mitten, as one of our great men would express it. If there had been no Johnville, Connell might have been saved by the skin of his teeth, in the words of the same great man, who also was a friend of Connell’s and worked with him in the same government train, but was not a reliable sort of animal, trickish, sulky and inclined to bolt, the only cure for which was to keep a thistle under his tail. Some tried to explain the cause of Connell’s loss, by the stupidity of the jockey, who carried the weights in his pocket at one particular place in the course, when he should have paid out more freely, be that as it may, and whatever was the cause it was well done. Artemas Ward and his wife Betsy, and I too would say it was well done. We got better for worse, and let no person be surprised if we try to show the man up to nature if not to grace.

In Mr. Munroe, Carleton Co., found an excellent representative. Having the instincts of a gentleman, being kind and considerate, courteous, approachable and patient, intelligent and industrious, the representative and not the master of the people, knowing the wants and understanding the interest of the County, and giving to them his undivided attention, it is not surprising that he gave general satisfaction or that it was a real pleasure to meet him on matters of business. During the few years he represented the County, he was indefatigable in his efforts to establish order where all had been confusion. The interest of all were attended to an nothing was neglected.

One of his first acts, as a representative, and for which kind consideration we shall be for ever grateful, was to suggest the necessity and propriety of petitioning the Government for money to improve the roads in Johnville. The suggestion was acted on, the petition prepared, numerously signed, and put into Mr. Munroe’s charge. Through his influence four hundred dollars were ordered, and paid in instalments, one hundred dollars every year, for four years. These facts and occurrences we write from memory and not from notes, and in matters of any consequence we forget nothing, so concerned were we, from the commencement, in the interests of the settlement. To form any idea of the benefits that that money, small as it may appear, was to the place and to the people you should be in Johnville and know what was its then condition. The roads were needed, and the little money was as much needed. Of this money all got a reasonable share, when they worked for it, and no one man got a monopoly. Mr. Munroe, unfortunately for the County, did not continue long in politics. To the very great regret of his many friends, and it was looked upon generally as a calamity, he resigned his seat in the Legislature, for the office of County Register, vacant by the death of Mr. Beedel. Mr. Munroe retired with a good record, he had done his duty, did it well, gave general satisfaction, was then and is yet the most popular man in Carleton County.

Johnville always supported Wm. Lindsay, and, he polled a larger vote here than any other candidate, every time, yet we never could see any benefit he was to the settlement more than the others. About the only credit we can give him is that he was neither good nor harm, one thing certain, in matters in which our interests were concerned, he never took the initiative, but left that for his colleague, or the priest, to do, so that if brought to book, he could say it was not his act. Indeed it would be only as a last alternative if people troubled him in any case. He never read Chesterfield and had no manners, and all understood the reception they might expect from such an uncultivated boor, “ yez is ever axing something, yez is. “ And who could pity a people when they put themselves into the hands of such men. But strange to say he always tried to claim credit for work done by his Colleagues, when all he did was not to forbid the thing being done. Lindsay never, to our recollection, presided at an election here himself, his man Friday from Woodstock, always represented him, others do the same and likely will so continue until the end. We have only one of Lindsay’s visits to Johnville on record, and even then very few saw him. Speaking of it on the floor of the of the House, a pet expression of his, he said he arrived there on a sheep skin, but he did not explain and the world does not yet know if ht skin was on the sheep’s back, in a horse’s back or on a cedar rail, a very important matter to know. He boasts too of the roads he made and bridges he built in Johnville, and the good people in their natural politeness, who knew all about it, listen with patience, to him who knows nothing whatever, they thank him and say naboklish. Lindsay is now in the Legislative Council, up stairs and beyond the reach of the people. Well, there is one gentleman in the family. By his last act, before leaving the people forever, he showed the cloven foot. He voted for the Orange bill which he was too cowardly to do sooner, and to add insult to all his other [impertinences], his answer to his Catholic friends, on his return home was “ Yez can’t elect nob’dy, yez can’t.” This is the Lindsay who talks so much about four dollars to the pound, legislating for all alike, &c. He is from Derry, God help us, is over forty years in America, and what he is here, likely he was there, and vice versa. “ coslum, non animum, mutant, qui trans mare currunt.”

Yours, &c.,
– MONQUART

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The Herald – 1878.02.09 – Letter from Johnville – Charles Connell – #13

LETTER FROM JOHNVILLE

To the Editor of the HERALD

Dear Sir,– The result of the election, to which I adverted in my last letter, Charles Connell’s defeat, was a surprise, and such a surprise as was never before known in this County The fervent prayers and the persevering efforts of the independent party were crowned with success, and they had the satisfaction of seeing their most sanguine hopes even more than realized. To the men of honor and to all the lovers of truth, consistency, and good principle in this County, it was a relief to be freed from such an incubus. It was pardonable in them, and they intended no injury or insult to their country, if they felt and manifested the joy the did feel that this big imposition, who represented only himself, and who so often had gone up like a rocket, had at last come down a burnt stick, “sic transit gloria mundi.” The public mind was scarcely prepared for such a consummation. That this would-be King of the County, who in imagination, held the County in the palm of his hand, and in his inflated idea of his own stars with his lofty head, and who had wielded so long such almost undisputed sway, was not only in his last agony, but was actually politically dead, was a [consumation] hard to realize. It was only when Johnville – the most remote polling place – could be heard from that the fate of the day would be known. From four until nine o’clock were hours of anxiety and painful suspense. The hour came and with it the decision ; but brought no comfort to Charlie. This time fortune was against him. He had been put in the balance, found wanting, and was left out in the cold. The two seats in the gift of the people were given to the two strangers. David Munroe and Wm. Lindsay, and Connell they made their own of, though he, too, would much prefer to enjoy the privilege of a stranger. He was unequal to the occasion, and presented a picture woe-begone such as eye never before rested on. Unable to bear the evidence of agreeable surprise in the faces of those who surrounded him, he made a bee-line for home, to bury his disappointment in the sudden shock, inconsolable grief department. The Goliath of the Philistines was brought low by a stone from David’s sling.

People have different ways of burying grief, some meet it in a Christian spirit, with fortitude and resignation ; some find comfort in prayer, and others in wine ; but our friend Charlie had recourse to the orange and blue. From that day he became a true blue, and identified himself with the orange organization and their public meetings and processions. It was all a matter of taste, however, and who cared? It pleased him and hurt nobody.

If political matters had assumed a new attitude in Carleton County, for that new phase of the County should thank Johnville, which on that occasion was, and at any future day may be, a balance of power in the County. Mr. Connell was not the only man whom Johnville wakened up from their dreams of ambition. When Mr. White had grown to such dimensions that our Local Legislature was too small for hi, and undertook to go to Ottawa with first-class men, Johnville abandoned him, and, consequently, he lost Fredericton and Ottawa and it served him right. Be it remembered, by all whom it may concern, that in 1870 Wm. Lindsay polled 104 votes in Johnville. These votes, and more too, are here yet, and are worth looking after. We work for the men who work for us, and when we vote, we vote as one man, and our numbers tell. Mr. Connell had been in politics for, perhaps, twenty years and had always been successful in his elections. His political record was peculiar, as his policy was peculiar to never say what he thought or think what he said. He attended every public meeting ; spoke on every subject; would deny all he said, and could not easily be contradicted, his manner being so studiedly confused.

At one time, and when his vote was needed by the party with which he appeared to work, he accepted a seat in the Legislative Council, and his friends were disappointed when they saw his coat-tails disappearing up-stairs. The new position did not suit him, he soon tired of it, and yearned to return to his old place in the popular branch. The ostensible reason given for his change of mind, was the good of the County, the interests of the people; but the real motive was self, and to represent himself. At another period of his history he was a member of the Executive, and was head of the Post Office department in the Fisher Administration. He was said to have worked harmoniously in the Government team, with the Shetland pony and the Nashwauk split-hoof, especially when he had his nose in the mail-bag; but was stript of his colors and drummed out on account of his vain attempt, in his modesty, to have the Queen’s face superseded by his own, on the postage stamps.

Mr. Connell as a citizen and a resident was a most amiable and exemplary man; but as a politician he was not a success.
Yours, &c.,
– MONQUART

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The Herald – 1878.02.02 – Letter from Johnville – Charles Connell – #11

LETTER FROM JOHNVILLE

To the Editor of the HERALD

Dear Sir,– Whilst we freely admit and gratefully acknowledge the uniform kindness, courteous manner and evident good will of the Government towards us, we regret not being able to say as much for some of our County members, to whom we now pay our respects, as promised in our first letter.

Every person in this County, with the exception of Charles Connell, County Member, whom we heard speak on the subject of Johnville, approved of the movement, but the Parish of Kent especially, hailed with delight the arrival among them of so many honest, industrious people to take possession of the wilderness lands, even if they were Catholics. Those who saw the Monquart in 1861 and now see the number of neat, tasty dwellings, the well-filled country stores, and the general improvement in the neighborhood, can from some idea of the benefit Johnville has been t the Parish of Kent and how it has added to its importance financially and politically.

When the Government, to encourage colonization proposed to survey and reserve blocks of land for companies or societies, on certain conditions, they never imagined, perhaps that Catholics would try to avail themselves of the privilege. Glassville and Knowlesville, in this County, were established under this arrangement, which was all perfectly correct and regular, and Charles Connell approved and fund no fault, but the moment Johnville came into existence, precisely on the same terms as the places just named, then he was danger coming up in the distance ; jumped up on his Protestant horse and raised the hue and cry, the country in danger ; the Government giving the people’s land to the Roman Catholics and their Bishop, but his horse soon pitched him body and sleeves into the mud, from which it took him three years to extricate himself. Id did him good, however, and he was never so arrogant or self-sufficient after. If Mr. Connell expected to make political capital by conduct so unaccountably strange, he counted without his host. A course so [inconsistant] was unpardonable. The act was his own and he had to meet the consequence. His offence was serious ; the punishment came quick ; it came sure and was crushing when it came.

If our memory serves us we had a general election in the summer of 1864. The three [canditates] for this County were Chas. Connell, (an old stager) Wm. Lindsay and D. Munroe, both new men. Myself and a few others from Johnville, through curiosity and other motives or reasons, went to Woodstock on nomination day to see the elephant and hear the speeches. Mr. Connell was the first to address the electors. From what he said, and his manner of saying it, we concluded speech-making was not his [speciality]. In giving an account of himself, ventilating things generally and Johnville matters particularly, he occupied about an hour. There being no seats, we found it pretty hard to stand such a speech. He apologised more than once. feared he was trying peoples’ patience. We were of the same opinion ourselves. Any man of discernment, looking at him on that platform, judging from his manner and appearance, would at once mark him as that kind of individual known to English politicians as a rat, and that on a large scale. His speech was a curiosity. He spoke of his peculiar views and principles, which were well-known, had been carried on the “wings of the press” and scattered “broad cast” over the country. But the burden of his speech was an attack on the Government with reference to their management of the Crown Lands, and for which they would be called to an account on the floor of the House.

Mr. Lindsay came next. He disapproved of Mr. Connell’s remarks as far as Johnville and the Government was concerned. Would go for equal rights to all; would legislate for the whole and not merely a section of the people; no people should be proscribed on account of country or creed, and every honest industrious man, who came into the country and paid four dollars to the pound, was an acquisition to the country and should be encouraged. Mr. Munroe’s address was good, and it was short, but that was not its only merit. It made a good impression and popular favor took a turn in his direction. The result of the election will be matter for my next letter.
Yours,
– MONQUART

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The Herald – 1878.01.26 – Letter from Johnville – History – #8

LETTER FROM JOHNVILLE

To the Editor of the HERALD

Dear Sir,– So far we had reason to feel grateful for the success attending our efforts, and thankful for the opportune assistance and encouragement given when needed, and when we showed a disposition to help ourselves. We succeeded with the school and the post office much sooner and easier than we had expected, and began to see that our lives were not case in unpleasant places.

The next thing, in order, was a church. Stations in private house are never satisfactory, even under the most favourable circumstances, they are always, more or less, an inconvenience to many, and as familiarity breeds contempt, it is only when there is no other alternative that such a system can be permitted or tolerated.

In the summer of 1863 the congregation had become such that the largest house in Johnville could not half accommodate them, for that reason, for the decency of religion, and the respect due to it, a church had become an absolute necessity, and a determined move had to be made in that direction. To secure the land was the first step to be taken. Application was made to the Crown Land Office, for a lot of one hundred acres, suitably situated. According to orders, and without delay, the lot was offered at public sale and purchased for four dollars, the set up price. No competition or opposition was offered, nor was such feared, the purchaser being obliged to build a church, which was the condition of sale. These are a few of the kind and considerate acts of the government towards us, in the day of our need, and which being admitted go to shew that, in that day, we had no reason to find fault with them or the head of any department thereof.

Up to this time, and until the arrival of Rev. B. McKenna, our first resident priest, about five years Johnville was a part of the Woodstock mission, distant thirty-five miles and served by Father Connolly, who visited us as often as twice every month. In the winter of 1864 it was decided unanimously to commence the building of a church, and we were encouraged to such decision by the priests assuring us it would cost Johnville nothing in money, such an arrangement suited us to perfection. Our time being, to some extent, our own, it was more at our disposal than silver or gold. In February of the year named, by order of our priest, we assembled, every man in Johnville, with our teams, such as we then possessed, and in one day chopped and delivered on the ground, all the wood for the frame. In this way our first [instalment] was paid towards the new church. Nothing more was done until early in July, then, the hurried season being over, we all assembled again to pay our second [instalment], and after five days hard, constant work, we had the great satisfaction of seeing it framed and raised, and at the stage of advancement had cost us nothing in money.

During the summer, and according as the work progressed, contributions were solicited, in money and material, from among the old settlers at the River, Protestants generally, and so anxious were they to encourage Johnville, and manifest their good will towards their new Catholic neighbors, that all, with very few exceptions, contributed. The collectors, Wm. Boyd and Simon Cummins, succeeded so well , in the pious enterprise, that in the month of October, Johnville had the happiness of seeing the new church opened for divine service, and perfectly free from debt. The erection of that year, however, was intended only to meet the […] wants of the Settlement, and to serve as a chancel and sacristy of a larger church contemplated in time. We worship yet the same dear little church, and although Johnville of to-day is four times that 1864, and although its growth is sure, if slow, the wonder is, and the wonder grows, why the needed extension, so long contemplated has not yet been made.
Yours,
Jan. 21st. 1878
– MONQUART

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