Blair Collection > Celtic magazine > Volume 5

186 THE CELTIC MAGAZINE.
mucli the answer "which I expected : That that was entirely a question i
Government policy carried on by responsible ilinisters, and in which h
even were he disposed, as the representative of a constitutional Sovereigi
could not interfere. He was good enough not only to give me all the i]
formation that I asked for, but offered me while in Ottawa the use of valuab
papers and memoranda in connection with emigration which were prepaK
for his own special use, and of which I gladly availed myself. He also offeK
me letters of introduction to the leading men in Canada on either sic
of politics whom I might wish to see. I took advantage of this kind off!
to some extent ; but I felt that it would not suit me to go about wit
many introductions from his Excellency, or I might be considered a muc
more important personage than I reaUy was, and my object in securing tl
class of information which I wanted might be defeated. I afterwarc
discovered that the honour conferred upon me was a very special one ; f
hundreds, I was told, attempted to secure an interview with his Lordsh:
without the slightest chance, in most cases, of obtaining their objecl
while I, no doubt more as an humble representative of the readers of tl
Celtic Magazhis than on any personal grounds, had such a high, uue:
pected, and unsolicited honour forced upon me. I felt that I was occupyu:
his valuable time too long, but was told repeatedly that he had arrange
to place himself at my disposal from twelve to two o'clock, during nio,
of which time our conversation never ilagged, and I left with a very hig
opinion of our distinguished and exalted countryman. He expressed h! .
great interest in some of his father's tenants wlio left Tiree several yea] >;
ago, and settled down in the districts of Huron and Bruce, where the',!J
are very comfortable, and desired me to pay them a visit if I possiU'^i
could. And I regret much that, though I was afterwards very near then •!
at Kincardine, on Lake Huron, the time at my disposal did not admit (' \
my paying the Tiree Settlement a visit. Though myself a Campbell o : J
the mother side, I never was a great admirer of some of the leadmg meii'vi
bars of the clan, but I must honestly admit that my interview witli tb'-l
future MacCaUean Mor has very much raised his and my own mother 1 i
clan in my estimation. But, as I have already indicated, the Governoi^
General is not the only Highlander high up the political ladder in Canadi'j (
Next to him in position, and possessing infinitely more power and pohtjl
cal influence, as in aU Hmited monarchies, comes
Sib John A. Macdonald, K.C.B., Prime Minister of the wholj,^
Dominion, a thorough Highlander, born in the county of Sutherland, a.<^\
the 11th January 1815, shortly after which his father, Hugh Macdonalcj ;
emigrated to Canada and settled in Kingston, Ontario, where the son wa "
educated at the Eoyal Grammar School He studied for the law, waj
called to the bar of Upper Canada in 1836, and became a Q.C. in 1846
by which time he had entered on the political career in which he ha
since so much distinguished himself. Eeturning from my interview witl
the Governor-General, I found a note awaiting me from the Private Seen
tary of the Premier, intimating that Sir John wished to see me at tei'
o'clock next mornirig, at his private residence, I called at the appointeij i
time, and was received in the most gracious manner by om- distmguishec '•
countryman, already busy among his despatclies, and giving instruction
to a couple of secretaries. We had a most agreeable conversation abou
Canada, emigration, the Highlanders at home, and his own extraordinaq