Today’s post is a little bit different,
but in light of the Canada Day celebrations taking place today we thought it
fitting to share with you a piece from our collection with details of
Confederation. As stated within the first few pages of the book titled
‘Confederation’, “This book was compiled from reproductions of actual
newspapers of the day for the Rolland Paper Company Limited as its contribution
to the celebration of Canada’s 100th birthday.” Most already know
the facts and dates of Confederation, so we wanted to share a few excerpts from
newspaper articles that may be of interest. Since none of us were around to
grab the daily paper in 1867, we thought it might be neat to highlight some
lines from different papers. 
Toronto,
Monday, July 1, 1867 – The Globe, “With the first dawn of this gladsome
midsummer morn, we hail the birthday of a new nationality, A united British
America, with its four millions of people, takes its place this day among the
nations of the world. Stamped with a familiar name, which in the past has borne
a record sufficiently honourable to entitle it to be perpetuated with a more
comprehensive import, the DOMINION OF CANADA, on this First day of July, in the
year of grace, eighteen hundred and sixty-seven, enters on a new career of
national existence. Old things have passed away. The history of old Canada,
with its contracted bounds, and limited divisions of Upper and Lower, East and
West, has been completed, and this day a new volume is opened, New Brunswick
and Nova Scotia uniting with Ontario and Quebec to make the history of a
greater Canada, already extending from the ocean to the head waters to the
great lakes, and destined ere long to embrace the larger half of this North
American continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific.”
Halifax,
July 1, 1867 – Morning Chronicle, “DIED. Last night, at twelve o’clock, the free
and enlightened Province of Nova Scotia. Deceased was the offspring of old English
stock, and promised to have proved an honour and support to her parents in
their declining years. Her death was occasioned by unnatural treatment received
at the hands of some of her ungrateful sons, who, taking advantage of the
position she had afforded them, betrayed her to the enemy. Funeral will take
place from the Grand Parade this day, Monday, at 9 o’clock. Friends are
requested not to attend, as her
enemies, with becoming scorn, intend to insult the occasion with rejoicing.”
Friday,
July 12, 1867 – The Ottawa Citizen, “Confederation Day appears to have been
generally well-observed throughout the Dominion. But in Nova Scotia, in the
strongholds of Anti-Unionism, the day passed over without jubilation. This, of
course, is no more than we might have predicted, for, weeks ago, Mr. Howe and
the anti-Confederate journals recommended that the day should be devoted to
fastings and humiliations. The recommendation of Mr. Howe was followed by at
least one Quebec Rouge – a Mr. Laberge – who, as mayor of Dorchester, withheld
his sanction and authority for the holding of a celebration. When asked to
convene a public meeting to take into consideration the celebration of the day
he refused to do so on the ground that he believed Confederation to be a public
misfortune, and that , before rejoicing, the people should wait at least one
year to see how the Union should work.”
Montréal, Samedi, 6 Juillette 1867 – La Guêpe,
“L’Évènement de la Confédération est signalé par les signes les plus étranges,
les choses les plus inouïes et les monstruosités les plus étonnantes.”
As
most know, Confederation Day wasn’t all smiles– there were many different
emotions on this day 149 years ago. Some happy, some not so happy, and in
Montreal, some just in awe at what was happening!
This is very interesting.
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