Picking up where I left off yesterday, the Bytown Museum features a number of panels on the assassination of Thomas D'Arcy McGee, one of our Fathers of Confederation, an eloquent speaker, politician, and writer, who was a friend of Sir John A. Macdonald. He was killed outside his boarding house here in Ottawa after coming home from a session in the House of Commons. An Irish nationalist was hung for it; his assassination came in the wake of the Fenian Raids, and was for his stance against Irish radicalism of the time.
This bust is of Lady Macdonald, the Prime Minister's wife Agnes. It is a marble by Marshall Wood, and the quote behind it I found poignant. The case beside it contains the original plaque marking the spot of McGee's assassination, the plaster cast of one of his hands done after his death, and a copy of a book he wrote on Irish history. Photographs of the site of the crime and his funeral are also found here.
The burning of Centre Block on Parliament Hill also features strongly in this section of the Museum. It was destroyed in 1916, with only the Library of Parliament spared, and then rebuilt. A Union Jack that flew over the original tower on that day now resides here in the Museum. Tomorrow I'll take you back outside.
Lady Macdonald's quote makes the assassination more personal and real.
ReplyDelete...history is often filled with violence!
ReplyDeleteHistory goes on and on with people who see murder as the only solution to their problem.
ReplyDeleteNothing has changed.
ReplyDeleteInteresting objects. I'm somehow oddly fascinated by the death hand.
ReplyDeleteHello, it does seem history is filled with violence. It continues now! Enjoy your day and the week ahead.
ReplyDelete@Kay: it does.
ReplyDelete@Tom: unfortunately.
@Marianne: that's true.
@Marleen: I agree.
@Halcyon: fitting for a writer.
@Eileen: it does indeed.
For every good, there is a a bad.
ReplyDeleteExtremism comes at a great price to society. What would Magee have accomplished if he had lived?
ReplyDeleteThat cast of his hand is just a tiny bit creepy.
ReplyDeleteI think I saw the hand in your past post. It's a very memorable exhibit!
ReplyDeleteAs long as there are people there will be differences of opinion and, sadly, war and violence. Great photos, William.
ReplyDelete@Nancy: that's true.
ReplyDelete@Red: I suspect he'd loom even bigger in our history than he already does. A rare combination- a great and a good man. Very human, but one capable of seeing the error of his actions and developing a new perspective of things.
@Sharon: a bit! The museum has a reputation as being haunted, and I'd previously photographed the hand on one occasion, and had a devil of a time getting the shot I wanted.
@Tamago: yes, I've featured it before.
@Linda: thank you.
That MacDonald clan had some really interesting women!
ReplyDeleteJanis
GDP
Assignations have been happening forever it seems, not good but perhaps just one more 😀
ReplyDeleteLady Macdonald's quote is indeed poignant.
ReplyDeleteThose were the days of fires. There's one going on in Smiths Falls right now. sigh.
ReplyDeleteSad to read of this & indeed Lady Macdonalds remark of an bar across the heart has been felt many times in our turbulent history.
ReplyDeleteI somehow did a double take when I saw that hand!!!
ReplyDeleteAnother interesting post, thank you.
All the best Jan
The world is a violent place.
ReplyDeleteneat flag and the building with all the turrets ... so cool. ( ;
ReplyDeleteNever ends, despite people's best intentions.
ReplyDeleteOnce again violence is present and I guess it will always be.
ReplyDelete@Janis: they were quite a family.
ReplyDelete@Grace: as appealing a thought as that is :), I'd much rather not have him put on the pedestal that assassination would give him.
@Norma: it certainly is.
@Jennifer: I hope it's brought under control fast.
@Christine: it would have had that effect in his time.
@Jan: it's something that does stand out!
@RedPat: it is.
@Beth: thanks!
@Revrunner: true.
@Bill: I agree.
Honest, I could wander inside a bit longer.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy each visit!
DeleteThe Union Jack is displayed upside-down.
ReplyDeleteOops!
DeleteWhat an interesting (and dark) bit of history. Very interesting actually!
ReplyDeleteIt is.
DeleteI'm sorry,but the hand reminds of Thing from the Addams Family movie :)
ReplyDeleteI can see that!
Delete