The Fathers Of Confederation

One of the contributing factors into Canadian Confederation was south of the border. North and South fought the bloody Civil War between 1861-65. Leaders in Canadian colonies looked south, seeing an example not to follow, and understood the need for a strong federal union. This display case includes a rifle and a Union army coat.

Irish-American veterans of the Union Army wore their army jackets in another endeavour in the wake of that war, launching several raids into Canada, pushed back each time. The period was called the Fenian Raids, and the objective was to hold Canada for ransom and force Britain to make Ireland independent. The Raids contributed in their own way to the unification of Canada.

In 1864, leaders of the Canadian colonies began to meet with the goal of uniting under one banner. Three of them were referred to as the Great Coalition- John A. Macdonald, George-Etienne Cartier, and George Brown. Macdonald and Cartier were co-premiers of the Canadas. Macdonald and Brown despised each other. And yet they worked together for a common cause.

Another of the Fathers of Confederation was its most eloquent speaker and writer, very much a driving force in his own right. Thomas D'Arcy McGee had been an Irish radical in his youth, but had come to Canada and saw for himself how British parliamentary style government could work. He changed his world view, went into law and journalism, and ended up a member of Parliament, close friend of Macdonald, and staunch supporter of Confederation.

His change of perspective led to his assassination in 1868. Irish revolutionaries had long considered him a traitor to the cause. He was shot in the back of the head coming home from a debate on Parliament Hill.

This is the gun taken from the assassin, an Irish-Canadian named Patrick James Whalen, who was tried for the crime and hung- though there are doubts to this day that he was the actual killer.

This remarkable painting of McGee hangs overhead.

One of the most famous photographs in the country's history- the Fathers of Confederation meeting at the Charlottetown Convention. Their discussions and work would lead to the creation of the country.

Out west, native peoples were already dealing with contact- both good and bad- with white people. These artifacts are displayed here.

One of the prize artifacts of the museum is this. The Blackfoot tribe had a tradition of a winter count- the most important event of a year depicted on an elkskin, starting at centre and spiralling out. This is one of them.

 

Fathers Of Confederation

We begin today with three photographs of key Fathers of Confederation. John A. Macdonald, a co-premier of the United Canadas who would be the first prime minister of the country, is at top. His rival George Brown is at lower left. Macdonalds' co-premier George-Etienne Cartier is at lower right. Macdonald and Brown despised each other, but recognized the need to work as a team in uniting the colonies into one country.

Delegates would meet to discuss the concept of uniting as one country as the Civil War raged south of the border. 

This is one of the most famous photographs in the country's history- the Fathers of Confederation at the Charlottetown Conference.

The first to join the new country would be Ontario and Quebec (separated from their joint status as the United Canadas and back into two legislatures), Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. Leaders would go to London to see their efforts approved by the British parliament. In the years that followed, more provinces would be formed, and the country as a whole would be established from sea to sea.

This is the dress coat and travel trunk of Cartier, who was one of the leaders who went to London.

The British North America Act was passed by the British Parliament, and Confederation gave rise to the new country.

One of its strongest leaders would only see a short period of it. This painting of Thomas D'Arcy McGee hangs here. McGee was a personal friend of Macdonald, as well as a member of the government, lawyer, and journalist. As a young man he had been an Irish radical, but after he came to North America, his world view changed.

He saw the value of British style Parliamentary democracy, and became one of its strongest advocates. His former comrades in the Fenian radical movement never forgave him for it, and he was assassinated in 1868.

This is the gun used in the crime.

The first Dominion Day- July 1st, 1867. 

Copies of the proclamation, in English and French, are seen here.

Fathers Of Confederation

 More artifacts of the Victorian Age are found here.

When the discussions came about that would lead to Confederation of the Canadian dominions, Ottawa would end up serving as the new country's capital.

This reproduction is of the Fathers Of Confederation. The original painting was lost in the 1916 fire that destroyed the original Centre Block.

Two of the leaders who brought Confederation to life were co-premiers of the Canadas. John A. Macdonald and George-Etienne Cartier are seen here as busts.

Here we have the presentation sword and scabbard of Lt. Colonel Brown Chamberlin, a militia officer who repelled a raid by the Fenians after the Civil War. You may remember that I've mentioned how Irish-American veterans of that conflict tried repeatedly to invade Canada in the years after the war in an attempt to hold it for ransom and force Britain to grant independence to Ireland. The Fenian Raids, as they were called, were influential in uniting the colonies into Confederation after time and again, the invaders were driven out.

One of the targets of the Fenians was a man who had once counted himself as one of their number. Thomas D'Arcy McGee had been a radical in his native Ireland, but had come to the new world, settling into life as a journalist, lawyer, and ultimately politician after seeing the benefits of a British style of parliamentary democracy play out in his new homeland. He would be the most eloquent of the Fathers of Confederation, coming to a new way of thinking. The Fenians never forgave him for it, and he was assassinated coming home from Parliament one night in 1868.

He was a close friend of Macdonald, who was by this time the country's first prime minister. The shock of his murder swept the country.

Some artifacts and photos of the assassination era.

It was a habit in the time to create a death mask of a person who had just died. Because of the injuries sustained in the shooting- McGee had been shot in the back of the head, disfiguring his face- that was not possible. A cast was made of his hand, and it is here, along with one of his books. A fitting tribute, to such a fine writer. 

In 1916, Parliament Hill was the scene of a major fire, with Centre Block going up in flames.

The flag that flew from the tower that night finds its home here.

The Fathers Of Confederation

 A large space along the path tells the story of Canadian Confederation in the 1860s.

Part of the backdrop of the movement was drawn out of the chaos of the American Civil War. Leaders in the Canadian colonies saw the result of a country with weaker federal government responsibilities play itself out in force south of the border, and took that as an example not to follow. As well, the general tone of the Americans about musing on annexing Canada stressed the need to unite and work together.

In the wake of the Civil War came the Fenian Raids, the military operations of Irish-American veterans of the Union Army who hoped to hold Canada for ransom to force the British to grant Ireland independence. The raids were turned back each time. This display case features a musket of the time, and the standard uniform of a Union soldier. Most of the Fenian Raiders simply wore their old uniform.

The need to remain independent of a resurging American union and the lessons learned by Canadian leaders of what had happened south of the border became part of the framework of Confederation.

Three leaders formed what was called the Great Coalition during the talks for Confederation. John A. Macdonald and George Etienne-Cartier, at lower right, were co-premiers of the Canadas. George Brown at lower left was a rival politician who despised Macdonald. But they all understood the need to work together for the greater good.

Another of the Fathers of Confederation as they would come to be called was the most eloquent voice of them all. Thomas D'Arcy McGee was a friend of Macdonald, Irish by birth, a radical in youth who had called for Irish independence. He had come to North America, settling down as a journalist, writer, and lawyer before entering politics. It was in Canada that his world view completely changed and he saw the value of British constitutional parliament. He would become a fierce advocate for Canadian unity in that tradition. In doing so he ended up despised by his former comrades in the Fenian movement.

One of them assassinated him in 1868 when he was coming home to his boarding house after a session in Parliament. The country mourned his loss.

This is the gun used in the assassination. Patrick James Whelan, a Fenian supporter, was arrested, tried, and executed for the assassination, but there have long been doubts as to if he was guilty- or the only one involved.

For today, one of the iconic photographs of Canadian history: the Fathers of Confederation, posing together at the Charlottetown conference.