John A. Macdonald

"The writer of history would find that the influence of Sir John Macdonald's career upon the political life of the country, and upon public opinion, has been greater and better, and of a nature that will prove more enduring, than that of any other Canadian statesman, whether dead or living. That Sir John is a partyist it would be no use to deny; but there is no man in this country who more abhors the tyranny of party than he…. Sir John has always, and to a far greater extent than we could wish, sought to instil a feeling of loyalty among Canadians to the British empire; but he has also, more than any other Canadian statesman, taught us the duty of loyalty to ourselves. His doctrine seems to us to have been like this: My great wish is that Canada shall remain an ally of Great Britain, and I desire to see the same sentiment among our people; but to our own selves we must be true. We should be loyal to Great Britain; we must be loyal to Canada." Life and Times of the Right Honourable Sir John A. Macdonald, Premier of the Dominion of Canada by J.E. Collins, 1883

Kingston Historical Society
P.O. Box 54
Kingston, Ontario
K7L 4V6, CANADA
kingstonhs@gmail.com

© 2000- Kingston Historical Society