240 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



and he had no trouble in keeping order. The leading debaters in my 

 time were on the Government side, — Sandfield Macdonald, E. B. Wood 

 (known as "Big Thundei"), M. C. Cameron, A. W. Lauder, Wm. 

 Lount, R. W. Scott, J. C. Rykert and otheis; on the opposition side, 

 Blake, Lauder, Pardee and McKellar; in fact, the members generally 

 in the first Provincial Pailiament were of great debating ability." 



In the general election of 1871 the old parties in Lennox found each 

 other again at the polls. John T. Grange (who is still living in Nap- 

 anee) came forward as a straight Conseivative candidate and Steven- 

 son was the nominee of the Liberal paity. The prestige that the 

 latter had gained by his elevation to the Speaker's chair was more than 

 offset by a certain amount of dissatisfaction among the Liberals as to 

 the policy of the Government. Grange belonged to one of the oldest 

 families in the County with extensive business connections. He polled 

 276 votes more than Stevenson. A few days after the election John 

 Sandfield Macdonald wrote Stevenson as follows: — "I was shocked 

 at the result of your election as indeed I was with regard to many others 

 in which my friends have been slaughtered. I find you take the defeat 

 philosophically. On the whole you have not much reason to complain. 

 Elected as you were for the first time you became the unanimous choice 

 of the first representatives elected under the Confederation Act for 

 Ontario, and you discharged your duties faithfully." 



A few months later John Sandfield himself displayed the same 

 philosophical frame ot mind when under date of 21st of December, 

 1871, he wrote: 



"Affairs have taken a sudden turn. It is impossible to resist 

 the combination which brought about our defeat. Most frantic 

 appeals were made and herculean efforts added to pile up a sufificient 

 force to vote us down. The defection among the Conservative party 

 completed the thing. 



"I am packing up my traps to-day and sorting my papers prepa- 

 ratory to resigning the offfce to my successor. I shall always continue 

 to cherish the liveliest feelings of gratitude towards yourself for the 

 uniform kindly expression of opinion which you have been pleased to 

 utter in my behalf." 



The correspondence of Mr. Stevenson makes it clear that the life 

 of the politician fifty years ago was little if any freer from the impor- 

 tunities of political friends than it is to-day. The result of the election 

 had no sooner been announced than applications began to pour in 

 from all quarters, from all classes, from clergymen to tavern keepers, 

 asking for appointments. 



One is quite patronizing and makes his wants known in the fol- 

 lowing language: — 



