[JAMES] DAVID WILLIAM SMITH 61 



We are ail excessively happy at the idea of seeing you here. If 

 you make any house at Niagara your hotel other than the Majors, you 

 are not the same John Askin you used to be. 



Leith will give me credit for any little sums you may find it necessary 

 to require, such as putting up the hustings, board, cake and wine, 

 Returning Officer's fee, etc., etc. 

 Love to the good family, 



Yours truly, 



D. W. SMITH. 



MSS. Vol. 2, p. 61, Burton Library. 



Niagara, 14 August, '92. 



My Dear Sir: — -All the letters I get from Detroit give me favourable 

 hopes, except those I receive from McNiff — they assure me of the 

 Interest and Influence of Messrs. McKee, Macomb, Park, Leith, Sharp, 

 Mcintosh, Ehiott, Lamothe, McDonnel and several others for Essex. 



There is, I understand, however, powerful influence against me. 

 However, if I have fair play, I don't fear, as I am assured that the 

 Settlers on Lake Erie and River La Tranche will vote for me ''nemine 

 contradicente," at least these are the words in which their assurances 

 are represented to me. 



Perhaps I should have done better to have set up for one of the 

 seats in Detroit, as I hear only of Mr. Macomb, who is to be proposed; 

 but I did not then know they would be entitled to vote; besides were I 

 thrown out on the 20th, I might have had a chance on the 28th. The 

 French people can easily walk to the hustings, but my gentry will 

 require some conveyance; if boats are necessary, you can hire them, 

 and they must not want beef or rum — let them have plenty — and in 

 case of success I leave it to you which you think will be best to give 

 my friends a public dinner, and the ladies a dance, either now, or when 

 I go up, if you think the moment the best time, you will throw open 

 Forsyth's Tavern, and call for the best he can supply. I trust you will 

 feel veiy Young in the occasions, in the dance, and I wish that Leith 

 and you should push about the bottle to the promotion of the settle- 

 ments on the Detroit. The more broken heads and bloody noses there 

 is, the more election-like— and in case of success (damn that '*if"), let 

 the white Ribbon favors be plentifully distributed, to the old, the 

 Young, the Gay, the lame, the cripple and the blind — half a score cord 

 of wood piled hollow, with a tar barrel in the middle, on the commons, 

 some powder, pour tirer and plenty of rum. I am sure you will preside 

 over and do everything that is needful, as far as my circumstances 

 will admit. There must be no want, and I am sure you will have every- 



Sec. II, 1913—4 



